Olympic Day

June 23 was International Olympic Day, and it was with much excitement that we learned that Yap was going to mark the occasion with a 1.2 mile fun run/walk around the Blue Lagoon.

The actual event wasn’t set to take place until June 26, but three days late isn’t too bad when you’re on island time. Both of us enjoy running and racing, albeit not very competitively, and the lack of a running scene here in Yap has been one of the more difficult things for us to adjust to. We do occasionally see people – mostly expats – out for a run, but most of the time it’s too dang hot to do anything but lay around panting.

The race itself turned out to be more of a walk. Most people find it a challenge to sprint in flip-flops, and running with a basketful of betelnut is likewise difficult.

We jogged around the Blue Lagoon once and then caught up with the tail end of the group on our second trip around. A good time was had by all, and we hope to do it again next year.

On Sunday we headed out onto the water with some scuba divers for a day of snorkeling.

It was a lovely blue-sky and blue-water day. This time of year is low-tourist season, but the Pacific, especially inside the reef, is as smooth as glass. In addition to perfect sunsets,

this makes for wonderful snorkeling in crystal-clear tropical waters.

We had run into some problems with condensation on our underwater camera during our first snorkel trip, but it worked much better this time around. The reef and the fish here are spectacularly diverse.

We’re looking forward to spending more time in the water as time goes on. Thanks for reading, and have a great week.

The Dog Days of Summer

Ok, so technically we're not at the dog days just yet. If we recall correctly, those are in August. But canines have been on our minds this week as we enjoyed the slightly longer days around the summer solstice. Yap is only 9 degrees north of the equator, of course, so the days stay around 12 hours in length year-round. In recent weeks, though, we've noticed that we have a few more minutes to enjoy the afternoon. That extra time has given us chances to take in more of the Pacific scenery and enjoy some beautiful sunsets.


We missed posting last week after KC suffered a bout of tropical stomach flu, and Matt came down with a mysterious rash on both of his legs that may be mange. KC finds this more amusing than Matt does. It does make us both nostalgic for the pups we left behind in Denver. Both were from the pound, and Chester (on the right in this photo) was a pretty mangy mutt when we got him.

Dogs have been on our minds for other reasons as well. Finding it hard to deal with the canine conditions here on Yap, some friends of ours here recently founded a non-profit called the Yap Animal Protection Society (Y.A.P.S. for short). Dogs (and cats) here receive the same treatment as they do in most of the developing world. They aren't treated as food in Yap (in contrast to Pohnpei State, where the capital city of Palikir is located), but they are badly neglected and live short and difficult lives.

Some lucky dogs are adopted by families who feed them scraps, but most are left to fend for themselves. We've seen dogs eating everything from coconuts to bananas to, on one unusual occasion, an entire turtle head. (Needless to say, the turtle head was almost more than KC could take.) We have a couple of local dogs who make the rounds to our house for scraps, and we're happy to do what we can to help them out.

Yap is too small to support a regular veterinary practice, so the goal of Y.A.P.S. is to fly in a vet this fall for a roundup and subsequent spay/neuter of as many dogs as possible. We know that many of our readers are pet lovers. If you have any interest in contributing (or if you are veterinarian interested in donating your time!), please visit www.yapsinc.org. Thanks for reading.

Snorkels Aweigh!

Last week, nearly 4 months after dropping it off at the post office, we finally got the last of the boxes that we shipped from Denver. We had been eagerly awaiting its arrival, so we were nonplussed when we saw the beating it had taken during its transpacific voyage. When we commented on the condition of the box, our friendly post office employee pointed to a hole and announced that a rat had likely taken up residence inside. This seemed possible since we had packed these boxes without regard to varmints. (As you may recall, USPS had told us that they would travel by plane and arrive in less than two weeks.)

We stood back a bit as we opened the box, unsure what we would find inside, but all was well. Although a bag of almonds had exploded inside, the remainder of the contents were in good shape, with nary a rat to be found.

One happy consequence of the delivery is that it contained our snorkeling gear. We’ve been out on the water on various kayaks and canoes a number of times since our arrival, but we hadn’t yet explored beneath the surface, where world-class scuba diving and snorkeling awaited.

This morning we hopped on a boat with a group of a scuba divers heading out from one of the local dive shops. Yap is famous in the diving community for its resident population of manta rays, and our

destination was Gufnuw channel, one of the two hotspots for seeing these giant creatures.

