Confidence

[Stagecoach]

Having been hit by another severe cyclone last week and just about finished clearing the fallen trees and damaged vegetation the other half reminded me again that the tallest coconut tree remaining is a threat to our house and fencing. Yesterday word went out in the area via my garden helper that there was work available

Today, a group of ten lads turn up with ropes, knives and a dog.

It horrifies me to watch the confidence of the 'climber' at work, but it's how things are done here. To put things in perspective at the very bottom of No 3 on the right side you can see the ground level of the base of the tree

No 1


No 2


No 3



Grahame

[Wavelength]

How you captured the eye-level image?

[Manfred M]

Hmm. In this part of the world we are all concerned about physical / social distancing. i.e. a group of 10 lads showing up scares us when the real danger is having that lad falling out of the tree.

[Stagecoach]

How you captured the eye-level image?

It's just a crop, taken from exactly the same position as the others Nandakumar.

I took the shots from the highest level of my garden, which may have been around half the height of the tree of which last week I saw the tide for the first time ever reach its base.

[Stagecoach]

Hmm. In this part of the world we are all concerned about physical / social distancing. i.e. a group of 10 lads showing up scares us when the real danger is having that lad falling out of the tree.

Physical distancing was one of the things I discussed with the group before they came through the gate as well as advising that the accompanying small children and dog could not enter. The children were sent somewhere but the dog did eventually end up inside somehow much to the disgust of my own mut imprisoned on a balcony.

Making the decision to go ahead with the job was not easy, our only restrictions here are that there are no social gatherings of any sort and we have a curfew from 8.00pm until 5.00am. So basically, work can continue.

The main city, Suva, which is just 10 minutes drive from me where we normally do our shopping, socialising and my partner works is on lockdown and we are unable to access it due to a roadblock. Access to the city has meant that many of the locals in the area now can't work so simply have no income. Their norm of living week to week for the lucky ones is changing to day to day. What these guys earned today is very likely going to help put the most basic of essentials on their families plates.

With the skill that these guys have at climbing and there superb teamwork it's sad that they can not get themselves a tree felling business going.

[Ken MT]

But you must admit, the view from the top would be view to die for.

[Stagecoach]

But you must admit, the view from the top would be view to die for.

Ouch !