Whitley County’s Elaine Stott joins Vokai tribe in ‘Survivor’ shakeup

The last four “Survivor” recaps have focused on the Lairo Tribe as Whitley County’s Elaine Stott was a member.

However, the focus now switches to the Vokai as a shakeup in the beginning of Wednesday night’s fifth episode of “Survivor: Island of the Idols.”

The Lairo Tribe had lost three of the four immunity challenges, leaving it with seven members to Vokai’s nine.

As the two tribe’s came together, host Jeff Probst, told the contestants to take off their tribal bandanas and throw them on the ground.

The contestants then each selected a small box containing new bandanas.

Probst noticed Elaine hopping from one foot to the other, asking her if she was not happy about the shakeup.

“I feel like I’m on the outs already,” Elaine admitted. “I’m nervous. I get itchy.”

“I’m not lucky!” she said.

When the contents of each were revealed, Elaine, along with Lairo tribe members Aaron, Missy and Elizabeth, joined Dan, Jason, Tommy and Lauren to form the new Vokai tribe.

In the confessional, said it was lucky for her.

“I got on the tribe with my alliance,” she said noting the Lairo women had formed an early alliance.

“We have strong people to win challenges,” Elaine added.

Five former Vokai members, Kellee, Jamal, Jack, Janet and Noura, joined Tom, Dean and Karishma to make up the new Lairo tribe.

After the new tribes came together, they immediately faced off in a challenge.

The reward wasn’t immunity, but a feast of food from Applebee’s

Two members of each team participated in a relay crawl through the sand. Their hands were tied together as were their feet, as was each pair of teammates. One pair had to complete its leg of the course before the next pair could begin. After the three pairs from the team completed their respective portions, the final pair had to complete a fire puzzle.

Elaine was paired with Lauren in the third leg of the craw for Vokai.

Vokai was able to build a big lead as Janet and then Karishma struggled in their legs.

Vokai goes on to win the challenge and enjoys the feast.

Jason is seen talking to his old Vokai friends in the new tribe about the need to get one of the former Lairo members to join their alliance as a tie vote at tribal council would force members to draw rocks to see who went home.

Seeing the laughing and talking among all of the old and new Vokai members, Elaine confesses that it is like the honeymoon phase.

“Pretty soon that may fade and go to the alcohol phase,” Elaine notes.

Elaine adds that she doesn’t like seeing her former Lairo tribemates getting so close to the Vokai members.

“You don’t know these people. They could be lying through their teeth,” Elaine confesses.

“We definitely need to stay four–strong,” she adds.

Elaine and her three other former Lairo members head to the Vokai camp.

Elaine and Missy get into a friendly wrestling match as the other tribe members watch.

Aaron confesses that Elaine is playing the game and that she is very good at the social aspect.

“If they don’t like you, why would they keep you around,” Aaron confesses.

Aaron begins attempting to form an alliance with Tommy, telling him that they need to stick together. Aaron is then shown speaking with Missy and they agree that they would back the old Vokai members and flip on Elaine and Elizabeth.

The immunity challenge is next.

The tribes compete in a swimming race through an obstacle course, during which they must release and then transport three buoys.

Elaine is part of the four Vokai members that start off swimming from one platform to another and then ascending a ladder from which they must then jump back into the water and then release the buoys.

The teams are neck and neck as they reach another platform where two members must balance the buoys on a tray and then traverse a set of balance beams to another platform.

Vokai is able to extend its lead as Karishma struggles for Lairo.

Vokai gets over the balance beam and makes the final team swim to the last platform where the other tribe members are waiting.

The final part of the challenge is to shoot the buoys, basketball style, into three hoops that are set at different distances.

Missy starts off shooting baskets for Vokai and nails the first one, but struggles with the second, allowing Lairo to close the gap.

Tommy takes over shooting for Vokai as Lairo catches up, turning the challenge into a shooting competition.

Tommy nails the second basket on his first shot, and Dean hits the first for Lairo.

Tommy misses the longest of the three shots as Dean connects on the second.

Each misses the next shot, but Tommy sinks his next one to win immunity Vokai.

After awarding the immunity idol to Vokai, Probst announces that no one will journey to the Island of the Idols this week, but that Lairo will be voting someone off at tribal council.

Karishma, who has struggled in the challenges, attempts to play the social game with the former Vokai members.

Even though she was unable to complete her Island of the Idols challenge and lost her vote at the upcoming council, Noura talks with the old Vokai gang about whether they should vote off the weakest member, meaning Karishma, or the biggest threat, meaning Dean.

In the end, the vote is 5-2 to eliminate Tom.

“They are not going to win any challenges now,” said Boston Rob, who was watching with Sandra from a secluded hut.

The News Journal will continue to track Elaine’s progress as she seeks to become the second person from Whitley County to take home the $1 million prize.