10.09.12 - Et nyt kapitel er begyndt.

Til mine venner og familie, og dem der vil læse med.

Alle mennesker oplever det, at tage et skridt ind i et nyt kapitel. Nogle gange er det mere tydeligt end andre, at man er ved at afslutte ét og begynde et nyt.

Da Ken og jeg tog fra Danmark d. 23. juni 2012 mod Australien var der ingen tvivl om, at dette var et påbegyndt nyt kapitel der omsluttede de næste 3 år.

Jeg har haft mange tanker, følelser og overvejelser i forbindelse med at træffe beslutningen om at rejse væk hjemmefra så længe. Især på grund af, at jeg kun havde 6 måneder hjemme efter min sidste rejse på 16 måneder, inden jeg skulle afsted igen. 6 måneder til at se alle dem jeg havde savnet. 6 måneder til at sige farvel og på gensyn til alle dem jeg lige havde genset, og fortsat ville savne de næste 3 år.

Det her rejsebrev kommer ikke til at handle om alle de vidunderlige, underlige oplevelser vi har haft i den sidste uge. Det kommer til at handle om det der er foregået inde i mit hoved. Her kommer mit første personlige rejsebrev. Til jer jeg savner af h til.

Jeg har stillet mig selv et par spørgsmål. For min egen skyld, for at få styr på den cocktail af indtryk og følelser de sidste to måneder har været fyldt til randen med. Og jeg tror, at det her rejsebrev er godt for mig at få skrevet, så jeg kan få sat ord på, og komme ud med nogle af de tanker jeg har haft. For hvordan har det egentlig været for mig? Fx det at sige ”farvel”. Selvfølgelig er det ikke farvel for altid, men alligevel er det lang nok tid der går, til at det ikke er nok at sige ”vi ses”.

”Farvel”.

Det har været endnu hårdere denne gang. Jeg følte mig ikke klar.

Jeg havde ikke set mine venner og familie nok, inden jeg skulle væk fra dem igen. Og der var endda nogle jeg slet ikke nåede at se. Fordi der ikke var tid nok. Når det hele også skulle absorberes.

Jeg kunne sagtens have brugt et år mere derhjemme, uden at komme med nogen utilfredse kommentarer om hverdagen – livet – i Danmark. Så jeg var splittet.

Hvorfor valgte jeg så Orbit og eventyret frem for, dybest set, at blive hos dem jeg holder af?

Det er et spørgsmål jeg stiller mig selv herude, og et spørgsmål, der også bliver besvaret herude. Afhængig af situationen og oplevelserne (og humøret).

For det er jo et eventyr. Det er det ord der beskriver helhedsoplevelsen bedst. Selvfølgelig vasker vi også op, gør rent og går på toilettet og på facebook (når vi kan). Men følelsen af det, jeg er i, det her, er uvirkeligt, spændende, oplevelsesrigt og anderledes. Det er min forestilling af et virkelig eventyr. Så hvorfor skulle man ikke vælge det?

En drøm.

To ord, der for mange forbindes med livet på en båd, hvor man sejler fra en bounty ø til en anden.

At drømme. Noget alle mennesker gør.

Drømme. Et ord de fleste forbinder med noget man ønsker at opnå eller opleve. Noget ikke alle mennesker følger. Selvom de kan eller bør.

Jeg prøver. Her er mit forsøg på at opfylde en af mine drømme. Ikke specifikt det at leve på en båd, men alle oplevelserne der er forbundet med det. Sammen med en masse spændende mennesker der sejler med, som har de samme drømme, og sammen med nogle af de mennesker jeg elsker allermest, både Ken som er med hele vejen og de venner og familie der besøger mig undervejs.

Men noget andet er, udover at udleve drømmen, samtidig, at leve i nuet. Lever man, hvis man ikke (lev)er i nuet? Og hvordan ved man om man er nærværende nok til at være i nuet?

Uddrag fra min dagbog, skrevet da jeg var hjemme i DK ”på visit”, d. 29. Februar 2012: ”ER JEG NÆRVÆRENDE NU? ER JEG? HVAD MED NU?”

I har sikkert tænkt de samme tanker. Men en ting jeg har erfaret, er, at jeg har lettere ved at være nærværende her ude, end derhjemme.