We followed the scuba divers into the water,

and within a couple of minutes we were lucky enough to spot several manta rays about 60 feet under the surface. This photo, with a manta passing just a few feet from one of the divers, provides a sense of scale. This was one of the smaller mantas, which can exceed 15 feet in wingspan.

In addition to manta rays, Gufnuw channel is flanked by a spectacular coral reef that is just a few feet beneath the surface at high tide. At low tide the water isn’t high enough to allow for easy swimming, but our timing was perfect and the snorkeling was spectacular. Due to a fogging problem on our camera’s underwater casing our pictures, unfortunately, were not. (The fogging is visible in the manta picture above -- the water clarity was much better than the photo represents). We can’t wait to get this fixed and head back out to the reef for more underwater photography.

We’re looking forward to more underwater adventures in the coming weeks and months, and we’re both planning on getting scuba-certified in short order.

Workin' for a Livin'

So far, we’ve blogged a lot about Yap, its people, and our own experiences on the island, but we’ve written very little about the jobs that brought us here. This is mainly because this topic is, in our opinion, somewhat boring. However, we’ve had some requests to delve into it further and, as lawyers, we’re not really afraid to be boring. So here goes.

Both of our jobs are actually pretty interesting. Matt works as an Assistant Attorney General for Yap State. His office is pretty small – the AG is in charge of two AAGs (Matt and one other American attorney), and two Yapese trial counselors. (The Colorado Office of the Attorney General, by way of comparison, has something on the order of 350 attorneys.) Matt works mainly on civil matters, leaving the criminal prosecutions to the others in the office. People do illegal things no matter where you are in the world, and Yap is no exception. Illegal fishing cases are common – here’s a picture of a Taiwanese longliner that was recently seized in a case that Matt is currently handling.


Dress at work is casual and, KC might argue, requires very little fashion sense.


In March, just 3 weeks after we arrived, Matt took the Federated States of Micronesia bar exam (for anyone who is counting – and that includes us – that’s now three bar exams: Colorado, Wyoming, FSM). Last week he was sworn in to the bars of both Yap State and the FSM. And just in time, too, since he had to appear in a hearing a scant two hours after the ceremony was over.


KC is a clerk for the Yap Division of the FSM federal court system. She works here.


The pace for KC is definitely different than her practice was in the United States, but she is enjoying her work. Working as a law clerk gives an attorney a chance to peek behind the curtain to see how decisions are made, and provides a perspective that can be extraordinarily helpful when one goes back to the real world.

Next month KC is headed to Chuuk, one of other states in the FSM, to assist her judge with two appeals that are being heard there. Matt won’t be able to accompany her on the trip. If he can avoid starving while she’s away, he’s looking forward to the fabulous pictures that she’s planning on bringing back.

A Field Guide to Yapese Locomotion, Part 2

In last week’s segment, we learned many of the particulars of driving in this part of the Western Pacific. This week, we’d like to discuss the actual vehicles that you may be driving – or in some cases, pushing – once you arrive for your stay in Yap. The vehicles that follow are presented as often as possible in their natural habitats. None were hurt during the creation of this blog entry…

The Rough ‘N Ready

The Rough ‘N Ready is a party bus on steroids. Surprisingly shy and reclusive, it is most comfortable in Yap’s backcountry, where it can put its giant tires and skid plates to good use. To lure the Rough ‘N Ready into the open, try watering your yard until it turns into a mud pit, and then stand around saying “Tut, tut, it looks like rain.”

The MacGyver

One of Yap’s most common species. These beauties are a testament to the ingenuity of their drivers and the wonders of duct tape. Beware when following The MacGyver down the road, particularly if you are in a well-conditioned vehicle. They tend to be ill-tempered, and will often lob flotsam in your direction out of spite.

The Disco Darling

Sporting 360 degrees of tint, this vehicle is ready to raise the roof and party until dawn. Indescribably vain, it will often slow to a crawl as it passes a bank of windows, or even another of its own kind, just to catch a glimpse of its lovely teal reflection. The Disco Darling is horribly high-maintenance, demanding weekly oil changes and tire rotations. Avoid at all costs if it has recently chipped its paint.

The Station Wagon

Yap’s people-moving workhorse, and rarely seen empty, the Yapese Station Wagon is the most gregarious of all Yapese vehicles. The Station Wagon just can’t seem to get enough of people, and will often cram as many as 8 into its tiny bed. Seating arrangements vary, but rest assured that none of them take safety into account.

