Misc data and adventures of a Tayopa treasure hunter

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

Hello All

My apologies I drifted off topic . Coffee?

The drumbeat continued its voyage through Vanuatu to Ambyum to see an active volcano. unfortunate for me or anchorage was not safe enough to leave the vessel unattended. But allowed some of day/ night trip to go on trip to see an active volcano in action. At night you can see the fires of hell itself in action in most spectacular fashion.

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However we later continued onto Port Vila on the island of Elate. Port Vila is the capital of Vanuatu. Cruise ships pull into the port.The crew had a break again while in port. Vila no doubt my friends one of the most beautiful ports in the Pacific.

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Its always a nice stop over by we was in transit with short voyage to new Caledonia. It was about 550 km cruise passing through the loyalties island to the isle of Pines.

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As you can see the strange pine trees more in keeping of Europe and the United States. A tropical paradise with pines trees. Some of strange sight you see traveling through the south sea islands. You could imagine the stories of old mariner that first visited these islands. Sex could be bought with the price of rusty nail. Some of the frost ships that encountered islands. Some earliest ships captain reported their ships we was being secretly pulled apart for rusty nails by lusty sailors.:-)

Onto we sailed to Noumea our official port of entry in New Caledonia.

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Once again it is easy to become a tour guide so my apologies. I had purpose of catching up with an old treasure hunter living in Noumea. It has our last port of call until we catch up with that pesky beach beach bun of a pirate Crow most likely hanging out at his bar drinking bad manners? Bad manners id nick name for rum my friends.

But for now I had to catch up with an old treasure hunter retired who lives on yacht in the marina. Old Kanacka Jack. While the world is changing so fast my friends there is some places that some of the old salts of around the Pacific are still around. I include our esteemed Don Jose one of them my friends. He was in his eighties at the time of my visit sadly a few tears later I heard he passed away.

However at the time of my visit he was alive and kicking...A day spent listen to him telling old yarns of the Pacific and drinking wine with him was priceless my friends.

However once again times up its late again.

So grab a coffee and pull up seat by the campfire.

The old guy had an amazing story to tell?

To be continued....


Kanacki

You did mean “Old Kanaka Jack “ had passed away, right?

I read that two or three times to make sure that you didn’t mean “Our Old Don Jose!” Had passed...

I’m a little feeble minded and can’t allow too many skipped beats of this ole heart!...

#/;0{>~

 

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[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

While I’m thinking about bad ideas , I just realized that I scheduled a visit with my doctor on April first! If I get in there and his nurse gives me one of those paper dresses to put on, she is come back to an empty room, ‘cause I’m gonna be out front rescheduling my appointment for something other than April fools day!!!

{80•>~

 

[coazon de oro]

While I’m thinking about bad ideas , I just realized that I scheduled a visit with my doctor on April first! If I get in there and his nurse gives me one of those paper dresses to put on, she is come back to an empty room, ‘cause I’m gonna be out front rescheduling my appointment for something other than April fools day!!!

{80•>~

Howdy Mikel,

Some years ago I had a bad experience with those paper dresses. My wife, kids, and I had gone to San Antonio to get an x-ray on my bad knee. From several chairs in the waiting area, you could see down a long hall where the patient rooms were.

When I was called they took me into one of those rooms and left me a pair of one size fits all paper bloomers and asked me to change into them. They told me that I could keep my t-shirt, and socks on. Needless to say I looked ridiculous, those paper bloomers had elastic on the waist, and elastic just above the knees. Since I had spend some time in a wheelchair, my chicken legs just made it worse.

Nurse came back and asked me to go down the hall, two doors to the left to the x-ray room, and wait for the radiologist. I put my cowboy hat on, and peeked out the door to the waiting area hoping my wife, or kids didn't see me. Coast was clear, so I went down the hall to the x-ray room. After a short wait, I had the x-rays done, and was told to go back to my room, change back to my clothes, and wait for the doctor.

