Spectacular views along the rugged northern coast of tutuilla. The tropical rainforest hugs hillsides as water crashes against the volcanic rocks below.

Surrounded by tropical flowers.

Radiohead Lagoon

Craggy Point tide pool

Craggy Point hike:

Start near the national park fale on the road in between vatia & afono. The level of the hike is graded as easy and takes around 20 minutes each way. The nicely cleared path travels down through the rainforest and out to the point, passing nice viewpoints along the northern coast. There is a small loop at the end of the trail, which provides access to the tide pool. The path down to the pools may be a bit overgrown, though, and is a moderate scramble; but it's well worth it. Climb down the volcanic rocks until you reach the water. On calm days or at low tide a wonderful coral encrusted pool is found beneath the rocks. Once at the foot of the rocks, you overlook the seething tide on one side, and the inviting water on the other, and you are suddenly overwhelmed with the unfettered freedom of youth, calling out to you to jump right in; ignore the intermittent waves that crash over the opening, and sink yourself in its emerald embrace. After all, this is American Samoa. There are no 'No Swimming' signs, no bureaucratic hubbub, and no 'adult' supervision looking over your shoulder. Just you, the water, and-- oh look -- one of the coast guard guys taking a hike, blandly saying even he wouldn't jump in. Oh well, he turns around and leaves you in peace.

ER SAMOAN STYLE

The chickens file past the entrance of the ER as a flatbed pickup pulls up. a patient too large to fit in the regular ambulance is helped from the truck and placed on a hospital bed, to be wheeled into the mayhem. the chart rack is filled, patient wait time 5 hours. people of various ages and ailments line the interior of the ward, iv poles next to breathing machines, in front of the xray lightboard, and so it goes. the office i see patients in doubles as an ekg room, a woman with a cellulitic ulcer lays on a stretcher in one corner, as i diagnose pregnancy via urinanalysis to an unsuspecting young mother in the other. a cpr code is called in the trauma room, sometimes conducted on a patient already deceased to ease family grief. unfortunately it's the weekend, and all mothers bring their screaming infants to the only game in town, as pediatrics is a mon-fri gig.

I fumble through a differential diagnosis for a right lower quadrant pain, keeping in mind the (1 and only) swedish radiologist left town a few days earlier, and there won't be another one til august. the patient tells me they used traditional fofo medicine consisting of leaves for treatment. No problem, order some labs- well, they may take 4 hours and you may have to go to the lab yourself to ask where the results are. otoscopes on the wall all have their heads mysteriously missing, keep an eye on your bag. trying to speak a few words of samoan, it comes out like gibberish, making no sense to the patient or myself- time to get the translator/nurse.

Welcome to Samoan ER.

South Central Pago

Searching for a house is always an adventure in itself, but in American Samoa it can border on the absurd. Mitch & i were lucky to secure a solid new abode, with little drama, despite the former tenant being completely insane. Others housing seekers were not so lucky- having excitedly answered ads in the paper, only to find houses w/o water, stove, fridge, water heater, or cabinets. Our 2 bedroom pad is perched over Pago Pago harbor, with excellent views of the forested mountains & tranquil waters below. Songbirds fill the background over the distant hums of the tuna cannery down the only road. Fruit bats fly overhead as the busy harbor sleeps once again.
Anytime you move you feel a sense of freedom & of the possibilities that may lie ahead. Living in the south pacific is a wonderful base camp for exploring the surrounding territory- be it remote the Manu'a islands , traditional Western Samoa, wild New Zealand, or hedonistic Tahiti. One of the greatest things about our location on Tutuilla is that it's less than 10 minutes from LBJ Hosptial & the launching of a kayak into the harbor is footsteps. On an island this small you can be hiking into the remote north side within 30 minutes. Of course you must utilize jedi mind tricks to ignore the wild dogs, 2-story mcdonalds, and tuna cannery olfactory delights.
Here are a few photos of the house.