November 24^th 2008

A large velvet maker Photo : Max GUEROUT

The Masked Booby’s return from fishing Photo : Max GUEROUT

Yesterday’s day off gave us the opportunity to walk around the island, to stroll on the beaches and to admire the wild coast of the South.

While passing, some photographs: velvet makers, which mark the space of their presence, of a Masked Booby coming back from fishing, of a copper wire put in a ball by the sea.

Well established tradition, Sunday at midday, barbecue. It is Jean-François Rebeyrotte who plays the cooker, he inquires to each person of the desired baking and works with Jean-Michel in the smoke of the deadwood of velvet maker (him again).

In the afternoon, Nick Marinner raises some points to finish the topographic cover of the island. The result is impressive since nearly 3500 points of measurement were taken, giving a splendid chart in three dimensions of the island, the first ever carried out.

Jean-François at work for the traditional Sunday barbecue Photo : Max GUEROUT

This morning, we begin the embankment of the site. Sylvain re-enlisted again and, of course, marks this new stage in his way.
After an ultimate photograph shooting, it is necessary for us to set up landmarks to find our marks easily if ever we return.
Our objective is to recover everything in four days, while leaving at least a visible building the longest possible to allow Yann Von Arnim to see it, if ever he manages to join us in time.
The ballet of the shovels begins again and, at the end of the morning, one of the three buildings is practically embanked. Since yesterday, the wind became stronger and blows with more than 15 knots, which, in spite of a temperature higher than thirty degrees (Celsius), makes work less painful.
The kidneys and the backs are a little stiff in the end of the afternoon, but we are now assured to hold our predictions.

Max drawn par Sylvain