So I peeked out the x-ray room to the waiting area, and lucky for me the coast was clear once again. It was just two doors away, but I didn't make it. Just as I had passed the first door, someone called my name, "Hi Homer". Out of courtesy, I went back to find it was a close friend from our small hometown, she used to be the head cheerleader when we were in school. Here I had been worrying about being seen by my own family, or some complete stranger in the waiting area. So I leaned on the door frame, and put one arm up on the other side like bloomers were in style. I was struggling to find the medical terminology to explain my visit there, as she probably was doing her best to hold it together.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

Howdy Mikel,

Some years ago I had a bad experience with those paper dresses. My wife, kids, and I had gone to San Antonio to get an x-ray on my bad knee. From several chairs in the waiting area, you could see down a long hall where the patient rooms were.

When I was called they took me into one of those rooms and left me a pair of one size fits all paper bloomers and asked me to change into them. They told me that I could keep my t-shirt, and socks on. Needless to say I looked ridiculous, those paper bloomers had elastic on the waist, and elastic just above the knees. Since I had spend some time in a wheelchair, my chicken legs just made it worse.

Nurse came back and asked me to go down the hall, two doors to the left to the x-ray room, and wait for the radiologist. I put my cowboy hat on, and peeked out the door to the waiting area hoping my wife, or kids didn't see me. Coast was clear, so I went down the hall to the x-ray room. After a short wait, I had the x-rays done, and was told to go back to my room, change back to my clothes, and wait for the doctor.

So I peeked out the x-ray room to the waiting area, and lucky for me the coast was clear once again. It was just two doors away, but I didn't make it. Just as I had passed the first door, someone called my name, "Hi Homer". Out of courtesy, I went back to find it was a close friend from our small hometown, she used to be the head cheerleader when we were in school. Here I had been worrying about being seen by my own family, or some complete stranger in the waiting area. So I leaned on the door frame, and put one arm up on the other side like bloomers were in style. I was struggling to find the medical terminology to explain my visit there, as she probably was doing her best to hold it together.

Not just someone that you know, but the HEAD cheerleader [emoji351]!

I think that could happen to me on April fools day....

The lady that cuts my hair, was one of those well sought out in high school.
Just the general conversations in that room is enough for me to shove my ear plugs in a little more, but I have to pull them out because she trims my ears, and it always changes the sound level in the room.

I always tell them to continue with the conversation as is because once she buzzed my ear, I cannot hear anything else. And it always gets worse.

I have had only two people to cut my hair since I was in high school and she was one that I had a crush on.

I usually have to say that there are two people that I never cheat on, my wife and my hair dresser.

But, I have to admit, when she washes my hair, I could go to sleep [emoji42]...

{:0{>~

 

[KANACKI]

You did mean “Old Kanaka Jack “ had passed away, right?

I read that two or three times to make sure that you didn’t mean “Our Old Don Jose!” Had passed...

I’m a little feeble minded and can’t allow too many skipped beats of this ole heart!...

#/;0{>~

Hello PM

My apologies I have corrected the passage of words. Being one finger typist not even two. And terribly far sighted. Typing on a small lap top, i really got squint to see..That with constant interruptions.The Kids and now their kids wanting me to do this and that. Time to my self even to sit down and watch a movie is short. I am supposedly retired.....Even as type this I am being interrupted..

That another my other half giving me chores I do not know how I had time to work before? So my friends apologies in advance any typos misspelled or wrong words in the sentences.

I am like a pile of manure with a family like flies buzzing around me!:-)

PM I must get the name of your hair dresser. i could do with a grandpa nap. :-)

Kanacki

 

[mdog]

Howdy Mikel,

Some years ago I had a bad experience with those paper dresses. My wife, kids, and I had gone to San Antonio to get an x-ray on my bad knee. From several chairs in the waiting area, you could see down a long hall where the patient rooms were.

When I was called they took me into one of those rooms and left me a pair of one size fits all paper bloomers and asked me to change into them. They told me that I could keep my t-shirt, and socks on. Needless to say I looked ridiculous, those paper bloomers had elastic on the waist, and elastic just above the knees. Since I had spend some time in a wheelchair, my chicken legs just made it worse.

