Though not as developed as Black Coral the small thatched huts are adequate for camping trips, the island is equally as shady and much larger than Black Coral, and it actually offers easier access to the excellent snorkeling around Kehpara Pass. It’s cheaper, too. At low tide, there’s a beautiful sandy beach between the two islands. The island has solar lights set up around the island to provide some light at night however we recommend bringing along a lantern and some flashlights to help illuminate inside the huts since they are not rigged with lights.
To make reservations for day visits or overnight stays and arrange for boat pick-up from the launch behind Seinwar Elementary School, call Nickson Abraham (Oaun Kitti) at +691.925.5340 / +691.920.8081 or the Kitti Municipal Government Office at +691.320.5038, 320.5808, 320.5049, or 320.3257.
Black Coral (top island) and Kehpara (bottom island)
“Black Coral” is the southernmost islet in the Namwmour chain of islands that straddles Kehpara Pass (Dauen Kehpara) on the southwest corner of Pohnpei’s barrier reef. It’s true name is said to be Kehpara, but hardly anyone calls it that. Instead, Kehpara is usually used to refer to the island on the opposite side of the pass (island on lower right side of top image). In the mid-1600s, the conquering hero, Isokelekel, first entered Pohnpei’s barrier reef through Kehpara Pass on his way from Ahnd Atoll to Nan Madol. The sandy and well-shaded coral island, which lies within the Kehpara Marine Protected Area (MPA), is currently owned by the Adams family (the proprietors of Ace Hardware and Ace Office Supply). Black Coral is immaculately maintained with serpentine footpaths running here and there through large sprawling trees and several simple, wooden huts for overnight camping. Good snorkeling is located off the eastern shore and in the pass to the north, where white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, spotted eagle rays, and other marine wonders can often be seen. The best SCUBA diving is along the outer edge of the barrier reef north of the pass, a spot called Kehpara Wall. The area is a spawning ground for several varieties of protected grouper. Though some sandy areas appear at low tide along the inner coast, Black Coral doesn’t have any true beaches.
To make reservations for day visits or night stays and to arrange boat transport from the Seinwar Launch behind Seinwar Elementary School call ACE at +691.320.8279 / 5637.
PC: Lee Arkhie Perez
Black Coral from above. (PC: Lee Arkhie Perez)
Black coral on the left, Kehpara on the right. (PC: Lee Arkhie Perez)
Black Coral (top island) and Kehpara (bottom island)
Beyond Pohnpei’s lagoon, the closest land to be found exists on two “satellite atolls” called Ahnd (pronounced änt) and Pakin (pä.keen). An atoll is made up of a number of coralline islets in a ring around a relatively shallow lagoon and is created when a high, volcanic island submerges over millions of years, leaving only the reef that fringed its shores. The islands form as sand, coral rubble, and other detritus collect on the reef and begin to support trees, small plants, and animals. Coral sand accumulates on the lagoon sides of the islands and creates beaches.
Ahnd (“Ant”) Atoll
Ahnd Atoll, popularly but erroneously spelled “Ant,” is 16 km (8 mi) southwest of Rohnkitti and consists of 13 low, luxuriant islands 3-4 meters above sea-level and a lagoon of 70 km2 entered by a single passage in the reef.
When the larger-than-life hero Isokelekel voyaged to Pohnpei, intent on overthrowing the rulers of Nan Madol, he came first to Ahnd and lived there for some time, learning about Pohnpeian customs from its inhabitants. In modern times, the entire atoll became the property of a single Pohnpeian family — the descendents of Henry Nanpei, who lived from 1862 to 1928. Nanpei’s shrewd business sense and knack for manipulating local power politics enabled him to acquire the atoll and amass a great deal of other land.
Ahnd Atoll Channel
Black tip reef sharks at Ahnd Atoll (PC: Tia Panuelo)
Ahnd Atoll, Federated States of Micronesia (PC: Alex Zuccarelli)
Ahnd Atoll, Federated States of Micronesia (PC: Alex Zuccarelli)
Ahnd Atoll, Federated States of Micronesia (PC: Alex Zuccarelli)
Imwen Sapw Island and channel entrance
Today Ahnd has a few human residents, the biosphere rangers who make sure people do not fish within the protected area. There is also resort run by the Nanpei family located on the island of Pasa (information for booking trips can be found below).
It is home to some of the largest colonies of black noddies, terns, boobies, and frigatebirds in the Pacific as well as a healthy community of gray reef sharks in and around Dauenai (passage).
The most interesting islands to camp on are Pasa, Nikahlap, Dolen Mwuroi, and Nahlos. The former two have long stretches of deserted white-sand beach and excellent swimming. Nan Imwinsapw is closest to Dauenai (passage), where all the best snorkeling and the most accessible diving is found, but it has a big rat problem. Pahn Mwek is near to both excellent snorkeling and some of the rare diving that exists inside the lagoon. For the most part, however, the lagoon is the domain of snorkelers, sandy and punctuated by beautiful coral heads with lots of color and life at low tide.
Dauenai on the south side is where most people go to SCUBA dive. It is known for orange sponges (on the west wall) and large numbers of barracudas, jacks, and sharks throughout. Reef fish populations around the pass, unfortunately, have declined in the last two decades, but hopefully will recover now that the area is protected. Even so, the place still feels busy compared to other locations and you’ll see all the familiar species — unicornfish, triggerfish, wrasses, surgeons, groupers, butterflyfish, angelfish, moorish idols, and more. Moray eels might be spotted on occasion. Spinner dolphins are regularly seen at the mouth of the passage and in the waters around Ahnd. Visibility in the pass, though not as spectacular as outside the reef, can reach 50 meters (164 feet) — certainly nothing to complain about.
