Ofu Island American Samoa

" Tori sticks out in a samoan ocean. After 7 month of work at NPSA, she has adapted to the island and taken over many of the tradition here. Born in Ohio, she has a healthy taste and is probably the hardest science/technician in the group.

Olosega Island coast. Following a brief ride we step into a chaotic food shop and Tori shouts excitedly: "Zucchinis! "American Samoa is nice as it is, it is geographic nearer to New Zealand than onshore. We' re going to the Manua Isles for our forthcoming journey to Ofu Island.

Of course, the supplies on the island are difficult to procure. As soon as we have packed the vehicle, we drive to the headquarter to prepare our cool boxes for the mornings. These are the lovely Ofu and Olosega Island. When Tori introduced me to some of the park's employees, I met Bert Fuiava, marine ecologist and diving officer in the American Samoa National Reserve (NPSA).

He' a mighty man, Bert. With the words of reigning National Park Party Superinterent Daniel George: "Bert's wrist is as big as my thigh! Although he works extremly hardworking, he is the largest villain in the National Park Space Agency squad and represents the "no worries" island manners. I' m meeting Ian Moffitt after meeting Bert.

To be honest, I have submitted several applications to NPCA over the years. Bert Fuiava, me and Daniel George at Parks HQ. We' ll be at the National Paraplegic Party shipyard soon. Ian has been in American Samoa for almost 3 years - the longest of the pelongi (non-Samoans) in the National Patriotic Association (NPSA) since then.

Mr. Barnes told me about the advantages and the challenge of his time on the island and how his NPSA carreer has developed. NPSA would have difficulty resuming its diving programme without Ian. Tori, some of her mates and I are foaming up in insect repellent at Tisa's. "They have the largest mussels I've ever seen on the island," says Tori.

Says it's usually simple because they can see them running on the beaches or snorkelling on the top, but lately it's been difficult. "There' are no dive stores on the island, but there are still dive equipment available. "Apparently there's a material in our plane," Tori says when we load the truck in the mornings.

Matai's are high-ranking Samoan chieftains. That'?s the heart of Daniel. He has lived most of his lifetime on the Pacific shore of the lower 48 and currently leads an inventory and surveillance crew at Pinnacles National Park in California. He is very much loved by his staff as such.

Daniël is also one of those who is probably the cleverest individual in the room he goes into. He' an enthusiastic birdwatcher who guides his crew with a keen work ethic and is probably the most fun man I've ever known. that crashed on the Ofu Island airstrip.

There' a pair of cousins called Ben and Deb running the place. Ilsa and Jason Bordelon inspect a valuable delicacies on the island - shrimp of coconuts. He and I connect quickly because he also spends some years at the western end of Catalina Island and enjoys surfing. As soon as we are prepared to go into the peloton, Bert, Tori and I jump into the van with the Ofu NPS team - Brian and Boy.

Solid, stony porite reefs make up most of the island's cap. While we take our sample waters, Bert Boy and Brian teach how to do it so they can help with the trial when the Tutuila crew is not on Ofu. When we have gone to different places and finished all the tests we have to take on Ofu, we make our way back to the Iodge.

It' a hot afternoons on Ofu and Tori and I'm getting mosquitoes. They are never so visible when you come back in 6 month. At the end of our second side of the morning, Bert shouts: "Sione! "Sione is my name in Samoan and has become my cognomen in Ofu.

" I' ve been telling Bert I can peel coconuts, which is the truth. "I' ll show you the Samoan way! "Bert says when he peels a chocolate chip in about 20 seconds and we all start laughing. The Tori system logs coral information and the number of our new day to ensure that everything makes good business for both NPS and cooperating university.

I' m looking at the meal Daniel bought, namely only rices, broadbean, and quota. Turning to Daniel, I say: Are you a veggie? "I' m looking for a veggie in American Samoa. Although every individual I' ve ever known in American Samoa has been telling me how tough it is to be a veggie here, it's not too tough.

But Daniel is not a veggie, "I'm usually a veggie, but I do hit an insect once in a while, if I have to. Although Daniel is hilariously funny, I especially adore his dedication to his work. To minimize his carbon footprint on the island, he took along as little packaged foods as possible.

DanieI dips in to take a picture. It' the way it works in the pool is Bert and I put the transekt band in every place, then Tori floats along the band and makes a film. The NPS specifically investigates core occultation and core condition from earlier studies. In addition, if we see a crowns of thorn ( "COTS"), we'll take a mix of Cowgall.

The COTS are indigenous to Samoan water, but they are what I like to call "coral riff mowers". Thus, the presence of several COTS in a small area can mean mortality for the whole area. The NPS uses cows gall to slay COTS. Introduced into the COTS through a shot, it disintegrates within 24 hrs without damaging other people.

This" scar" on the lefthand side of the body was created by the carbonate soil that they were eating and hung cryptic under the overhanging. As a rule, COTTs are much more energetic at nights than during the course of the night. At the end of our first page we go to a page where we have seen the whole page of CO2.

Tori, Brian, Boy and I are looking for CCTs while Bert is holding the cows gall mix. Approximately after one hours of work we injected 10 cotes. Samoa in the US suffered a huge burst of carbon dioxide emissions many years ago, and NPSA's main goal was to cope with the burst until this year when it was considered to have been overcome.

In total, they murdered over 26,000 Cotes. More eye-catching CO2. That is all the more impressing considering the logistic challenge of American Samoa. In American Samoa there are neither diving stores nor places where you can buy parts of boats, and the transport to and from this area is at best untrustworthy.

The fact that Brian and Boy can do what they do is all the more amazing. I' ve been getting to know Brian and Boy quite well all weekend. He is a clear and open minded communication person who is curious and open to his new island house (he has been on Ofu for about 3 months).

A native and educated in Manua, his native expertise is helping to fill the cultural and environmental gap in Brian's understanding. As Brian looks, Bert is injecting a COTS with cows gall. Later, Daniel and I work together again. The name we call ourselves "Team Pelongi. "When the Pelongi side starts the match, I miss an elementary one.

Daniël joking, "Oh no! Your whole familiy is ashamed and they're not even here! There' s a giant fishnet wound around a body of deer. He' probably slaughtered this reef top along with innumerable others. They' re working on liberating the net. As soon as the net is disconnected, the crew pulls it ashore and into the lorry.

and turned it into a stick to push nuts off the tree. I' m leaving American Samoa in the morning, so I have to complete all my pictures and fulfill my last good wishes. I' m stopping for the first time at the National Park Space Agency offices. I say goodbye to Jason and Bert after many friends.

That', says Bert and gives me a nice little piece of clothing. Thank you Bert for welcoming me, for all his kindness, and for showing me the rope on Ofu. Ian says something I said after I met him last week: "We haven't talked for more than 5 mins and then I go out the front doors to help someone and I heard you say: "Thanks Ian, you're so calm and think!

"I' m hoping'cool and thoughtful' will be my heritage at NPSA,' I smile. Unfortunately I say good-bye to them and Tori when Daniel comes to pick me up for my plane. I' m gonna say good-bye to Daniel.