Nurse came back and asked me to go down the hall, two doors to the left to the x-ray room, and wait for the radiologist. I put my cowboy hat on, and peeked out the door to the waiting area hoping my wife, or kids didn't see me. Coast was clear, so I went down the hall to the x-ray room. After a short wait, I had the x-rays done, and was told to go back to my room, change back to my clothes, and wait for the doctor.

So I peeked out the x-ray room to the waiting area, and lucky for me the coast was clear once again. It was just two doors away, but I didn't make it. Just as I had passed the first door, someone called my name, "Hi Homer". Out of courtesy, I went back to find it was a close friend from our small hometown, she used to be the head cheerleader when we were in school. Here I had been worrying about being seen by my own family, or some complete stranger in the waiting area. So I leaned on the door frame, and put one arm up on the other side like bloomers were in style. I was struggling to find the medical terminology to explain my visit there, as she probably was doing her best to hold it together.

Back when I was 30, I decided to get a vasectomy because my wife and I had three kids and every month, when she was late, I kept getting dizzy. I wasn't real excited about it but I decided it would be safer for me to get cut than it would be for my wife. So, I made the appointment and showed up at the doctor's office on the appointed day. The doctor came into the room and told me to strip down and put on one of those paper gowns you guys are talking about. So he has me lay down on the examination table and put each foot in a stirrup and spread my legs. He asked me if I wanted to watch and I said Hell No! so he got to work. I thought he was going to be the only person in the room but he stuck his head out the door and called for the nurse. The nurse came in and I recognized her right away. She had been a couple years behind me, in high school. She helped the doctor deaden the work area, which wasn't too hard, and then she left the room. A minute later, she came back into the room with another nurse, who I also knew, and who was in the same class as the first nurse. I'm thinking holy cow, maybe I should close my eyes, and then another nurse walks in, who I also knew and who was in the same class as the first two nurses. I'm thinking crap, how many nurses do I know. I was red as a beet and wondering why so many people had to observe a vasectomy. They stood there smiling and chatting away and all I said was something about turning the air conditioner down. True story.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Kanaci, I spent some time during the war on Esortu Santos, yer talking ny country now.

 

[KANACKI]

Kanaci, I spent some time during the war on Esortu Santos, yer talking ny country now.

Hello Don Jose

My friends you have an amazing connection to bit of history?

Here is some pictures from your time back there and your bomber shared the island with the famous for ba ba black sheep squadron.









During World War II, particularly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the island was used by American naval and air forces as a military supply and support base, naval harbor, and airfield.

In highly fictionalized form, this was the locale of James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, and of the following Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. Don Jose I did not know the island you was stationed on was the setting for the musical south Pacific.


The presence of the Americans later contributed to the island's tourism in scuba diving, as the Americans dumped most of their used military and naval equipment, and their refuse, at what is now known as "Million Dollar Point". A shipwreck off Espiritu Santo, that of the SS President Coolidge, is also a popular diving spot. The SS President Coolidge was a converted luxury liner that hit a sea mine during the war and was sunk. Don Jose I had the pleasure of diving on that ship several years ago.

The history of base is very interesting my friends.

The 7th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo on 11 August 1942 and began construction of more extensive air facilities to support the Guadalcanal Campaign.

After completing a second fighter airfield at Turtle Bay they began constructing a bomber field at Palikulo Bay. The runway was 5,000 feet (1,500 m) by 150 feet (46 m) built of PSP over a coral base. The 15th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo on 13 October 1942 and added taxiways, revetments, and a 1,000 feet (300 m) extension to the runway for air transport operation.

Units of the 5th Bombardment Group based at Palikulo included the 23d Bombardment Squadron operating B-17Es and later B-24s from 1 December 1942 until 3 January 1944, and the 72d Bombardment Squadron and 394th Bombardment Squadron both operating B-17s.

On 13 August B-17E #41-2463 of the 394th Bombardment Squadron piloted by Gene Roddenberry crashed on takeoff due to mechanical failure.

