How to describe the rock islands?
In geologic terms: Picture a volcano in the middle of the Pacific. Many, many years later the volcano slowly collapses back into the sea, leaving behind an underwater island. The underwater island becomes an ecosystem of coral. Another few hundred millennia go by and the amount of volcanic rock decreases while the coral continues to build on itself, forming solid coral islands where the volcanic atoll used to be. Then, after many slow changes, a sudden one. A tectonic event shoots the coral islands back above the surface.
In biological terms: The land is still made coral—great for fish, bad for plants. So the coral islands are slowly covered in plants that can survive with little or no soil: coconut trees, mangroves...and not much else. The rür flower, the semi-official flower of Palau, blooms here too.
There are a few small land animals that make the rock islands their homes: coconut crabs, innumerable other types of crabs, some not-so-colorful butterflies. The rock islands, of course, are surrounded by their own lovely coral gardens and make for great snorkeling.
In color-ological terms: Blues and greens. So many blues and greens that my sad little point-and-shoot camera just can’t capture them. But I’ll keep trying.
In terms of the other weekend: I had the good fortune to find myself on two boat trips to the islands. The first was with some nice folks willing to share their boat with Megan and me. It’s particularly nice being on a non-tour boat: you can go where you want on your own schedule. We went to Milky Way, a tiny cove with a white muddy bottom. The mud is supposed to have fountain-of-youth qualities, so we rubbed it all over our bodies (picture forthcoming). It smelled sulfurous. And apparently some folks in East Asia pay upwards of $100 an ounce for it. Market. Fail.
After Milky Way, we were going to head to Margie’s Beach (a beach which is the source of much litigation between Margie and the government), but there was another boat anchored there. So instead we went and found this island, which we had to ourselves.
Yup. Our own tiny rock island, at least for the afternoon. A great spot for lunch and snorkeling!
The next day, I went with a larger group to the islands. The weather was uncooperative, but it was still beautiful. We snorkeled our little hearts out. The most impressive snorkel spot was Big Drop-Off, which is where the reef, as you might expect, drops off. I was hoping we’d see a shark or two, but I still haven’t seen a single damn shark in this supposed shark sanctuary! There was an impressive array of fish though!
Ryan and Holly treasure the rare feeling of being cold in Palau.
On the way back, we approached Little Coral Arch, a natural coral archway that doesn’t look large enough for a boat to go through. But that didn’t stop our driver. We went full speed through the arch. I’m pretty sure one of the other passengers took a video in which I can be heard swearing like an angry sailor at the driver and pretty much everyone else.
The rock islands epitomize Palau’s natural beauty. I don’t have the words (and definitely not the pictures) to do them justice. But if you come visit, we can go see them!
Purty purty!
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