Majuro to the Middle of Nowhere: A Photographer's Drift in the Pacific

so i've been stuck out here in the middle of the pacific for what feels like weeks, though my GPS says it's only been, like, 12 days. time moves weird when you're surrounded by nothing but water and the occasional sarcastic flying fish. i'm a freelance photographer, which means i'm supposed to be capturing sunsets and coral reefs for some glossy magazine that pays just enough to keep me chasing the next plane ticket. but right now, i'm just trying not to go crazy from the endless blue.

the boat's name is The Unfocused, a 38-foot sloop that smells like old sunscreen and desperation. i've got my trusty Canon 5D Mark IV, a bunch of primes, and a drone that's scared of seagulls. the crew is me and captain ben, a retired math teacher who talks to the boat like it's his therapist. we're on a mission to document remote atolls that rarely see tourists, because apparently, that's what sells these days: “untouched paradise.” spoiler: it's all ocean, and “untouched” just means no wifi.

just looked at the instruments and it's 19.97°C with a feels-like of 18.6, humidity 22%, pressure 1008 hpa. hope that's your kind of thing. the air is so dry my skin's cracking, but at least the light is crystal clear - perfect for shooting. ben says the barometer's been steady for days, which either means we're in for a calm stretch or a sudden squall. i'm betting on the latter, because nothing says “epic photo op” like a dramatic cloud bank over a horizon that looks exactly the same in every direction.

we're currently at coordinates 25.11306, 172.409665, which is basically nowhere. i plugged it into the chartplotter and it showed a big blue nothing with a tiny depth sounding that says “too deep to bother.” i sent the location to my editor as “The Spot Where I Might Just Disappear.” she replied with a thumbs-up emoji. that's the kind of feedback i live for.

“heard from a guy in tarawa that these waters are crawling with tuna. big ones. but he also said his cousin’s boat got swallowed by a wave the size of a building. so, you know, take it with a grain of salt.”

“local legend says there’s a ghost fleet from WWII still drifting around these longitudes. i’ve seen some weird lights at night, but it’s probably just bioluminescence. or ben’s cheap lantern.”

“someone in yap told me the currents here are like a washing machine on spin cycle. we’ve been drifting for hours with the engine off, just floating. it’s eerie. i keep thinking i see land on the horizon, but it’s just a trick of the light. or maybe i’m finally losing it.”

the thing about being this remote is that you start to notice the small things. the way the sun glints off a plastic bottle that’s been floating for years. the perfect, unwavering blue of the water that feels like a screen saver. the silence, except for the boat creaking and ben humming show tunes. it’s a strange kind of peace, but also a reminder of how vast and indifferent the ocean is.

if you get bored, the nearest city with a proper grocery store is a three-day sail away - last time i checked, Majuro's about 500 nautical miles back that way. Majuro’s got a couple of cafes, a dive shop, and a surprisingly good craft brewery called *Champion Brewers*. i’d give anything for a cold pint right now, but i’m too busy chasing the next shot to think about it much.

i’ve been trying to capture the “empty vastness” thing, but it’s hard to make emptiness look interesting. i shot a whole roll of just water, and my editor said it looked like a screensaver. guess i need a subject. maybe i’ll try to get a dolphin in the frame, or a distant cargo ship silhouette. anything to break the monotony.

here’s a few images from the past week (all taken on this floating sardine can):

if you ever find yourself dreaming of a getaway, consider the pacific. but remember: it’s beautiful, it’s brutal, and it’s very, very far from anything. bring sunblock, a good book, and maybe a satellite phone. and if someone tells you about the legendary tuna, maybe ask for a map first.

oh, and if you want to read more about my other misadventures (like the time i got lost in the streets of Palau or almost got arrested for photographing a government building in Kiribati), check out my TripAdvisor reviews of Majuro attractions. also, the Marshall Islands Travel Forum is a goldmine for tips from other idiots like me. and for the sailing crowd, the Pacific Sailing Forums have a thread about these waters that’s equal parts helpful and terror-inducing.

anyway, the sun’s setting, and i’ve got one more chance to get that “perfect” shot before the light dies. i’ll let you know if i capture anything besides my own reflection in the camera screen.

[Map of our current location]

peace out, and don’t forget to pack your patience.

Majuro to the Middle of Nowhere: A Photographer's Drift in the Pacific

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