The Toyota Hilux

If we were going to buy a truck, particularly if we had plans to take over a small African country, we would surely buy a fleet of Toyota Hiluxes. These trucks don’t seem to be available in the States, but they seem to be the most durable vehicles on earth. Before coming to Yap, we had only seen pictures of them in National Geographic, usually carrying a cadre of AK-47-toting militiamen. Here, thankfully, they are put to more peaceful use, and live all the longer for it.

The Zombie

What was once a MacGyver can often, and tragically, through benign neglect, quickly morph into the rolling dead. And really, rolling isn’t likely once the jungle has begun its relentless attack. Should the Zombies ever awaken and begin roaming the streets and byways on their stilted struts, let us all hope that they are less ill-tempered than The MacGyvers that they once were, and hope to become again. Otherwise, we are all doomed.

A Field Guide to Yapese Locomotion

The Yapese automobile, while neither rare nor dwindling in numbers, nonetheless belongs to a family all its own. The American driver, accustomed to his giant, Bluetooth-enabled suburban assault vehicle, equipped with amenities such as windows and seatbelts, may find himself at a loss when entering the wilds of the Yapese autobahn. It is for this reason that we offer this survival guide, intended to ease the transition of American visitors to the western Pacific.

Chapter 1: Road Conditions

Before visiting Yap, the American driver may wish to visit his local bombing range, preferably when exercises are taking place, in order to improve his reflexive steering ability. Sky-borne projectiles are a rarity in Yap, but with coconut palms aplenty, they are certainly not an impossibility. Craters are much more common. While the damage created by typical aircraft-borne ordnance pales in comparison to the average Yapese pothole, the thrill of participating in live-fire exercises is a fair substitute for driving certain sections of road, where a single misjudged turn may result in either a plunge into Davy Jones’ locker or shredded tires and automobile suspensions.

Chapter 2: Driving Techniques

Several points concerning technique should be considered by the aspiring Yapese driver. First, although the island-wide speed limit is 25 mph, to be caught going within 10 miles per hour of that speed will immediately mark one as an outsider. Thus, either 15 or 45 mph is perfectly acceptable. If you choose the lower end of the scale, you must ensure that you do so on blind corners, and where passing is permitted make sure that your speed and direction is variable enough to prevent approaching drivers from passing. If you opt for 45 mph and up, please ensure that you are prepared to explain that, because your speedometer is marked solely in kilometers per hour, you had no idea of your true speed.

Remember also: despite the fact that steering wheels are typically on the right, Yapese driving is nonetheless on the right side of the road. Sitting on the right side of the car has several distinct advantages. For example, when you open the car door to spit betelnut juice, you are less likely to hit oncoming traffic, although pedestrians are put at more risk. And speaking of pedestrians, remember that they do not have the right of way under any circumstances. One good way to remind them of this is by driving straight at them until they yelp and move out of the way. If you lack the gumption to play chicken with actual humans you can always practice with dogs, although the yelp often comes later under those circumstances.

Chapter 3: Safety

Whatever.

Chapter 4: Navigation

Yap’s roads are unnamed. This has the tendency to make navigation difficult, and providing or following directions next to impossible. To get to our house from Colonia, for example, you would drive around the Blue Lagoon and then up the big hill near the apartments. After the surface changes to dirt, keep an eye out for the road merging from the right. Turn right on that road, and then when you spot 3 large mango trees, turn into our driveway. Be sure to remember that any children who happen to be in the yard picking mangoes do not have the right of way.

To be continued…

A Quiet Week

We had quite a relaxing week this week. So relaxing, in fact, that we're at a little bit of a loss for things to write about as the new week begins. We hope to resume our regularly scheduled programming next week, but in the meantime thought that we would post some of our more interesting photographs from our time here. Neither of us has much experience in photography, but the way that the colors jump out in this part of the world sometimes makes it hard to take a bad picture. We've still managed to take quite a few bad ones, but having 8 gigabytes of storage in your digital camera provides a wide margin of error.

Aspiring Canoeist at Yap Day Celebration

Yap is the land of the tiny lizard

Not to mention the gorgeous flower

And the stray dog.

This a mangrove sapling reflected in the still waters of the the Blue Lagoon, in Colonia

Here is KC paddling an outrigger canoe, our most recently adopted activity. The paddling society meets on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. It's hard work but is tons of fun.