Oceanic Dreams | Ocean
Dreams | Ocean Fantasies
The
tale begins with 22 persons flying in to board the large dive cruiser, SS THORFINN,
a steam powered ex Norwegian Antarctic whaler at Truk Lagoon's big terminus in
the west central Pacific Ocean. Truk, or Chuuk as it is again being called from
times of old, lies just above the equator nearly mid way on a line between Tokyo
and Sydney, Australia.
El Nino, that devilish oceanic mischief, played
a small role in creating some unseasonably adverse weather from time to time,
but our first departure on June 3rd with a full ship of rather mature reef walking
'shellers' saw these folk enjoying themselves immensely at many unpeopled stops
on reefs and pristine isles, winding up with a great tour of Nan Madol's mysteries
while at anchor within Pohnpei's Madolenihmw Harbor, and a sunset traditional
'sakau party' on the lawns of picturesque Pwohmaria Resort under the huge shadow
of Sokehs Head, Pohnpei's great volcanic core standing watch over its commercial
harbor.
This group, ranging through their 'sunset' years was peaked by
a past frequent Thorfinn 
customer
now in his 90th year, but still getting around like a young 70 yr old. The tour
began with a first day's visit to beautiful Falos Island at center of 40 mile
wide Truk Lagoon. This finger of reef island sports a healthy reef off its shores
and served our guests well, both during their beach and reef forays and during
our chef's deliciously barbecued beach luncheon. The view from this location,
of Truk's distant high islands across shimmering lagoon waters, is simply put
as 'spectacular'. A second day's stop was at Truk's NE corner on a big healthy
barrier reef at Rua Island. This ruggedly beautiful site provided everyone with
a fine start on their shell seeking quests between sand bars and shade of sheltering
palms. Late that afternoon, anchors were lifted and ship was underway upon open
Micronesian oceans en route to the big 20 mile long oceanic atoll known as Oroluk.
The pristine and secluded beauty of Oroluk was spellbinding...such a beautiful
sheltered 
refuge
in mid ocean with the rages of seas just outside its encircling reef. This visit
began at the NW corner close to the single islet inhabited by just 8-10 Kapingamarangi
people. Shelling and diving was at its finest with myriads of oceanic life on
outer reef faces. Our island hosts treated us to a feast of roasted piglet, garnished
with lobsters and coconut crabs. It was interesting to witness certain guest reactions
to 'island style' feeding and conditions. Not all were at ease with basic styles
of food prep and surrounds, in comparison to antiseptic existences back at their
civilized world. A later trek back over the wide reef flat after sundown to waiting
launches, saw everyone back at ease within comforts aboard.
Two days after,
it was off to Sand Island at Oroluk's NE corner, anchoring adjacent to this islet
with hundreds of sea birds and turtle nests on its pristine white sands. Big rock
fragments, actually broken coral tossed up in past storms, surround the reef flat
of this secluded refuge, providing a Stonehenge-like resemblance.
Diving
was at its spectacular best with manta rays and thousands of other reef denizens
both
in nearby Keltie Pass and close around ship's anchorage. Night fishing by our
crew and some younger guests exceeded all expectations with incredibly beautiful
(and tasty) reef species coming aboard nearly every minute.
A late afternoon
departure several days later, into the face of 35-40 knot Easterly winds with
resultant 15- 20 foot seas, created some motions to our big seaworthy craft, and
reduced the number of normally hungry faces at evening meal tables. By dawn's
early sunlight, we were rounding the western lee of Ant Atoll, and heading calmly
into a snaking pass towards a beautiful anchorage within. This picturesque location
met everyone's dreams of a tropic island refuge and served up many forms of guest
interests in both shelling and diving over following days. Clear, turquoise waters
and long white beaches with overhanging palms completed the image of a true Paradise.
