Back into the Floating World

Today was the day. The one we had been waiting for for over three long months. Finally, we were flying back to our beautiful boat, Tauha!

The day started a little chaotically. At the airport we realized we’d forgotten our camera. A brief moment of frustration, then a shrug - oh well, the camera wasn’t exactly the most important thing in our luggage.

The flight itself was calm, and for the first time ever, Alex and I actually flew together. Somehow, it had never worked out before. When we landed in Tahiti, that familiar wall of warm, humid air greeted us, carrying the unmistakable scent of tropics, sea, and adventure. It was already dark. Luckily, our seats were toward the front of the plane, so Alex got through immigration a bit faster. Our bags arrived soon after, all three of them safe and sound. A good start!

Only one step left: get to the marina, borrow the harbor dinghy, and finally head out to the boat. But when we arrived at the dock, the spot where the dinghy was usually tied up was empty. Great... We stood there for a moment, unsure what to do, staring out across the still, mirror-like water, when two men and their sons appeared, about to leave in their shiny sport boat.

I hurried over and quickly asked if they might give us a ride out to our boat. They smiled and nodded. “No problem,” they said. What luck! With three heavy suitcases, one being definitely overweight, we were beyond grateful for their spontaneous kindness.

The men were incredibly friendly. Between my very rudimentary French and their charmingly broken English, we somehow managed a lovely conversation. They dropped us off right at Tauha and even helped lift our luggage aboard. When Alex tried to offer them a small tip, they laughed and waved it off: “If we meet at the bar, just buy us a beer!”

And off they went, a small light disappearing into the darkness, which had saved our evening. We stood on deck, watching them go, then turned to our boat. There she was, our beloved Tauha. Our floating world, feeling more and more like home every day. She floated quietly in the dark, spotless, dry, and working perfectly.

We sat together at the bow, looking up at the starry sky, feeling the warm breeze and the salty scent of the Pacific. The island lights shimmered across the water, and a deep sense of peace washed over us. What did I feel in that moment? Calm. Safety. Pure contentment.

Later that night, we made our bed on deck, crawled under the blanket, and listened to the gentle lapping of water against the hull. Rocked by the rhythm of the sea, we drifted off to sleep, happy to be back, and ready for our next adventure.

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