In addition to drift-dives on either side of the deep passage, there is stunning (and frequently overlooked) diving on the outer wall of the barrier reef on the northwest side near Olouna (often known as “bird island” for the huge colonies of seabirds that nest there), and north of Pasa. The west wall of the barrier reef plummets to great depths, and because it is more protected from the northeasterly winds and waves, it is marked by an abundance of soft coral, holes, tunnels, and caves — an exciting place for any advanced diver. Giant clams are also common. Visibility on the outside edges can be extraordinary, exceeding 70 meters (230 feet). Currents can be swift both in the pass and around the outer walls.
Visiting Ahnd Atoll / Permission & Protected Areas
Because Ahnd is a privately owned island and UNESCO marine biosphere reserve permission is required from the Nanpei family for visits.
Contact LP Gas at +691.320.5661 / 2675 to make arrangements.
Core area(s) comprise a strictly protected ecosystem that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetic variation.
A buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core areas, and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training, and education.
The transition area is the part of the reserve where the greatest activity is allowed, fostering economic and human development that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable.
Olouna (“Bird Island”)
Landing on Olouna island is prohibited to prevent disruption of the habitats of the seabirds who nest there. If you’d like to take a look at Olouna, consider making a kayak trip around it. You can arrange to pay your boat extra to transport a small ocean kayak or two.
Pakin Atoll
Pakin Atoll is composed of about 16 low islands, 13.6 km2 of reef, and a lagoon of 11 km2. It lies 38 km (24 mi) northwest of Palikir. In the early 1900s, Sokehs residents of Mortlockese descent were allowed to settle on the atoll, where their descendents (about 80) live to this day. Most of the islands are sparsely inhabited and all have excellent beaches, swimming, and nearby snorkeling.
One complication of visiting, however, is that Pakin has no true passage, making entry into the lagoon impossible for large boats and both difficult and dangerous for small boats. Boats enter at high tide at one of two places in the barrier reef (the usual spot is known as Uhrek), where the coral is slightly deeper than elsewhere — by a matter of a few inches. The crossing is narrow and complicated by strong surge. Except at the highest tides, the crossing must be carefully timed to correspond with the surge. Boats can easily capsize in the surf or be thrown up on the reef; several locals have been killed at the spot while trying to make the crossing in less than ideal conditions. When planning a visit, make sure that you hire an experienced pilot who knows this particular crossing and is committed to the safety of his passengers. Also, it is important to plan arrivals and departures to coincide with the highest tides.
All of the diving and the best snorkeling is on the reef wall outside the lagoon, where water clarity and reef conditions are simply mind-blowing. The wall north of Nikahlap is known for sharks, while the opposite side of the island is home to large schools barracuda. For sea turtle sightings, divers will want to try the walls on the northeast side. Turtles nest on many of the small islets north of Painpwel, Sapangin, Kehrot, and Osetik.
Businesses on Pohnpei open and close without warning as the local economy is a tough environment for any enterprise, but the ones we’ve listed here have been around for a while and seem relatively stable.
A-One is a large grocery store on Main Street that sells groceries, imported produce, and general merchandise. The store used to be located down the street a bit in a tiny little shop. When the Truk Trader Company’s Wallmart folded, A-One moved in. They have a smaller branch stores: in town across from Amcres Gas Station (also on Main Street), in Mwalok on Sokehs Island, and in Palikir across from the College of Micronesia,.
Ace Commercial Center, located near the movie theater just outside of Kolonia, sells a wide selection of both perishable and non-perishable groceries, fresh imported produce, and household supplies. Produce shipments are irregular — sometimes the selection is good and sometimes there’s next to nothing.
This local branch of the Ace Hardware chain, specializes in hardware, home improvement, household supplies, appliances, sporting goods, and general merchandise.
Located next to Ace Hardware, Ace Office Supply is a large facility that carries office supplies, electronics, household supplies, furniture, and general merchandise.
This warehouse store at the western edge of Kolonia, sells non-perishable groceries and frozen foods, general merchandise, household supplies, and bulk items.
Down a back-road in the northern part of Kolonia, this store has a wide range of non-perishable groceries, general merchandise, household supplies, and clothes.
Palm Terrace is easily Pohnpei’s largest and most diverse grocery store with both perishable and non-perishable groceries, frozen foods, fresh imported produce, general merchandise, household supplies, and clothes. Produce shipments are sporadic — sometimes the selection is very good and sometimes there’s practically nothing.
Located behind One World Plaza in the same building as the Conservation Society of Pohnpei, PMK Fish Market according to their page “specializes in line-caught reef and nearshore fish and mangrove crabs”. All fish and crabs sold at the market are caught using sustainable fishing methods: catching/selling fish only during their open season, catching/sale of fishes that are mature and are not a protected species. They also vacuum seal their seafood to keep it fresh for as long as possible. We recommend purchasing your fish from them whenever you can; by doing so you’re supporting a business the puts environmental gain above financial gain, and that’s something worth supporting.
PRD is the mother of all mom-and-pop stores. Located at the north end of Kaselehlie Street (Main) on the corner of Ohmine, this small store has found huge success (probably due to its location, expansive inventory, and extended hours). PRD is the place to go when you need something basic late at night when everything else is closed.
This is the largest local market currently in operation they have daily deliveries of fresh produce, fresh fish, crab, lobster (on occasion), and other local food items. Their produce is grown at Simon’s farm in Palikir and elsewhere, while their fish is brought in by local fisherman. They also sell made traditional handicrafts and tools. Buying produce and other goods from Simon’s is a great way to support local farmers, fishermen, and craftspeople.
This small store in eastern Kolonia sells non-perishable groceries, general merchandise, household supplies, electronics, and clothes. It’s a good place to go if you’re looking for Asian food items.
Pohnpei and Speed are two words that often do not go together. Service at restaurants can vary, one day it can be a short wait for your food, other days it can take longer. But that’s the beauty of island life, everyone and everything is laid back and relaxed. This is not New York City where it is all about that “go-go-go mentality”. We encourage you to embrace the island lifestyle. Take every chance you get to unwind and live in the moment.
