Through the Atolls of Micronesia

In addition to Yap and Palau, we were fortunate to be able to stop by Ulithi Atoll and Sorol Atoll, two of the outer islands of Yap in Micronesia on our recent travels.

Ulithi is the most well connected of the outer islands (and is most senior in the traditional chiefly ranking) whereas Soros has for some years now been an uninhabited atoll.

Much of the outer islands remain a remote area and permissions from the "Council of Tamol" (a council of chiefs) is required to visit. The chief of Ulithi wisely requested photos of people and homes are not published, thus we have not included any of those photos.

Having lived on an outer island of Yap for some months many years ago it was lovely to return and remember that experience, and also to be able to share that with the young travellers, including an audience with the chief of Mogmog island on Ulithi.

The intensity of the heat, humidity and colours were much as remembered - the blue of the ocean there just seems somehow more intense. Whilst the subsistence lifestyle remains front and centre the arrival of Starlink and ability to have video calls from even these remote places is an enormous change from sporadic shortwave radio communication in 2001.

The vast open expanse of the Pacific enveloping the tiny green islands underlines the minute size and precarious nature of atoll life, even on a large atoll like Ulithi. It was a surprise to see a segment of rainbow on the right in an otherwise clear sky.

When the conditions are calmer, the coral gardens around the atoll islets can be clearly seen through the surface.

Onshore on Ulithi, pathways edged with lilies and the ubiquitous coconut palms run between the small settlement areas.

The Coconut Palm is of central importance to the way of life here and has many uses, including (amongst many others) the production of tuba (fermented coconut sap which is traditionally consumed by men gathered at the men's house in the evening) and also the collection of coir and copra for various uses.

Ulithi in particular has a lot of naval history. For a period in World War II it was actually the largest naval base in the world. The number of ships at anchor peaked at an amazing 722 prior to the US fleet's departure for Okinawa. This photo shows part of the fleet anchored in Ulithi in 1944. Photo courtesy of the US Navy and NARA Collection.

Remnants and wreckage from this era, now encrusted in coral can still be seen right up into the shallows of the lagoon today.

Just as with land visits, it is necessary to have permission to snorkel or dive on Ulithi, and the chief kindly directed us to an area of reef not far from Mogmog for this and we were fortunate to have quite clear water.

Some of the coral bommies in this area had large clouds of silversides around them, and even more dense groups sheltering in the dark recesses inside and underneath. Some bleaching was evident but it thankfully appeared limited to date. With such a big lagoon it is exciting to think what else there may be for others to find with further exploration.

Moving south from Ulithi we came to the now uninhabited and rarely visited atoll of Sorol.

The fragility as well as beauty of this remote region were on full display here. We waded ashore onto a beautiful beach rich in nature, but also scattered plastic waste, and even motorcycle helmets and fragments of fridges. This all comes from far afield with the ocean currents and simply accumulates. A poignant reality check to see so much waste gathered in such a remote place.

It's not just plastic waste that washes up. This fishing platform is likely to have come from the Philippines.

Beyond the border of sea cabbage, the interior is thick with sprouting coconuts, ferns and spider webs everywhere. With the thick vegetation the air is completely still and hugely humid. It doesn't take long for the tiny mosquitoes to make their presence known, however, thankfully they are not the only inhabitants.

Without much disturbance the islands are home to large populations of seabirds including red footed boobies and frigatebirds.

Moving below the surface to explore the outside of the barrier reef we found impressive jagged rock features and steep walls, again with good visibility.

There was less diversity of coral growth in this outer reef area but the rock formations more than made up for that.

A coral there did seem to be a lot of under ledges and overhangs was what we think may be a species of Lace Coral (Stylaster sp.). As a type of coral that does not host zooxanthellate algae or rely on algal photosynthesis, Stylaster are not subject to bleaching and are a 'brooding' coral - i.e. they do not disperse widely in reproduction. Whether these snowflake white corals are in fact healthy individuals is not clear, but there was certainly a large population.

In such clear conditions with the sunrays pentrating far down the reef walls it is easy to get drawn deeper and further by the glimpses of larger sharks and pelagic in the blue water below, but the slow and steady ascent and safety stop always beckons sooner than one hopes...