DAY 1: The Cure for Seasickness
Riza, Harald, Wayne and Ken all gave great advice and tips for combatting seasickness. However, the best advice so far was from Gus:
"hey Walt, Marijuana could probably help. Unfortunately, it's not legal. Whenever you feel nauseous, it's best to lay flat on your back. It also helps to grab some fresh air at a spot where you don't have to smell the diesel fuel/engine's exhaust. Eat hours before your departure and try to relax during the voyage. Enjoy. gus :D"
So, I took his advice, got some weed, and, um—just kidding! The advice that worked for me was to simply lie on my back whenever I felt a little nauseous. Fortunately, I didn't have to use that tip until halfway through the 18-hour boat ride to the island of Pagan!
That's right! At this very moment, I'm Jamaican my way on the high seas to the remote, pristine Northern Island of Pagan!
Pronounced: PAG-an. (Emphasis on the PAG)
NOTE: If pronounced correctly, Pagan rhymes with wagon and dragon. I'm going to exercise a little creative license and write it as PAG-an from now on to help with your pronunciation even as you read silently to yourself.
Pagan is often called the "crown jewel" of the Marianas!
It is one of the most biologically and geologically diverse islands in the archipelago, and is home to many threatened and endangered species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world.
I've left my laptop behind in safe hands and I'm off to experience what the Tom Hanks character in the movie, Castaway, experienced, being way out on a small island in the middle of nowhere with just my wits for survival! (Well, in this case, I'll get by with a little help from my friends, but you get the idea!)
Boat owner, Keli, gives us a quick orientation
It's a beautiful night as we pull out from Saipan harbor
By 5:30am the next morning, we pass Anatahan, another of the islands of the Northern Mariana Islands
I have, of course, left out the tossing and the bucking and puking! Actually, it wasn't a bad trip. Once I heaved out the small amount of liquid that had accumulated in my stomach overnight, I felt much better! (That's my cure for seasickness!)
The morning of the journey, I did a saltwater flush to complete clear my stomach and colon (ask me if you don't know what that is). It's something I typically do before every journey. In this case, I figured that I'd get less seasick with a completely empty system. It seems to have worked.
18 hours later, we arrive at PAG-an at about 4pm in the afternoon
I hadn't planned on eating during this short two day journey. I figured I'd simply fast for the duration. However, I changed my mind and whipped out my just-in-case bag of lentils and made myself a simple soup before the other crew members started their cooking.
We made several trips to unload gear and personal items aboard a 15-foot speedboat.
After spending 18 hours aboard the boat, I actually felt a twinge of sadness upon leaving to start the adventure on PAG-an!
We set up tents and call it a night!
NEXT! DAY 2: Claiming the island in the name of Jamaica!!
Meanwhile,
Learn more about PAG-an and the military's plans for bombing it at
http://www.savepaganisland.org/
Get more information about actually visiting PAG-an as an eco-tourism destination at
http://www.discoverpagan.com
I am on Saipan!
China!
Laos!
Singapore!
New York!
Kingston!
Virgin Islands!
Pagan!
