Two men have just spent the last 29 days lost at sea in the South Pacific! They were rescued 400 kilometres from where they started their journey earlier this month.
Can you imagine being lost at sea for nearly a whole month with no technology, and a lack of resources? Since so many of us strongly rely on technology these days, I cannot imagine how we would cope without it! Livae Nanjikana and Junior Qoloni are two men who survived being lost at sea and isolated from society.
How did this begin?
Both Nanjikana and Qoloni climbed into their 60 horsepower motorboat in the early hours of September 3rd. They departed from Mono Island, Solomon Islands and they intended to travel to the town on Noro on New Georgia Islands. This journey was about 200 kilometres south from their starting point.
However, their plans soon came to an abrupt end when stormy weather threw them off their course and started a new journey for them. Nanjikana explained how the weather resulted in them deciding to stop the engine to preserve their fuel.
We encountered bad weather that came with heavy rain, thick dark clouds and strong winds on our way. Without seeing any island, we decided to stop the engine and just stay afloat, we still have some fuel left.
What was their new plan?
After this disastrous obstacle in their journey occurred, the two men had to go into survival mode. For the first few days, they were able to sustain themselves by eating the oranges that they had packed for their trip. However, they soon ate them all…
Their next step involved retrieving any coconuts they could find and using the tools on their boat to cut them open. They also had to resort to using a piece of canvas as a way to trap rain so they could stay hydrated.
Throughout their struggle, they were determined to build a makeshift mast and sail. Fortunately for the two men, after being adrift for 29 days, they finally spotted someone off the coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea. They were brought to land and carried into the town on Pomio.
Where are they now?
Both Nanjikana and Qoloni are recovering in Papua New Guinea and they will be heading home very soon! This must have been a very traumatic experience for them. Without their strategic thinking and crafting, they might never have spotted their rescuer!
Although Nanjikana described being stranded as a scary experience, he also went as far as suggesting that it was a positive experience.
I didn’t hear about COVID or anything else. I look forward to going back home but I guess it was a nice break from everything.
Drop me on an island with fresh water and coconut trees (and void of sea snakes) and I’d be quite happy for a few months!
— Author Adam Bray (@authoradambray) October 8, 2021
There might be the odd few that think being stranded at sea would be a great idea because they are probably fed up of hearing the same old thing on the news. However, I don’t know about you but I am definitely going to be keeping my feet on land for the foreseeable future!
