My eyes fluttered open around 6:30am to see the last morning I'd spend on the island through the mesh of the pop-up mosquito net that was over me.
The waves crashed on the beach in the early morning light and i heard Beaker start to shift around and squeak, waking up in her cage that sits on the porch outside our rooms in 'Bungalow Empat.'
Ainsley came in my room last night and reached under the mosquito net to pull a sleeping Beaker out of my bed and put her in the cage.
I was attached to my little monkey love since she had crawled into my arms and cuddled up on my chest after dinner last night, falling asleep in her usual position, her little hands stuck under my armpits, breathing heavily through her tiny lips.
The table was full of my friends, John & Ainsley, Terry the surf guide/magician, Brent the new Tasmanian chef, and Tom & Sas who came for the night to visit with their 2 year old son Jonah… Jonah is exactly Beaker's age and they have grown up together out here in the Mentawais. Best friends their whole lives. Its outrageously cute.
Everyone at the dinner table was in conversation as i zoned out and started feeling Beaker's little chest rising and falling against mine as she slept. Jo-Jo the dog came up and nuzzled next to my knee looking for a little affection as usual. I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead on Beakers and with one hand on Jo-Jo I just started breathing at the same time as the animals I love so much… Just taking a little time-out to breathe as one.
When i opened my eyes, literally everyone at the table was silent and staring at me in my moment with the monkey before we all started laughing… Typical.
It had been a long day.
I had woken up out on the boat and hung out until about 10am. When i got back to the island, knowing it would be my last day there, i grabbed a surfboard and went for a paddle around the island, OMing into the waves and stoking the satin water with each stroke of my arms… sipping in the moment… looking over my right shoulder as i paddled with whole circumference of the 12 hectare jungle island - watching the driftwood and magic float by in a clockwise circle.
As soon as I got back to where i started and showered off, Brent excitedly called me over to show me a baby turtle that had hatched from the 12 nests that were laid a few months back.
I held the baby for a moment while we directed him towards the water. His first day of life.
Turtles live for a really really long time. I think some live for something like 300 years.
And sea turtles always come back to the same beach to have their babies.
I was hanging out with this guy on his very first day of life… a life that (provided nothing goes awry) will outlast mine and my children's and THEIR children's…
I called out to him as he was swimming away into the satin blue waters and encouraged him to take care of himself and asked him say hello to the future for me.
It was kind of emotional for me.
Ainsley and I searched for his brothers and sisters who would have been hatching that day too… We sat on the beach with Beaker, Jo-Jo and Kitty looking and waiting for more turtles to hatch when we saw a dead sea snake… the black and white ones that are the most deadly thing out here in the Mentawais.
it was coiled and seemed to have two big fang mark holes on his back… the hermit crabs were already tucking in and eating it.
At the end of last year I dreamed about a snake and then saw 3 in 2 days after never having seen one the whole season.
A week ago i dreamed about snakes all night and then a dead one washed up on shore.
Things just happen like this here. Think and ye shall manifest into reality.
My mom wrote me the other day and reminded me that we are creating our realities. I had told her my idea to maybe go to medical school - and even if i stick with the original plan and go to nursing school - i am thinking about maybe applying to school in Hawaii.
It just seems like the best option for me… a person who thrives and feels whole in the tropics.
This morning Jonah and I put hibiscus flowers behind our ears while the monkey sat on the swing looking out at the charter boats docked while surfers sat in the lineup. I thought about how cool Jonah will be when he grows up and tells people that he grew up in the Mentawais and his best friend was a monkey named Beaker.
Shayne pulled up in his tender with Stanley, his South African surf guide. Jonah pointed out at Shayne and kept asking what uncle was doing.
Everyone is uncle or auntie to Jonah. He is from this great big beautiful family that I have been so blessed to be a part of out here.
The Mentawai community continues to amaze me. Everyone takes care of one another and there is such a strong sense of support, even though it is spread out and sometimes you won't see your neighbors for months at a time.
Cahn, my friend who lived at Togat Nusa last year and is now the surf guide at a nearby land camp, lives just 45 minutes away by boat with his Mentawai wife Sue and daughter Kayla, but not many people have even met the baby yet.
I saw Cahn when i got back on Kaimana and told him i would come over to meet Kayla before we took off to Padang, but we didn't have time this trip, so i promised to go when i'm out here on the next trip.
It's emotional having bonds to people you rarely see.
I felt so far away from Ainsley and John when i was in the Telos, and now that I've been down here, i feel a million miles away from Michelle and Mario.
When Shayne is out at sea, although he is cruising around in the island chain, I sometimes won't see him for 2 or 3 weeks at a time and it feels like i might as well be in america.
The workers on the island sometimes have families on other islands that they only see a handful of times in the year… but like Jonah, all the kids out here have a million aunties and uncles so everyone is taken care of wherever they are.
I feel like i have a million brothers and sisters, aunties and uncles… dear friends that i have made over the last few years out here.
I cried when I hugged Ainsley goodbye this morning. I had to turn around and walk back along the sandy path so i wouldn't get all gushy and start bawling. I just watched my bare feet trot through the sand and told myself i would walk this path again.
I don't know when i am going to see her again. I have no clue when i will be back here.
I am now totally in debt and maxed out on credit, so its not like i can really afford to drop in for a month or two next season. I will be starting school and need to really focus on that right now.
I told Ainsley i would see her soon… because "soon" is relative and she always tells me that life is long… and its true.
I know i will be back here one day. Maybe i will be nurse zani next time i am back, when Jonah is no longer a toddler and Beaker is a grown up… But just like my little turtle buddy that will be back to lay his eggs here… I will come back one day too and I think a part of my heart will always be there no matter where i go.
For now, I am off to Padang on Kaimana for a few days and will come out one last time for the next charter on the boat… and then i head to Singpore and back to California.
The path keeps going.
Round and round it goes.
Where it ends? Nobody knows.
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