Jeg håber at efter de her 3 år, vil nærværet sidde så meget på min rygrad, at det ikke bliver et problem at holde fast i når jeg kommer hjem. Både for min skyld, men også for de mennesker, vis tid og nærvær jeg tager og får.

Nu er der gået snart 3 måneder, og jeg er så småt begyndt at falde til. Tilpasse mig. Værdsætte - livet om bord, de mennesker jeg har omkring mig. Hverdagen. Dykkene. Hyggestunderne. Sejladsen. Havet. Himmelen. Naturen. Varmen. Det at være her. Frem for nogen andre steder.

Jeg savner stadig. Men savn er, for mig, altid forbundet med at rejse. Men med savnet kommer også erkendelsen. Erkendelsen af hvem man virkelig savner. Og elsker.

Skrevet af Anne Sofie

02.09.12 - Kenneth's rejsebrev

Rejsebrev fra mandag d. 27/8 – søndag d. 2/9

Vi har været på båden en måned nu og dagene er efterhånden ret svære at skældne fra hinanden. Vandet og luften er mellem 28 og 30 grader varm. Den ene skønne ø med lækkert koralrev erstatter den anden. I dag skete der dog noget ingen af os kommer til at glemme lige med det samme.

Mandag morgen sejlede vi var vores beskyttet ankerplads ud på ydersiden af Pulau Tifore som vi var kommet til dagen før. Derude var der flere koraller og flere fisk at kigge på, på grund af strømmen i vandet. Et super sted at dykke og snorkle. Midt i al hvor afslapning og livsnydelse kunne vi pludselig se en flok delfiner på mindst 30 individer svømme forbi et par hundrede meter ude. Efter meget kort tids overvejelse sprang vi ned i den lille dinghy og sejlede ud til dem i håb om at kunne snorkle lidt med dem. Da vi kom ud til dem opdagede vi at de var for store til at være delfiner. Det var melonheadwhales (jeg ved ikke hvad de hedder på dansk). De ligner delfiner meget, de er bare større og har et meget karakteristisk melonformet hoved. Deraf navnet må man gå ud fra. De var dog kun interesseret i at lege med dinghyen og ignoreret os der lå i vandet. Men vi var heldige at de svømmede tæt forbi os et par gange. Vi drev hurtigt i strømmen og det var tid til at sejle tilbage til Orbit som efterhånden kun var ret lille og langt fra os. Vi hoppede op på Orbit og Kai tog ud for at jage fisk med sin harpun.

Jeg lå under dæk og slappede af da jeg pludselig hørte tøserne hoppe og danse vildt rundt oppe på båden. Jeg kom hurtigt på benene og nærmest fløj op i cockpittet for at se hvad grunden til al hysteriet var. Øjeblikkeligt fik jeg øje på Kai i vandet lige ved siden af Orbit. Det var ikke engang en time siden han var taget ud og han brugte ofte fire timer af gangen i vandet for at jage det der for ham var den hellige gral. Jeg var ikke et sekund i tvivl om at Kai havde ramt den hellige gral lige i hovedet. Med sig havde han fisken. En dogtooth tun på 50 pund (cirka 23 kilo). Det var netop den fisk han havde brugt op til 6 timer om dagen den sidste måned på at fange. Nu havde han den endeligt. Pulau Tifore, det sidste stop inden Lembeh og Manado hvor det ikke ville være muligt at fange sådan en fisk skulle gå hen og blive stedet hvor det lykkedes. Lykken lyste ud af Kai da han fik monsteret af en fisk op på Orbits badeplatform. Selvom han tydeligvis var træt efter kampen med fisk og svømmeturen tilbage til Orbit var smilet ikke til at tage fejl af. Det blev kun overdøvet af Sofies stemme der blev ved med at råbe ”sashimi sashimi sashimi”. Ingen tvivl om hvad hun havde tænkt sig at gøre med de over 10 kilo af de absolut fineste tun kød man kan forstille sig. Det skulle spises råt. Men det måtte vente til dagen efter da fisken bliver bedre af lige at ligge i køleskabet et døgns tid. Aftensmaden blev således halvdelen af bugen som blev stegt på grillen. Det var ubeskriveligt lækkert!

