Almost back to the Pacific Ocean and a special milestone

And then it’s almost here. My last week in the Netherlands has started, and how time has flown by! It feels like I’ve only just landed, and now I’m already about to pack my bags. The past few months have been a whirlwind of work, getting used to the cold weather, enjoying Dutch delicacies and, most importantly, visiting as many loved ones as possible.

With my schedule packed, I drove criss-cross through the Netherlands after work to catch up with friends and family. Still, the time was too short, and I regret not having visited everyone. Hopefully, our paths will cross again, somewhere in the world.

A special milestone

Among all those special moments, there was one extra special one: I celebrated my 50th birthday. Anyone who knows me knows that I prefer not to be in the spotlight and certainly not on my birthday. But this time I couldn’t avoid it. At 5:45 am I was sung awake by Hanneke, Teunis, Tessa and Jasper. They had decorated the entire room with flags and huge ‘50’ balloons. I am now half a century young. A basket full of presents was waiting downstairs, which I could unwrap right away. I was really pampered!

I was also surprised at work. My colleague Wendy had festively decorated my room with Sahara flags and balloons, all with ‘50’ on them. This led to hilarious conversations with clients and the necessary jokes and pranks. And as if that wasn’t enough, I threw a party for my family that weekend. It was so nice to have everyone together again, to laugh, to reminisce and just be together. In the meantime, Jeroen and Rajesh are in Tahanea enjoying their expeditions.

Tahanea

As evening fell over Tahanea, Jeroen and Rajesh went on an expedition, first together with Ralph and later with a whole group, armed with flashlights and a good dose of curiosity. Their mission? Tracking down the mythical coconut crab, the giant of the land. And with success! In the glow of their lamps, the impressive creatures loomed, their massive claws and colorful armor shining in shades of deep blue and reddish brown. They moved silently across the forest floor, their powerful legs effortlessly clawing into tree trunks and up into the darkness. An almost otherworldly sight for those who have never seen them in action.

It is fascinating how these super-strong crabs effortlessly crack open a coconut with their enormous claws, a skill that has given them their name. But they are also known for their opportunism and that fuels the persistent theory that coconut crabs may have eaten the remains of Amelia Earhart after she disappeared on Nikumaroro (Kiribati). Evidence is lacking, but the idea that these robust crabs once played a role in one of the greatest mysteries of aviation history makes their appearance in the moonlight all the more fascinating.

The hammerhead shark is a legendary sight in the atolls, often talked about but rarely seen by us. We had heard stories from other sailors and divers who had spotted this majestic predator here, but we had never seen one ourselves, until now.

Jeroen, Rajesh and Ralph were snorkelling at the middle pass of Tahanea, enjoying the clear water and the abundance of marine life, when suddenly, at a depth of only five meters, Jeroen saw a shadow moving beneath him. In a split second, that shadow took shape, the iconic, wide-spreading head, the streamlined fins. A hammerhead shark! A short shock wave went through him; these sharks are impressively large, and the unexpected moment gave him an adrenaline rush. But the shark glided calmly and majestically through the water as if it barely gave them a glance. Rajesh managed to capture the whole scene on film.

On to new adventures

And now I look ahead. There is still an important task waiting for me, because my ticket back to French Polynesia only takes me as far as Tahiti. Jeroen and Rajesh have arrived in Makemo in the meantime and actually wanted to sail on to Hao. Unfortunately, there were no more tickets available to Hao, but fortunately there were still tickets to Makemo.

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, I booked my ticket from Tahiti to Makemo, an atoll where time does not care about haste and where the rhythm of the waves and the trade winds determine the days. In a week, I will exchange the Dutch winter for sun-drenched lagoons and the endless blue of the Pacific Ocean.

But first… the last meetings, the last cups of coffee and saying goodbye to everyone. It remains a strange idea to leave again, to enter another reality. But I also know: there, on the other side of the world, a new chapter awaits me. And I can’t wait to start it.