Navy and USMC units based at Palikulo included:

VMD-154 operating PB4Ys
VMD-254 operating B-24s
VMO-250 operating J2Fs.

Following the sinking of the USS Wasp (CV-7) on 15 September 1942, VF-71 operating F4Fs was temporarily based at Palikulo.

On the nights of 15 and 23 October 1942 Palikulo was shelled by a Japanese submarine however no serious damage resulted.

Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) units based at Palikulo included:

No. 1 (Islands) Group Headquarters from 1 March 1943-January 1944

No. 3 Squadron operating Lockheed Hudsons from 9 October-6 December 1942 and later operating Lockheed Venturas in July 1944

No. 9 Squadron operating Lockheed Hudsons from March 1943
No. 14 Squadron operating P-40s from April–June 1943
No.25 Squadron operating SBDs from 30 January to 22 March 1944

The RNZAF operated a base depot at Palikulo that assembled aircraft that arrived aboard US ships and were then assigned to RNZAF Squadrons.

So you must of encountered our New Zealand friends towards the end of war. What was runway like to land on?

here is clip of them with rollers flattening out the airstrip and b-24 that had crashed.



Don Jose what an amazing bit of history in a time and place to be part of.

My hat is off to you sir.

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Back when I was 30, I decided to get a vasectomy because my wife and I had three kids and every month, when she was late, I kept getting dizzy. I wasn't real excited about it but I decided it would be safer for me to get cut than it would be for my wife. So, I made the appointment and showed up at the doctor's office on the appointed day. The doctor came into the room and told me to strip down and put on one of those paper gowns you guys are talking about. So he has me lay down on the examination table and put each foot in a stirrup and spread my legs. He asked me if I wanted to watch and I said Hell No! so he got to work. I thought he was going to be the only person in the room but he stuck his head out the door and called for the nurse. The nurse came in and I recognized her right away. She had been a couple years behind me, in high school. She helped the doctor deaden the work area, which wasn't too hard, and then she left the room. A minute later, she came back into the room with another nurse, who I also knew, and who was in the same class as the first nurse. I'm thinking holy cow, maybe I should close my eyes, and then another nurse walks in, who I also knew and who was in the same class as the first two nurses. I'm thinking crap, how many nurses do I know. I was red as a beet and wondering why so many people had to observe a vasectomy. They stood there smiling and chatting away and all I said was something about turning the air conditioner down. True story.

Mdog

Some thing I should of done after my 3rd child, I ended up with 8. I er took a long time to understand the rhythm method did not work for us. :-)

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello Again

Coffee?

Meeting up with Kanacka Jack was real pleasure like Don Jose you would fall into amazing yarns he would tell.

He spent many years wandering the mountains and valleys of new Caledonia looking for gold. He made a living from mining and ended up retired on an old ketch berth at the Marina in Noumea. Jack told the story of discovery of gold that was never really seriously followed up on. Fine grains of gold was shredding down the hills from an eroding quartz vain. For years the gold was not commercially viable for big mining giant but for an individual enough to make a very good living shifting the river sand for fine gold.

An 1863 newspaper story backed up his claims. In fact very few was every really interested in mining for gold there because their was better prospects in Australia and New Guinea at the time.



Kanacka Jack told me with in sight up in valley looking back down at the church in distance where he sift for gold.

The church is there to this day.



Kanack jack spent years slaving away making money from sifting gold. In fact one day up higher up in the hillside he found eroded ravine with deep round pot holes in rock. inside those potholes was small gleaming nuggets just out of arms reach. However he said the site was dangerously rugged and he concluded the quarts vein must be somewhere above this deposit. However by the time he discovered this he was getting on in years and no longer had the hunger to take the risk of climbing up the treacherous slope. As besides being the full owner his ketch, his wife by his side and lived a good life on what they had in retirement savings.

He bemoaned the fact kid no longer had dreams of such things...

