Following the project in Chuuk, I attended the annual consultation meeting between USA National Park Service and all the Micronesian Historic Preservation Offices in Pohnpei, FSM from August 11 to August 16.
I gave a presentation on the Chuuk Lagoon shipwrecks and some of the problems in their current management, which included how Chuukese value and use the wrecks in context with their social and economic situation. I also included a brief summary of the work we have carried out during the Earthwatch projects. This included details on the oil /diesel we found coming from the Hoyo Maru (see illustration--I estimated the leak to be around the kingpost in the middle of the ship). The Hoyo Maru is one of three oil tankers in Chuuk Lagoon and it had the capacity to carry 3,990,000 gallons of oil. The location of the leaking does look as if its related to this!!!!
Hoyo Maru
I compiled a brief report and together with copies of the DVD, disseminated them as widely as possible in the hope something will be done.
Further news is that EW Team 3 starting October 20 has been cancelled and Team 4 may or may not go ahead. I am hoping we can do Team 4 to consolidate the work, particularly looking more at the oil pollution issue.
Pohnpei is a great place to visit if you get back to Micronesia, great sunsets, and Nan Madol, the 1500 year old canal city is incredible and worth coming to Pohnpei, just to see it.
On of the many structures (but most intact) at Nan Madol
(yours truly with Dr Rufino Mauricio)
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