4TY Food Truck
A food trailer located beside 4TY Store (the side towards Ace Office Supply) along the Nett Circle Island road. The popular food items are their rotisserie chickens and their cheeseburgers and fries, both of which are great meals.
Angie’s is the closest thing Pohnpei has to a fast-food chain. The menu includes the typical myocardial infarction favorites — burgers, fries, chili, fried chicken, etc. Think grease, and lots of it.
Arnold’s, located next to Blue Nile, is a cozy little restaurant in a cute pre-fab building — the only one of its kind on Pohnpei. Arnold’s greatest strength is its menu, which features a number of dishes that are offered nowhere else. Servers are attentive and friendly.
This restaurant is located on the ground floor of Cliff Hotel and has garnered fame locally for three things: pizza, steak, and mangrove crab. They have a full menu typical of other hotel restaurants on Pohnpei, and though Cliff Rainbow is a bit pricier, the quality of the dishes is about the same as everywhere else. The place has nice atmosphere after dark, but unfortunately you may have to wait quite a long time for your meal, and getting the attention of the indifferent wait-staff can be very difficult.
Image credit: Lee Arkhie Perez Photography(left image)
Hideaway Bar & Grill located right below Hideaway Hotel on the southern end of Pohnrakied is one of Pohnpei’s more aesthetically pleasing restaurants. It is an open-air restaurant built out over the water in a mangrove estuary. They serve a variety of dishes from the traditional meals you can find in most restaurants on Pohnpei to other dishes such as sushi. Located at the center of the restaurant is the bar which serves various types of beer, liquor, and specialty cocktails. They also do teppanyaki, you must call in advance to book a slot if you would like to experience island style teppanyaki. The whole place can also be reserved for private parties, dinners, or other events just contact the restaurant to book a reservation.
Located adjacent to Snowii’s and & 7 Stars Store, Hotplate is a take-away only food place. Like Angie’s Fast Food they have a relatively small menu and serve mainly fried foods.
Located on the 1st floor of the Island Palms Hotel. They serve many of the usual dishes that you can find in most restaurants with a few specialty dishes.
This bustling restaurant on the ground-floor of the Joy Hotel is a Pohnpei main-stay. There’s nothing particularly daring about the menu, which consists of the usual run of Pohnpei-style Japanese dishes, including udon, sashimi (best in town), sushi, katsu, and teriyaki chicken, but the service is some of the best on the island and everything is always clean and tidy. The most popular dish by far is the Joy Lunch (called Joy Dinner in the evening) with fried fish, sashimi, miso or seaweed soup, steamed rice, and cabbage salad in a bento box.
This lunch buffet, located opposite PCR, serves the usual run of fried chicken, noodles, fried rice, boiled bananas, lumpia, and various other filipino-style dishes.
This small coffee shop-style restaurant on the grounds of Yvonne’s Hotel is best at breakfast. Highlights include the tuna omelet and chicken adobo. The staff is good about keeping your water and bottomless iced tea glasses full. Don’t miss the Kia’s Fried Ice Cream as well.
7:30AM-2PM, 5-9PM (Mon-Sun)
+691.320.1248
Lit Palm Sushi & Lounge
Lit Palm is located in the middle unit of the H&E building down on the Kolonia town waterfront adjacent to Sea Breeze Hotel. They serve mainly serve sushi but also have other types of seafood as well an Asian-American Fushion Dish. They also serve specialty cocktails, sake, sochu, beers, and wines.
Located adjacent to the Mangrove Bay Hotel, it is an open-air restaurant that serves sushi, seafood, and chicken wings. The place has a great atmosphere and a view of the of the harbor. Similar to Hideaway Bar and Grill the place can be booked for private parties, dinners, and other events.
PCR is a rotary lunch buffet. Items on the conveyor include noodle dishes, fried fish, Japanese-style curry, sweet boiled breadfruit in coconut cream, sashimi, sushi, lumpia, and steamed rice.
Located on the first floor of the One World Plaza building down on Kapwar E Sou road. It is a restaurant/ coffee shop. They’re menu consists mainly of sushi, seafood (shrimp, mussels, etc.), and teppanyaki style dishes. They also have various types of drinks (smoothies, lattes, frappes) and pastries (brownies, cookies, cinnamon rolls) available. There is wifi available for customers to use while having their coffee or enjoying a full meal.
Orchid, which operates out of Oceanview Hotel, has a few innovative things on its menu, such as the crab and cheese-stuffed tuna. It is an open air restaurant that has a great view that overlooks the the harbor. It also has a small bar located inside.
Red Snapper is Seabreeze Hotel’s restaurant. It’s a pretty standard kind of place with a huge menu of the usual dishes found everywhere on Pohnpei. Wednesday is buffet day. The place was recently expanded a great deal.
Found on the lower floor of 7 Stars Inn, this relatively new restaurant has a few new things to offer in addition to the typical local takes on Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese food. Breakfast is the most interesting meal with tasty eggs benedict and eggplant omelets on the menu (Riverside is also the only restaurant on Pohnpei that serves oatmeal). Lunch and dinner options include a wide variety of sandwiches, burgers, pasta, chicken and beef dishes, and seafood. Try the Potato Skins appetizer,
Town’s Diner pride themselves in their continued consistency and quality. One of their featured menu items is the Town’s Combo which includes fried chicken, breaded fried fish and sashimi. They also have a great spread of pies and other dessert items such as Snickers Cheesecake and the ever-popular Taro Yogi frappe. Don’t forget to also check out their in-house cafe, Chill, for coffee and bubble tea!
Considering how small Pohnpei is, its public library is truly an exceptional facility. In addition to a surprisingly diverse catalog of books and periodicals (and a large Children’s Section), the library also has a computer lab and wireless internet. Use of any computer lab station is $2.00 per hour with a limit of one hour per day. Use of the library’s privatewi-fi is $10.00 per month, however there is also free wifi available there.
