If I have to decide on something that I take with me to a deserted island, then it’s the people who are close to my heart. Let alone they want it.
Life when traveling is a wonderful thing. It opens up new horizons to be discovered waiting for you unexpectedly. And yet it is one of the greatest challenges I face in life. Detached from everything I know. For a brief moment the months that I have lived since December come to mind.
France. Brittany. Molène. 12th September. Saturday. Between 6pm and 7pm. A small island near the coast. A really small island. It takes less than an hour to walk around the whole island. And after less than a week all island residents are known. Or so it seems to me.
I’ve visited this island before. Slow down for a few days. Relaxed together, the. Two of us. Moments enjoyed apart. That was good.
The second time I entered Molène, I immediately felt the different rhythm. We went on a day trip with a friend on his sailboat. It’s just a short detour, but it is obvious that there is a fundamentally different rhythm on this island. And it’s obvious who is from the mainland and who lives on the island. And that is also obvious: a brief moment on Molène lets your soul dangle.
And now I am on this wonderful islet for the third time. There are four of us, plus a dog, crossed on the sailing boat. Again with the friend’s boat. We started from the mainland about five hours ago. A leisurely sailing trip. The wind carried us sedately to our destination. Even if there was little activity on the sailboat, every act is an experience for me. Either I improve my skills or there is a new task for me. Theoretically, too, knowledge is always increased. And again it shows: You want to go to the sea, but does the sea want you too?
Third time here. Well known, but something is different on the water of Molène. There are more sailing boats in the harbor than usual. We have to moor at the pier. As well as other boats before us. We fit into the row. This means that if we want to go ashore, we balance over three sailing boats to reach the desired stairs. The many boats, like us, were drawn to the “Route du Pif”. A sailing regatta in aid of the French Organization for Sailing Rescue (SNSM: Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer). This regatta is more for the good cause and the joy of sailing than it is a real competition.
Party mood on the boats. A holiday feeling like at a festival. The sun is shining. Despite the evening hour and the month of September, it is warm.
It’s like before on Molène. The island’s rhythm cannot be influenced by the visitors. The visitors are more likely to get involved in the island mentality.
We enter a bar. Completely forgetting that there are masks, we pull out the cloth at the last second to cover our mouths. The founder of the restaurant has passed the management to her daughter. Now the elderly woman sits in her regular seat, talks to the people who come into the room, watches quiz shows on TV and lets the day go by.
I was in this restaurant the first time I visited Molène. Right from the start I was impressed by the stubbornness there (in the positive sense of the word). Even then, the older lady could be seen without a face mask.
The next day, how could it be otherwise, begins relaxed. Nobody really knows when exactly it will start. Everyone enjoys the day in their own way. Shortly after noon the boat casts off and the sailing boats head for the open sea. A trumpet sounds. The sails can be hoisted. Everything is going very quickly now. The slowing down of the morning is blown away. One maneuver after the other to make the most of the wind. For a moment this sailing trip feels like something extraordinary. After that, getting the fastest out of this boat. What we notice too late is that the tides are keeping us in one place. Others started the engine to move forward. (This also shows that it is not a competition). We missed the moment to run the engine to get involved in the regatta. We stay behind. With another boat. Also, our boat is more comfortable than it was built for a race. The same goes for the captain, who, instead of heading for the port of destination of the regatta, decides to take a course for our home port. Yes, as I said: this regatta is intended more for the joy of sailing and socializing than getting into the Guinness Book of Records. Funny, I think, and I’m busy with the sailing activities and other activities on board.
And again it was good to be on Molène. For a brief moment, the face mask was forgotten. The smiles of other people were visible. The virus was not made a topic of discussion. Rather, it was about exchanging sailing experiences and meeting familiar faces again. To drink, to have fun and to chat.
At the award ceremony, not only was the fastest boat chosen, but joke prizes were also given. Our captain received a special title: The best philosopher. Because he was still talking at night when everyone was asleep.
And this weekend too, moments came over me when I longed for my friends and family. Short moments for which I would give anything to share with people who are close to my heart. Moments that put a smile on your face. Moments that I imagine on a deserted island in good company.
I pause for a short moment. I look around: there he is, the man of my heart with whom I can conquer any island and change it to a wonderful place, no matter how deserted it was before. And adventurous times are ahead of us.
