Day 314, Year 1: Rainmaker Mountain Lives Up To Its Reputation
Date: Sunday, August 27, 2006
Weather: Stormy, Windy Day
Location: Pago Pago Harbor, Tutuila Island, American Samoa
As we sit here in the Pago Pago harbor, Rainmaker Mountains looms above us. And it is living up to its reputation as a rainmaker. Last night when I wrote the log I said that I thought the weather was clearing. Well, that was just the calm before the storm. Almost as soon as Mark hit the send key, the winds and rain returned with a vengeance. We had periods of hard rain and winds up to thirty knots all night. Today the winds gusted into the twenties, but it feels like they are increasing again. The American Samoa National Weather Service says we will have this weather for another day. Then they are predicting three days with variable to almost no wind. And then who knows. George and Barbara from Gdansk arrived today after a rough trip from Suwarrow in the Northern Cook Islands. They had heavy wind and rain most of the way here. George said that wherever they sail this year, the Convergence Zone follows. We have gone different directions, but we feel the same way. The South Pacific is having a turbulent season. Penny and Greg of Long Tall Sally arrived three days ago and they reported the same. They were also in Suwarrow in the Northern Cooks before coming here and they said that two boats there were blown on the reef on a particularly stormy night. Both were recovered without significant damage, but it is a scary thought. Doug and Sylvie from Windcastle are still in Bora Bora, and they have not been able to move their boat due to bad weather. They reported that one boat there actually sunk. So this crazy weather seems to be everywhere in the South Pacific these days. The man who runs the NOAA Observatory here, Mark, told us that scientists are perplexed with what is happening out here. The weather is not following normal patterns and they do believe it all has to do with global warming. He said that many still don’t want to believe there is such a thing, but something is making the ocean temperature warmer down here!
We were in the cockpit late this afternoon when the computer rang. I still have difficulty getting used to the idea that I can get a telephone call on my computer, but I love the technology that makes this possible. Today’s call was from Alan and Helaine Kanegsberg back in Concord. They have a camera attached to their computer, so we can also see them when we talk. Helaine had on a heavy sweatshirt and explained that there has been a little cool weather. Yikes! It is too early for this.
We were going to do more island touring with our friend Evelyn today, but the weather just didn’t cooperate. Tomorrow we are supposed to go to the Historic Preservation Office at 10 AM and be taken on a personalized tour of a well preserved star mound. I’ll explain what this is, even though I think tomorrow’s trip might have to be delayed until Tuesday if this weather continues.
Star mounds are “tia seu lupe” which translates as “earthen mound to catch pigeons”. The one we will see in Tafuna tomorrow has a particularly unique connecting platform and great views of Matafao Peak, the highest in American Samoa. More than 140 different mounds have been found throughout the Samoan islands. These mounds can be any where from 18 to 90 feet in length and are up to 9 feet high. Some have as many as 11 ray-like projections from the center-thus the name star mound. Evidently at one time, pigeon-catching was a very popular sport and the event always involved lots of festivity. There are archaeologists who believe that the mounds had to do with much more than pigeon-catching. They have evidence to suggest that ceremonies took place on these mounds-marriage, warfare, and healing. These archaeologists believe that the importance of a chief or matai was expressed through these mounds and that supernatural power or mana was expressed here. Some believe these mounds are centers of energy. Hey, maybe I’ll go to this star mound tomorrow and invoke some sort of special healing power for this leg of mine!
