ALL ABOARD
We are also pleasantly surprised upon discovering our 100% green bungalow. Outside, the sun shines on the coral soup (ground covered in dead coral pieces) and makes it almost unbearable to look at. A plantation of young coconut trees separates our bungalow from the sandy beach. It’s as if it’s been sprinkled with flour. The largest atoll in the world stretches in front of us as far as the eye can see and the absence of relief almost makes it disappear into the horizon. It draws a huge lagoon, in water a metre deep, blown by 20 knots of trade winds. Nature’s wonder, a freeride paradise!
The next day the wind’s blowing strong. The WindSUP is going non-stop, with all the neighboring children on board. Indeed they didn’t hesitate much before accepting our invitation to go for a ride. I’m speeding along with one of the kids on the nose of the board. As soon as we’re planing, he literally goes insane. He yells, his eyes wide open. I’m cracking up and so excited to be sharing that sensation with him. After seeing one of them, more daring, stand up, all of them give it a go. I realise, after an inevitable fall, that some of them cannot swim. Mouth open, arm reaching out, like a statue of liberty, they slowly go down until I catch them. Lucky the water is shallow – and clear.
There is a general hysteria on the beach. The following days the wind is never-failing, just as the children who are waiting for their daily ride. Lou is so proud to show off how she can pull her gear up and take off on her own. I’m also really proud and happy for her, but I would be even more happy if she could come back on her own. She still can’t quite manage the ride back so I have to walk in the lagoon with water up to my waist for a kilometre. “I don’t like it on the other tack – and it doesn’t work anyway!” she proclaims to justify her lack of perseverance. “And if I put my head under water, the strand of hair that I dyed pink will lose its color!” It’s the ultimate argument. We cannot reasonably take that risk, of course, so I pull back the gear with Lou on it. Wwhile she’s doing her hair…