P-MAN XIII Update #30 - Working through the SSS target list and a hike with Jolie

03 April

Today was a mixed day that started with going out to the store for resupply.

We reviewed an old interview we just had transferred from a piece of media we could not use here (mini-DV that was created by Pat's camera, which was stolen last year), to a medium we could use. The subject of the interview lived on Peleliu and has since died, but his brother knows the story of what we are looking for.

We futzed around with the SSS unit in review mode. We need more schooling.

We headed out and did SSS reacquires and made dives on them off Aimeliik. Stiff wind and waves made SSS work difficult.

We sent down Joe and Derek on the first dive: the clump hit the mark, but the mark turned out to be a coral outcropping.

Derek gearing up.

Derek and Joe come up from their dive.

We sent Joe and Molly on the second dive: if the clump hit the mark, the mark was really reflective bottom sand. Joe found clams where clams shouldn't be. Hmmm...

A big rain squall came bearing down on us for the second day in a row. We packed up the boat and headed home.

We debriefed at Sam's, but since it was raining, sunset wasn't as spectacular as we had hoped. We made arrangements with Jolie to hike the jungle tomorrow near a Marine Corsair crash site that we located last year, and show her some ancient stuff.

We went out to the new steakhouse for dinner. I think we'll go back to the Palm Bay Bistro for comparison shopping.

Stopped at Bem Ermii for Flip's only shake of the trip: mocha. He likes to brag about discipline.

Everyone crashed really early.

04 April

Flip was the breakfast chef today: breakfast sandwiches of bagel, cream cheese, egg, corned beef hash and avocado. Turkey bacon for Molly as she tries to limit her intake of all the good breakfast meats. And that was the last of the turkey bacon on the island.

Joe met us at the hotel. Jolie Liston, Palau's resident archaeologist, met us out in Aimeliik at the baseball field. Then we drove up to a spot north of the location where last year we found bits and pieces of a Marine Corsair. Our plan today was to show Jolie things we saw last year, that we think is old stuff. Although we are looking for more modern things, we go places no one else goes. Therefore we see things no one else ever sees. Jolie likes hiking with us. Then after that, we planned on heading to the crash site and seeing if we could expand the debris field. We haven't found any big pieces of the airplane, for example the motor or anything else of real significance. Although it could have been salvaged, it's in the middle of the jungle. Who would do such a silly thing? Then again, we got there.

So into the jungle we went. Up hills, down hills, across streams, through streams, and then up a hill that kept on going.

On one hill, looking at another.

Wesley taking the plunge into the jungle.

"GPS Goddess" Molly, doing her thing.

Jolie in her trademark pink accessories.

A shelf? Yes, I know. Might be looking at clouds.

Another cut out of the rock.

Jolie tells us that ancient Palauans would carve statues, and hide them all over the island. If they were wood, they're long gone. But if stone, they could be found. Those that have been found seem to have made their way back to Germany as this was a German possession up until World War One. What Jolie can definitively tell us is that this is certainly man made, she's never seen anything like this before and that there is lots more stuff covered by the jungle to be found. She's finishing her dissertation so her work here is kinda coming to an end. For now anyway.

Along the way to this cliff wall, we showed her mounds of stones and what we thought were old roads. She agrees that again, these things are man made and could be ancient artifacts. Now if we could only find some pottery there.

We headed down to Ngatpang State Dock, had lunch and figured we were done for the day. We'll do more work on the Marine Corsair site on another day.

Stopped by the Department of Corrections Prisoner Gift Shop. They make story boards there. They were beautiful. But they seemed a bit pricey. What's the point of prisoner labor if you can't reduce costs to the consumer!?!

Everyone is feeling pretty tired from the hike today. Of course it did not rain to help keep us cool. We all used up our water and gatorade rations.

Dinner will be a low key affair tonight. Tomorrow will be a day to hunt down some people in Koror so that we can interview them. And we're going to be on TV. At 7pm Palauan time. I think it is broadcast on the Internet. They want to get the word out to the local Palauans about what we are doing, and how to get a hold of us if they have any information.

- Flip

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