International phone cards purchased outside Micronesia will not work in the FSM, because “800” numbers aren’t free. However, you can make international phone calls from a cellphone with an FSMTC SIM card. There are regular and off-peak rates*. See below:
Most unlocked GSM mobile phones will work on Pohnpei. Simply purchase a SIM card and a pre-paid FSM TelCard at FSM Telecom headquarters. TelCards are available in $5, $10, and $20 denominations. There is no charge for in-coming calls.
Again, most unlocked GSM mobile phones will work on Pohnpei. To use mobile data first purchase a SIM card and a pre-paid FSM TelCard at FSM Telecom headquarters. Mobile data plans available for purchase with the use of the pre-paid credit from TelCards. Simply dial and call *000# and an interactive menu will prompt different options including one to order a plan. Make sure that you have enough load on your sim to purchase the plan you would like to have. You can find how much pre-paid credit/load you currently have on your sim by dialing and calling *767# or selecting the option on the interactive menu.
Pohnpei has 3 post offices. The Main Post Office is located on Main Street (Kaselehlie) in Kolonia, while a smaller branch offices can be found at the Pohnpei International Airport and the National Government complex in Palikir. Under the current agreement with the U.S., the F.S.M.’s postal services are officially part of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Pohnpei has a U.S. zip code (96941) and is treated like any U.S. state. Mail sent to and from the U.S. follows USPS domestic mail rates. Parcels sent to the F.S.M. from the U.S., however, do require a customs form. All Pohnpei addresses are post office boxes — there are no residential addresses on the island. You can also accept mail sent to you via general delivery (general delivery is only available for 3 months).
The key to getting things to and from Micronesia promptly is to keep packages small (under 20 lbs), so that they can be sent by air. Large, heavy parcels are invariably sent by ship and take 8-10 weeks to arrive. Boxes should be carefully prepared and wrapped with clear packing tape. Fragile items should be very well-padded to prevent damage. Express Mail will not get your package to or from the island any faster than Priority.
Main Office: 8AM-3PM (Mon-Fri); 9AM-2PM no parcel pick-up (Sat)
This Japanese operation specializes in SCUBA diving and has some very experienced staff, but caters primarily to Japanese tourists. Staff may not be very comfortable communicating in English with non-Japanese customers. Contact the club for details.
Nihco Surf at NIHCO Marine Park focuses mostly on surfing expeditions, but also rents kayaks to guests, and runs trips to Ahnd Atoll. Contact Wilbur Walter for details.
Pohnpei Surf and Dive Club’s specialty is obvious, but in addition to surfing and diving, the club has jetskis, stand-up paddleboards and a great fleet of reliable boats. They offer tours to Nan Madol ruins by car or boat, waterfalls, island hikes, snorkeling or dive trips at the best locations for that day based on weather, tides and season( like Manta Road, Ahnd Atoll and Pakin Atoll). Rental dive, snorkel or surf gear are also available for rent at the location. The Pohnpei Surf and Dive Club is the longest running tour operation in Pohnpei conveniently operating from Mangrove Bay Hotel. They do free hotel pickups if you are joining a tour.
You can also check out Pohnpei Surf and Dive Club’s reviews on Tripadvisor HERE.
Yvonne’s is just starting to get into the touring business and can arrange a limited number of trips to well-known sites, such as Nan Madol and some of the popular waterfalls around the island. Contact the hotel for details.
For information on reliable tour guides it is best to contact a tour operation (such as Pohnpei Surf Club) in order to get the best person for the specific activity you would like to do, whether it is a trek up into the mountains, a trip to the Nan Madol ruins, or something completely different.
The world’s oceans are under siege, and Pohnpei — even as remote as it is — has not escaped the damage caused by thoughtless human activity. In addition to the increasingly dire effects of global climate change which are destroying coral reefs around the world, the most immediate threats to the island’s ocean environment include unsustainable fishing practices, piggeries and outhouses near water sources, coral dredging, garbage, mangrove forest destruction, and terrestrial deforestation (often as a result of sakau farming). The latter allows increased run-off and the fouling of inner reefs by sediment.
The good news is that there are many things you, as an individual and a visitor, can do to affect change:
Abstain from sportfishing
Despite what sportfishing operators will claim, sportfishing and fishing derbies DO impact the health of fish populations negatively. A single fisherman may not make much of a dent, but a couple hundred sport fishermen and a few derbies a year have a significant effect, eliminating some of the largest individuals of a particular species in the area. This is the primary reason that the Pohnpei Eco-Adventure Guides do not promote sportfishing operations on Pohnpei. Help to eliminate this damaging practice by abstaining from sportfishing entirely and avoiding fishing derbies.
Buy only local fish that comply with size and species regulations
Selling fish that are too young to have reached reproductive age is illegal on Pohnpei, but you still find undersized fish in local markets. Not only should you refuse to buy these immature fish, but you should report the market selling the fish to Conservation Society of Pohnpei. Immature fish on the chopping block mean that some fish never had an opportunity to breed and produce young before being killed. This directly reduces the size of fish populations, because those being caught are not being replaced. The success of fishing prohibitions around Pohnpei’s marine protected areas speaks for itself; if you stop killing the fish, they come back.
Pick up your garbage / Make Less
Our oceans are being destroyed by our waste. Pohnpei’s landfill is on reclaimed land immediately next to the ocean. In extreme high tides or storms, both of which are becoming more common as a result of global climate change, the edges of the landfill are inundated and the trash goes out into the ocean. Additionally, trash is dumped directly into the ocean at other locations around the island. But the majority of trash in the seas, comes from large industrial countries like the United States and is carried into the Pacific by currents. There is so much garbage in the ocean that there’s a permanent named patch called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This is an area where floating plastic garbage is concentrated by currents. This trash is ingested by fish, birds, turtles and other sea creatures — killing them. The first step in fighting the garbage problem is to make less garbage by being smarter about what you consume (REDUCE). The second step is to REUSE everything you possibly can for as long as you possibly can. The third step is to RECYCLE everything that can be. But this last one is last for a reason — if you aren’t doing the other two steps first, you’re part of the problem. Recycling is expensive, uses a lot of resources, and is inefficient — especially on a remote island — so it should be a last resort.