Tirsdag morgen klokken 04 hev vi ankeret op og forlod Pulau Tifore. Lembeh og mødes med Amazing var næste mål. Vi fik meget vind og store bølger på turen. Men når solen skinner og vinden ikke kommer lige i snotten som Ken kalder det var det ikke så slemt endda. Vi havde en fin tur og da vi nærmede os Lembeh kom der igen signal på vores mobiltelefoner. Ken ringede til Kim for at finde ud af præcis hvor de lå. Svaret var dog ikke lige det vi havde forventet. Amazing lå slet ikke i Lembeh. De lå i Manado, oppe på den anden side af Sulawesi. Øv. Motoren på Amazing var gået i stykker et sted på Filippinerne og Manado var det eneste sted hvor de havde mulighed for at få den lavet. Vi kunne ikke nå at sejle hele vejen om til Manado inden det blev mørk så vi smed anker i en lille beskyttet bugt i den nordlige del af Lembeh Strait. Selvom mødet med Amazing var blevet udsat havde vi masser at glæde os over. Nu skulle der laves sashimi og normale sushi ruller til den store guldmedajle af Kais tun. Og tun blev der spist! Det var ikke små fine stykker tun vi spiste. Det mindede mere om små rå tunbøffer i så store mængder at vi alle på båden havde det mere eller mindre dårligt efter at have tømt bordet for fisk.

Vi stod op tidligt næste morgen for at komme så tidligt som muligt over til Amazing. Sejlturen var meget stille og vi havde næsten ingen vind. Vinden valgte endda at dø helt ud op af formiddagen, så med absolut ingen vind, helt flat vand og måske den absolut varmeste dag vi endnu havde været udsat for tøffede vi stille og roligt rundt om Sulawesi. Så snart vi som rundt om den sidste pynt kom kikkerten frem for at spotte Amazing så hurtigt som muligt. Det var dog ikke lige til og vi var meget tæt på Manado inden vi spottede den flotte røde båd med Dannebrog på ligge foran molen som beskytter byen mod havet. Kim var alene på Amazing da vi ankom da resten af besætningen var inde i byen for at ordne ting og sager. Det var fantastisk at møde en anden dansker helt her oppe på den anden side af Jorden og man kunne tydeligt se at Ken og Kim som ikke havde set hinanden i mange måneder var glade for at se hinanden igen. Efter en kort snak frem og tilbage fik vi smidt anker på det eneste muligt sted, ude foran den store kampestensmole. Ikke det bedste sted at ligge for anker hvis vejret viser sig fra sin grove side, men da der ikke var nogen havn i byen og der var meget dybt alle andre steder havde vi ikke rigtig noget valg.

I mellemtiden var Juv, Kims kæreste, Chito, Amazings filippinske bådsdreng og de to gaster Jonas og Cathrine kommet tilbage og vi blev inviteret over til Amazing for at få en rom med lidt cola i. Vi fik også besøg af to danske backpackere som havde set Dannebrog inde fra kysten. Så var der for alvor danskertræf i Indonesien. Som altid i den her del af verden begynder det at regne i tide og utide. I dag var ingen undtagelse. Vi fik et regnskyl man ikke glemmer lige med det samme. Vi tog alle et kærkommet bad i den naturlige ferskvandbruser og Chito fyldte den ene 25 liters dunk efter den anden i rekord tempo. Vi bestemte os for at skynde os tilbage til Orbit for at få sat regnsamleren op så vi også kunne få fyldt vores efterhånden ret tomme tanke. Med regnen kom der også nogen store bølger ude fra det dybe hav som først blev lavt et par hundrede meter fra land. Det var mildt sagt ikke særlig optimalt at ligge lige foran en mole når bølgerne var op mod 3 meter høje. Det planlagte festmåltid hvor vi havde inviteret Amazing over til os til tunburgere i cockpittet blevet også lavet om til sushi under dæk da båden blev kastet rundt som en lille korkprop i en storm. Selvom det absolut ikke stoppede os fra at spise godt og hygge med de andre blev aftenen lidt kortere end vi havde regnet med da det, selvom man meget gerne vil, er lidt svært at hygge sig og slappe af når alle klamrer fast til båden.

