Earlier this year, our friends Peter and Marissa (seen in our blog posts about DC, Virginia, Montana, and diving in Mexico) moved to Kwajalein Island ("Kwaj"), a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea.
Kwaj is the largest island in Kwajalein Atoll, one of the 29 atolls and 5 single islands that form the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The island is leased to the U.S. Army for missile testing activities, and is home to 1500 people - mostly U.S. expats and their families. Kwaj is so small that there are no private cars - everyone rides bicycles around! In the aerial photo below, you can see that the airstrip takes up half the island (and those are some of the Atoll's other islands in the background).
There is no tourism on Kwaj, and in order to visit we have to be sponsored by someone who lives there, and approved in advance by the U.S. Government. Peter was told this would take a few weeks to process due to the "extra research on foreign nationals"! Anyway, we received our written approval earlier this week - complete with a signed statement by Peter that he will be responsible for the conduct and locally incurred debts of his visitors - and have booked our flights! Getting there involves a four leg flight: Seattle-San Francisco-Honolulu (staying overnight)-Majuro-Kwaj. Only three commercial flights land there per week!
During our 2.5 weeks on Kwaj, we hope to do lots of scuba diving. The diving there is apparently amazing... known for sharks, huge clams, and WWII ship and plane wrecks! Hopefully we can also fit in some kayaking and sailing. We are SO looking forward to visiting P&M in their new home - and they seem thrilled to be getting some visitors too!
Anyway, we are so excited about this trip that we just had to tell you about it a few months in advance. Visiting friends on Kwaj is such a rare and unique opportunity... we can't wait!!
9 comments:
Sounds like an incredibly awesome experience, and will be a well-deserved break from your work! Rather jealous that I won't be going too...guess I've got to learn how to dive first!
Now that sounds like some mad fun! Enjoy! Looking forward to to heps of diving photos!
Oh wow!!! How awesome for you!! I cannot wait to hear all about it.
Thanks Rox, Mark and Jac! We love getting your comments. There will definitely be lots of underwater photos! :D
Oh, Oh, OH! We are so excited!!! You are our Christmas presents! :-) Maybe you should jump in boxes for your last leg of your flight and wrap yourselves up! :-) We're *hoping* to have bought a boat by the time you get here too, for some added fun! Can't wait!!!!
Awesome, Marissa!! We both have our boat licenses but I don't think they'd be valid in the Marshalls! ;)
Are all the facts I included about Kwaj correct?? Do you know the actual population?
Your facts sounded fine to me although I think the population is a bit less than 1500 right now as many jobs have been cut. (I don't know the actual population though...) Nice that you both have your licenses! Likely the SBM (small boat marina) here won't recognize them since they like to make everyone get re-certified in everything, but we'll be glad to have experienced people riding with us!
Please keep away from the sharks!!!
What an experience! I have never even heard of the place, but it sounds nice - enjoy!
Donna
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