Sunrise Catchers & Dolphins

There are great rewards in being an early morning riser. One of them is catching a sunrise on Saipan. Funny how you'd think catching a sunrise is relaxing but sometimes racing down Middle Road at 5:30 am to make it in time is stressful! Sunrise usually is around 6 am. My favorite place to catch sunrise so far is Bonzai Cliff in the Northern part of the island. Its about a 15 minute drive from where I live.

It's true that no two sunrises are ever the same. Some of them are electrifying and some just peak through the clouds. Its rainy season and the clouds are out. If you're patient and willing to wait sometimes in the rain to see when the morning sun breaks through the clouds . . . it is a spectacular site. I don't know how anyone can live on this island and not experience a sunrise atleast once a week. If I could, I'd watch it everyday but I'm usually swimming or running that early.

Monday morning Greg and I spotted a pod of atleast 20 Spinner Dolphins making their way across bonzai and towards Bird Island!! How lucky were we. They looked really small but really playful. We were so excited since this was the first time we ever saw dolphins in Saipan! Sorry no pics of the dolphins. They were hard to capture since they blended in with the waves. We also saw two turtles below us just riding the waves.

There is this other spot near bonzai where the fishermen sit above the cliffs and fish. I really love this spot because it gives you a clear view of the sunrise, bonzai cliff, and suicide cliff. You also can dangle your feet while sitting on the cliff ledge which is about 100 ft from the waves crashing below. Such a sweet site.

Plenty Turtles, Neh!

It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Angelo invited me to watch the Division of Fish and Wildlife release some hatchlings into the ocean before sunset. Where? I won't tell you since there are some locals that hunt for these Green Sea Turtle eggs for dinner. Cinta and some the Kaipat clan later joined us.

There were a total of one hundred and six eggs on the beach. Some hatched before we got there, nine were dead, BUT fifteen were still in the nest! They were wild and all over the place. We watched all of them scramble towards the ocean some climbing on top of one another in a frenzy. One big herd heading for the deep blue sea to start their new life. Will they survive on their own? I don't know. I hope so. It was my first time to experience this and I'm so lucky that I got to see it first hand.

I read Mai's blog this afternoon and she talks about all the other missionaries leaving Saipan to continue on with their life as they pursue their dreams. We started the year together and now . . . it's time to say goodbye. This happens every year at the SDA School. A team of Student Missionaries come out to teach at the school for a year and then most will leave. It seems as if Saipan is a transition stage for most. I think it is a transition stage for me. Being here has taught me to lean on God when there is no way out and there is no one left. It has made me stronger as a Christian and as an individual.

Who knows when we will see each other again. All I know is that the memories and friendships I have made here in Saipan will last a lifetime. Though we are all going our seperate ways I know that God will take care of us. Living in Saipan continually reminds me to keep trusting in God . . . though I cannot see what is ahead. I know that He has great plans for me and those who believe in Him. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Palau Dive Trip 2007

Crystal inspired me to finish my slide show. You can check out more amazing underwater pictures of Palau on her blog here
. My trip to Palau was everything I expected and more! We spent four nights and five days on Palau. Most of the time we were diving and exploring under water so we didn't get a chance to explore the island as much. When I come back I want to spend a couple of days just checking out the waterfalls and sights in Palau.

The "show" underwater is indescribable. There is so much going on that I didn't know what to focus on. There were countless sharks, turtles on every corner, and plenty of fish everywhere! Not to mention the colorful soft coral and giant clams. It was amazing! This trip was the first time I took my own underwater pictures. Snapping pictures underwater is alot harder than I thought. I had a hard time because the current was so strong and the fish were really fast. Now I have a new found respect for underwater photographers. I guess I just need more practice.

I think the best thing about traveling and scuba diving is the people that you meet along the way. We dived with people who came from South Africa, England, and Germany. All of them had some great diving experiences to share with us. I love to hear about their life stories and where they have come from. It really is fascinating how everyone has their own story. I also have to say that if you ever dive in Palau . . . ask for our divemaster, Dexter. Dexter did such a great job planning our daily dives. We dove three days with three dives each day. He really made sure we got the best out of each dive and I felt really safe with him around.

My new found love is traveling and scuba diving so expect to see more pictures of my adventures underwater. God is bringing me to new places everyday and I'm just so thankful for the life He has blessed me with.