Vi kom til at ligge de næste par dage i Manado. Amazing kæmpede med motoren og vi skulle proviantere, ordne ting på det håbløst langsomme internet, Pil og jeg skulle købe flybilletter så vi kunne komme hjem i henholdsvis oktober og november. Generelt er der bare en masse ting som man gerne vil ordne når der er en lille form for civilisation. Det blev et par halvkedelige dage i Manado. Man bliver meget hurtigt træt af langsomt internet og heden i byen.

Manado var også stedet hvor Kai og Megan skulle forlade Orbit og videre ud i verden. Deres første stop var Bali så man kunne godt blive lidt missundelig når man lå for anker i en kedelig by. Jeg er sikker på at vi alle kommer til at savne dem. De var utrolig søde mennesker, som trods værende meget amerikanske på mange måder, passede rigtig godt ind i vores danske økosystem. De lærte dog aldrig helt at forstå ironi og sarkasme og at lakridser smager vildt godt. Det må blive næste gang.

20.08.12 - Megan's newsletter

“Is it a ship? Is it a wreck? Oh! It is a boat! They are anchored!” As we sail closer to Palau Pisang (pulau means island in Indonesian), through the whirling currents and cascading cliffs, Kenneth is counting the people onboard our newly neighboring boat, 13… 14… 15… 20…  “Are they travelers? Clearly they are Indonesian. Is that tuna they are holding?  They must be fisherman!” And a LOT of them on one boat! We had not seen anything other than small, local, wooden canoes, powered by weed-whackers since we left Saumlaki. We are all very curious about this boat and this new destination. The stop here was a gamble.  It is a tiny, isolated, uninhabited island in the middle of the Molucca Sea.  The island is stunning, dripping in vines.  The terrain is steep, thick and very green.  Unfortunately, the water is murky, the seas and winds are not fostering the best anchorage. Not exactly the stop we were hoping for.  We decide to drop anchor and stay long enough to eat dinner.  With just about an hour of daylight left, Pil and I decide to swim ashore and go for a hike.  We find our way up an old landslide, the only passable hiking into the island. It is a dense rain forest. Everything around us is straight up and really beautiful.   When we got back to the boat Captain Ken informs us that it is possible to stay until dawn and get some sleep, rather than sail into the night.  Team Orbit decides to stay!  We end our day of sailing.

4:45am Tuesday, Team Orbit is suddenly woken by a big bang up on deck.  Instantly we are all moving, our heartbeats racing, what is going on?! Is someone boarding our boat (Always a slight worry, as locals are always curious about our big fancy yacht)? Ken is the first on deck with the rest of us close behind to see what is going on. Ken’s voice is booming, ‘what are you doing?!’ The giant local fishing boat we were so curious about has crashed into us.  It is dark outside. No communication is possible.  Nobody knows exactly what is happening.  Minds are racing. Are we safe? Is the boat okay? Apparently we find the pulpit and lifelines knocked loose. We are running around on deck, they are running around their deck. What I saw and experienced was a frightening scenario.  I was one of the last up on deck.  What I saw was the fishing boat immediately on us, many men on their deck, lights on everywhere. No one is saying anything, Ken, Sofie & Kenneth are up at the bow assessing the damage and pushing the fishing boat off. Pil, Kai and I are at the stern, ready to maneuver. I have no idea what is happening.  I look over to the fishing boat and see 2 men putting dark ski masks over their heads.  Instantly I am shaking.  I alert anyone who can hear me what I am seeing. They see it too.  This can’t be good. In fact, it was terrifying.  Why would anyone be putting a mask on in the pitch black, when it’s so hot out? Kai says to me, get ready to jump off the back and swim to shore.  I am scared, I’m ready, and thinking if I see guns I’m getting off this boat!  We need get out of here! As the fisherman back their boat away, thankfully we decide it is best to pull anchor and sail away. We pull away and re-group in the cockpit. Although un-nerved and tested, we are in good shape. The physical damage is minor. We are finally able to discuss the details of what just happened. When we piece everything together, it all becomes very clear.  The fishing boat ‘s anchor had dragged on the bottom; they were just as asleep as us.  When Ken arrived on our deck no one was up on the fishing boat’s deck yet.  We were all surprised together, and there were no bad intentions.  The team morale is positive. Orbit is a tough old beast, and her crew has recognized the quiet trust we have been building in these few short weeks. The moral of this story, instead of anchoring really far away from local fishing boats, anchor really, really, really far away from local fishing boats. And make sure the crazy Americans didn’t jump off the boat!

