Gym's Ramblings: Ambling into American Samoa

After leaving Tonga on May 22, 2018, the Insignia spent 38 hours at sea and arrived at Pago Pago in American Samoa, on May 23, 2018. If you are doing the math you will have realized that the ship crossed the International Date Line and Gym and his lovely sidekick were able to re-live a full day. Now, instead of being 19 hours ahead of Calgary they were all of a sudden 5 hours behind Calgary. That all makes sense, right? Suffice it to say, they vowed to make the second May 23rd better than the first one.

Gym's first thoughts about American Samoa were related to a Head and Shoulders shampoo commercial of a few years ago. In that commercial Troy Polamalu shows how he keeps his long American Samoan hair clean and dandruff free. Gym didn't meet any Polamalus on the island but he and his wonderful travelling companion did meet some real American Samoan characters.

Gym and Mrs. Gym went on a short tour that started with a stop for a traditional Samoan welcoming ceremony. This involves drinking Kava. Pacific Islanders use Kava to loosen up before these important social gatherings, instead of alcohol. Kava is the crushed up root and stem of some tropical plant and it tastes a bit like loam but Pacific Islanders have revered it for centuries and the preparation and drinking of the Kava, at the welcoming ceremony, is a critical element thereof. Other elements involve the chief's unwed daughter helping mix the Kava, toasts to the visiting chief and the local chief, some dancing and a lot of oratory from the local chief. After that, Gym and Mrs. Gym were welcome.

The tour carried on and the adventurers visited the Tsunami Memorial in Leone, called the Leone Healing Garden. There they met Chief Tony and his wheelbarrow. Chief Tony was out picking up trash around the memorial site. On September 29, 2009, Leone and the whole southern coasts of American Samoa and Samoa were inundated by a 14-meter tsunami created by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake. That earthquake was the strongest measured in 2009. The tsunami resulted in a significant loss of life, 189 people in total were killed, and many were children. Now, all along the highway are blue signs that remind everyone that if they feel an earthquake, they are to immediately head to higher ground.

The 'ILI'ILI Golf and Country Club was the next stop. Yes, this is a small island and you'd think that a golf course would be out of the question but there it was, a full 18 holes of USGA-rated fairways and greens. And that golf course looked pretty nice. The most amazing thing about it though was the price, green fees are $5 US per round and $20 US for a golf cart. Gym has been paying too much in Calgary.

The last stop was at the village of Fatumafuti. This lucky village looks out on two offshore islets called Fatu and Futi. Samoan legend has it that these volcanic remnants were once two lovers from Samoa who were forbidden to marry in their native land, so they paddled their canoe to Tutuila and it sank just short of the goal. Apparently, some witch doctor's spell turned them to stone because they did not arrive safely in Tutuila. In any event, they are very picturesque.

The Insignia would pull out of Pago Pago that evening and Gym and Mrs. Gym would begin the last leg of their 2018 adventure. They had had nice weather since Tonga and were told to expect more of the same over the next 60 hours or so, before anchoring in Bora Bora on May 26th.