Open Trap Surgery
Three days later, I kept thinking about those trapped sharksā¦so I rallied a friend and we sped off on a quest to free the hostages. ā¦It was farther away than Iād imagined. By the time we found the trap it was late afternoon. I jumped in the water and peered through the fencing to see […]
Sharks Have Feelings Too…
Imagine being able to walk out your front door and select the fish you feel like eating right out of a trap. Thatās life people here in the atolls. Families commonly build āfish trapsā in areas with shallow reef and current close to their homes. The traps are built from iron rebar or local wood […]
Simply South Pacific Living…
“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” –Rachel Carson …After three short upwind hops over the last month, I’ve just arrived to the second biggest of theĀ atolls (population~800)…vegetables, a health clinic, internet, and even a post office! Ahh the luxuries of civilization!Ā So […]
‘Raaou Tahiti’: Respecting Our ‘Roots’
When the Lau family caught wind of my ciguateric state, they quickly reported the news to āMamiā, their Tahitian grandmother who was rich with knowledge of traditional Tahitian medicine or āraaou Tahitiā. Twice the first day, and once for the following three days, āMamiā prepared the local remedy for me to drink. Despite its unappealing […]
Plastic-to-Oil & The Clean Oceans Projectā¦
āNothing but intense love for what you want will enable you to surmount the obstacles in your pathā¦ā āJoe Vitale My few weeks in California went by faster than everā¦The memorial was fantastic and I left Santa Barbara feeling even more inspired than ever by the man who had helped me with the tools I […]
Another Way to Haul-Out
The wind was 15-20 knots hard on the nose as I beat my way 10 miles across the atoll. Sure enough, at a few miles out, I spotted masts sticking up through the coconut trees!?! āItās true! There really is a haul-out yard out here in the middle of nowhere!?!ā I cheered into the wind. […]
When a Little Means a Lot
ā¦I decided Iād hang out with the kids from then on. Although they still looked at me googly-eyed from time to time, they usually just wanted candy. As school was out for āwinter breakā, we held geography and eco-talks aboard Swell, rewarding good answers with ābonbon CalifornieāĀ (Californian candy) as they liked to call it. […]
Island Suitors Part 2: An Official Change of Heart
I evaded the second lunch with Jacques the following day when a customs boat circled outside the quay around middayā¦ They launched their tender, and a group of uniformed men came speeding toward the quay.Ā The captain scrambled out of the dinghy, then stormed over to Swell. āWhat are you doing here?ā he asked in […]
Island Suitors Part 1: Age Matters!
When the door to the propeller plane closed, Crystal was on her way and I was alone againā¦but not for long! I sat under the shaded airport waiting area for less than a minute before an old man teetered over to greet me. I was used to being approached by the locals here; it was […]
Finding Sea Rhythm… … … …
After rising to our great challenge, the sea rewarded us with smooth sailing through the afternoon until the wind dropped off entirely and we motored on into the calmest, starriest night I could ever remember in this wind-worn belt of the Pacific. Rotating on 3-hour watches, I relieved Crystal just after 3 am. Swell plowed […]