We set out for another day of sailing. The rest of our day was filled with nature’s delights… our second fish of the journey is on the line. Kenneth reels in a Mahi Mahi.  Unfortunately, Mr. Mahi is a bit too young and small.  We snap a few photos and send him back to sea.  Not long after we spot a pod of Pilot whales.  Our next stop… Palau Doworalamo Dowora.  We pull in with the sun shining, and anchor right in the middle of a huge submerged reef, very unusual from our normal anchorages in the protection of shore.  Team Orbit is in the water exploring the reef almost before the boat stops moving.  We end this day with a cheers of a beer and hopes for sweet, uneventful slumber.

Wednesday rolls around. Time to relax! Kai sets off on another attempt to conquer a Dogtooth Tuna with his spear gun. The rest of us have a leisurely morning on the boat.  We enjoy a visit from a local fisherman.  He is pleasant and not aggressive.  I would guess he was just looking for some protection from the dark clouds moving into the area. All through drawing and hand signals, we learn from him about the local fishing.  In a few days, he tells us, there will be some special mating in the area, of 2 different species.  Turtles and whales?  We are not exactly sure.  He shares some information with us about his family and his village.  This experience was really nice. We send him off with a new fishing lure and some fishing line, and let him know that if he sees any rain, he can send it our way.  Our resources are growing sparse.  We are really low on fresh water, and fresh food.  We rig up the rain catcher hoping the dark clouds move our way. We are digging deeper and deeper into our right brains to find creative and desirable ideas for food. Thankfully Kai comes back with a small rainbow runner, dinner is saved! Our fisherman delivered too… it is starting to rain!!  And it rains, and it rains, and it rains! We are ecstatic.  The feeling of loving rain is a new one for me. Our water tanks are filling up. We are washing clothes, getting ourselves clean.  This is the closest thing to a real shower since we left Darwin 26 days ago. Pure bliss! It’s amazing how you really appreciate the simple things.  With clean everything and a fresh supply of water, we head to bed thankful for a great day.

Time to move again.  Our search for the perfect dive spot continues.  We rise before daybreak with a long journey ahead of us. 82 miles to Pulau Siko.  Unfortunately, the last thing we needed before a long trip, doldrums, and no wind.  We start the engine & pull away.  We had no idea what would be in store for us today. Almost immediately we spot a pod of dolphins.  A short while later we are making our way through a pass between two huge islands and we spot something off the port bow, a whale!!  Ken changes course and heads over to it, and announces it’s time to get our snorkeling gear ready.  Yahoo!! We are going to swim with whales! Kenneth, Pil, Sofie and I get ready.  Ken cuts the engine and we jump in.  It’s a sperm whale!  Unfortunately, before we see him, his fluke raises and he descends down into the deep sea, nearly 6000 feet at this spot.  We decided to wait. Maybe he will come back.  We climb aboard and a few minutes later we spot another whale up ahead to our starboard! Once again, Ken heads straight for it.  We jump in again.  It’s another Sperm whale and he is heading straight for us, a bit scary, but so thrilling! He swims right past. Incredible! We try our best to stay with him as long as we can.  And just as he is almost out of sight he lurches up, I pull my head out of the water and watch his fluke rise and fall into the glassy ocean.  The four of us enjoy a moment of thrill in the water.  We can’t believe it, so AWESOME!  Just when the mood is so high… the engine alarm sounds.  Oh no! We are overheated, on the hottest day of our trip so far.  Captain Ken heads down to have a look.  The impeller has busted, the engine has not been cooled.  We float for the next 1.5 in the middle of the sound, no wind, blazing sun, not a cloud in the sky.  The deck is burning our feet.  It is too hot below.  Poor Ken. We seek any shade we can find.  All this action, and it is not even lunch time yet! We are so relieved to finally get moving again.  Ken saved the engine, and there is a breeze! The excitement is not finished yet. We sail through another giant pod of dolphins.  They are jumping, splashing and riding the bow.  This is the most wildlife we have seen all month.  These are the adventures we have all been longing for. Due to our whale chasing and engine troubles it is clear we are not going to make it to Pulau Siko today. 

