Leaving the Lagoon: Exploring the Outskirts of Tuvalu
TUVALU
Finding a boat was more of an adventure than it sounded like, but in hindsight, it seems like a stereotypical story if you found yourself on tiny Tuvalu. I admit, I too hadn’t heard of one of the teeniest countries on the planet. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that only 11k people live here, or maybe because it’s also the least visited nation in the world by foreigners. Aside from me, only 1999 others will likely visit it this year!
I’d spent my first day biking the length of the entire country - with stops, talking to locals and photoshoots, that took only half a day. Now I was keen to head outside and explore the outskirts! Interestingly, a 2018 study found that the atolls of Tuvalu are dynamic, compensating somewhat by increasing in area as the sea level rises. It should come as no surprise then, that the waters that embrace this place are prerequisites for perusing.
After trying to call (which is actually not as easy as it sounds), checking Facebook updates, visiting the association in person and then being redirected to another local’s home, we went house-to-house in search of a boatman. The girls (who were ordered by their mother to be helpful to the sole tourist) crawled on their scooter while I pedaled as swiftly as I could in the scorching heat, trying to keep up. After a few rejections, Steve agreed to send out his boat with 21 year old Motu as my boatman. But first, I biked back to get a life jacket from my hotel since “none of the locals use those things”.
I wondered about who the life vests are in my life. Who supports the weight of my world, lets me lay my guard down when I’m floating on my back, gives me a lift when I’m treading through the tumbling ebb and flow of life … who are the people, policies, Powers without whom our lives in the ocean of life wouldn’t be possible? I paused and offered heartfelt gratitude for these priceless gifts.
I thought of my work in medicine and how sometimes, I serve a small part in saving folks from sinking. It was fascinating then, to see how this concept could also be applied to a nation. In contrast to Australia being 2230 meters above sea level, Tuvalu’s highest point sits at a mere 4.5 meters. To that end, there’s are human-made extensions to protect and prolong its perimeter, such as a beach …
… and a floating pier.
We motored off from Funafuti’s pier, leaving behind the largest lagoon and zipped over to the islet of Tepuka for the first stop. When I told the boatman I wanted to snorkel, Motu said “why didn’t you tell me, I would have brought my spear to fish and to protect you from the (reef) sharks” … perhaps you’re able to imagine the nonverbal reaction I had to that comment!
The waters were warm and clear. Yet with bleached reef, there was little to see, not to mention that we hovered around the boat, unable to leave it untethered.
After circumambulating Tepuka’s perimeter, we were off to Pava. Here, Motu cut the motor much further from the shore, motioning me for me to hop off and hopefully enjoy a more exciting snorkel here. The boat rocked around. The slack from the anchor made for an ataxic entry as I swayed to the motion of the ocean. With deeper waters, there was much more to explore and while I could go into the details of the coral, star fish and others - let’s just cut to the chase. Swimming back and seeing the boat seesaw, it hit me that I hadn’t thought of how we’d get back onto the boat without a ladder.
Then suddenly, I heard Motu say, “shark!” - less than 10 meters away, I laid eyes on it, suddenly very conscious of the sound that my exhales made through the barrel of my snorkel. As if I was tiptoeing out of a kitchen with a (forbidden) cookie in hand, I stealthily swam to the boat that was sandwiched between us.
How miraculous is it that our bodies can run on autopilot sometimes? Limbs leveraging, I lunged myself onto the boat, calling upon any and all yogic contortions - after all, there was a shark in the vicinity! Back in the boat, I shuddered and he smiled. Then Motu said, “luckily that was a baby one”. A man of a few words, his next statement was a clincher, “and even luckier that the mom wasn’t here” …
Needless to say, I felt pretty grateful to be on land once we docked on the shores of Pava. We wandered around again, noting the markedly different morphology here. Motu also made a pit stop to shower, after all finding a pipe, water and a bar of soap seemed like another reason this location held the jackpot of the day!
After that excitement, I was revved and ready to walk across to Fualefeke, after all, it seemed like a short stroll away. Motu meandered into the water and watched as the water levels started to showcase their sneaky secrets.
In spite a few steeper sidesteps, we’d safely waked from one islet to the next!
The changing tides signaled that the time on the outskirts was drawing to a close.
Ferrying from one islet to another, swimming within reach of a shark and wading across little land masses that make up the fourth smallest country in the world made me realize that had I not sought out to explore outside the outside, I’d not have found my way here.
Like the rings of the Solar system that have sparked intrigue and curiosity, what’s at the periphery of our lives that lends itself to worthy exploration?
At the day’s end, I asked Motu what he liked about Tuvalu. His answer, “this place gives me so much peace”, is a hope many of us have for where we call home, nuh?
May we leave our lagoons every now and then to explore the the outskirts (of our lands and lives),