Day 458: North end of Kiritimati

Jul 4 - Our plan to take a driving tour of the east side of the island crashes when the resort owner decides that the vehicle isn’t reliable enough for the trip. A bit late to tell me this, as I could have gone before dawn to do more exploring. Pack up my stuff anyway and head out at 10:00, the main objective being to see the east coast. Go around the north end of the lagoon again, and keep going on small roads through the palm groves and salt pines.

Other than the asphalt road, this is the only other well-used road running through the north side of the island.

Plants along the way.

This stringy stuff is an invasive plant called dodder, devil’s hair, or strangleweed. It is parasitic to the host, from which it gets chlorophyll (it cannot produce its own).

After close to two hours of walking the back roads, arrive at the eastern coastline. This is the windward side of the island, and it is constantly battered by waves. There is a reef extending out, but the sea life growing on it is compact. Waves today are up to a couple meters in height, though it is hard to tell from the photo.

East coast of Kiritimati, under foreboding clouds.

One of the smaller tracks on my return to the lagoon.

On the return walk, a police officer on a motorcycle stops to ask me what I am doing there. I know there is no trespassing here so there can’t be a problem. But he is curious why I am out there, and I guess it is his job to ask questions.

Wander around on the east edge of the lagoon. Shown above is a high-tide sandbank, with the greyish-white mud flat around it. The latter is full of fiddler crab burrows.

Today’s route: Along the north edge of the lagoon, crossing the palm groves to the east coast. About four hours of walking.

Back at the resort, another banner day for fishing.

One of the larger tuna, perhaps 35 lbs.

Red snappers, a barracuda, and other species.

Tonight, more great fish for dinner, and again some lobster. A large group of yachties show up, just in from two weeks crossing from Hawaii. They stopped along the way at Palmyra Atoll, a wildlife preserve owned by the US but geographically along the Northern Line Islands of Kiribati. Sounds like a super place to visit, as it is undeveloped except for a park ranger lodge.

It is the last night for everyone staying here, as both the flights to Honolulu and Fiji leave tomorrow. The female resort staff put on a dancing show for us. The traditional dance of Kiribati is the Kaimatoa. What we see tonight is a simplified version. The women put on leaf skirts over their normal clothes.

The dancers come on to the stage.

Naturally, after a few dances everyone was invited to join them.

They also distributed flowered crowns for the audience. Too bad we can’t export them tomorrow when we leave the country.

Take care of the payment for our week-long stay. Pay in a combination of US and AUS dollars.

Kiribati