Ken decides to start looking for a closer anchorage.  For the next 2.5 hours we search and sail.  We find beautiful landscapes, some peaceful villages and even a wild monkey, but no anchorage.  Dusk is approaching and we finally find a gorgeous anchorage at Nusa Babi, a small island off of Pulau Bagan. As if we haven’t had enough, the fishing line starts zipping.  Fish on the line!  Pil reels in a Barracuda as we pull in to anchor. Ken looks at me at the end of dinner and says sluggishly, “This was a really long day”.  He must be exhausted.

We have been counting down the next day since we left Darwin.  Friday August 17, we crossed the equator!  This day brought lots of fun. We saw more pilot whales! The girls dressed up as pirates, with tattoos and facial hair! Very authentic! The Danish girls made fiskefrikadeller (fish cakes for the English speakers) for lunch from Pil’s Barracuda.  We realize how far we have come.   

The water is warmer. The sun is more intense.  All our mothers would be happy to know that we are repeatedly checking to make sure that we all have sunscreen on. We finally make it to Pulau Siko.  The diving is fantastic.  Stunning corals, big hump-head parrotfish, giant moray eel, pelagics that Kai has been dreaming to spear and lots of jellyfish.  We are happy, to say the least.  Our final stop for the week after an overnight sail is Pulau Tifore. Another isolated island in the middle of the Molucca Sea, our last stop before Sulawesi.  This is it! We have big hopes for this as a dive spot.  The conditions are perfect. This has to be it! This week has been hugely eventful. Days filled with emotions and experiences I will absolutely never forget.  I am still wondering… what was the deal with those ski masks? Thank you Team Orbit for an amazing ride.  

06.08.12 - An island appeared in the horizon...

An island appeared in the horizon, we’d left early that morning, had 90 miles to go that day. With a southesterly wind 6-10 m/s, we had all sails out, sailing wing and wing, the genoa poled out to starboard. Orbit was rolling from side to side in the big waves yet making a really good speed, 7,5 knots. When we had the island on starboard, we Jibed, got around the corner into the leeward side of the island. The seas soon crumbled and the wind died. Many smaller islands were hidden on the north side of the main island (Pulau Wajil). 

Our attention was drawn to the tall rocky lava mountains completely overgrown in fresh green tropical jungle vegetation, small exotic white coral beaches every here and there. We were taken back to a time long before humans walked the earth. Ken, Sofie and Kai went up the ladder by the mast guiding us through the maze of corals. I asked Kai if these reefs surrounding the islands were fringing reefs, I’d read something about the formation of reefs in a diving book earlier that day. He responded with excitement in his voice; “I don’t know what you call these. Garden of Eden reefs!” I nodded. This was for sure a magical place.

I was filled with excitement, couldn’t wait to explore this place. So felt everyone else. As soon as the anchor was set, we got the dinghy in the water and Ken and Sofie disappeared over the reef. Kai, Megan and Kenneth snorkeled up and swam to a little island where they got ashore on a beautiful little beach where the palm trees grew with a distance, as they knew we would come by one day to set up a hammock. I got into the kayak and took off in the opposite direction, over a shallow reef where small bright turquoise fish were swimming around me. I was heading in through a pass between two dramatic walls that rose on each side of me, looking up. The lava was nothing like I’d ever seen before. Jagged and rough. Impossible for man to climb. Still somehow plants had found a way to grow here, small carnivorous plants, bigger plants and even larger trees. I could feel my heart beat as I got further in, not knowing what to expect next. It soon opened up, and I was surprised to find that it had been a pass into this small, enclosed pond with a rock breaking the surface in the middle, all surrounded by steep lava walls. On the right side, the wall formed this huge stalactite formation. It was breathtaking. I drifted for a bit, listened to the foreign sounds of unknown animals, birds and insects. I really got the feeling of being far away from home.  

