(26 Dec. 86) I flew to Legan midway up the west reef. Accompanying me was Constable Nenam. The day started out cloudy but then the sun broke through later that morning. And yes, The weatherman had predicted otherwise and I believed him again. All of the tracking equipment, BC-4 ballistic cameras, optics and our security trailer are on the southern tip of the island. The rest of the heavily forested strip extends northward for a thousand yards. A little harbor on the east side and the tracking equipment are protected from the strong easterlies by a coral rock barrier and a jetty.
I decided to walk around the island, starting on the lagoon side. There are several large hardwood trees on the south end next to a perfect little sandy beach. The one negative is the standard collection of debris that has washed ashore from passing ships or been discarded by Marshallese. It does detract from the otherwise Eden-like quality of this lush green island.
Snowy white fairy terns perched a few feet away in some 0f the trees. Every few seconds they would leave their perches and fly around nervously before landing again. All the while their coal-black beady eyes kept me under surveillance, perhaps checking to see if I were carrying any sharp coral rocks. After leaving the beach area I followed a path recently cut out of the thick jungle growth. The uncut section of greenery formed a mesh-like net several feet thick that would keep you from any forward movement. Underneath, thousands of coral rocks scattered across the island made walking a chore.
The bulk of the island is covered with vegetation: hardy shrubs, flowers, coconut trees, Pandanus, kudzu-like vines and fairly large trees of two types. One appears to be similar to the Kangnal trees on Eniwetak across the lagoon, though not as tall. The other one has a black, rough-textured bark and a thick trunk. The Fairy terns are plentiful throughout the island.
A small marsh is in the center of the island but the underbrush is so thick that I decided to skip that area. I returned to the southern end of Legan and a patch of white and yellow flowers. Some thirty yards away a large microwave tower rose above the coconut palms. Two types of butterflies moved about the flower beds, the same two types that I found on Carlos. And like those on Carlos, I couldn’t find one that had not been battle-scared.
My constable Nenam spent much of his time sleeping. He said that he and his family, which includes a wife, four daughters and a son, spent all day Christmas at church, listening to groups from different atolls compete in a jebta (singing contest) on Ebeye. There were so many groups, he said, that the singing continues today.
Filed under: Almost Paradise Volume 2
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