Botany Bay at Likiep Atoll
After 24 hours of motor sailing upwind we come to the pass into Likiep Atoll. It is important to arrive at the pass during daylight, preferably with the sun at your back to make the coral heads easier to see.
Our first day at Likiep was wet and rainy, it was also hot and muggy. We decided to wait until tomorrow to go ashore and just rest as it was already late afternoon
The same day we arrived the inter-atoll trading/transport vessel arrives. 
    

The airport at Likiep is the other way to get on and off the island, but before you jump on the next airplane take a look at the runway!
Botany Bay rides at anchor just off Likiep Island. I love this image of Botany Bay, it reminds me of tropical breezes, quiet anchorages, and the hospitality of a wonderful people.
The coral shallows looking up the east reef from Likiep Island. The water at low tide just barely covers the reef.
This piece of driftwood caught my eye, it is an interesting set of shapes. I wonder if it is native or washed up from some distant shore.
The houses around Likiep are often surrounded by short cropped grass or coral bits. The houses are generally painted bright colors.
Found throughout the island are clusters of homes, often with different buildings for cooking, laundry, and sleeping.
Tani and I found these baskets full of bits of sun bleached coral. We never did find out for sure what they were for, we assumed that it was to carry the coral for ground cover in a compound but we were never sure.
The school at Likiep is a rather large building. There are a significant number of children on the island.
Tani is amazed at just how green everything is!
The crisp blue sky offsets the deep green of tropical growth.
The jungle around Likiep is quite dense where they have not kept it cleared. The green colors are very viberant.
We saw dogs, cats, pigs, turtles, and chickens all over Likiep. This kitten was especially playful and caught our eye.
There are quite a few small boats at Likiep, the boats are used for fishing and getting to the other islands in the atoll.
This vary strange bird has become a pet, always coming back for food. No one was sure what type of bird it is, if you know, drop me a line!
Like all of the Islands, there is a local Christian Church on Likiep. This one is one of the most brightly painted I have seen.
The Likiep cemetery is beautifully kept and has some very hold headstones.
The children of the Marshall Islands are a rare treasure. At Likiep, as everywhere in the Marshall Islands, the children are open, trusting, friendly, and happy. Here Tani and a group of children from Likiep are in a Hammock on the beach. Marshallese children are often shy of the camera until they see the pictures of themselves on the back of a digital camera! Then they can't wait to be in front to the lens.
There is a real hotel at Likiep. They built it by purchasing surplus trailers from Kwajalein, brought them to Likiep and then joined them end to end and made hotel rooms out of them. It is quite an interesting project and one which I hope is successful over the long term.
A tree next to the hotel is dropping these flowers on the sand, Tani tries putting one in her hair. This was after several tries as the flowers are very delicate.
The flowers dropped from the tree onto the sand and are just beautiful to look at.
Cast nets hanging to dry from the trees.
Dusk at Likiep
I think this is the remains of a landing craft. I was not able to determine how long it had been there.
Drying pandamas leaves to make fans. 
Tani bought these two lacquered fish made from coconuts. The top fin comes off to expose the inside of the shell. The woman in the photo made them. She is holding her daughter.
The museum at Likiep is definitely a treat, many original works of art and furniture.
As we depart Likiep for Midway Island we leave good friends and fond memories of the Marshall Islands.