Surviving the Pearl Islands, Episode 10: Snake in the Grass

Balboa, night 24. It was a dark and stormy night, as a snake approached the tribe’s shelter. No, not Jon – a different snake. Rupert says that nighttime is his bad time. If he could go all 39 days and never sleep, he’d be fine, but nighttime is killing him. That’s when he misses his family. He goes off alone and tells his wife all his woes and sorrows. For example, we see him saying that he wants everybody to see that he is the best damned Survivor ever.

He says he cares about very few people on the island. He cares about Sandra and Christa and they care about him. It’s very difficult to keep mentally aware of everything going on around. He tries to guide everything and everyone’s actions while keeping himself aware of what is going on and what he is doing – and not settling for anything less than first. He wants all the others to think that they are finishing in places of honor. It’s a hard mental battle.

The next day, Jon is whining that Rupert and Christa are making him sick with the way they talk to each other. He says that those two and Sandra have gotten to the point that absolute power corrupts absolutely. They know they are in control and they feel like they are above the law. Um. What law? Jonny Fairplay’s law? Please.

So he and Burton went off to talk strategy, knowing that as things stand now, they are stuck with fourth and fifth unless they do something about it. He says that they want him to be happy with fourth, but he’s not. So they discuss knocking Rupert off now – making an alliance with Lill, Darrah and Tijuana. Jon privately says he’s in a great position again because he can go with either alliance. Right now, he’s going with Burton and the three women because it puts him in a better position.

Burton says the problem is that it’s easier to go with Rupert, Christa, and Sandra, but better to go the other way – however, if he gets caught, he’s in trouble. He’s talked to Lill and Jon about it, but didn’t know when to tell Tijuana and Darrah. Luckily, Rupert decides to go fishing, leaving the others alone. He wants to get the shark today.

Privately, he says he’d love to be mean and just get fish for himself, but he gets for everybody. Then Christa and Sandra go off to get lemons. Aha! Jon and Burton realize that they have the perfect opportunity. So while Rupert is swimming with the shark – which Rupert says he wants bad. But he knows the only way he has a chance is if he can get directly over him, shoot down into the head, and hold the spear into him. Otherwise, the shark will be gone with the spear.

Burton approaches Darrah and Ti, with Lill and Jon playing backup. They all agree that nobody can breathe a word to any of the other three. They will play like they know Darrah is next. They won’t talk about it again. Darrah and Ti are extremely excited about it, of course!

Back in the ocean, Rupert is out of the water, shark-less. He says he wanted it and he loves being the baddest hunter out there. He never gives up, never surrenders, never admits defeat. (In other words, he’s the anti-Osten.)

The next day, they get treemail, with a clue that says they will be following the shadow of ancient pirates. Burton says that he thinks he has a pretty good shot if it’s physical, and if he wins, he will give the reward to Rupert in order to keep up the façade of the alliance and because Rupert gave him the previous reward.

Rupert says the deal between him and Burton is that after he gave Burton his breakfast, Burton will give him the next thing. Rupert says it keeps unity between the two of them and unity in their group. Uh oh.

So it’s time for the reward challenge. It’s an obstacle course that moves them along an old pirate shipwreck. They work in pairs. First they have to go up the cargo net and climb to the crow’s nest. There they retrieve a bell and ring it. Grab a rope and swing to the second platform. Untie a series of knots and get a second bell. Slide down the sail, release a sandbag and ring the last bell. The winning pair moves into the final round to do it all again.

The reward is an adventure day. First, they go deep-sea fishing and whatever you catch, you keep. They are shown the fishing boat – a catamaran – and they will also get pizza and beer. Each of them get a bite and a sip as a preview.

After a random drawing, it’s Burton & Lill vs. Christa & Darrah in the first heat. Burton is slightly ahead but then Darrah catches up and Lill falls hard in getting down the net. It’s a close race as they swing to the next net. Burton & Lill are a few seconds ahead and ring the bell first.

The second heat is Ti and Sandra vs. Rupert and Jon. Ti is shooting up the net and rings the bell first. Rupert falls on the way down as both teams are even. Swinging across, Rupert & Jon pull a bit ahead. But wait! Rupert rings the bell and slides down the sail. Jon follows but forgets to ring the bell! Probst points this out and Jon has to climb back up the sail to ring the bell. Unfortunately for Ti and Sandra, they are so far behind that even this screw-up doesn’t save them, and Rupert & Jon win.