Day 12 • 7 July 2016 • Pohnpei to Guam

The planned morning jungle walk fell victim to a rainstorm, and so there finally was an opportunity for all of us to catch up on our writing—or to do laundry, as some of us smelled a bit ripe! We went to the airport for an early check-in and then returned to the hotel one more time to have lunch. On the way back to the airport, we stopped at a carving center, where local artists come together to create woodcarvings for the tourist trade. All stages of the process, complete with tools, were visible, from the wooden block and the chain saw to the nearly finished carving with sandpaper and varnish. Since this is as close to the source of woodcarving artistry one can get, we were pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices and supported the local economy.

This is a proper Micronesian lunch plate, including veggies, taro root (purple, at left), breadfruit (center), and yams (right). And, it appears, I found Dory. 

The carving establishment. We had heard about this artisan work area at our hotel and had expected some kind of warehouse where different artists could display and sell their wares. We did not expect to find a real workshop, complete with tools and sawdust everywhere. Here are, from left, Mindy Hull, Mitzia Zambada, Morgan Lewis, Alex Mitchell, Ruby Resendez, Jose Huerta, and Amanda Callahan appraising the proffered wares.

 

Shown here is the intermediate stage of one of the fish carvings. The block was cut by chainsaw, then the basic shape was rendered by hammer and mallet, and then the surface was shaped by an adze (below the fish). This is a labor-intensive process, and it requires careful choice of wood and handling of tools, since a small error might break off a fin!

This is a progression from the previous image, where now the shape has been completed and the sanding has begun. Once again, this is a laborious process requiring exacting work. Varnishing would be next, and then the piece could sell for $50 here, or over $100 at the airport.

We one again boarded United Airlines flight 154, this time on the last two legs of its island-hopping tour. We first spent just over an hour in the air to get to Chuuk (formerly Truk), a separate state of the Federated States of Micronesia and an atoll with one of the largest lagoons in the world. This island archipelago was the location of a fierce WWII battle, with the many sunken vessels lining the bottom of the lagoon having now become important dive sites. We landed on Weno Island, the main island of Chuuk, but on account of the delayed flight we were unable to leave the aircraft to facilitate as quick a turnaround of the aircraft as possible.

A last glimpse of Pohnpei across the engine and wing of our Boeing 737-800 island hopper. What a beautiful place!

The eastern edge of Chuuk Lagoon, showing the fringing reef that once upon a time surrounded a huge volcano. The volcano had been formed on the edge of the Pacific Plate and, over eons, sank back into the ocean—leaving only the corals that once grew on the volcano's shores. As is shown here, while many of the islands surrounding Chuuk Lagoon are very small, the reef forms a formidable barrier to shipping. If you don't know where you are going, it is easy to run aground!

These three ladies joining us in Chuuk were such a beautiful sight, I could not resist taking the photo. They are ready to travel, with their pretty floral head bands, and their wardrobe offers a further glimpse into the incredible color diversity of Micronesia. It's a feast for the eyes!

Our arrival on Guam occurred just before sunset, and we were able to catch a glimpse of the island as we landed. Guam has an interesting history, which is rooted in the local Chamorro culture but which has been molded by Spanish colonialism and more recently by a political status as a territory of the United States. We learned that there are five U.S. overseas political units, each with their own, specific, treaty-anchored status derived from interesting historical serendipities. For those interested in our country’s history, it is interesting to read up on how each of these islands became part of the U.S. political sphere, without being considered “colonies”: the Territory of American Samoa, the Territory of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States. You would encounter events like the Spanish-American War, the League of Nations, the Second World War, and even, in more recent times, the potential loss of the U.S. military presence on Okinawa—all shaping the fate of these overseas entities.

I am still learning the art of the selfie, and the intricacies of Instagram, and Snapchat, and Pokémon Go. Traveling alongside a group of enthusiastic students is infectious, and this photo captures some of that slightly innane atmosphere that sometimes surfaces—even in "old" instructors. From left: Kaitlin Rickerl, Alex Mitchell, and Schawna Mitchell in Row 9, with Sensei Kaiser in Seat 8A.

When entering Guam, as shown here by the wall adjacent to the customs area, there is no doubt that one is arriving in the U.S. of A. Yet, as tomorrow's report will show, there are some lingering questions...