Days later, and a morning departure out through Ant Pass saw us on way
to neighboring 
Pohnpei's
Madolenihmw Harbor to moor within this big mountainous bay's small deep water
anchorage. Our anchor was placed closely adjacent to the final resting places
of six Yankee whaling ships unwittingly sunk violently by the big Confederate
raider 'Shenandoah' as the last action of the Civil War, weeks after truce had
been declared back on US soil.
This location is also close adjacent to
one of the Pacific's largest mystery sites, the ruins of an ancient canal city
known locally as 'Nan Madol'. These revered ruins of canals and huge basalt logged
structures still create maximum respect from a local populace much earlier subjected
to the tyrannies and directions of a powerful but mysterious civilization, known
as 'Saudaleurs', that arrived during biblical times and ruled supreme over both
Pohnpei and neighboring Kosrae for nearly 500 years before disappearing almost
as mysteriously as they had arrived. Two boatloads of guests were away for the
entire afternoon to view and photograph this spectacular site, considered one
of the world's great ancient wonders.
The final open trek around and outside
of Pohnpei's circling reef barriers, saw us entering 
the
main commercial port of Kolonia town Saturday midday, and soon after moored alongside
the main commercial pier under the presence of Sokehs Head. Upon executing entrance
formalities, many guests were off to explore the shops and uptown streets of this
fine capital of the Federated States of Micronesia. Pohnpei's Public Utilities
quickly began an efficient transfer of waste and surplus lube oils from shoreside
generators, and over next two days completed transfer of nearly 35,000 gals of
this local pollutant, that conversely serves 'Thorfinn' as a propulsion boiler
fuel supplement.
Saturday, the final night aboard for departing guests,
was topped with a sunset Sakau ceremony and barbecue on the lawns of pristine
Pwohmaria Resort. A beautiful evening with sun dipping behind Sokehs Head, and
three Sakau performers wringing out their traditional beverage for all to taste
(some with little enthusiasm). This drink, similar to Fiji's Kava with a certain
numbing sensation as a mild narcotic from local pepper plants and hibiscus bark,
serves this island as an evening gathering and meeting purpose at many designated
Sakau huts scattered liberally island wide.
Our next westward voyaging
guests were housed at the Pwohmaria and enthusiastically joined us for the evening
events before their boarding next midday. These events were followed by a happy
evening ashore tripping through bars and a big local discotheque before boarding
ship for well earned rest early hours Sunday.
The returning voyage to Truk
with a lively 6 diving passengers from worldwide points, was fun filled with stops
at all previous points plus adding two daily standoffs at two fine atolls of Pakin
and Minto Reef. Excellent dive sites brought many pleasures and exciting reef
forays with endless life and grottos to explore. Drift dives in frequent currents
alongside reefs brought radiant smiles to all returning faces. All guests were
experienced, good divers, and became a close knit group with what appeared to
be formations of permanent friendships. Minto, with its great number of visible
shipwrecks atop a 5 mile circle of reef without any land visible represents a
huge hazard to passing shipping, and has claimed many a past vessel navigating
blindly in tropic squalls.
From Minto to Truk, we ran before an ever strengthening
storm, later developing into an unseasonable typhoon created by El Nino conditions,
and labeled 'Chata'an'. Guests witnessed this ship surfing high waves into Truk's
NE Pass, traveling comfortably with its well designed form in its natural element.
The storm's name in Guam's native Chamorro dialect means 'source of rain or wet-ness',
and exemplified its title by later devastating Truk Lagoon under deluges of tropic
rain unknown in recent history. Hundreds of mudslides down formerly secure mountain
slopes of tropic growth, cascaded onto unsuspecting homes at their bases, with
incredible devastation and tragedy. Over forty deaths and serious injuries to
hundreds was the worst side, with thousands of dwellings destroyed. Whole families
were sometimes later found wrapped in each other's deathly embrace under tons
of mud and debris. It was very comfortable to be safely afloat and away from dangers
ashore.
Our departing guests were delayed by only one day after Continental's
quick return to previous schedules plus some extra flights, to clear backlogs
and get emergency aid into local hospital. Final days of a spectacular voyage
were to show that even Paradise can have its tight moments.
