We made it to Swains Island over night. We are about 220 nautical miles north of Pago Pago and closer to Western Samoa but not by much. The island looked the same as it did two years ago (duh!) and when I was on the bow, I saw one of our boats go to the island to drop off supplies to the residents here. The ship got close enough to where I could see dwelling hidden amongst the coconut trees that cover the island. We are going to be here until the weekend and then back to Pago Pago for liberty. Well, liberty for the divers and some crew members who will take leave. In fact they are using leave and many of them are going to Western Samoa.
I’ve had so many questions asked about Western Samoa that I feel like an ambassador or a tour operator. I don’t mind as I enjoy promoting my adopted second country. Some are going for shopping, others for surfing and most for sightseeing and relaxation. If I wanted to go somewhere for solitude I would go to the islands we just left yesterday. I put up a large map on my shop door of Upolu, the main island of Western Samoa showing places to visit and roads to take. It should give most people a good idea where to go and what to see. It is hard for me to recommend tourist places because I seldom go to there. About the only place I go where you see other foreigners or expats is Roko’s Restaurant. It is owned by friends and my sister-in-law works there and is now a supervisor.
I would like to go back but I just said goodbye to the family last month and it is always hard to leave them. My five year old niece is always asking her relatives or anyone from another country if they saw me and when I was coming back. Next time I come back I will be taking “LV” with me. “LV” my wife’s son is a big brother to her. Relatives immigrating to Australia, New Zealand or in some cases the United States are a fact of life in Western Samoa. Saying goodbye is never a happy and it will be interesting to see how people in her village react to “L” when she returns in the summer.
I will be working while most of the people are out. It is the only time I could do major items, especially if related to their desktop computer. I am hoping to get parts too as some of my servers are skimping along. Today was sort of a repeat of yesterday. I am getting one server put back together, while researching preventive maintenance procedures for another one. As the day was ending I get a call that a radio flew south on a boat I just replaced last week. It is one of those intermittent problems that I have a feeling is going to be like one of the security vehicles at Dugway many moons ago. The radio breaks in the field but starts to work again the minute we show up or the guards bring the vehicle to the shop. I feel this small boat is going to be the same. Then there is configuration for the scientific data acquisition program. I had over 50 hours of overtime last pay period and I was hoping to slow down a bit. It doesn’t look like it now.
The paycheck looks good but the old body cannot take it like it used to. I talked to “L” tonight and she finished this quarter on a high note. She was stressing out over one of her finals that required the exam to be taken on a computer. It sounds like one of those state or federal mandated exams for ESL students. After the exam was graded she scored a total of 210 counting all her exams she had the past week. So she was in a great mood tonight and could tell the burden was off her shoulders.
I am tired and it looks like another long day tomorrow looking at the task list. Goodnight and Manuia-po from the waters off Swains Island in the South Pacific.
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