We ended our day in one of the beachside high-rise hotels in Guam, the Verona Resort & Spa, which is within easy reach of the airport. We concluded the day with a family-style chicken and ribs dinner at the Jamaican Grill. One comment on that note: This trip really does feel like a family affair, with everyone getting along and chipping in, and nobody having turned into a pesky annoyance. It is SO nice as an instructor to be able to lead a group of well-balanced people who are not ego-driven or possessed by attitude but who “gel” as time passes. It’s a testament to the high caliber of students we have at Victor Valley College, and it is also proof that my recruitment process works!

Day 11 • 6 July 2016 • Pohnpei Pleasures

After a hearty breakfast with some team members finally getting a pancake fix), we headed out in the rain to discover an outstanding historic site: Nan Madol. As our small bus traveled the roads of eastern Pohnpei, we crossed from Nett District first into U District (pronounced "ooh") and then into Madolenihmw District. Approaching the area where the ruins are found, the road conditions got progressively worse even as the weather steadily improved. Nan Madol is a site of numerous human-made islands, essentially a palace to keep regular islanders and their royalty separate. Pohnpeians would bring food and drink to their masters on these islands, and the dynasty persisted into the 16th century. Access to these impressive ruins is by rainforest trail, entered at the homestead of a caretaker family. Right at the entrance, we saw one of Pohnpei’s most impressive animal inhabitants—a large Indopacific freshwater eel (Anguilla marmorata), considered sacred in local lore.

Road conditions, Part 1. Some of the road around Pohnpei was recently redone by a Japanese company, but other parts are still quite rustic. 

Road conditions, Part 2. As we drive farther away from Kolonia, the road narrows and the tarmac becomes rough.

Road conditions, Part 3. As anyone who has traveled in the tropics can attest, there is usually the point a certain distance away from a major urban center, when the blacktop ceases and the dirt begins. Today, this was made particularly adventurous because the rain made the exact extent and depth of potholes difficult to discern!

Road conditions, Part 4. The last stretch of road to the Nan Madol trail is simply a track, which makes meeting oncoming traffic particularly exciting.

A nice specimen of Indopacific freshwater eel (Anguilla marmorata) in a small stream on the property leading to the Nan Madol ruins. This specimens was easily the girth of a human arm .

We embarked on the trail to the ancient site, which runs through some beautiful wet lowland tropical forest and into a mangrove-dominated coastal area. Lots of birds, including the amazingly colored Pohnpei lorikeet (Trichoglossus rubiginosus), and even Pohnpei flying foxes (Pteropus molossinus) were flying overhead, unfortunately mostly just out of sight or range for a proper photo! The Nan Madol ruins are quite a sight. Large, generally hexagonal stones are piled crisscross into something like woven walls, and the sheer size of the construction as well as the stones themselves makes one wonder how this feat of architecture and engineering could have been accomplished. The stones themselves were apparently quarried a relatively short distance away, and the hexagonal shape is produced when lava cools and crystallizes under certain circumstances, but dragging these monolithic blocks across a mangrove habitat and piling them neatly into a monument that has withstood the ravages of time defies easy explanation.

The first section of the Nan Madol ruins in the middle of the Pohnpei wet tropical lowland forest. Note the construction, involving large, nearly hexagonal blocks. Meanwhile, Schawna and Alex Mitchell are being distracted by some bird or another flitting by in the upper storey.

After the dry forest on Arno Atoll in the Marshall Islands, Pohnpei is just SO green, including epiphytes growing on large trees, ferns everywhere, and the odd colorful floral accent.

The encounter with this endemic Pohnpei kingfisher (Todiramphus reichenbachii) was quite fortunate, with the species inexplicably in decline since at least the early 1980s.

The Pohnpei lorikeet (Trichoglossus rubiginosus) is a real show-stopper in the Nan Madol forest. Not only does it stand out by its beautifully wine-colored plumage, its screeches are also responsible for much of the noise in the forest! Photo courtesy of Jose Huerta, who had the better lens and the fortune to get ONE shot off just in time.

  

We began our visit by wading across a shallow, narrow passage that separates the largest of the buildings from the land, reminiscent of a castle and its moat. There are various specialized areas in the building, including an innermost sanctum and a place for sacrifices (mainly of plants). One walks around the walls and considers the physical impossibility of the construction! Of course, all the while we observed the animals that are now the only active inhabitants of Nan Madol.

Viewed across a shallow channel, the incredible architecture of the Nan Madol site becomes apparent. Not only are there dozens of artificial islands, they have this incredible architecture.

