The Equator Crossing, Part 3 (7/15)

Team having lunch at Johnny's Beach near E10, two hours after I left from the same beach. Tide had receded.
| Photo by Moira

I was totally exhausted after reaching E10. I abandoned the kayak and headed straight for the shade, staring at the coconut trees and wanting to chop down one. The swash came and claimed the poorly parked kayak. I limped over and pulled it higher and returned to the shade. The waves came once more. I went again to move the kayak to another position, closer to the shade. The waves came again and I was too tired to pull the heavy kayak any higher. 

Perhaps I would not find them. There were some moments I was not sure the safety plan had worked. I looked at the beautiful beach and azure waters and decided to rename E10 to Johnny’s Beach... another wave crashed, and I watched the kayak slid into the waters. That made me angry, and I left the kayak to be this time. I went back to the shady spot and leaned hard against the rocks. My heart was beating faster than usual. It was 9am but I took out my lunch. I squeezed everything quickly into my mouth. There was no pleasure in savouring the packet of glutinous rice with chicken. I drank a litre of precious water. 

I stood in the shade and watched the waves teasing my helpless kayak at the edge of the beach. Twisted threats vied with uncertain liberation...

"Where are they?"

~

Johnny and Bhas had an awful night. They sat through a chilly night in their wet clothes. Their mind played on the surf dragging them out. The mosquitoes and bugs harassed them uninhibited. They welcome the sounds of birds, as it meant morning could not be too long away. What could be better now than the warmth of the morning sun? They stretched out on the beach away from their nightmares. In the distance, they were surprised to see Bhas’ paddle laid on the sand. It had came back to him.

They looked at their map and considered their options. They were sleepless and very sore. The surf was pounding. They needed rest today instead of paddling, no matter what the plan said. At this moment, a boat passed. They waved it over. Anywhere else was better than “Hell’s Beach”! They would sort out the communications later. 

~

Map of Pulau Kawe showing locations of kayakers, Raja Ampat.

On the first day in Papua, I remembered Johnny pointing out to me an area of dark blue on our map.

“Here...should avoid this area.”, Johnny pointed his finger at his ipad map on some squiggly wave symbols . 

Max also wrote the word “dangerous” besides the big circle he drew. The Bhas’ Crazies was a vast area of tidal overfall. It was a wild fury of rapid currents, agitated waves, and whirling eddies in violent sequence. It was located between E10, where I was, and safety beach where they were. Looking at the mess of waters, I then realized that Johnny wasn’t going to paddle though here. If he was at Safety Beach, he was staying put. That greatly demotivated me, as it meant I had to paddle there just to say ‘hi’. I cursed myself for not respecting the first law of expedition - Murphy’s law.

Going around the Crazies would require an extra 2 hours of paddling - something I did not have time or energy for. I drew from the kretek and reconsidered. Whatever the scenarios, I needed to go to the safety beach. I rested for a long time under the shade. Then I moved and paddled to the edge of Bhas’ Crazies. I secured my sprayskirt and paddled in. The tossing was manageable but I could not detect where the main flow was, if any. I was making good headway north but there must be multiple tidal streams, for I was being twirled back south, then east. An hour of frustration later, I decided to swap Bhas’ Crazies for the sanctuary of Johnny’s Beach. 

My first attempt failed, and it was to be the first of three attempts to cross Bhas’ Crazies today.