I am enjoying the postings from the voyaging Nordhavns and Diesel Duck. I had to chuckle a bit on the line "but the underpinning for the economy remains elusive". We have spent a fair amount of time in third world countries--including this area 20+ years ago. Most of the economies don't have any under pinning--the people do as they have done for centuries--grow food, fish and hunt and continue their social customs--except for those societies which the "civilized world" has invested capital...The French have certainly done that in the Societies. This is not a criticism--just an observation. We happen to enjoy the countries which were under French domination more than those under English rule. It seems that one has to travel further off the beaten path to find a civilization little touched by tourism--even yachtee tourism. Regards Bob Austin