Two weeks ago, I promised pictures and
adventure. I hope this post lives up to that promise. When I look back over the
past two weekends, it doesn’t seem like I am in the Peace Corps. True, there is
some unique cultural immersion which screams Peace Corps, but the diving,
snorkeling, and caving, sound more like something out of a South Pacific
tourist book than a government agency. Don’t worry though, during the week I
still very much work, and I will return to that premise in the next post. But,
for now, it is adventure.
Also, warning, this will be a long post so I
will try to briefly touch upon my first weekend, before going into a longer exploration
of my experience on the outer islands.
Two weeks ago I went scuba diving with another pcv
and an Australian volunteer. I am certified, and as I have been able to save
some of the money Peace Corps gives me each month, I was able to afford to go
to scuba diving. I was incredibly excited. Besides the obvious thrill of
diving, I could not wait to take a motorboat and cruise through the ocean
between all of the islands. I had not been on a boat, except for the ferry when
I first came to Vava’u, since coming to Tonga so I was perhaps more
enthusiastic about just being out on the water than even the diving itself.
First, however, it is important to understand
the geography of Tonga and Vava’u before I delve further into my story (it may
also be helpful to Google a map of Vava’u as well). The main island of Tonga is
Tongatapu. I live in Vava’u, 300 km to the north, which is called an outer
island because it is not the main island. Vava’u has a main island called
Vava’u Lahi where most of the volunteers – 6 out of 9 to be exact – live,
including myself, as well as most of the Tongan population of Vava’u.
Around Vava’u are dozens of islands. Some are
huge and some are tiny. Some are inhabited and some are completely empty. They
are beautiful, and far closer than they appear on maps, but with a slow moving
Tongan boat it can take as long as 2 and half hours to reach some of the
farther islands. It may sounds confusing, but basically there is a main island
of Vava’u where I live, and many smaller islands surrounding the main island, some
of which are inhabited.
So, with the lesson finished, two weeks ago, the
three of us and our Australian scuba guide, who has lived in Vava’u for 17
years, Riki, set out to dive. The first step was to explore the various islands
and see where the ocean was the calmest, and therefore where the best diving
would be.
We jetted out of the harbor and started cruising
around the islands (in Tongan boats this would take forever but on his
motorboat it took maybe 30 minutes), before finally choosing the distant and
uninhabited island of ‘Eukafa to dive. ‘Euakafa is a large island, far from the
main island, that screams prehistoric and if you told me dinosaurs still live
there I’d probably believe you. If I am not getting my islands mixed up, I
believe it is the same island that Survivor wanted to use for their show before
eventually choosing Vanuatu instead.
The diving itself was incredible. The topography
was rich and varied, and the reef was thick with choral and schools of fish.
While under the water, I saw clown fish, lionfish, giant clams, eels, and a 6
ft leopard shark, which I could have sworn was 15 feet long. Fortunately it was
sleeping, but I’d be lying if I said my oxygen did not deplete a little more
rapidly when I saw that shark taking a cat nap behind the reef.
For those of you who are not divers, you cannot
dive again right after you come up for air. It takes a little time before you
can dive again, so we spent the next two hours boating around, eating an egg
sandwich, and trolling which is basically a type of fishing where you drag a
line behind a moving boat. We only caught one fish, but I think Riki was very
happy to capture his future dinner.
After the proper time had elapsed, we dove again
in between the islands of Tapana and Pangaimotu. This time the topography was
mostly flat and unvaried, but the reef and fish were equally stunning. We drove
back to the wharf exhausted, content, and exhilarated by an incredible day of
diving.
That was adventure number 1. Adventure number 2
is as follows. As I mentioned 6 of the 9 volunteers in Vava’u live on the main
island, which means 3 volunteers live on outer islands. Unfortunately, I cannot
say which island it is, but the married couple, Mark and Alissa invited all of
us out to their island to see their villages – their island has two villages,
they live in the one where Alissa teaches and Mark walks to and teaches in the
other village (this is a common occurrence for married pcvs) – and to celebrate
Marks birthday. 5 of us went, with the only exception being the other married
couple, who were sadly too sick to attend.
The first move was to pack all of us, and our
stuff, into a Tongan boat from their village. The boats are small, but
completely safe as they are the boats that Tongans use to come the main island
to shop every week or so. It was a hot sunny day, as it is in Tonga, so I
covered myself in sunscreen, a hat, and even a towel or shirt over my head to
shield myself from the sun – the last one is a trick I learned from the
Tongans.
The ride took around 2 hours but it was
absolutely incredible. Moving slowly through the ocean, gazing at the turquoise
color blue of the Ocean that only exists in the South Pacific and maybe the
Caribbean. The myriad of islands, large and small, that were emerging from the
Ocean like magic, as if Atlas was holding them, rather than the world, upon his
shoulders.
