Two new videos today. The first of laundry done Pagan style. The lack of a clean freshwater source is one of the things that makes living on Pagan slightly more difficult than living on other Mariana islands, many of which have streams and creeks.  Rainwater collection (and transport of some water) has sufficiently supported the island’s populations throughout the twentieth century. Before the eruption in 1981, there was even a freshwater pipe system that brought rainwater from a tank on the mountainside directly into many of the family homes (these homes and tank were destroyed or buried in ash during and after the eruption). The pipe system was built with the help of the Seabees who were involved in helping create infrastructure with the local population.

The freshwater lens on Pagan is very thin, so the well we pull water from in the video is brackish. Not fresh enough for drinking, but perfect for showers, laundry, dishes, and maybe even cooking (Pete and I occasionally cooked with salt water while under way too). The wash bins we used are buoys that were found on the east side of the island, having floated in from a Pacific cruise of their own. They were brought back to camp and cut in half longways and made great wash bins.  It took a bit longer than your regular load of wash in a machine, (we also just had a lot of very dirty, soot-encrusted clothes), but we had good fun doing our well water, outdoor laundry.

The second video is a compilation of shots from all around the island.  This island is the most strikingly beautiful place I have ever visited.