Dear Friends and Family,

This was our greeting in Truk, or Chuuk (pronounced Chook). These performers were just outside the terminal in their traditional costumes, singing and dancing a Trukese greeting.  We stayed in the Blue Lagoon Resort and we were very glad we did.  It is the best on the island. We came because of the famous Truk lagoon, a wreck diver’s dream. There are remnants of the Japanese occupation of this island state hidden in the jungles as well. During the Japanese occupation of Truk from 1914 to the end of WW II, the lagoon was a great harbor and during WWII, the Japanese had their fleet in the lagoon. Often battleships and aircraft carriers came to the lagoon to be provisioned. On Feb. 17 and 18, 1944, US planes bombed all the ships in the lagoon being launched from 5 Aircraft carriers. Operation Hailstone is often called the US response to Pearl Harbor.

So today there are 82 ships sunk in the lagoon which were only rediscovered in the 1970’s by a witness of the war and bombing Kimiuo Aisek. Kimiuo also started the Blue Lagoon Dive shop, first on the island and bought the former Continental Hotel and renamed it the Blue Lagoon resort. So Susan dove on wrecks!  8 ships and two planes to be exact. The photos below chronicle a small part of the dives.  The most amazing find at 129 feet below, is the Japanese tank, still anchored to the deck and in perfect shape, frozen in time.  There was Japanese porcelain, lots of bullets, bombs, torpedos, big guns.  Depicted below is a Japanese Zero in the hold of one ship. That ship, the Fujiama, was actually in Pearl Harbor and refueled the Japanese carriers and planes. Outside the ships were a 4 engine Emily and 2 engine Betty. There were also lots of gas masks.  The memorial in the photo is to Kimiuo who passed awayat 74 years old,  but left such a legacy both diving and on development in Truk.

Today the ships are fantastic coral reefs, vibrant with coral and fish. Diving the wrecks are not only protected but are the main tourist attraction on the island. Our hotel room being on the Blue Lagoon resort, was right on the lagoon.  Old Japanese bunkers were all over the property which we explored by kayak. We also marched into the steaming jungle to see the Japanese Command center and huge bunkers.  Today families live in the bunkers. Most of the local villages have no electricity or running water.  Water is collected from the rain. The locals have outhouses for bathrooms. The villagers are friendly and curious. All that being said,  Jim did get to watch the Super bowl in another hotel in town that had a satellite dish.  Amazing!  We also had delicious food at the resort, out favorite, the very fresh Skip Jack tuna sashimi. If the rains allowed, we had stunning sunsets. We also met  some very interesting travelers in the hotel and diving or snorkeling.

Even though Truk is a long way from home, it was well worth the visit.  You should all add this lovely island to your travel lists.  You will not be sorry.

Our next stop will Majuro in the Marshall Islands.  So until then, remember to be good to yourselves.

Cheers,

Susan and Jim