We met the rest of our team (minus Louis who had to get back to Providence for work) at the Honolulu airport. They were returning from almost two weeks in Kona on Big Island where they dove, surveyed and had their first Pacific research adventure.

We left around 5PM and arrived around midnight in American Samoa, an American territory established 117 years ago. 

I never imagined I would find myself on an island in the middle of the south Pacific Ocean… Here, sparkling waters of aqua oceans reveal coral and sea creatures at low tide even without snorkeling. Tropical, lush rain forests are everywhere, providing food and sustenance for their inhabitants.  Every day provides new learning experiences about marine biology, island culture and a whole different pace of life.

After one very hot, sleepless night at “Le Falepule,” Sam, Richard and I bailed and resettled at Sadie’s By The Sea. The location of this run-down villa was exquisite, overlooking Faga’alu Bay - and luckily for Christine and Evan so were their quarters. Our new rooms were right on Utilei Bay - it was literally outside our door:

And right down the road was more to dazzle: