Date: 14 December 2019
Author: Ruben
Position: Under some coconut tree
Geographical Position: 13°00.5 N / 61°14.4 W
Etmal: 1 nm

After a good nights sleep in the harbour of port Elizabeth, we made ourselves ready to go ashore.

In the middle of packing our bags, getting the packed lunch into our lunch boxes and general preparations, we were suddenly told to move back to anchorin. As a cargo ship was about to arrive and take our place on the berth.

This turned our already hasty situation into an absolute mess. As everybody was running around. Either trying to leave the boat as quick as possible, so as not to being forced to stay onboard. The others (permanent Crew) were trying to leave the harbour as quick as possible.

I did not manage to get off fast enough (I was galley) and had to help with anchoring. These were our morning hours in a bubble.

After everybody was safely ashore, we went for a little hike through the middle of the island.

After getting over the last hill we were greeted by a brilliant Caribbean view of some lovely beaches, waters and rainforests.

The only things I was able to think of were: “Hell, I would hate to be in Germany now” and “Water, Water, WATEEEER”.

Luckily for me just twenty minutes later we were in that lovely water. Just in front of those lovely beaches – and it was awesome.

After chilling in the water for an hour we started throwing unripe coconuts from the beach up at the trees. To get some good ones – and so it happened that we started trying to open them.

There are a few ways to open a coconut:

The first of which is to use a machete – that’s how the locals do it. But we weren’t allowed to try that out. As a lot of people end up with one or two chopped off fingers rather than an open coconut.

To use a knife is the second way. This generally works out quite well and was allowed. Up to the moment that two kids cut themselves accidentally – they got a bollocking by the captain in the evening.

The third is not the easiest, but definitely the most fun way. It is to just trash it on to a rock. Until it starts breaking open, then you remove the outer layer bit by bit (you have to rip it off). The inner layer you just break open…. and taaada, there you have it – a coconut ready to eat.

The rest of the day we just chilled at the beach opening and drinking coconuts. While going for a swim in-between after a couple of hours we headed back to the other side and spent the rest of the day in town.