Ground zero

Watercolor, 2014, Kiritimati. We're above Kiritimati located just west of the date line in the Pacific Ocean, looking down at Bertha Bay. Here it's far to almost everything except crystal clear water, coral reefs, sea life and palm trees. A paradise far away. Strangely as it seems this fact became the disaster and downfall of several pacific atolls in the 1950s. So also for Kiritimati. It all began on 8th November 1957 around 17:47 in the afternoon. This was the day when the sunset never arrived to the island. It was replaced with the hurting blinding light from a 1.8 megatons hydrogen bomb detonating above the island, leaving a giant cloud of deadly radiation around the island. Afterwards just silence. No birds. No animals. No sunset. Just a strange breeze and then darkness. No matter who's to blame, this makes me feel such a huge shame for being a human. How can we be so reckless with the nature around us and these unique beautiful islands. Fortunately the island survived and nature healed and today around 5 000 people live there to enjoy the colorful reefs and sea life.