Yet somewhere in hills above looking into valley made indeed by substantial quartz gold vein? He and his wife wined and died old Kanacki and my wife to point Wine in middle of the day...er I had quite wobbly boot my friends. The conversation that my young crew of trainee sailor was hungry for adventure. He asked if we was interested he would give us directions to where these pot holes was?

As the sun and wine kicked in I said I have to see if we had time for a little trip. And get back to him in the morning and thank out wonderful host for wine yarn and lovely meal his wife cooked.

But on returning to the drumbeat there was another story ringing in my head of documents? He had now in the bitter reality of old age was upon him that he given to me information concerning another treasure in the cook islands.

Kanacka Jack was a generous old soul? If he liked you he would give you the shirt off his back. He would think nothing of it, He was with his wife the salt of the earth my friends. However the documents he gave intrigued me more than this gold deposit near Pouebo. The gold reef was more an adventure for young crew to spend a day nothing. However the documents of this other story was far far more intriguing my friends. However that is yarn for another time.

Old Kanacki and his better half came back on the Drumbeat with a thumping hang over. Not good drinking too much wine during a hot afternoon. The grins on crews faces seeing the "old man" drunk was priceless to them as it was not seen very often.

Once again Kanacki the one finger wonder typist has stop as hes just about worn his index finger out today. :-)

To be continued...

Kanacki

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Kanaci, Your picture of the Cathedral at New Calidonia didn't come through, But I have posted a picture of it in the past, prob from the vicinity of your Gold reef, with Ile Nou in the background to the left. Is the wreck on your left side there as you make your approach through the Coral reefs still there ? I used to practice bombing her, after making sure there were no fisherman aboard her.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

kanaci, slight correction, that wreckage was a b-17. it crashed when the pilots wanted to welcme the new year in the sky, but were already in their cups. Also it was Espiritu Santos. the engines ran out of fuel.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

You two are a wonderful library. If I am not careful, I may learn just enough to get myself into trouble!!

#/;0{>~

 

[KANACKI]

Kanaci, Your picture of the Cathedral at New Calidonia didn't come through, But I have posted a picture of it in the past, prob from the vicinity of your Gold reef, with Ile Nou in the background to the left. Is the wreck on your left side there as you make your approach through the Coral reefs still there ? I used to practice bombing her, after making sure there were no fisherman aboard her.

Hello Don Jose good morning? or should I say good evening?

I have reposted the picture of newspaper article and the church it refers to. Its not the Cathedral in Noumea but a church in place along the east cast of New Caledonia called Puedo? from memory.

The remains of wreck you mention is still there all be it very fragmentary now.

My apologies my friends. The other half sees it necessary not to have old Kanacki moping about the house and there fore as a women she found some chores for me to do. :-)

watch this space....to be continued....

Kanacki

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Gracias Don Kanaci now then about the plane crash as you can see there was no hope of finding anyone alive.

 

[coazon de oro]

You two are a wonderful library. If I am not careful, I may learn just enough to get myself into trouble!!

#/;0{>~

You and I both Amigo, I have a bucket full of rusty nails.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Kanacki, We arrived at the channel at the southern tip, of Espiritu and the next island to the south where we were greeted by the sounds of two aircraft collidinc in the clouds, one went directly into a dive the other into pieces with the pilot riding a collapsed cute, he did not survive either Another swabbie and I decided to make a small boat out of the packing lumber. to go get some coconuts for the rest of the crew, naturally we gathered the ripe coconuts, the worst type for a bunch of swabbies after a long cruize, as you can imagineThanks for correcting me, I didn't know they had changed their names.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Corozone 7 Prospecter, we hav'ent started. yet .Kanaci is a master at drawing out stories. We have shared the same spaces, but at different times. wish He had been in my time factor.

 

[doc-d]

It is nice to read the stories and experiences as I spend some time back at work in the cold northeast.........I will return to South America and exploration and adventures in the future, As for now, I will "live" thought your stories.
Although I am very near the Thousand Islands now and hope to get some time to explore here once the weather, and water warm a little.

 

[releventchair]

You and I both Amigo, I have a bucket full of rusty nails.

No....Don't try it at home!