Happy Wanderers: February 7, 2019 - Utheemu, Maldives

February 7, 2019 - Utheemu, Maldives - Thursday, Day 32

After a smooth overnight sail we arrived at Utheemu. This small island is at the northern end of The Maldives. As we looked at it from the dining room at breakfast it seemed uninhabited. Why are we stopping here? It must be for the beautiful white sand beaches.

A short tender ride took us to a nicely protected jetty. This was not critical today because the sea was very smooth. Not far from the jetty was a monument of an old boat. This was the beginning of the Main Street. This was a wide sand thoroughfare that led across to the far side of the island. We followed the other passengers.

That did not last long because we noticed a partially opened gate at what appeared to be a school. We slipped in. It was a school. Across the courtyard a couple of men who were talking noticed us enter but did not object. We made our way to the buildings. The classrooms were very small. Each was marked with the grade level on a small plaque next to the door. We were taking pictures when one of the men approached. He introduced himself as the principal. He apologized and asked that we not take pictures of the inside of the classrooms. He said quietly that they have limited resources. We talked for a while and learned that the school has about 120 students for grades K through 10. Class was out today because it was a national holiday. The national congress was opening today. He also told us there were around 1200 inhabitants of the island. We finished touring the grounds on our own.

We left and as we started down the street we noticed new houses under construction and some side streets with houses on them sheltered by trees. Under a shelter across the street we saw what appeared to be a souvenir stand. When we approached it we discovered hand painted magnets and branch cut-offs with scenes hand painted on them. We found one of these that we particularly liked. The artist asked for $15, but everyone knows you don’t pay the first price. I countered $10. This is high, but the piece was nice, he was nice and we did not mind if he got something extra. He agreed happily to $10.

What a good move this was. We talked with him for quite a while. He is Abdul. He lives in a house under a large bread fruit tree a block away from the place where he displayed his work with his wife and 2 daughters. He learned to paint while he worked at a resort on a nearby island. He discovered a few days ago that a ship with 1200 passengers was coming. He spent the past four days painting branches and magnets. He also collected the shells he was selling and made the small sand and shell in bottle designs. His wife and daughters and he were currently living alone in the house because his father was ill and had to be taken to India for care.

We bid Abdul farewell after he signed our branch and posed for a picture. We walked away to see his house. It seems very nice. While we were there, we heard children squealing around the corner. We went to see them. A young boy was climbing a tree. A young boy and 2 young girls were cheering him on. They all posed for pictures. Then one girl ran into her house and came back with small bags of seeds/nuts for each of us. There was more squealing as we thanked them and walked away.

Halfway down the street we were met by a man on a motorcycle cart. He was Muhammad. He is from Utheemu but lived for a long time in Canada before returning 17 years ago. He is a boat builder and told us of a big boat he is working on over by the other shore. He said it is 130 meters long. 450 feet. We might see it later. He had a small shop at the corner and collected rent on the restaurant next door. He was very proud that this earned $900 per month. He did not offer and we did not ask how much the boat building paid.

We moved on to visit the mosque. Its grounds are extensive and very nice. Because of the holiday it was closed to visitors.

Finally we arrived at one of the many white sand beaches that fringe Utheemu. We shed our shoes and walked down the beach towards the water. As we walked I thought I noticed a shell move. I looked down but it was still. Just as I was about to move away the shell lurched forward. A small hermit crab was propelling it. We watched a while before we walked on. Before we reached the water we noticed 3 other nomadic shells with operators of various sizes. The sand had been hard-packed up to about 10 feet from the water. There it was nice and soft.

The water was warm. As we stood in it the waves began to undermine our feet to the point where we might topple if we did not adjust our stance. After walking a bit and standing a bit we stepped out of the water and walked back to our shoes. On the way we observed a shell-less crab scurry across the sand in search of a home. The sand was fine and sticky but we finally got our feet clean and our shoes and socks back on.

We wanted to take a different street towards another beach. As we walked we commented on how firm the sand streets were. Motorbikes and carts were the only modes of transportation. There were no cars on the island that we could see.

We could see a new beach ahead. When we arrived we were at the wooden boat shed. Old boats were being repaired here. This was not the place Muhammad had referred to. We turned away to walk along the beach. That was when we spied a long metal shed set back in the bread fruit trees. As we approached it we could see wooden framework inside. Eureka! Here was an enormous wooden frame for making the fiberglas hull of a very large boat. We walked around this front end of the mold and marveled at its intricacy and volume. We could see ladders that had been used on it construction. We then followed a path along the outside to the rear of the building. Here was another marvel. There were molds for fabricating interior elements from fiberglas and 2 men working. We could also see a stairway built to allow access to a platform that ran across the rear of the mold. One of the men came over and we explained that Muhammad had told us about this project. He told us Muhammad was not here and he showed us some of the work being done on the ground.

We asked if we could go up the stairs and see the work from the platform. He said sure and led us up. We were amazed. The hull layup had been completed and the stringers that would provide strength and rigidity were already in place. They were starting to work on the bulkheads. Muhammad had told us that this was a second boat. When we asked about the first the workman showed us pictures of it on his phone. It is a gorgeous yacht used as a luxury dive boat by the resorts. The island owns it as it does this one. They are 1.5 years into the project with 2.5 years to go. There is already demand for it, and it will be profitable for the people of Utheemu. We thanked him for his courtesy and headed back to the jetty.

Along the way we passed a tree completely covered in netting. We had seen on earlier, and wondered about it. Near this one we met 4 ladies making thatching for roofs out of palm leaves. Yesterday we had failed to ask about the fish selling process at the market. We would not make that mistake again. The youngest lady welcomed us with very good English. We first asked her about the work they were doing. She told us it was to fill orders from the resorts for roofing for huts. They work every day from noon till about 3:30. They cut the leaves from the trees, strip them and dry them before weaving them.

As they were working today, they had a cardboard egg tray smoldering near them. She, Shama, explained that it had rained last night and this burning kept the mosquitos away. If they do get bit the apply cologne to prevent itching. They had not had any rain in 2 months. That is why the sand was so firm after this rain.

She also took us into the “woods” to see 2 other ladies doing the stripping of the fronds from the branches. We complimented her on her English. She learned it in school on a neighboring atoll. We thanked her for her help and walked on.

Halfway to the jetty we realize we had not asked about the netting on thy trees. Oh well, we would go back to visit Abdul. it required a bit of backtracking on the main street, but we were confident he would be helpful. When we arrived at his stall he was busy. People heading back to the ship had discovered that this was the only place to get a souvenir from the island. Magnets and shells were sold at a desirable price point. The remaining painted branches were not as nice as our.

We watched as a lady bought a magnet which Abdul signed. Then she picked up one of the shells and bought it for $5. When she was finished Abdul noticed us and came right over.

We told him we did not want to interrupt his sales, but he insisted that he was happy to help. He explained that the covered trees were wax apple trees an the netting is to keep the fruit bats from eating all the fruit.

He talked some more about his life. He has a government job here that does not pay much , but helps make ends meet. He also does lobster catching. the resorts pay $25 each and he can catch 10 to 15 lobsters a night. He keeps them in a pen offshore until the resorts call. He seems to be very motivated and industrious.

We asked if he had any news about his father. He was having tests performed today. After the results were available the family would consult with the doctors to determine what needed to be done. We offered our prayers. This seemed to surprise and please him.

He insisted that we take 2 shells that were even nicer than the ones the lady just bought. We were good people he said. And he just picks them up on the beach after storms. We thanked each other and bid farewell. He gave us his email address and we will be in touch.

The tender got us home, and we hugged each other in joy over the wonder of this day.