Because of the bicycle I made a few friends while exploring the island, and then made some more during the group meals at the Happy Gecko. Holger and I got along very well. He is a retired German engineer who visited Indonesia during his career, and fell in love with the land and the people. Holger was telling me the more relaxed mindset Indonesian people have about life, having to do with the historical availability of food. In Europe the growing season being only 4 or 5 months long required people to work very hard and plan ahead so they would not starve until the next one. That hard work became ingrained in their psyche. In Indonesia there was little risk of running out of food because of the abundance of it, all year long, near the equator in the Tropics. That enabled the people to have a much more relaxed view of life and existence, which they still have today.

And I have always felt safe and welcomed on Bunaken Island and in Manado, even while riding my bicycle on the backstreets all over the town.

I was especially grateful that I was made to feel welcome when sitting there with my black coffee in the mornings with the locals. I left a very large tip on my last day, because that feeling of belonging a little bit was a big deal to me.

I started missing my border collies quite a bit during the second week, even with my daily video and phone sessions with them in real time. What was very nice is one of the dogs from the cafe seemed to adopt me. She always came and sat at my feet in the mornings, would follow me when I walked down the ocean front path, and would keep other dogs away from me. See her photo below.

I had planned my trip so I would be there during the late August full moon, and the extreme low tides that accompany it. The tide change during the full moon is over seven feet on Bunaken, and during the lowest tides the top of the reef protrudes above the water.

I knew that the coral down on the south side of Liang beach is among the best on the island, so I would walk down there just before the low tides, then cross over the coral while there was still room to swim above it. One afternoon right after I did that a storm moved in, and the waves were larger than normal, since the storm came in from the south. (Bunaken normally has pretty calm sea). As I was being lifted by waves and I could hear thunder nearby. I could not cross back over the coral because it was the lowest tide then, and waves were crashing on the reef. The main thing was not to panic. I put my head in the water and watched the reef, which was much more comforting that looking at the power of the storm passing over.

I eventually decided I should try to swim north to reach the channel the boats use to cross during these low tides. That was going to take a couple of hours though. After an hour of swimming though the storm has passed over and a beautiful afternoon sun came out and lit up the reef. I decided to stay out and photograph it all, and eventually was out until the gorgeous evening sunset, four hours in the sea.

I recorded a video during the storm, explaining what was happening, which you can see below.

Later I learned that Holger and Willeke and others were watching me with binoculars during the storm, concerned for my safety. Holger said I was the only one left in the sea, that some snorkelers had climbed up on the reef to weather the storm, and even the remaining boats had come in out of the sea. Willeke mentioned to me that they figured since I had my yellow buoy to hang on to, I was probably ok.

Yes, always having the buoy along was one of the better things I did during these four trips to Bunaken. It allowed me to be seen so boats would not run me over. (Indonesian boats have a very shallow draft and a heightened bow (front), making it hard to see what they are coming upon). The buoy would also give me something to hang on to in case I got a cramp or was stung by a blue ring Octopus. During the storm I had one arm laid across it. I also keep my extra cameras in the center of the buoy. When the battery ran out on one, I just reached in and grabbed another. In four years of using my buoy, it never leaked air.

I have already spent a week and a half telling stories in schools since I got back (on September 4th). I am telling a modification of Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'dell, and afterwards talk about the Coral Triangle, Indonesia, and Bunaken Island. It is going very well, but sharing the stories and photos and videos makes me a little sad that I probably won’t be going back to Bunaken. I will be 73 in a couple of months, and am facing the reality that I may have to start giving up some things. . Fortunately I can still climb up above timberline - I did that with Beau, Hayley, and Jess three days after returning. And I can also still dance with athletic (and beautiful) women to the fastest triple steps at the Rose. I am very grateful for both of those things. Whether journeys to the sea are in my future again remains to be determined.

Visiting the Coral Triangle and Bunaken Island four times in the last five years has been one of the highlights of my life. I will never forget Willeke and Jerry, Jimmy and the dive boat crew, and Yan with his boat. When I was leaving I got hugs and kisses from Rinny and Sarlota, the cooks. I think Rinny suspects I probably won’t be coming back again. She followed me into the water to Yan’s boat with my luggage, and gave me one more hug, with tears in her eyes. What a nice way to be seen off, and a very sweet memory. Thanks for looking.

above: Schools of Red Anthias fish; Bunaken Island, Indonesia

above: Bluegreen Chromis (Chromis viridis); Bunaken Island, Indonesia