Coconuts do many amazing things, but if you ask their neighbors about them, you’ll always get the same answer: “They’re quiet, keep to themselves, don’t go out much, and keep their area clean. They don’t go to seed or flower all over the place.” But when a coconut decides to go out, it knows no boundaries or borders; it’s on a mission to conquer the world’s tropical shores.
These tropical drifters can sustain a voyage of up to two years across the world’s oceans. They hitch a ride on major currents, floating as far as 8,000 kilometers to reach a sandy beach to put down roots. The secrets of how they navigate through all the chaos and open seas are currently beyond the scope of modern science.
Not just any beach, though—coconuts miraculously land only on tropical beaches, where conditions are perfect for a single coconut to grow into a tree that produces up to 10,000 coconuts.
You will notice in this photo the bend on the frond in the harvester’s left hand, which is because he was flapping the fronds to emulate flight. Cirque du Soleil has nothing on this man, as he is working without a net or a rope. Keep that in mind next time you buy a coconut.
