3/2/14 Suicide Cliff
With several weeks of rain and strong wind, we decide to avoid possibly muddy trails, and stick to a road hike. An early walk up to Suicide Cliff should give us a healthy workout, and also a good view. Everyone is warned to be prepared for rain. Our meeting point is the big Taotaomona tree at the junction of Pale Arnold Road and Kalebera Road.
Ten happy hikers meet at the tree and proceed up the hill: Rebecca, Sparky, Lek, Emily, WonderWoman, PT Shelly, Rexplorer, Ewok, and Thor on the path to Suicide Cliff. this is the only group picture taken on this hike. Maybe the wind is strong and we are having too much fun socializing, as a result very few photos are taken.
A whole colony of mud wasps "homes" on this tree trunk.
Ewok holding court at the top of Suicide Cliff while we have our usual snack time. Peppy is partially visible to his left. Peppy and Giggles join the group by biking up to the top of the Cliff. Rebecca and WonderWoman in the background. The temperature is pleasant and the breeze is strong. Rexplorer takes a group of adventure seekers to check out a hidden trail that leads to the highest peak at Suicide Cliff, called Pidos Kahalo, while the rest of the group heads back down hill.
We notice a large cairn besides some pepper plants. Thor strikes a pose to show how big the structure is.
Rexplorer and his explorers rejoin us on the way down. Sparky, Rexplorer, WonderWoman, Lek, and Rebecca enjoy the side trip. Although the hike is on the paved road, we enjoy the cool weather without a single drop of rain.
3/9/14 Naftan Cave
The improved weather is encouraging for us to venture back out to the trails, and visit a cave overlooking the ocean. Our starting point is at Hawaiian Rock Quarry. Since some hikers are not familiar with that location, we decide to meet at Herman's Bakery on Airport Road. By the time we arrive, Bruiser and Sherpa-Jane are already enjoying donuts and coffee inside the bakery. We are soon joined by Dora and Cowboy, Thor and Sparky, and Ewok. Our little caravan head to Hawaiian Rock. By the time we reach the camp, Spicegirl and Scout also arrive with Boy dog, who looks very handsome with his new harness.
We begin on the Naftan trail.
Partway on the Naftan trail we find a long overhanging rock. Evidence of smoke stained "roof" could mean this area has been used long ago as a shelter.
Thor, Dora, Cowboy, Sherpa, Sparky, and Rexplorer on Naftan trail. Soon we turn right for the lower trail above Obyan. At the end of the lower trail is the entrance to the cave.
Rexplorer helps Thor lower herself down this steep drop and careful not to get cut on the sharp coral rocks. The blue rope is already in place to assist.
Sparky tries the frontal descending technique on the upper drop.
Coming down on the second drop, the other way works better. We are fortunate that the rocks are quite dry and not as slippery as they would have been when wet.
Our first glimpse of the cave windows. Rexplorer is approaching toward the upper chamber.
Meanwhile, Cowboys helps Dora down the first drop-off.
One of our favorite activities: taking each other's pictures.
Rexplorer nears the edge of the cave, a silhouette against the aqua blue ocean below.
Sherpa-Jane, Thor, Ewok, and Sparky relaxing in the cave chamber enjoying the view. Sparky sitting close to the edge. Thor wants to bring a book and read the day away...
Down in the main cave chamber, Scout takes a photo of the love-birds Cowboy and Dora. Spicegirl is listening to Boy who is not able to come down to the cave. The drop off is too steep and high, and Boy is now too heavy to be carried down :-(
Waves rise up to the ledge and then drop like mini waterfalls.
Looking out the window, we can see Tinian across the channel. Today the water is fairly calm. One can imagine how the channel would have looked like a week ago when white caps were within the lagoon, and how the howling wind would have sounded like in this cave.
On the other side of the chamber is this rugged rocky formation facing a much larger window to the ocean. Scout has the whole view to himself.
View from the smaller window where the main chamber is. Tinian is to the left in the distance. Rexplorer contemplates his next move.
Ewok decides to leave with Rexplorer, ahead of the group. We take their picture separately from our group photo.
We spend some time looking at the changing colors of the water, depending on whether the sun is out or behind the clouds. For a moment we see a turtle floating on the surface of the water, but it quickly descends back to the deep.
Sparky makes his way back up through the main cave. It is quite roomy and could hold a large number of people.
Thor climbs up without aid, and Boy is overjoyed that everyone is back to keep him company. Here he is supervising Thor's progress while Sparky gives encouragement.
Tis the season of the invasive vine commonly called Chain of Love. Lovely as it is, it is destructive to other plants as its tendrils spread far and wide, covering plants and choking them to their eventual death. This beautiful flowering vine is also called Coral Vine, Bride's Tears, Cadena de Amore (Chamorro), and the scientific name is Antigonon Leptopus.
Boy insists on showing off his new harness before he will let us take our group photo!
Group photo taken beneath the big taotaomona tree on the cross trail: Spicegirl, Scout, Sparky, Thor, Sherpa-Jane, Dora, Boy, Cowboy, CC. Ewok and Rexplorer gone.
If you have never seen new born birds, here are three of them huddle in the nest waiting for mommy to come back with food. We admire them for a while and let them stay on the branch otherwise undisturbed.
A very pleasant hike, good weather and great cave exploring. Five Sneakers!
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