Sweet Salty Lagoon

South Lagoon, New Caledonia, South Pacific, December 2020

How sweet to finally be floating after months of work in the dusty boatyard. I'm pretty sure the boat is happy too as it has been years since last time she felt the ocean touch on the haul ;-)

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It feels extra exciting now when we are able to test the boat in the water as this is our first time among the waves with her.

And yes, best place to test and get familiar with the boat and her various capabilities is out on the blue lagoon! 

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Our first spot to explore by boat, in the southern lagoon of New Caledonia, is a marine reserve where the small island and its surrounding reef has been protected since 1989.

Always so good to see the positive effects marine protected areas have on the environment and its numerous inhabitants. 

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When jumping into the salty, blue surrounding we are soon joined by several fearless green sea turtles, white tipped reef sharks and plenty species of fish in various sizes, shapes and colours. 

Feels both good and needed with some rest and pleasure time now, before continuing working on the improvements we want to do on the boat, as there is still plenty tasks waiting for us to get her in the state we wish. Boat-work will be much more pleasant now though when afloat and just a small plunge away from the fauna rich lagoon.

 

Time For Launch

Numbo, New Caledonia, South Pacific, November 2020

Our “new” floating castle “Tourment d´Amour” has undergone a lot of work and repairs for most of 2020…

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Now, after many months on dry dock, we are ready for the water!

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Although there are still several projects left to do on the boat, it will be incredibly cozy to be cherished by the sizzling sea again.

 

Wild Dolphins At Diver´s Island Kalymnos

Flashback to the sponge diver´s island, Kalymnos, in Greece one year ago, where we were filming wild dolphins coming to fish farms seeking food and company from the divers working at the aquaculture.

Thanks so much to our friend Mihalis at Diver´s Island scuba diving center for introducing us to his adorable dolphin friends! 

More from our various dives around Kalymnos is shown in our new documentary "How intelligent are dolphins -really" which is currently available on SVT-play, within Sweden, until 25th of February 2021.

Steady Dry Dock Living

 

Numbo, New Caledonia, South Pacific, October 2020

In a smaller, local village, not far from the capital of New Caledonia, we currently live on a very steady boat…

Life on dry dock guarantees no seasickness! ;-)

While the southern hemisphere´s summer heat slowly starts to show its presence, we keep on working on our new life companion to get her ready for a salty living among the waves again.

Even though she is sea worthy as is, we like to give this 12 meter aluminium lady a well deserved fresh start of her second life. 

Built in 1986, with the past few years spent on the dry, there is still plenty to do to get “Tourment d´Amour” in a “ship top shape” ;-)

New Life- & Adventure Companion!

Noumea, New Caledonia, South Pacific, September 2020

An aluminium lady has made it into our lives! 

She is a sturdy aluminium sailboat of make Gamelin Maracuja. It was already in the end of January, when my boyfriend and I decided to give her a chance to become our new life- and adventure companion.

But due to the pandemic, I haven't been able to see neither my partner nor the boat since I left them 7 months ago...

Some obstacles later, I finally made it back to New Caledonia, where Christian has been working on the boat since early March. How much more fun it will be to now be two getting her ready for the water!

A lady with previous Pacific experience, I wonder what ventures she might have for us when finally back among the waves again.

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Quarantine In Paradise

Noumea, New Caledonia, South Pacific, Early September 2020

Until here, no further. So near, yet so far...

A journey, not without complications. But finally, I´m back in New Caledonia, where 14 days of quarantine has started. How sweet the salty Coral Sea will feel when these 2 confined weeks are completed! 

During the strict quarantine, I'm not allowed to leave the hotel room. Food is delivered to the door by friendly personnel three times a day. 

I feel very lucky to have got a room with such an awesome ocean view. The ever changing scenery brings peace to both mind and soul.

Guarded walks are arranged every day, when the confined people are let out in smaller groups to spend one hour in the hotel garden.

The area we are allowed to stay within is marked by fences and plastic bands. Beach and pool are close, but out of reach. Still so good it is to feel sun and wind and to explore the green side of the garden a bit!

So much flourishing beauty there is to explore in further details. There is plenty to do and admire when looking at things with a curious eye.

Two weeks might sound long to spend alone in an isolated hotel room. But the fact is that I find that time is flying by super quick with the many small activities I keep myself busy with... ;-)

For sure that nearby, refreshing, salty ocean water will feel oh so soothing when getting back to be a free being again!

And not the least, how sweet it will be to finally be able to see my partner again, after 7 months apart, and together continue on the exciting life project we started before the pandemic went viral... 

More on that soon! 

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