[NOMADE DES MERS] Low-tech surftrip (2/3) : what do we eat

On satellite images, Damien has spotted possible surf spots along the coast. These are rocky points which seem to him well oriented so that the swell turns into beautiful barrels.
These places are wild, wedged between the immense Pacific Ocean and a mountain range covered with thick jungle. We will have to be self-sufficient in water and food. And for this, we rely on our low-tech skills !

First step: recovering damaged fruits and vegetables in markets. The rotten parts go to the black soldier fly (BSF) larvae compost. We put the rest in the solar dehydrator. In less than 2 days we obtain dehydrated slices of bananas, mangos, mushrooms, zucchinis and peppers that will keep for a long time while keeping the main part of their nutritional properties. We choose some vegetables to make lacto-fermented cans. It is the same technique as Alsatian sauerkraut or Korean kimchi. In 4 weeks they will have become acid, a little salty and full of good bacteria for digestion.

I manage to convince the crew to choose one of my favorite dishes as the basis of our diet: idlis. A speciality from South India, it is a mixture of rice and ground lentils, fermented overnight and then cooked in a solar oven. The result is rich in proteins and carbohydrates, delicious and you can eat it morning, noon and evening.

Last step before leaving for the adventure. All the crew is gathered in the cockpit. We divide the tasks: Caroline will be in charge of growing spirulina, germinated seeds and mushrooms, Damien of the cricket breeding and the wood stove, Guénolé of the preparation of idlis and the solar oven, and me of the BSF fly larvae and hydroponics.

Night falls and our strange Noah’s Ark is ready to trace an improbable wake in a setting that reminds us of the birth of the world. We set sails for a night navigation. Our quest of swell begins !