We Got Gifted a Cat in a Jar...

We Were Starving at a Remote Atoll... Then They Handed Us This 🐱🏺 120 miles into the open ocean, anchored at the remote atoll of Ontong Java, we hit a wall. For weeks, relentless winds and a dangerous swell kept us pinned. With a reef that only offered protection at low tide and our food stores dwindling to almost nothing, "island fever" began to set in. To keep from going stir-crazy, Poppy turned into a master fly-hunter, refining a technique to catch the generations of flies that have called our boat home. But just as we were reaching our breaking point, the wind dropped, and something truly extraordinary happened. A group of locals paddled for hours across the lagoon in an open canoe to bring us a gift. We expected fish or coconuts, but instead, they handed us a glass jar. Inside was a tiny, wide-eyed kitten. On an atoll where food is so scarce that almost anything is considered a meal, we weren't sure if this was a pet or a protein source—until they waved goodbye and left us with our new permanent crew member: Solly. In this episode, we introduce Solly to boat life, take her on her first kayak mission to a mouse-infested island, and try to make a meal out of "chewy" giant clam meat. It’s a story of survival, isolation, and the unexpected ways the ocean provides company. Previous Video → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HdRR0SWXFU ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 | Stir Crazy: Trapped 120 Miles into the Pacific 01:15 | The Fly Hunter: Mastering Survival in the Doldrums 02:12 | [Intro Sequence] 02:30 | The Rescue: A Gift in a Glass Jar 04:45 | Dinner or Crew? The Mystery of the Ontong Java Kitten 06:15 | Meet Solly: Skateaway’s Newest Crew Member 07:35 | First Expedition: Taking the Cat to "Mouse Island" 09:10 | Survival Food: Cooking Clams on the Fire 10:50 | Living with Solly: Converting the Boat into a Playground 🎥 Episode 19 – Sailing Solomon Islands Become part of the crew 💡 PATREON ☞ https://www.patreon.com/c/onceuponareef ☕ Support Our Journey ☞ https://buymeacoffee.com/onceuponareef Or 🎁 Send us a gift ☞ https://throne.com/onceuponareef 🌍 Follow us: 📸 INSTAGRAM: @onceuponareef & @wheres.poppy 🎥 Poppy's YouTube Channel ☞ https://www.youtube.com/wherespoppy 📧 BUSINESS INQUIRIES - onceuponareef@protonmail.com Hey there, we’re Ryan and Poppy, a couple of adventure junkie sailors out to explore the most amazing reefs and islands in the world. We hope by documenting everything this lifestyle encompasses, we will inspire, raise awareness and support on going research to do our part in protecting these natural life systems. Subscribe if you’re on board! 📍Location: Ontong Java, Western Province, Solomon Islands #sailingvlog #SolomonIslands #onceuponareef#SailingAdventure #BoatCat #OntongJava #Survival #BoatLife #RemoteTravel #Kitten #IslandLife #AtollSailing