A Toast to Pohnpei

Dining at the Village

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Unless the rain is blowing in, there is not a bad table on the dining deck. And the coconut cream, chocolate, banana pie isn't too bad either!

Sokehs rock at sunset

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As viewed from the Village dining area

Child's play

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A common sight in Pohnpei. Laughing groups of people swimming, jumping, and just hanging out at the waters edge.

Rainforest canopy

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I sat on a rock in the river, looked up, and saw this art of nature. The beauty of the pattern and variety of leaves appeals aesthetically as well as physically for the shade it provides.

In search of waterfalls

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2 guides, us, and not another soul around for our strenuous all day, approximately 8 mile, hike. The guide in this photo is somewhat of a legend here. 51 years old and primarily earning his living by growing and tending Sakau plants in areas which are too tough for any poachers to enter. We were told that once he broke his kneecap and ankle while out alone. Knowing his wife wouldn't be expecting him home for 3 days AND that he would soon run out of cigarettes, he decided to pull and claw his way home using only his hands over more than 8 miles of this volcanic rainforest clime that even able bodied people have difficulty traversing! Check out those abs! No gym, and a local diet of fish, breadfruit, bananas, etc...

Waterfall #2

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Waterfall #1 flowed over a deep cave full of bats. Our guide scared them all out of the cave and they swarmed out blackening the sky around the waterfall. Why don't I have a photo? Because at this point, it was so humid that my camera quit! After hauling it all this way we thought we wouldn't be able to get any photos. Eventually we were able to sporadically get it to work resulting in the waterfall photos upcoming in the photo list.

Tough with a double T!

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Our local guide, Welten, and his machete, were instrumental in getting to and from the waterfalls. Favorite memories: Descending a steep, slippery slope with him directly below me gripping my hand in protection while waving the veeeery long machete in the air with his other hand as he too attempted balance. And the gentle way he collected fragrant wildflowers he found along our journey and offered them to me. Not sure how much english he could speak or understand, but as we walked, he whistled the hymn "holy, holy, holy". Now that language we both understood and I truly appreciated as I precariously chose every step wearing slippery tennis shoes that literally lost their sole in the middle of our journey.

Waterfall #3

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Lunch and a swim. Check out the size of the plants!

Waterfall #4

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About an hour through the river, walking on slippery rocks, leads to the next set of waterfalls, #4-6. As we approached this waterfall, Matt and Ward took turns skipping stones down the river.

"This is where the real fun begins!"

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Nearly 3 hours into our trek, we arrive at this deep, narrow water passage. Ditching our sticks, shoes, and camera, we anxiously swim through to find waterfall #6 pouring into a hidden deep valley surrounded by high vegetation covered steep sides.

"Love"ly spot

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Waterfall #6. What a surprise awaits for those who persevere on the walk and make the final swim into the hidden cove where the river "pours out its heart" for you.

Flipping out

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All you need to do is fly somehow to Pohnpei, motor around the island for about an hour, find an expert guide to lead you about 4 hours through the rainforest, go for a short swim, and you too could make it to this idyllic spot. Do you see the little brown body of our guide flipping through the air?