Next day. Back at the boat. I was sitting in the pulpit at the bow letting my thoughts drift by. This was the first time we really had a place all by ourselves. We were far away from the other boats from the rally, no villages, no curious local fishermen pulling up to the boat, just us. It was a relief, all the planning prior to this trip, working hard to get the boat ready in Darwin, provisioning ect. It was all done. This was what we’d been striving for. Kai and Megan left in the kayaks and I watched them head in the same direction as I’d gone the day before, excited on their behalf. I hadn’t said what to expect on the other side of the pass. Some time after I saw them come back out. They didn’t come back to the boat, but continued around the island and was soon out of sight again. I stayed in the bow for a while enjoying the peaceful surroundings before I returned to the cockpit. I was in the cockpit with Kenneth when Kai and Megan returned. Sofie and Ken were down stairs. I got out on the swim platform at the stern, eager to hear how they liked the secret pond and what else they’d discovered. Megan had this smile glued on her face that just didn’t fade away. It was the same face that I’d seen on the beach where Megan was in ecstasy cause of the many shells. I’m sure the people who know her well, know exactly what I’m talking about. “How was it?” I yelled. Megan just waved her hand crazy in front of her chest. I took me just a second to realize what that meant. “really, really?” I could see something glinting in the sun on her finger. I really liked Sofie’s response, she started jumping up and down screaming “Oh my God, of my God, congratulations, oh my God!”, embracing Megan and Kai. We went downstairs to watch the episode on the computer. I’ll leave this for Megan and Kai to tell them selves, I think they do that better themselves. It was perfect.

Kenneth and I went on a new adventure in the kayaks. After exploring the area for a bit we returned and went into the pond. Kenneth paddled over to a huge stalactite that came almost down to the surface now that the tide was high. He paddled around it. The view looking up was incredible. He reached a hand out to hold on to better be able to take in the impressions. The overhang was majestic. It made us feel so tiny. His hand fell into a jug, he touched the surface. Damp but smooth. We’d been talking about doing deep water soloing several times cause the rocks are often vertical down to the surface. The jagged structure and the shallow fringing reefs had made it impossible so far though. We looked down into the beautiful turquoise water. We could see the bottom it looked promising. Kenneth put his paddle in the water to get an idea of the depth, didn’t hit the bottom. Hmm. Closest to the stalactite it was at least 2.4 m and the slope was steep. Kenneth decided to give it a try. He tied the kayak to the pillar, got up standing in the kayak and started the ascent. He was careful to check the quality of every grip, keeping an eye on the kayak below, ready to push off not to hit the kayak in case he fell off. Man it was cool. He jumped, a big splash, a satisfying scream and a high five. My turn was up next. With the guidance from below I saved some energy and continued a little higher now we were sure the water was deep enough. Then I looked down and remembered that I had to get down again. My brain started fucking with me. FUCK. I realized that I was still wearing sunglasses, my cap and had a compass and a camera around my neck. I fumbled to put the stuff in my short’s pocket and held on to my cap when I, on Kenneth’s countdown, jumped out. I was surprised to be airborne for so long. Then I felt the splash breaking through the surface, saw the bobbles all around me, I surfaced, swam to Kenneth and gave him a high five;-). Of course Kenneth had to get even higher on his next try. It looked easier this time without the spray skirt and feeling confident about the grip. We were still high on adrenaline when we got back to the boat. Kai was still out spearfishing. Megan and Sofie had swum back to the boat when the current had picked up. Kai came back before sunset with this beautiful Barramundi.

He’s the best spear fisher I’ve ever met. So dedicated. Actually I think he’s a fish himself. Sofie made us all a sundowner that we enjoyed in the cockpit where Kai told that he’d been hiding the ring in different places for six month for Megan not to find it. It had been tricky sometimes cause Megan usually do the unpacking. He’d been waiting for the right moment, the right place, being around the right people. This was it. They looked so happy.

When he looked at her, he had this beautiful, charming smiling face, and you could see the love in his eyes. Oh man! It melted my heart. Kenneth and I were talking the day after and he said; “did you notice that Kai said that he’d waited to be around the right people… that it meant that he thought we were the right people?” “Yea” I answered. That was possibly the greatest compliment we could get from him.

Later Kai, Megan and Sofie prepared the most amazing dinner. The Barramundi turned out so good, the meat curled up just like a lobster. So good.

Written by Pil