Arguably one of the most beautiful places to swim in Pohnpei is a place we call the Doldrums. It is a washed up old ship, anchored to land, where you can jump from terrifying heights into the warm Pacific water. The name of this ship is “The Doldrums.” Although "the doldrums" is a term that originally referred to a region of calm winds, it is now most often used to mean "in low spirits." Well, for the Jesuit Volunteers and their friends, they learned the lesson that the spirit of the Doldrums still hovers in the air of this place, ready to cling on to any unsuspecting visitors.
Weeks before this dreadful day, Molly, Brad, and their Australian friend Jess had visited the Doldrums after school. Hours later, they found themselves digging their car out of a foot of mud. They joked about this as they led Sam, Rachael, and their two friends Matt and Jerich back to the spot. Always learning from their mistakes, they chose to park in a different spot, right in front of the gate that blocked the car’s path down to the Doldrums. The seven friends merrily hopped out of the car and walked around the gate, into the slight ditch, to start the short walk down to the water. As Sam so confidently hustled around the gate, she felt a slight roll in her ankle and hopped it off so as not to trip. How embarrassing, she thought, I can’t even walk around a gate, how will I jump off a ship? Although her ankle stung a little, she brushed it off and continued to walk briskly and talk excitedly with her friends.
The four girls, who had all worn dresses for this occasion, climbed the ship and looked down at the calm water well below them. The sky was just beginning to turn a most magnificent orange. The whole scene was so romantic and unreal that they hardly waited any time at all before they jumped. Their dresses puffed up as the air gently led them down into the water. After four splashes, four smiling heads bobbed out of the water, anxious to see the pictures the boys had taken of their jump.
The sun sank lower into the sea and cast off stripes of orange into the sky. The stars could start to be seen. There was nothing in between the friends and the sun, as if they could swim towards it and eventually fall into its warmth and beauty. Watching the miracle, nobody talked much...
....until Molly shrieked in pain. “Something just pricked me,” she said as she emerged from around the corner, trying to keep her calm. “I got some of the needles out, but a lot are still in my foot. Watch out over there.” Matt, the most experienced visitor to the Pacific islands studied her foot and declared that it was a sea urchin. Molly made her way to land with Sam, Brad, Jess, and Jerich following her.
Rachael and Matt chose to take another path to land, in the same direction Molly had just been. Rachael, angered by the sea urchin’s attack on her friend, punched the urchin with passionate rage. Unfortunately, the urchin seemed to hurt her more than she hurt it.
As all of the friends reassembled on land, they examined the now blue foot of Molly and swollen hand of Rachael. “We should go. You need to get those needles out,” said Jess. Everybody quickly picked up their things and hurried to the car, except for one.
Sam hobbled along behind the group, now realizing that the slight annoyance in her ankle had escalated into a throbbing pain that made it nearly impossible to walk. In the pitch black, she was trying to walk on the side of her foot, but each step sent chills up her spine. Jerich, Matt, Brad, and Jess noticed this and walked with her. “Not to worry, I will carry you!” Jess announced. Off they were, the tall Australian carrying the injured American on her back. However, the trail to the car suddenly seemed ten times as long as it had been on the way to the water. It was nearly impossible to see and there were potholes filled with water every few steps. Jess was losing steam. Sam was slipping. “Leave me,” Sam said. “Never!” Jess replied, “I just need a breath.”
The boys caught up with the two and, seeing Jess’s distress, Brad racked his brain for the survival wisdom he had gained during his many years of scouting. “Ah, yes!” Brad said excitedly. “Jess, cross arms with me, we can carry her this way. Sam, sit down, just like it’s a chair.” Brad and Jess made a seat for Sam with their arms and Sam hesitantly sat down. The group got a few yards before they were again exhausted.
“Here,” Matt said, “I will carry you.” Sam climbed onto his back and they continued the long walk back to the car. The group piled into the car and returned to the Jesuits' residence. Brad, Jerich, and Jess hurried to and fro, taking care of their injured friends. They supplied them with ice, tweezers, pain medication, and plenty of wine.
It took days (or weeks, for some) of anguish to recover from the injuries. But, once the pain had subsided, they looked back on the unfortunate day’s events. As beautiful and peaceful as the adventure had seemed, it had a most horrible dark twist. These injuries, the friends knew, were no coincidence. They were just another case in the curse of the Doldrums.
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