The "pools" of Kwajalein

Hello Everyone,

Hope you are all doing well and staying warm back home. I see on the news it is very cold where most of you are! Kevin and I do not miss that, although I think Kevin is longing to be on a ski slope somewhere.

Anyhoot, I have attached more photos for your viewing pleasure. I wanted to show you all the Japanese/American "pools" I was referring to in the last blog. The first photo shows the "pools" at high tide, can't see them at all, which is why you go snorkeling in them at low tide. The second photo on the right shows the "pools" at low tide, this is when we would go out snorkeling. You have to wear little booties on your feet to walk out to the "pools", that is coral and rock you are looking at up to the water. Coral is very dangerous if you get cut by it, apparently wants to grow in you. (I keep picturing Kevin and I turning into those sailors on the pirate boat in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean)!

These "pools" were created by the Japanese and American soldiers during WWII, they dug out the coral to expand Kwajalein. We live on an area from the dug out coral. We are not allowed to plant anything in the ground, all plant life must be in some type of container. The palm trees are basically the only plant growing in the ground and some weeds trying to pass as grass.

The weeds growing as grass makes playing golf out here challenging. If you hit the ball in the rough, good luck finding it and if you are able to find it, good luck hitting it out. This must be what it is like for the pro's playing on the British open. Between the wind gusts and the grass, I should have an amazing golf game on other courses! :)

The other interesting thing about golf out here is that no pesticides are used on the course. If the course used any pesticides they would soak into the island water supply. There is a lens well under the island which is a pocket or lens of fresh water that rests above the salt water. It takes several years to develop but once tapped through a well can be used as a source of fresh water. This is how we get the bulk of our fresh water. The golf course sits on top of a part of the lens well, so no pesticides, therefore lots of weeds on the course.

Today I am off to my first stained glass class. I am excited to learn how to do this, although there is not much artistic ability in me, I am hopeful. I am suppose to make a sailboat, I'll let you all know how that goes.

All our best,

Beth & Kevin