Survivor: Nicaragua - the Adventure Begins

As the contestants trek through the jungles of Nicaragua, the survivors have been separated into what they assume will be the competing tribes. Jeff tells the survivors that around the nearby lagoon is a hidden Medallion of Power that will be for the tribes benefit. Survivors are unleashed to search for the mysterious medallion. It is Brenda who finds it hanging in the tree. But as she is climbing the tree to retrieve it two other people try to follow her up the tree. What? Did they think she was going to fall or something? The survivors who think she is on their tribe are giving her much kudos until Jeff steps in to burst their bubbles. He informs the survivors that the tribes have not been divided yet. All the people 40 and over are instructed to the tribe mat on the left, while the remaining survivors who are all 30 and younger gather on the other tribe mat. The older tribe will be known as Espada (read about the Espada tribe here) and will wear blue buffs. The younger tribe will be known as La Flor and wear yellow buffs (read about the La Flor tribe here).

The Survivor Medallion of Power

Jeff explains to the tribes that the Medallion of Power welds unknown power that will be beneficial to the tribe as a whole sometime in the game. He gives the La Flor tribe, which Brenda the wearer of the medallion is a part of, the option to give up the medallion to the Espada tribe in exchange for flint and a basket full of fishing gear. Having confidence that their generation will be more successful in the long run, they decide to give up the medallion take the fishing gear. With no maps in hand, Jeff points out two directions saying, "Espada head that way, and La Flor head that way." Once they've reached base camp, Jane of the Espada tribe immediately starts a fire using some eye glasses and coconut husk.

The First Survivor Hidden Immunity Clue

While wandering the jungles looking for the water well, teammates Alina and Kelly B. of the La Flor tribe find the water well which has a hidden immunity idol clue attached to the lid. It reads, "Decipher the clues to find the hidden immunity idol. Clue 1:" - followed by 5 pictographs. Neither one of them has a clue what the pictures mean, so they decide to tuck it away to study closer at a later time. Since they found the clue together, Alina feels obligated to be in an alliance with Kelly B. She does not wish to be in a long term alliance with Kelly B. because of her 'handicap' which is a prosthetic leg, thinking that if Kelly B. were to go all the way to the end she would garner many sympathy votes from the Survivor jury.

Survivor Tree Mail

Each team receives Tree Mail which reads, "Change the course of waterfalls, Or you may just lose your flame. Keep your mind in the gutter, Or be the first to leave the game." It is a clue to what is ahead in the Immunity Challenge.

Survivor Immunity Challenge: Getting Tanked

The La Flor tribe makes a 'grand entrance' to the Immunity Challenge as they dance and grunt their way to their tribe mat. Espada is not impressed. Jeff wonders if it was a serenade to the other tribe or a war cry. I say neither; it was just stupid. For this first Survivor Immunity Challenge, one tribe mate will be at the top of the tower pouring water; 5 other tribe members will be holding sections of gutter to direct the water to be poured into a barrel. Once the barrel is full it will release a bag of large puzzle pieces to drop to the ground. The 4 remaining tribe mates will use the puzzle pieces to solve the puzzle. The first tribe to complete their puzzle correctly wins immunity and is safe from Tribal Council. The losing tribe will go to Tribal Council where one tribe mate will be voted off.

The Mystery of the Medallion of Power is Revealed

Well, the mystery of what sort of power the medallion holds didn't stay a secret for very long. Jeff reveals the Medallion of Power gives the tribe holding it a huge advantage at challenges. For the "Getting Tanked" challenge the Medallion of Power would give the Espada tribe one bucket of water in their barrel before the challenge begins. The barrel takes approximately 5 buckets of water to be filled. Once the Medallion of Power has been used in a challenge it is handed over to the opposing tribe. The Espada tribe decides they want to keep the Medallion of Power and instead make a statement to the young guns that they don't need an advantage in order to beat them. That strategy backfired as La Flor proves to be better at solving puzzles than Espada.

Survivor Tribal Council #1

NFL coach Jimmy Johnson believes the best move for the tribe to make to keep the tribe strong physically is to eliminate the weakest player which he believes is either himself or Wendy. Jill tells Jeff that Jane is their "Survivor MacGyver" because she got a fire going in no time once they arrived at their campsite. Jane attributes her knowledge of how to make fire from reading an article that Jeff wrote stating, "Why would anyone come to play Survivor that didn't know how to make a fire?" Jeff is shocked that someone (a contestant) listened to something HE said. Jane says she practiced for 3 months prior to coming on Survivor. Once Wendy gets the floor at Tribal Council, she doesn't know when to shut up. When will people learn that tribe mates on Survivor do not like chatterboxes? Even her husband told her beforehand she would be the first to be voted off because she didn't know how to be quiet. Sad to say for Wendy, but he was right. Wendy DeSmidt-Kohlhoff, the 48-year-old goat rancher from Montana, is the first person voted off Survivor: Nicaragua.

"Survivor: Nicaragua - Young at Heart" aired Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 8:00pm on CBS.

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DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION

Source:
Survivor