Avoid use of plastic bags / one-time use bottles and containers
Given the information in the last point, this should be self-explanatory. Get yourself some good Tupperwear and a couple of durable, long-lasting metal or heavy-duty plastic water bottles and use those exclusively for all drinking and food-storage for years (or decades) to come. Don’t buy plastic bags or any other plastic materials that are used once and then thrown away. Don’t use Styrofoam or plastic take-out containers — bring your reusable container when you go out. Don’t use disposable plastic straws or disposable cups — bring your own reusable metal or plastic straw and cup. If we all shun these products, the industry will stop producing them.
Take nothing from the marine environment
Divers are familiar with this rule. Everything that exists in the marine ecosystem is there for a reason and has a purpose. When we take shells, coral, seastars, or other things from the ocean, we’re disrupting the natural structure of the ecosystem and preventing it from working the way it should. Enjoy nature with your eyes, but leave it where it is to live as it was supposed to. Take only pictures, leave only bubbles.
Exercise care when diving, snorkeling, or paddling to avoid damage to the reefs
Coral is very fragile and grows near the surface. When paddling, be mindful of tides and depth. Make sure you aren’t hitting the reef with your paddle or the hull of your canoe or kayak. The same goes for snorkeling and diving. Practice good buoyancy control. Keep a reasonable distance from the reef itself and watch your fins — make sure you aren’t inadvertently kicking anything.
Follow all MPA rules
Visit the MPA page for rules and MPA locations. The rules are there, not to annoy you or restrict your fun, but to keep the natural resources in those areas safe and healthy for generations to come. If you don’t follow the rules, you’re contributing to the destruction of those resources, plain and simple.
Write letters to Pohnpei’s governor (Marcelo Peterson), lt. governor (Reed B. Oliver) and acting administrator of fisheries and aquaculture (Clay Hedson) expressing support for conservation measures and encouraging strict prohibitions against dredging, sand-mining, mangrove removal, upland sakau cultivation, and destructive fishing practices
Office of the Governor
Pohnpei State Government
Kolonia, Pohnpei 96941 FM
Tel: 691.320.2235
Fax: 691.320.2505
Help financially support Conservation Society of Pohnpei (www.serehd.org) and Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org)
Both of these organizations work very hard locally to protect the environment. Directly funding them helps them be successful.
Minimize your carbon footprint
Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds emitted due to your the various processes and forms of consumption that make up your life. Carbon emissions related to human activity are the cause of global climate change. There’s a lot of misconception about what is most important in reducing your personal carbon footprint. Here are some of the key things to focus on:
Cut Your Meat Consumption
In the U.S., government stats on household CO2 footprints indicated that food was the biggest factor in a person’s carbon footprint. In short, what you eat matters because of the way the things you eat are produced. Lifestock is responsible for 18% of all greenhouse emissions worldwide (in the form of methane) — more than the worldwide transport network (which is about 14%). If you eat a lot of meat in your diet, you are contributing to the growth of the meat industry and supporting the negative effects on the environment of all those animals being raised for your table. That doesn’t mean you have to become a vegan, but you can greatly reduce your personal carbon footprint by cutting down significantly on your meat intake. Large mammals produce the most emissions — particularly cattle. One kilo of beef does as much damage to the environment as driving your car 160 miles. So make beef a once-in-awhile thing. When you do eat it, make sure it’s from grass-fed, free-range cows, which produce less emissions than feedlot cattle. Cheap beef is the worst; avoid it.
Avoid Produce Waste
Vegetarians have as much to worry about as dedicated carnivores. Emissions from produce decomposition accounts for a big part of those numbers in the previous paragraph. Large-scale farming and grocery operations are extremely wasteful and about a third of what’s grown is thrown away before even reaching the stores. Another third is thrown away at the store level when it doesn’t sell. That’s more than half of all the food grown. Small farm operations are generally less wasteful because they have more to lose financially by not getting everything to the consumer. Furthermore, transportation of produce is an issue. The further something has to travel to get to you, the more CO2 emissions are involved. That means doing your best to buy from small, local farms as much as possible and staying away from imported goods within reason. To avoid wasting produce you’ve bought, keep it stored properly and make a meal plan so it gets eaten before it spoils.
Cut Your Electricity Use at Home
Lights are actually not the area where we use the most electricity in our homes. It’s cooling and heating — and we need more of both if we have a poorly-insulated home. About a third of the energy used to heat and cool people’s homes is lost through the walls and roof. On Pohnpei, concrete homes make zero sense. They have no insulation at all. They heat up like an oven when it’s hot and soak up moisture the rest of the time. Wherever you live, you can reduce your carbon footprint a great deal by upgrading your house, making sure it’s well-insulated, has the right windows and doors, and utilizes natural airflow for cooling instead of air-conditioning.
Buy Less
The next thing on the list is consumption. Leisure goods and services account for more CO2 than private transport does. When you add in clothing, footwear and household goods, that makes up a third of our emissions from consumption. So, though riding your bike instead of driving is great, you’re forgetting a bigger problem if you don’t curb your buying habits as well. The more we buy, the more we’re contributing to all the processes surrounding those products: the manufacturing, the transportation, the packaging, and the waste when the product is thrown away. Consider the following example. You buy a new t-shirt from a big store. You’ve just added to your footprint the impacts of (1) the farm machinery where the textiles were grown, (2) the factory where the raw materials were processed, (3) the factory where it was made into clothing, (4) the surface transport that brought the product to the store, (5) the store that stocked and displayed the shirt, and (6) the vehicle used to travel back and forth from home to store. A lot of what we buy, we don’t need, and once you start realizing that and thinking carefully before buying, it’s easy to cut out a lot. Every time you decide not to buy something, you cut your footprint a little bit. If you really can’t live without something, try getting it used. Resale stores are becoming more and more common.