On the way to the island, we stopped into
Swallows Cave. A large cave on the island of Kapa that is big enough to fit a
boat through and is absolutely stunning. All of this, mind you, while catching
up with other Americans, a rare and special treat.
Upon arriving at the village, this being Friday
night, we walked to the house, unloaded our stuff, took a tour of the village,
and cooked dinner. At this point I would like to talk a little bit about the
villages and how they differ from life on the main island or my village. Life
is pretty similar. The houses are the same, and possibly even nicer. The people
work in the bush on their farms or fish. There are many churches. The schools
are actually nicer and much better equipped as the tourists that travel on
their yachts and pass through the islands during the tourist season donate a
lot of money and supplies to the schools. The big difference however, is that
these villages do not have electricity. The Japanese government is currently
undertaking an incredible project where they are providing every house and
building on every island with solar power for free – it is amazing to see these
solar panels, pillars of technology and the 21st century, standing
next to some of the more dilapidated houses. The project is supposed to be
finished in June, and while it cannot provide enough power for fridges, it will
supply the island with much needed light.
Returning to my story, we walked around the
village, met some of the villagers, and went back to the volunteer’s home, a
beautiful Tongan building converted from an old classroom with the chalk board
still present, right on the school grounds. Though we could have used the
stove, a few of us decided to make a fire in the back yard and cook the burger,
chicken franks, fish, and buns on some tin foil and a metal sheet over an empty
flame. It was a feast, and we spent the night eating, talking, drinking kava
with the men of the village, and, or at least me personally, gazing on our
backs to look at some of the greatest collection of visible stars I have ever
seen.
Saturday is when the adventure truly began. Our
first adventure was to take a boat out to the uninhabited island of Vaka’eitu
to snorkel. Remember how I said the beaches were not very good in Tonga? Well,
forget about that on the outer islands. The sand in this beach was pristine.
Though I knew it was not true, it was easy to believe that I was the first
person to ever run my feet through the sand and swim in the crystal clear
water. The snorkeling itself was amazing. Probably the best snorkeling I have
ever seen. The reef was incredible; there were fish everywhere, and we even
tried our hand at spear fishing though none of us came close to catching a
fish.
After snorkeling for hours, we ate lunch at that
gorgeous beach. Our next stop was the famous Mariners Cave, though we made a
quick detour back to Mark’s village to pick up some Tongan high schoolers to
help us through the cave. Mariner’s Cave is located on the backside of the
island of Nuapapu and is difficult to find. There is no mark to reveal to the
world this famous spot, and the cave itself is underwater. To make matters even
trickier, the waves were a bit rough.
Before I say anymore, I must first confess. To
say I was not a bit nervous, or even, dare I say, scared, would be a lie. I
was. Mariner’s Cave is safe but intimidating. The only way to reach the cave is
by swimming underwater. The problem is that when you swim into the cave you
have no idea how far you need to go or where to emerge, as it is pitch black
under the water. The return is much easier as you can see the sun from the
outside, but to enter the cave is literally swimming blind.
The Tongans went first to show us how to do it
and came back to see if we needed help. I shook off any doubts, took a deep
breath, and dove into the blackness where I was told I would eventually find
myself in Mariner’s Cave. 10 seconds later, after diving maybe 8 feet down and
ten feet across, I was in the cave. Exhilarated that I was still alive, I gazed
upon this massive cave that seemed to have appeared out of nothingness. My ears
kept popping as the swell of the tide continually changed the pressure in the
cave. One by one all of us swam into the cave, proud of making it, and awed by what
we were seeing. We spent maybe twenty minutes in that cave, swimming and
jumping off the rocks, before taking the much easier route back out of the cave
into the open ocean.
Back at the village, exhausted and still
stunned, we quickly showered and watched a faiva, or show, that the village had
put on to thank and honor us for coming. It was really fun, and very humbling
to be treated so well by a village I had never been too before. On Sunday we
walked to the other village to see Mark’s school and explore, before returning
to the first village to once again be honored by being hosted by the family of
the man who had been boating us around with the traditional Sunday lu, cake for
Mark’s birthday, and a special puaka tunu, or roast pig.
After that, we returned to the main island on
the very slow moving boat, richer from the incredible experience we had all
just shared. It was, without a doubt, the best weekend I have had in Tonga, and
one that I am eager to experience again.
The view out from inside Swallows Cave
The Faiva the village put on for us
Ready for the sun and the voyage with Mandy. That is the boat we took out to the islands.
The view from Mark's school. Yes, that is sweat. No, I have no shame. In the hot and AC-free Tonga, sweating is a part of life.
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