Ocean’s Architecture

By Ainsley Ocean

Are we ever prepared? We all can make the best laid plans, but what we have learned is they never ever work out how you plan, we make plans, but not the outcome. We have learned to be thankful and appreciate what we have, we are all blessed because it could all change tomorrow.

We find our selves on a 12-hectare island 100 miles from most places, in the middle of the Indian Ocean. How we got here? Planes, cars, boats, smiles, tears and many a hard learned lesson, but we do have wireless! As a child John doodles an island with a grass hut and a coconut tree with perfect waves peeling off, a sailboat, maybe a dolphin jumping. I think a lot of surfers doodle this. He kept doodling until it became his reality…and mine.

John has a few nicknames: Yoda, Silent Assassin, Uncle John, Om Johnny. He is a one of a kind person, very patient compassionate and graceful, whether getting barreled or making the locals laugh, or building, it has taken him a lot of patience to share his skills with the locals, from using power tools, surfing and gardening, but he inspires them. He speaks quietly and not very much, but when he does it’s always worth listening to.

I think you need to actually walk in something he has built, it is alive, and the restaurant on Togat Nusa is an example of that. The recent addition is a pilot whale skeleton that washed up. It was a tasty feast for the locals. We raised it up onto the roof, a chandelier as such with two glass Japanese balls for eyes, yes it is “Night at the museum” out here.