We’re the Picture People

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

We decided to pick up anchor to search for a better surf spot.  Before we left, though, I wanted to go back on the island to hand out pictures.  The previous day, I had tried to get as many individual pictures of the kids and then of the families who gave us gifts.  TC and I bought a portable printer, so that we could bring it on this trip and not just take pictures of people, but give them an actual copy.  I got the idea from the annual Christmas on Carlos event that another teacher and I organized for the past four years.  Carlos is an outer island in Kwajalein Atoll.  We bring fruit, gifts, candy, games, and more, but what everyone seems to really treasure is a picture of their child with Santa.  Both the kids and parents are thrilled to have the picture. 

 

Anyway, it was such fun to go around the island and deliver pictures.  It brought such big smiles and squeals of delight.  I just felt bad that I didn't have a picture of everyone.  I also printed 8x10 sheets of the two best jumping pictures and gave them to the teacher at the school, so that all the kids could look at them. 

 

I also had fun throwing the water Frisbee around with Ruben and Jacobjin (no idea how to spell his name, but that is what it sounds like) on their lunch break.  I bought that Frisbee a few years ago in Okinawa and had never used it.  I left it with the school. 

 

We also brought a couple bags of clothes and accessories to give to the two families who had given us the gifts of coconuts and coconut candy.  One of the ladies made me kind of sad.  She asked me, "Do you like this island?"  I told her, "Yes, it's beautiful, especially the water."  She said, "Yes, but this island is dirty."  I am not sure what she is talking about because really it is pretty clean.  There was one area that looked like a flip flop graveyard/dump, but the island itself is cleaner than the metropolises of Majuro and Ebeye.  I told her, "No, I don't think it's dirty.  I think it's beautiful. Plus, you gave us nice gifts of coconuts and ametoma.  Thank you."  I hope she doesn't think that the reason we stayed only two nights was because we didn't like the island.  It's just that I am traveling with two guys who are in constant search of waves. 

 

After emptying our dry bags of our gifts, we headed back to the boat, pulled up anchor and went in search of a good wave.  The swell was not hitting at the SW pass the way the guys had thought it would.  It was also much too shallow – breaking right on the reef.  We went all the way down to the southern tip of Jaluit, then headed back north to what we thought might be a good wave.

 

After we set anchor, TC used the stand up paddleboard to investigate.  This wave looked like it was breaking on the reef as well, but it wasn't quite high tide.  However, since the guys are a bit desperate after not having surfed regularly for the past two years, they decided to try.  Paul caught a couple, but they didn't end very nicely.  TC was patiently waiting for a wave on the other side, but it never appeared. 

 

So, the guys got back on the boat and said, "Why don't we go up to the westernmost part of the atoll since it might hit better there."  Well, it probably wasn't like that word for word, but that was the gist. 

 

If you've been following our journey regularly, you might be thinking, "I am so glad they are finally getting to enjoy their trip without any engine issues."  Haha.  I, too, had been just thinking about how wonderful the past few days had been.  The engine had been starting on the first try each time.  TC hadn't had to go down into his second-home in the engine room. 

I think the engine missed the drama.  As we were pulling up the anchor, Paul discovered that even when he pushed the throttle all the way forward or all the way to reverse, the engine would not go above 1300 or so rpms.  That's not good.  So instead of going further north up the west side of Jaluit, we decided to go back to either our anchorage at Mejiruriku or even all the way back to Jabor since it's the better/safer anchorage.  After all, we didn't want to be anchored oceanside and have issues.  If there was a strong wind or current, we might not be able to get away from the reef since our top speed was about 1.5 knots. 

 

We decided to head back to Jabor since it was the better anchorage.  Halfway across the lagoon, as we were eating the yummy pasta and homemade foccacia bread that Paul had prepared, the engine roared to life.  No, no one had done anything.  That is a little worrisome to us.  You kind of want to know the cause of the problem, so you can remedy it.  I am sure we'll have time to figure it out.