Eight-day stopover in the Solomon Islands
Race for Water has just dropped anchor at the Honiara Yacht Club in the Solomon Islands, a sovereign state located east-southeast of Papua New Guinea. An eight-day stopover for the crew who bear witness today, under the pen of Anne-Laure Le Duff, to the pollution encountered during their navigation.
“Plastic, the new species of pilot fish…
180 nautical miles from Honiara, our final destination, we were sailing along the southeast coast of the island of Makira. Christelle was on watch and called us to come and see several groups of tropical pilot whales. It was such a magical moment! We observed each other: us perched on the solar panels, they, raising their heads out of the water.
Floating on the surface we saw coconuts, tree trunks and remnants of human life washed by the rains towards the ocean. Our escort 2.0 was there and accompanied us on the last days at sea. We came across the current superstar pollutants: plastic bottles, food packaging, polystyrene and the (too) famous plastic bags.
Honiara. The anchor sinks into the clear water, myriads of multicoloured fish surround the boat, with Pascal, we see a dugong swimming nonchalantly. We lose sight of the escort, which will be remembered fondly. All around us, witnesses of modern consumption cover the surface… the contrast is striking. On the one hand, nature thriving, on the other, pollution reminding us that it is everywhere.”
Thank you to Christelle Brigeot-Mathieu for the pictures :-)