New Diving Blog

We have a new diving blog! Well respected (I've heard good things from everyone who I know has taken a course from him) dive instructor Richard Sikkel has entered the blogging world! Check out his site. Welcome to the trenches Richard! This of course reminded me that I have not posted my third (and final) installment of the Around the Island Paddle. Richard is also very active in the Saipan Outrigger Canoe Club (SOCC). Perhaps in due course we will have a world famous Circumnavigation of Saipan outrigger race to add to the reasons for traveling and living here!


Thats Richard in the 5th seat, second from the back, grey shirt! Double Rainbow how cool is that! Click on the picture to make it a little bigger.

Around the Island Part Two - Naftan to Bird Island

As I said sea condition wise the similarities to last years trip ended as the paddlers rounded Naftan point. The photo above is from last year, when not only could the team hug the coastline but they also set up for a change out - only no one told the folks in the canoe.
This year hugging the coast was not an option and the spray on our photo boat didn't let me get a shot until the canoe was well past the point headed for Forbidden. Time 7:38

Passing Forbidden and moving North the paddlers encounter some pretty choppy water. At times the canoe would completely disappear from our view.
Forbidden 8:47 AM
Just after Forbidden the team makes a change out. This is no easy feat even in calm water. First the fresh paddlers leave the safety boat and tread water awaiting the approaching canoe. Then the Steersman must guide the arms of the outrigger (kapua'i) directly over the heads of these bobbing apples, kind of like threading a needle - no easy task as their heads disappear in the waves. As the canoe approaches the two exhausted paddlers bail out while the fresh paddlers grab hold and pull themselves up and into the canoe! Just like that - did I mention the canoe does not stop!
The bail out above, the climb in below.
Time 9:24 AM
As I said at times the entire canoe would disappear from our view and this was a light swell! These next two pics were taken 2 seconds apart!

Below, a refreshing splash no doubt! This shot illustrates why the team set out on a counter clockwise route. With the out rigger set up on the port side the prevailing wind and waves hit the the hull of the canoe. If they were to go the other way the waves and swell would first hit the outrigger potentially pushing it skyward high enough to tip the entire boat!
Bird Island Last year - notice how close they could get and how calm the water was!
Passing Bird Island this year. Time 10:28
Headed to the Grotto and Banzai Cliff, the worst is almost over! Stay tuned.

Around Saipan - Killi Beach to Naftan Point

It was an early start on Saturday when SOCC team members Eric O'Malley, Sonny Downer, Gayle Martin, Darlene Barrett, Brian Ecker, Rita Bonici, Gil Brinbrich,
Wayne Bramlett, Ann Jordan, Joe Przyuski, and Richard Sikkel all gathered at Killi beach with one thing in mind. Circumnavigate the island of Saipan non stop in a small 6 person outrigger canoe! No small feat since that entails traveling 38 plus miles in sea conditions that might make experienced fisherman in motorized boats think twice about venturing on the same course.

Things are pretty calm at Killi Beach 5:54 AM


Pre departure team photo 6:05 AM

...and they're off! 6:08 AM

After a short delay our paparazzi boat caught up to the crew near Ladder beach just as they were dealing with mother natures initial greeting. 7:13 AM

Pelting rain! 7:19 AM

See reason number one as to why someone might want to do this below.

Not one .....

but two - it's all good!


Aproaching Naftan point where any similarities to last years conditions were left behind!
Stay tunned!

How many paddlers in the canoe!

Where's the canoe!
The Saipan Outrigger Canoe Club was at it again! Another circumnavigation of Saipan. Not quite the same weather as last year (photo taken near Bird Island). It was actually a pretty calm day for the East side but it certainly wasn't the glass like conditions we had last year. Even with the tougher conditions the journey took these guys less than 7 & 1/2 hours, only 50 minutes off last years pace! Well done! More photos to come after I sort through the 200+ I took!

Tinian Fiesta

This past weekend I hitched a ride on the safety boat as members of the Saipan Outrigger Canoe Club (SOCC) and a team from Guam paddled their way across the channel to Tinian in time for the great Fiesta feast.

An early morning start.

Calm waters and beautiful scenery.


About 4 hours start to finish for the team from Guam.

The Fiesta is a 4 day celebration of the islands patron saint. Saturday included a parade, crowning of the king and queen, and a huge feast (free to all) as well as a full line up of entertainment.




I met all the cooks and got to taste their works before anyone else!


Above is the line up for the feast! Below is the award winning Tinian Cultural Dancers!




Thankfully I was able to pitch my hammock in the dark and awoke to this view. Not a bad place to start the next day!