Surviving the Cook Islands, Episode 7: Out of the Loop

Previously on Survivor, we saw what we’d seen before – and a little more – on a recap episode. But the week before that, Cao Boi tried to institute Plan Voodoo but instead saw Plan Deep-Doodoo as he left. Cristina couldn’t dig her way out of her difficulties either and she was likewise sent home. I held off on posting my usual columns until the two-week period between new episodes was almost up. But hopefully you’ve seen Why Cao Boi Lost and Why Cristina Lost. If not, go check ‘em out now – I’ll wait.

Meanwhile, in other previous news, Nate was kidnapped by Aitu and will stay with them through the reward challenge. That should prove interesting, though I still think they should have kidnapped Cristina just to put Raro into a tailspin and ruin their strategy.

We begin this week at Aitu the morning after Tribal Council. Nate is comparing the flora between the camps. He tells us he’s honored that they picked him to come over, and Jonathan starts asking him questions about what he’s good at, presumably so they can put him to good use at the reward challenge. Nate tells us he feeds them a few nuggets of information but nothing worthwhile, at the same time keeping his own eyes open to what’s going on around him.

And what is going on around him? A discussion about Cao Boi being voted off. Jessica is annoyed that she was not included in what was going to be happening, as she thought people were going with Plan Voodoo. She wants to know from people what’s going to happen next. Nate is just sitting back and taking it all in.

Candice, Yul, and Becky discuss what Jessica said. Candice thinks they need to come up with a story. Um, what kind of story? You voted out Cao Boi. I think she already knows the ending. Yul is just upset that she talked about it in front of Nate. But we already knew that, because we’ve seen this in a “next time on Survivor” clip for two weeks in a row.

The three of them move on to discussing what the order of voting off will be. Apparently it’s Ozzy, Jessica, Jonathan, then Sundra. The reason for Jonathan going before Sundra is because they feel a merge is getting closer and Jonathan will be a tougher competitor in individual challenges.

As we cut to the “opening” credits and theme song, let me just say that I really dislike this new method of putting new stuff before the theme. They used to run just the “previously” stuff. This is annoying. I don’t like it.

Moving on, we’re back at Aitu and it’s day 16. They have a clue for the reward challenge that tells them to go through a catalog and choose two items – apparently, those are the reward if they win. Some of the possibilities are a collection of oil and spices, sewing kit, peanut butter, potatoes, bread, etc.

Over at Raro, Brad is “trying to be the voice of reason” in picking which rewards they should try to get – he wants potatoes and peanut butter for their nutritional value, presumably. But most of the others would rather have bread.

The tribes show up at the challenge to find Jeff Probst awaiting them. He tells them each tribe will select three swimmers and two puzzle-makers. On go, the first swimmer will grab a club, swim out to a platform, climb to the top, and then leap off the platform. While in mid-air, they have to smash a plaster box, releasing a key. They have to dive underwater to get the key and swim back to shore. There are six keys in total, and each swimmer must swim out at least one time, and can only get one key at a time.

The two puzzle-makers will then use the keys to open six locks on a chest. Inside the chest are puzzle pieces. The first tribe to assemble a puzzle map of the world wins reward.

Raro chose to play for bread and peanut butter. Aitu chose potatoes and peanut butter. I guess Brad wishes he could be on Aitu. Anyway, Aitu is sitting out Jessica, Sundra, and Nate. Probst asks if he’s reading the situation right – they took Nate so he couldn’t compete for Raro, but they don’t trust him to compete for Aitu. Nobody answers, Jonathan just kind of shrugs. In other words, yes, Probst got it right. Nate will rejoin Raro after the challenge. So then I would say it’s perfectly logical not to let Nate compete – why would he try to make the tribe he’s going back to lose?!

Oh, by the way, the winners send a member of the losing tribe to Exile Island.

Rain starts to fall as the competition is ready to begin. The swimmers for Aitu are Ozzy (duh), Candice (who is shivering), and Yul. For Raro, it’s Rebecca, Parvati, and Adam.

And they’re off! Ozzy hits the water and flings his club ahead of him so he can swim with two free hands. Smart man! Rebecca tries to swim with it and quickly falls behind – although, frankly, I think Ozzy could swim with a club in both hands and he’d still outpace just about anybody else.

Ozzy gets onto the platform and smashes the box. He dives under to grab the key and swims back while Rebecca is just arriving at the platform. Yul heads out as Rebecca breaks her first box. But she swims back without the key! What the?

Yul is on the platform and smashes a box. He has Aitu’s second key and actually passes Rebecca in the water to make it back before she does. Meanwhile, on the beach, Nate asks Brad why he isn’t swimming; Brad says he’s better at puzzles. Yeah, but I bet he isn’t worse at swimming than Rebecca!

Candice heads out as Rebecca drags herself onto the beach with enough of her top out of place that her chest needs to be blurred and Becky calls out for her to pull it down. Candice is at the platform while Rebecca stumbles up the beach to tag in Adam. He swims out and starts looking for Rebecca’s key, already in the water. But Candice is already breaking a box and looking for Aitu’s third key, but she’s having difficulty and comes back without it. Wow, I just don’t understand this “give it up” strategy being employed by both tribes.