LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Christmas Island: Seas
built 669 days ago
Following a brief intermission, MacNeil and MacInnes joined a group of Christmas Island natives for some waulking songs in practice. Seated at long tables, they beat the wet cloth against the surface while singing joyously in what the locals call a "milling frolic." Various members of the community took turns leading the calls, to which the rest answered. People still in the audience sang along, adding to the rhythm of the cloth by beating their hands on their knees.
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Across the channel from London, Cook Island is home to more than 18 varieties of seabird. A permit and guide are needed to visit; permits can be bought at The Fish & Wildlife Servicein the Ministry of Line and Phoenix Development Building.
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The company is transfering the smaller ROSELLA to the Turku-Stockholm service as replacement for ISABELLA from its current Stockholm-Mariehamn 20- hour cruise service, to cater for the busy Christmas and New Year season. ISABELLA will be repaired at Turku Repair Yard in Naantali. Meanwhile, the 33,818 GT SILJA FETIVAL was unable to call at Langnas, near the place where ISABELLA grounded. The Finnish Maritime Authority will investigate if the fairway to Langnas must be widened to allow big ships to use the port in strong wind conditions. The cause of ISABELLA's grounding has not yet been established.
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There is ... plenty of wildlife on the island including Boobies, Frigate Birds, Golden Bosun Birds, Red Crabs, Robber Crabs and Whale Sharks. If you are on the island around Christmas, you may be lucky enough to see the Red Crabs on their breeding migration back to the sea. It might not sound a big deal, but they certainly manage to cover a lot of ground.
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In addition to the usual sea and migratory species of birds there is a native land warbler, related to species on other south Pacific islands and on Laysan Island. Introduced cats, which have gone wild, have helped to exterminate the rats. There are fishes in some of the lakes and marine life is abundant in the lagoon and around the reef.
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The island is internationally renowned as a "sea bird" island. Two species, Abbott's Booby (Papasula abbotti) and Christmas Frigate bird (Fregata andrewsi) are endemic to the island, and occur alongside six other seabird species, including the great frigate bird, red footed and brown boobies. Bird Life International has recognised the island's importance to the conservation of global bird biodiversity by listing it as an Endemic Bird Area, one of only nine in Australia and its territories.
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