I was at the institute giving lectures on the South Pacific Islands..exactly when that happened I could not actually recall..was it a year or two ago..I had been keeping a journal for years..and now this was no exception..each word perfectly put into place with thoughts and ideas for future use..and remembering..
But first let me tell you how this all began..me..Patricia the youngest associate scientist..in our community of Scientists..and Bill..my beloved and knowledgeable older Scientist of whom I highly respected..but most of all loved as well..we were to have been married a couple years ago..nooooo or was that a year ago..time has shifted..and moved so in this time and area after awhile time does not matter..
Most Pacific island countries have complex but vulnerable ecosystems..Animal and plant species have been shielded in these island environments for years..This..combined with the smallness of the islands shows that ecological disruptions and disasters can be far more consequential for these islands..this we four found out very quickly..
A very good indication of a small size Island of South Pacific countries was their population.. Papua New Guinea for instant had over five million people that in itslef had the largest population and we did not want to go there..another of the Island's that was larger but smaller from the New Guinea Island was the Island 'Fiji'
This Island had over half a million..in population but we chose not to go there as well studying about all these islands my boy friend and I decided to take our trip of a life time with another couple on their comfortable home style yacht..
We had decided to go to a little unknown island in the South Pacific called 'Ouija' this was next to the smallest in population only containing a small band of maybe a hundred or so people..this would be it..for us..the Island holding it's mysteries and traveling to the area would be a once in a lifetime adventure as for studying..
For myself this is what I had always wanted to do..doing something no one else had ventured into on their vacations..but I was going for more than just a vacation this was for information to see how these people lived..
There were other scientist..going in different directions for the same reasons..and although I was still learning more each day I never could seem to get enough knowledge..
The yacht with the birthing area..and galley with bath were all the accommodations we needed..I felt it sway and move under me..Brian and Christina the other couple scientists owned this beautiful yacht..and we enjoyed their company often..we were like family..
We took our time getting to our destination taking pictures added with writings of the wonders we saw along the way..after a couple weeks we know that it would not be but a few more weeks to see our adventure place..meet the people and know how their life styles were..we would make a video of all..giving the presence for lectures and trying to receive the funding from our institute for more travels..this would be done right..and interesting..it had to be!! Or no money for future projects..
The wind was picking up..and the rain was a torrential down pour.. the boat swaying back and forth..everything having to be tied down..putting back in it's original place just batten down the hatches was all we could do and hope for the best..I was scared and this was no picture time for any of us..I wondered if we could stay a float or for that matter stay alive..
The storm hit us with a vengeance..sea's more than 30 feet high coming towards us ..the gray and foggy mist along with the down pour made it impossible to see from over the stern..Brian and Bill were fighting for all their might to just keep the boat from turning over..so close so many times I knew we would sink..the bilge's pumping and finally giving out..and water everywhere I was certain we would not stand this storm much longer..
Christina and I prayed and cried..and held each other..after what seemed like days instead of a couple hours..the storm was subsiding now..no matter what the yacht looked like..we were alive..Brian and Bill were totally exhausted we came out of the storm with parting clouds and the sun trying to peek out from under the darker clouds..Oh Thank You God was all I could say..that said it all..he had saved us and our prayers were heard..
Looking off into the distance we saw an Island..but which was it..Bill going to the galley area to look for maps..came back with a container of his papers..looking on the maps we had we could not figure out which place this was..the Islands looking all alike from a distance..and those we had maps of to secure the places by disguised signs..this had none..but we know we are in the correct area of these South Pacific Islands..just have not found which one..
We docked out from the shore..and taking our rubber rafts proceeded onto shore..just to be on land again no matter what the name of the Island was a precious thought I almost felt like kissing the ground..looking and mapping and trying to fine our way eventually Brian found were we were..we were on the Island of 'Pitcairn' a little unknown Island deep off the South Pacific with maybe a population of twenty if these people were still on this Island..that ratio had been several years ago..
In the process of bringing ship to shore belongings we had to stay here..the skies still gray and the thoughts of another storm impending we would not venture to go anywhere else..least not tonight..
Brian and Bill had our tents..our food and most of all the necessities in case another storm did fire up we could have shelter here on the Island and far safer than to be out in the open sea..
Here again the storm hit..water and winds and buckets of rain..seeking shelter inland we felt we were safe or at least for the time being..if this kept up we would have to do some more necessary in making plans for better shelter..but we all were fine..and all in one tent..with what we needed..under a rock sheltered cave..we would make it..
Well that has been I think about two years ago..like I said in time you lose dates and days..the storm did sink the yacht..and what was left in it..no ham radio for sending out signals or anything else we could have used as the flair guns..although we did leave a travel path of where we would be..now with nothing to say where we were we had to make the best of our life as it were..
We have built huts in the standard plans of the Islands with the materials from the Island itself..carved bowls..as wooden utensils are used..and we are doing as well as can be expected..I keep thinking of Robinson Cruso and the story of his man Friday..well we don't have a man Friday but we still have our best friends Brian and Christina..I can make it here with Bill and our little family of friends..but how long will we have to be here..I wonder if people will ever come to this Island..in the two years or there about we have been here I have not seen a living soul..I still think back..and now I know that our life where ever it may go from here is good with God's Love for us..