One of the first animals one notices when crossing the narrow channel to Nan Madol are the mudskippers (Periophthalmus modestus). These two lined up so nicely, we had to call them Markin and Nemo.

View of the interior of the Nan Madol complex. Shown here is that the construction not only included walls, but roofs, which are made of even more massive blocks than the walls.

Of course, a human-made site in the tropical forest like this is a great place for animals of all types. Here Amanda Callahan is pointing out a small lizard to Dakota Brooks.

We encountered several white-banded giant skinks (Eugongylus albofasciolatus) in the vicinity of Nan Madol. It was particularly interesting to see these animals feast on pieces of coconut, since one might ordinarily assume that all skinks, like most reptiles, are insectivores. However, many animals are also opportunists that can utilize plant material to supplement their diets, and there is certainly something to be said for eating a fatty piece of coconut over several dozen scrawny ants—especially for a skink this size, with a body the size of an adult hand. 

The most common leaf litter species is probably Emoia caeruleocauda, one of several species of blue-tailed skinks. On Pohnpei, about half of the adults show a fading of the dorsal stripes as well as a color change in the tail from blue to brown. 

Another common species, interesting because of its iridescent dorsal color, is Emoia boettgeri.

A beautifully colored emerald tree skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina), here in the bright coloration that gave the species its name. Several different color patterns occur in Micronesia, and we saw some of those on Arno Atoll only a few days ago. Photo courtesy of Jose Huerta.

After spending a considerable amount of time not only in the ruins but also in the adjacent forest, we were ready for lunch and a refreshing dip in the nearby Kepirohi Waterfall, with the greatest water volume of all Pohnpei waterfalls. It is definitely a beautiful area, and we not only ate and swam, we also decided to test out how Marlin the Drone would work out near a waterfall, in the manner suggested by Dr. Evenhuis in Hawaii (see Day 3 at lunchtime). Jose Huerta did the flying at my suggestion, and we obtained some excellent, science-worthy footage. Now all we would need is a waterfall with swarms of flies!

Kepirohi Waterfall, a showpiece of water play on Pohnpei.

We tested out Marlin the Drone at Kepirohi Waterfall, and here he is hovering in the perfect position to observe some of the waterfall-loving flies (Dolichopodidae) Neal Evenhuis is interested in.

Cooling off at the foot of Kepirohi Waterfall are (from left) Mindy Hull, Schawna Rankin, Jose Huerta, Ruby Resendez, and Alex Mitchell.

The lunch break allowed enough time to pass for a boat to approach the road where we had been dropped off to visit the waterfall, and we transferred our equipment and ourselves onto the boat. We were heading to Seabreeze Island, a small fringing reef island owned by the proprietors of our hotel, who are in the process of developing it. In return for an extension of our Nan Madol tour to include the boat ride and the snorkeling experience, we offered drone footage in return. So Marlin, Jose, and I once again went to work to record fly-over footage with and without snorkelers of this tiny speck, which eventually will become an eco-friendly snorkeling destination for Seabreeze guests, about a 45-min boat ride out from Kolonia, where the hotel is located. We returned there late in the afternoon after a long day with lots of interesting animal records and many short lectures on the encountered plant and animal life.

The temporary shelter on Seabreeze Island. Water is collected from the roof and channeled into the white tank on the left. Electricity at the facility will be from solar panel, and compost toilets will be used. A perfect little piece of reef heaven for snorkeling enthusiasts.

An example of a drone flyover of Seabreeze Island.

On these trips, it's not all serious science. Here, Mindy Hull amply demonstrates that she has a bubbly personality. Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Rickerl.

During her snorkeling excursion, Morgan Lewis followed one of our local captains as he spearfished for some dinner. The footage turned out to be a great example of being in the right place at the right time!

On the return trip to Kolonia, we had two boats, enabling some shots of what our boating on Pohnpei looked like. From left: Morgan Lewis, Amanda Callahan, Schawna Mitchell, Dakota Brooks, Alex Mitchell.

Upon entrance into Kolonia Harbor, Jose Huerta managed to catch this excellent shot of the mountain that sits above the Pohnpei airport and the cranes, but also a family in a traditional outrigger canoe. A neat juxtaposition of tradition and technology with a natural backdrop.