Spend More Time Outdoors
What does a person do indoors? Chances are, many people spend most of their indoor time doing things like watching TV, staring at a computer, and talking on or browsing their smartphone, etc. All of those activities are connected to the manufacture and consumption of the products needed to do them. So they tie into #4 above. If you spend your leisure time outdoors, hiking, paddling, swimming, etc., you need that other stuff less and you’ll be less inclined to stock your house with footprint-increasing products.
Cut Down on Your Flying
Why is this one listed before driving? Because commercial flying generally gives you a bigger carbon footprint than driving does. It is true that cars worldwide produce more CO2 than planes, but that’s because there are many, many more cars and they’re much cheaper to use than planes AND most of them are carrying just ONE person. All of that is bad and we need to fix it. But, the numbers don’t lie — when you fly somewhere, in most cases, you are personally responsible for more carbon output than if you drove. Jet fuel produces slightly more CO2 per gallon than automobile fuel, but the real difference is all the fuel that planes waste on the runway, heating and cooling their interiors, filtering the air inside the plane, landing and taking off, accelerating to the speed necessary to take to the air, and ascending to the cruising altitude. Longer flights, for this reason, are more efficient. Short commuter flights are the worst, because they waste the most. Also, another problem with flying is when carriers don’t fill their flights. The overall impact of that one flight is nearly the same regardless of how many people are on the flight, but your personal footprint goes up the more empty seats there are on the plane, because the impact gets divided among a smaller number of people.
Drive Less
About 14% of global emissions come from transportation, which includes flying, driving, shipping, etc. Cars, trucks, and trains account for the biggest chunk, because there are so many of all of these types of vehicles around the world and they’re cheap enough that most people can afford to use them. In some places, you just can’t get by without a car because public transportation is poor and things are far apart. But, it’s our job to do everything we can to drive less, and when we do drive, to drive more efficiently, use efficient vehicles, use fuel that creates less emissions, etc. Don’t buy the big truck or SUV. Get an efficient sedan instead, or a hybrid or electric car if you can afford it. Bike or walk whenever possible. Ride electric trolleys, light commuter trains, and subways whenever possible.
Read More
This one is surprisingly easy, fun, and impacting. Reading makes you smarter and more knowledgeable. We all know that, but it also keeps us away from the types of consumption activities that modern people are drawn to.
Pohnpei lies near the equator. Because the sun’s ecliptic — the path it appears to follow around the earth (yes, we know Earth actually orbits the sun) — is only marginally offset from the line of the equator, the angle of the sun is more vertical in relation to a point on the ground than it would be at higher latitudes. At noon it is nearly overhead, something that never happens north or south of the Tropic lines. As a result, the harsh, contrasty light that you find at mid-day (and that photographers usually try to avoid) is present for most of the daylight hours. In the open, you tend to get very, very dark shadows with little or no detail and very bright highlights. This happens, because when the sun is high, it has less atmospheric interference to cut through and isn’t scattered as much as it is when it is low on the horizon.
Furthermore, because the sun is high in the sky from about 9 AM until 5 PM, that overhead light doesn’t illuminate the scene itself very well (see illustration at left). Think about when you hold a book out in front of you and try to read in a room with only overhead light. The light doesn’t hit the pages directly. Similarly, the light on Pohnpei throughout most of the day falls on the tops of trees and mountains and people’s heads rather than the part we see — their leaves and slopes and faces. This means dark landscapes and foregrounds in contrast to very bright skies. It’s nearly impossible to balance that out without some post production work. The light during most of the day also has a blueish tone to it, which is not often attractive unless you’re shooting the ocean or other subjects where you want blue to be emphasized.
HOW TO DEAL
1. Shoot on days where the sky is partly cloudy or completely overcast.
Clouds act as nice diffusers, capturing harsh, directional, shortwave light and bouncing it all over the place. On cloudy or partly cloudy days, shadows will be less intense or non-existent because that diffusion is making the light come from every direction at once. This kind of light is great for outdoor portraits, street shooting, wildlife, birds, etc. It makes things look smooth and elegant. Luckily, clouds are very common on Pohnpei. Being one of the rainiest places on earth, you can expect some clouds in the sky at some point on most days — though the conditions can change constantly from hot and sunny to hot and cloudy to torrential rain and back again.
2. Shoot in the shade.
In the shade, directional light is absent and only the ambient light remains. This gives you a similar effect as above — smooth, even light without harsh contrasts. If you’re in the forest under a heavy canopy of leaves, you can get incredible shots even on hot, clear days, but watch out for the little dappled spots of light; they will be way too bright. If you’re taking pictures of people outdoors, look for people who are sitting under trees or hut roofs.
3. Use fill flash.
Flash is something that a lot of aspiring photographers and almost all amateurs seem to be afraid of, because when you do flash wrong, you get very ugly results — washed out features, a flat and expressionless look, harsh shadows behind a subject, etc. When flash is done right, however, the results can be magic. It allows you to expose the bright parts of a scene (like the sky) properly and keep your subject from going too dark. Some of the most beloved Nat Geo photographers use flash almost constantly, but you’d never know it from their pictures. Here are some keys to using flash effectively. Image credit: www.picture-power.com
Dial down the power of your flash.
If you have a digital SLR or even just a compact camera with an on-camera flash, you can control the power of that flash by entering the camera menu and dialing it down 2/3 of a stop or more. Consult your camera’s manual. This will help balance the light added by your flash with the ambient light. If done right, they will blend in a pleasant and inconspicuous way. With fill flash, the idea is merely to lighten the shadows so that they’re about a third darker than the highlights. You still want some contrast–just not as much as you’re going to get without some artificial light.
Get your flash off-camera and position it at an angle to your subject.
