Eyes on the sky

While we are safely sheltered at Moorea, a big storm rages across the Pacific Ocean. We have been here for a week now and have hardly noticed the violence of nature, thanks to the high mountains that protect us. The storm will continue for another week, but that does not mean we sit still. Moorea is a beautiful island with a lot to experience.

We went diving at a place full of turtles, took walks through the pineapple fields and past vanilla farms, and climbed a mountain top with breathtaking views. In the meantime, I have provided dental care to various people around me. Barbara from Lille Venn has treated us to delicious food on their boat a few times, after which we ended the evenings with a game of Wizard.

We peer through the pass with binoculars daily from our anchorage, looking for humpback whales. Upon arrival, we were greeted by six of these majestic animals as we entered the pass of Moorea.

The great migration

One of the most impressive migrations in the animal kingdom takes place every year in the vast, deep ocean: the journey of the humpback whales to the warm, crystal-clear lagoons of French Polynesia. These gigantic marine mammals travel more than 8,000 kilometres, driven by an instinct deeply rooted in their genes. Their mission? To reproduce and protect their young in a safe environment.

At a quiet moment, we decided to sail outside the pass with our dinghy, hoping to see these majestic animals up close. However, the conditions were challenging due to the waves; you cannot get too close to the whales. Ralph and Rajesh swam about 100 meters to get closer, but each time the whales breached, it was just a little too far from them. While we had a fantastic spectacle above water, Ralph and Rajesh were less lucky underwater. Still, we don’t give up! Being able to see these animals up close gives us an indescribable feeling.

Hectic in the air

The past few days have been anything but calm, especially due to an unexpected situation surrounding Gert-Jan, Nathalie and Julian’s return journey. What should have been a routine flight turned into a nerve-wracking experience. Technical problems forced their plane to return to Papeete while we were moored with our boat directly opposite the runway. As dark clouds gathered and the wind suddenly picked up, we watched fire trucks and other vehicles hastily gather along the runway. The tension was palpable, and we held our breath with each attempt. We felt an enormous relief when the plane finally landed safely on the third attempt. Fortunately, Gert-Jan, Nathalie and Julian had landed safely, but the tension and fear they and we felt would stay with us for a while.

That same evening, they could take another flight to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, they had to rebook their flights there due to severe delays, meaning they would miss their connection in Paris. Eventually, after some 53 hours of travel, they reached the Netherlands safely. What a relief when we finally received the redeeming message that they had arrived home safely!

A rudderless catamaran

During the hectic third landing attempt, something else unexpected happened. While we were watching the plane, we suddenly saw a catamaran whose anchor had come loose and was in danger of drifting into other boats. Without hesitation, Jeroen and Rajesh jumped into action. Jeroen jumped aboard the rudderless catamaran while Rajesh sailed around it in the dinghy, ready to intervene if the catamaran threatened to collide with other boats. Meanwhile, six other boats pulled up their anchors to escape the rudderless catamaran’s course as quickly as possible.

A man from another catamaran quickly joined them and also quickly came aboard. Jeroen had no experience in steering a catamaran, but fortunately, the other man managed to start the engine. Jeroen rushed forward to operate the anchor. After he had pulled up the anchor, they re-anchored the catamaran in a safe place. It was a miracle that everything went well and that no other boats were damaged.

Back to the Netherlands

I get a lot of questions about my plans for the Netherlands. Yes, I am going to work as a dental hygienist again! I am looking forward to it. From November 2024 to February 2025, I will be a substitute at Tandartspraktijk Beckers in Leuth. During my stay in the Netherlands, I will mainly stay with my sister Hanneke and her family, as well as my brother Gert-Jan and his family.

A question that often comes up is what I will eat first again. Well, I have especially missed a delicious piece of cheese, fresh bread and currant buns. What will be the biggest surprise? The supermarkets in the Netherlands! Where you can buy everything you can think of. Jeroen has already given me a mission: Calvé peanut butter and a bag of Manneke Pis liquorice. That will definitely be fine!

What will take the most getting used to? The cold! After 2.5 years of only tropical temperatures and wearing shorts, it will be a huge adjustment again. The idea of ​​wearing long trousers and shoes still feels strange, but I am curious to see how quickly I will adapt to the Dutch climate again.

Looking ahead to the Tuamotus

When I am in the Netherlands, Jeroen and Rajesh will stay on the boat, probably somewhere near the Tuamotus, Gambier or Marquesas Islands. They will be busy installing waste water tanks in both bathrooms, which is a requirement if we want to sail to New Zealand and Australia. It was not an easy decision for Jeroen and me because, in our 33 years together, we have never been apart for so long. But it gives me a lot of peace that Jeroen and Rajesh are together, and if a cyclone should appear, they can sail away together to safer waters. Although I hope that will not be necessary!

We hope to be able to sail back to Tahiti after the storm to do the last shopping and then wait for a good weather window to sail to the Tuamotus. We will do this together with Ralph van Lille Venn. The Tuamotus are still largely undiscovered for us, and we would like to visit several atolls before I board the plane to the Netherlands at the end of October.

Preview: Changes in Polynesian Spirituality

Polynesia is known for its rich culture and traditional spiritual practices, which were closely linked to their environment and daily life. However, with the arrival of European colonists and the influence of Christianity, along with modern influences such as tourism and media, these practices have undergone drastic changes. In my next blog, I will explore how colonization and modern influences have transformed traditional Polynesian spirituality and what this means for the current generation.