Day 10 • 5 July 2016 • Majuro to Pohnpei

Most team members needed to sleep off the effects of four days on Arno, so on this sunny morning we gathered only right at 0815 h, when the vans for the airport were departing. Our main experience for the day was to island-hop to Pohnpei, the capital island of the Federated States of Micronesia. United Airlines is providing a tremendous service on what most likely is a non-profitable route, by connecting a series of islands in Micronesia. Upon departure from Majuro, we first flew for about 45 min to the northwest, landing on a very rainy Kwajalein Atoll. Kwaj is home to the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll military installation, which heads up the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site. It might be confusing to some to have an Army base surrounded by the blue ocean and occupying a significant number of islands—as opposed to having an arm of the military otherwise associated with water (i.e., the Navy or the Marines) be in charge. But such is the structure of our country’s defenses. Passengers continuing on are not allowed off the plane during the brief stop, but during the downpour this would not have been desirable regardless.

The second stop on today’s journey was Kosrae, the smallest state in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). We all got off the plane to have “feet on the ground” in Kosrae, and to take a couple of photos of the surroundings, but after a short time in the small departure lounge, we were herded back onto the plane. Seated at windows for these flights, the team members took lots of footage of islands, ocean, airplane wings, and even video of takeoff and landing. On this segment, one additional task needed to be accomplished, which is the completion of the immigration and customs forms. Since we will have to complete these again as we enter other countries or territories, as well as when returning to the U.S., this was good practice for everyone—since these forms are not always self-explanatory. For example, traveling as a member of a college course, are you entering as a “student,” or for “education,” or as a “tourist,” or as a “visitor”? If you leave again in a couple of days, do you really have to list everything you bring into the country/territory on the customs form? This aspect of travel is an education all in and of itself!

In Pohnpei, we transferred to the Seabreeze Hotel and, over dinner, planned for the next day. We had initially thought to combine a morning rainforest walk with an afternoon visit to an outlying island for a snorkeling activity, but this combination in sequence was considered to take too long and would have been too expensive. When I learned of the Seabreeze owners’ initiative to create a water activity center on a small islet called Seabreeze Island, I offered to shoot some footage using Marlin the Drone in exchange for helping us create an affordable tour. After a brief negotiation, we would get the rainforest, the famous ruins at Nan Madol, a spectacular waterfall, and Seabreeze Island in one affordable tour!

We started our island hopping in Majuro on the far right and proceeded to Kwajalein, Kosrae, and, finally, Pohnpei. Even though each hop takes about an hour, the entire trip takes over five because of the ground time. This is one of the iconic trips to take when it comes to traveling the world!

The interesting fast food offering at the kiosk in the Majuro Airport departure lounge. On the left are breadfruit and banana chips, followed by bags with tuna jerky. On the right, there are some sandwiches at the top, followed by Spam Musubi packets (large, sushi-like rice dollops with spam on top), and two different types of breakfast boxes, each with a couple of different preparations of spam. I am not sure where else in the world one could find this assortment.

Once again, United's Boeing 737-800 island hopper is ready at our service. Here it is at Majuro International Airport.

Given that Kwajalein is a military installation, we refrained from a lot of photography. However, I thought that documenting the official welcome sign should be permissible—and serve as proof that we were really there!

Across the pouring rain, a couple of features of Kwaj are apparent. There is really no passenger service to speak of (i.e., ramps, cones, trolleys, airline support staff). You go here because you know why and where to go, no need for any accoutrements. Secondly, this is a civilian airliner landing on a military base. Where else does THAT happen these days? So, even while we were cooped up inside the aircraft, there are things to contemplate in terms of the experience!

Fortunately for me, the aircraft turned 180° so that I could get a glimpse of the fishhook that makes up this corner of Kwajalein Atoll. The runway is visible, and it just fits on the island, with little room for error. While taking photos out of airplane windows is not a terribly exciting proposition for photographers, I like this shot that has the island framed by the aircraft's wing and engine.

It is a ritual for me on this island-hopping trip, to at least touch the ground and get a shot of the welcome sign at the airport. Kosrae is a small island and the easternmost state in the FSM, and I don't know if I will ever return. So, for the seasoned traveler, a memento or two become a necessity.

Upon departure from Kosrae Airport, one is treated with a nice view of verdant volcanic slopes and the adjoining fringing reefs. This should be a divers' and marine biologists' paradise!

The final airport for the day, Pohnpei. We breezed through immigration and customs, having learned to complete all our documents correctly on the plane, and headed for our hotel.