Straight-on frontal lighting almost never looks good (although, strangely, it’s a bit of a fad in fashion photography right now). As I mentioned before, it makes everything look flat. You may not have a flash that can detach from your camera, but if you do, you’ll want to be using it off the camera at all times. This means the flash communicates with the camera through a TTL cord or a wireless receiver. You hold it in one hand to the side at about a 45 degree angle to your subject and shoot with the other hand. The angled light emphasizes contour and texture, making the subject look three dimensional. It takes a bit of practice. As before, you’ll want to go into your flash menu and dial down the power so you aren’t wiping out the shadows, but merely softening them. Experimentation is essential.
Use colored gels.
The color of the light a flash produces is about equal to sunlight during the middle of the day; it’s blueish-white. If you’re shooting during the middle of the day and just filling in the shadows a bit, your flash should blend well without a gel (a colored piece of plastic that goes over the flash head). If you’re shooting in the late evening when the colors are more toward orange and red, you’ll need to filter your flash to match those colors. Most camera stores and companies online sell huge packs of gels of many colors. They’re cheap. Invest in a set.
Keep your subject away from the background.
If you are photographing a person standing in front of a wall, your flash is going to create a shadow behind the person — especially if the flash is too strong for the ambient light. Avoid this by dialing down the flash power and keeping subjects far enough away from the background that the light of the flash won’t be sufficient to create a shadow.
4. Shoot early in the morning.
For the first hour or so after sunrise, the sun is low on the horizon and its light strikes things in your scene from a low angle, illuminating them fully. It also has a warmer tone to it, which makes colors look vibrant and inviting. With Pohnpei so close to the equator, however, this period doesn’t last long on the best of days. Getting the good light means getting up before sunrise and planning out where you’re going to go beforehand so you can be in position when stuff happens. In town, not much may be stirring this early, but out on the water or up on the hills, things are beginning to wake up and come alive. This is the stuff you want to focus on — fishermen going out, people throwing nets, birds taking off, etc. If the light is great, just the landscape itself will look incredible . . . but always have a clear subject.
5. Shoot late in the afternoon.
As in the morning, when the sun is starting to go down, it’s low on the horizon and does a great job of lighting a scene. It’s even warmer toned at this time of day than in the morning because most of the short-wave blue light is so scattered by the layers of atmosphere the light has to pass through, that you end up with more long-wave colors — oranges and reds. Again, the time is short. In a place at higher latitudes you might have an hour or more of “golden light.” On Pohnpei, you can expect fifteen to twenty minutes at most, and that only if you’re lucky enough to get a clear horizon. On most days, clouds roll in during that last hour of light and block out the sunlight, preventing the “golden hour” from coming at all. The only way to score is just to get out there every evening and hope for the best. Sunsets can be phenomenal on Pohnpei, but good ones are surprisingly rare for the same reason — those late afternoon clouds on the horizon block the light. The best sunsets tend to happen after really hot clear days or when the sky clears in the evening after a heavy rain. It’s difficult to predict. Be ready and be quick. The sun sets very quickly in the tropics. Twilight does not linger.
6. Shoot in the rain.
Instead of trying to fight those blue tones, embrace them. Get out there in the rain and shoot that cool rainy light and people in it. Find some eaves to stand under and shoot people splashing around in the deluge that Pohnpei is famous for.
Green & Blue Are Everywhere
The first thing you’ll probably notice when arriving on Pohnpei — especially if you’re from a more arid climate — is how green the island is. Everything is green. This will excite you. You’ll want to take tons of pictures of all that green. You’ll also look at the ocean and the sky and think “Whoa. THAT is BLUE.” Again, you’ll be drawn to that blue. But if that’s all you do — take pictures of the forests, hillsides, ocean, and sky — when you look back at your images later on, you might come to the conclusion that they are, as a whole, a bit boring. Maybe you won’t realize why. Here’s why: everything is green and blue! Our eyes like to see variation in color. We like to see contrasts of different bright colors — reds on greens, yellows on blues and so on.
HOW TO DEAL
1. The other colors are rarer, but they are out there.
Pohnpei is a very colorful place (especially Pohnpei’s people), so we were exaggerating a bit back there when we said everything is green and blue. There are other bright colors, but you have to search for them. Look for reds, oranges, and yellows to balance out those cool tones. Good places to look–flowers, local skirts and dresses, birds, colorful houses, even blood (think feasts and slaughtered pigs).
2. Look for shots with something red, orange, or yellow in them.
By all means photograph those vivid blues and greens that only Pohnpei can deliver, but try to find ways to include other colors in those scenes. Look for a person with a red shirt. Look for a yellow wall. Look for a purple crab. Look for a kid on the beach with an orange pail. Get those things in your shots and you’ll be much happier later on with what you’ve produced.
People are Shy
In some places, people can be a bit hostile toward cameras. Pohnpei is not one of those places. People are warm and inclusive. You will probably never be told not to take a photo. That said, locals are somewhat self-conscious, by and large. So, while they may not tell you not to take their picture, they may very well start giggling or looking away or just generally not acting normal.
HOW TO DEAL
1. Take the time to make some friends.
The best bet — as in any people photography — is to be friendly and spend a little time with the people you want to photograph. Let them (and yourself) get comfortable. Keep shooting and keep being friendly. Ask questions at the beginning, be curious and open, engage. Once people aren’t paying much attention or running for cover anymore, you can really start to shoot in earnest and catch those candid moments.
2. Look for busy people.
Busy people focus on their tasks and ignore other things. If you want to get really nice candid shots, look for situations where people are occupied doing something complicated or important. They won’t even notice you.
3. Learn a little Pohnpeian.
This is a way in for any culture. Luckily, the basics of Pohnpeian are relatively easy to learn. The sounds are consistent and the grammar is simple. Even if you get it wrong, people will applaud your effort and all the laughing will lighten the mood.
Wet, Wetter, Wettest
Pohnpei is one of the wettest places on earth. It’s always humid, and much of the time it’s raining. Cameras hate water. Water and humidity makes them want to break, freeze up, and grow mold.
