After a short acclimatization in Koror, our team of four, along with all our food and equipment, supplies for the island, and some returning Sonsorolese people board the Kenzing II which will take us to Sonsorol. Once we arrive 24 hours later, everything needs to be transferred to a smaller boat to be taken ashore, and each trip needs to navigate through a small channel through the fringing coral reef. Having unloaded all the equipment and people off the ship, we’re the last ones to head to shore. As we navigate the swells and get inside the reef, our boat driver Paco (the Lieutenant Governor of Sonsorol State) says excitedly “Hey boys, welcome to Sonsorol!” From the moment we step ashore, we feel the same level of excitement and welcoming from the whole community. We can feel how much the people want the project to succeed. Throughout our stay on Sonsorol, it feels like barely a day goes by without someone sharing something with us- from a coffee in the morning, a coconut or banana, to local delicacies such as fresh fish they have caught, or tama- delicious fried donuts, which are made even better with the addition of the locally produced coconut syrup!
The other thing gives us a warm welcome is the climate. Stepping out of the air-conditioned confines of the ship and onto shore feels like walking into a sauna; moving our equipment from the boat landing site up to the State Office where we’re based quickly turns into a sweatfest. The evening is a bit of a haze of finding and unpacking fish bins full of food, equipment and personal items we’ll need for the coming two months. We all crash out that evening, content to be on Sonsorol and excited for the adventure ahead. Since I identify more as a hermit crab than a colonial seabird, I opt for the solitude (and mosquito proofness) of a waterfront tent site, and the sounds of the ocean lull me to a warm yet peaceful sleep.
The next morning I jump at the opportunity to head out fishing with some of the locals. The Sonsorolese people have been sustainably fishing for centuries, and as such, healthy oceans and coral reefs aren’t a nice-to-have for these people; they are essential for their lives and culture. The connection between healthy island and marine ecosystems is well known; by restoring the ecological balance on land, we allow connector species such as seabirds to thrive. These seabirds eat fish out at sea, then come ashore to breed, rest, and feed their young; whilst ashore, they add nutrients and enrich the soil through their guano. Some of these nutrients are then washed back out to sea, which in turn helps to build healthy marine ecosystems, and ultimately leading to more fish in the sea. The fish we catch this time are shared out evenly amongst everyone on the island; sashimi all around!
