Daydreaming Of Micronesia

As the weather begins to cool down here, I'm thinking about my favorite lagoon. It's in the tiny, Micronesian island nation of Chuuk (formerly known as Truk). I'm thinking about sitting on the sandy beach at the Truk Blue Lagoon Resort on the island of Moen (which is also known locally as Weno), and looking out across the blue, placid water of one of the world's largest lagoons. It is sweltering hot, so cold beer is practically a survival necessity.

To the left are the islands of Fefan and Tonoas, and tiny little motu islets far in the distance that are barely large enough to support two coconut palm trees. Far across the water is the high island of Tol, where I once met and interviewed an old woman about Chuukese magic practices while kids climbed coconut trees for a fresh snack.

The Chuuk lagoon is one of the great wreck-diving sites in the world, but these remote islands are not without their share of problems. The last time I went there, in 1999, there was a banner erected near the airport across the main drive that announced, "Let's Wipe Out Leprosy on Chuuk by the Year 2000!" I sincerely hope they succeeded in their efforts. Like many Micronesian islands under American influence, the main island of Moen/Weno was crowded and noisy with too many cars driving poorly maintained roads, and too much American fast food and strip malls arriving for a piece of the tourism pie.

But on Fefan and Tol, the people were still living simple lives, fishing and cultivating breadfruit for subsistence. Remnants of the war, like concrete bunkers and old guns, still appear in the jungle. Underwater, the wrecks of Japanese ships and planes from World War II were covered in corals and sponges, reclaimed by the sea after they were sunk and making for exquisite dives.

I've got to get back to Chuuk soon, and revisit my lagoon. I think it is one of the most peaceful and loveliest places I've ever seen.