HOW TO DEAL
1. Protect your gear.
Keep everything as dry as possible. If you’re shooting in rain, use an umbrella or put your camera inside a plastic bag. If you’re in a boat, be especially careful of sea-spray. Ocean water is highly corrosive. Get a little on your gear and there will be problems later. 2. Wipe everything.
After visiting the ocean, your gear should always be wiped carefully with a damp cloth to remove all traces of salt.
3. Store everything in an airtight container with desiccant.
There are lots of expensive cases that work fine, but you don’t need to spend the cash. Plastic ice chests are cheap, work great, and can be used as luggage, too. Buy some industrial size boxes of silica gel online and store all your gear with it in your ice chest when you aren’t out and about. Reset the silica gel in an oven when it becomes saturated.
4. Watch contrasts in temperature and humidity.
Avoid taking your cameras and lenses from a cold, air-conditioned space outside and back again. That sudden change in humidity and temperature will cause condensation to form inside your equipment. Condensation is liquid water. You do NOT want that inside your camera or lens element. One option is to put your gear in a Ziploc bag before you go indoors. After it has been sitting in the air-conditioned temp for a bit, the air in the bag should be about the same temp as outside the bag, and it should be safe to take the gear out.
Have any other Pohnpei-specific tips you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them. Shoot us an email at stepoutside@pohnpei-adventure.com.
PROS: They’re ultra-easy to take on and off. Your feet are completely exposed to the air and dry quickly.
CONS: When wet or muddy, your feet slide around from side to side and from front to back. Straps are often too weak to handle rough treatment and frequently break. Zories get sucked right off your feet in swift-moving water, mucky sand, or oozy mud. They have absolutely no traction capabilities. Your feet are completely unprotected.
THE VERDICT: Flip-flops are great when cruising around town or hanging on the boat or beach, and that’s about it.
Tennis Shoes
PROS: They’re light. They breathe better and tend to have more flexible soles than heavier footwear, allowing your feet marginally better traction. The toes, tops, and sides of your feet are better protected from scrapes and bangs than with sandals or FiveFingers.
CONS: Tennis shoes have no ankle support. They inevitably get soaked in Pohnpei’s wet environment, and once wet, your feet stay wet. Furthermore, the shoes aren’t going to dry out between hikes in the humidity — even on sunny days. Though soles are thinner and more flexible than hiking boots or Teva-style sport sandals, the type of sole material and tread varies from shoe to shoe. By and large, tennis shoes don’t have tread that performs well on wet rocks or muddy slopes — the most common type of terrain Pohnpei hikers encounter. Shoes are easily pulled right off your feet in deep mud.
THE VERDICT: Tennis shoes are fine for short, easy hikes on roads or well-established gravely trails.
Cloth Hiking Boots
PROS: They’re only slightly heavier than tennis shoes. Soles and tread tend to be better designed for hiking in rough terrain than tennis shoes or sandals. They provide good ankle support. Your feet and ankles are protected from scrapes and bangs.
CONS: Breath-ability is poor. Your feet get wet and stay wet. The thickness of the soles makes it harder for them to adhere to wet, curved surfaces, such as river rocks. The deeper tread is mostly ineffective in muddy conditions as the grooves simply fill with mud. Just like tennis shoes, in deep mud, they can be pulled right off your feet.
THE VERDICT: Cloth hiking boots aren’t particularly useful on an ultra-wet tropical island. It’s best to leave them at home.
Hard-Shell Hiking Boots
PROS: They provide maximum ankle support and foot and ankle protection.
CONS: They’re unnecessarily heavy and wear you out faster than lighter shoes. The soles are thick and inflexible — highly undesirable when crossing slick rocks in rivers or scrambling up muddy mountainsides. They aren’t breathable at all; even if they’re fully waterproofed, your feet will end up soaked by sweat anyway. They’re absolutely impossible to deal with in deep, oozy mud.
THE VERDICT: Hard-shell boots are a very poor choice for this environment.
Teva-Style Sport Sandals
PROS: The open-air style allows your feet the greatest opportunity to dry out. There are less places for sand and grit to get stuck.
CONS: Your toes, heels, and the sides of your feet are completely unprotected and can be battered by rocks and roots. When wet, feet tend to slide around on the sole. Blisters around the straps are problematic on anything but short hikes. The Velcro fasteners get caught on vines and other things and pulled open. The thick, inflexible soles are nearly as bad as hard-shell boots when it comes to traction. For footwear designed with rivers in mind, they’re remarkably poor at adhering to wet rocks slimed with algae. They tend to become mired in deep mud like what you find in mangrove swamps.
THE VERDICT: Sport sandals work well when paddling, walking around town, or doing short, relatively-flat hikes on roads or well-established trails.
FiveFingers
PROS: The revolutionary design concept centers around research that has shown that balance and traction are significantly improved by having the use of your toes and letting your feet flex and mold themselves to whatever surface they move across. Thin, soft soles allow maximum flexibility and adhere well to wet rocks and other surfaces. “Free” toes can dig into mud for better traction, and because they fit like a second skin, they won’t come off your feet. They’re ultra-light. Thin material or mesh allow your feet plenty of access to air.
CONS: There’s no ankle support and minimal protection from the environment; toes, feet, and ankles can take a brutal beating from rocks and roots. You can’t just jump right into things; you have to break in FiveFingers, take some time to allow your feet to get used to full contact with the terrain, and learn to walk with greater care and precision. They are designed to fit like a glove, and consequently, are very difficult to put on. In sandy conditions, grit gets inside the heels and rubs the skin raw.
OUR RECOMMENDATION: Despite a few disadvantages, FiveFingers out-performed every other type of footwear we tried in a wide range of settings. In our opinion, they are the best choice or hiking and trekking on Pohnpei. FiveFingers are produced by Vibram, which offers an extensive range of models that range from $50 to $150.
