Oceania

[Visited: February 2016]

It is Saturday, so quite a few people join us on the boat ride to Eneko this sunny morning. We are looking forward to spending a few days on an island after having traveled in Micronesia for several weeks, and after a half-hour ride over the lagoon with a remarkable number of fishing vessels, we arrive at a white beach and get off. What follows are relaxed days under the sun (and sometimes, rain), lazing away our time, chatting to others, reading, or walking the beach. In the evening, we cook ourselves: there are no restaurants on the island and whoever stays, has to take care of her- or himself. Most people on the boat return at the end of the day, and when we walk around the island before sunset, we almost have the feeling of having the island to ourselves.
The tide is falling, and the sharp coral rock is not too pleasant to walk on: only some parts of Eneko are surrounded by beach. At the north side of Eneko, we see big waves breaking on the reef off the island; the sound of the surf is a permanent background sound even in our cabin on the lagoon side - it is like music. At the west side, we see the sun disappear behind the clouds, turning the sky and the water purple. We see islets of the Majuro atoll in the distance, and I calculate that the tide will be low again in the morning which should be a good time to explore some of the islets of the atoll. Snorkelling just off the beach is good: the sea is full of coral and fish: plenty to see. A local family lives on Eneko, and there are some pigs roaming the beach, feeding on seaweed: a funny sight. But the most common animal on the island must be the chicken that announce a new day when it is still dark, and wake us up in the morning.
When I am out, I see that the tide is falling: perfect for a long walk along the line of islets at the northern side of the Majuro atoll. The canal between Eneko and the islet to the east is narrow and easily crossed, and each next crossing is even easier. The water gets more shallow, making even wider crossings a matter of walking through ankle-deep water. Even these shallow waters are full of life, and I see many small moray eels. At some of the islets, I walk on the lagoon side, which often has small beaches, while on others, I stick to the oceanside. The tide keeps falling, until I reach east of Enemanot island, and decide to turn around. I walk back on the coral rock at oceanside which now lies completely exposed, and meet a local walking east with his dog. I continue past Eneko, and cross the wide stretch between there and the next islet: shallow water filled with life. After walking back to Eneko again, I feel I have deserved a breakfast and some relaxing time on this tropical island. When we leave Eneko the next day, it is the start of our long, long journey home.

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Eneko Island (Marshall Islands)

Eneko Island > Marshall Islands > Oceania

[Visited: February 2016]

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