Beth's visit to Bikarej - a disappointing delay

Well, Beth was off to visit Boo - at least so we thought.  To get to Bikarej is an adventure - fly to Honolulu, catch the infamous Air Marshall Island hop to Majuro, and then hope somehow a boat going to Bikarej gets there (nothing is scheduled, of course).  Many stories of people getting to Majuro, then spending days/weeks waiting for an outer island boat that never came.  Legend recalls a story of a volunteer on an outer island unable to get his scheduled small plane hop to Majuro due to the plane needing repair.  After missing that, the estimated return after repair of the plane was  - 1 year!

Anyhow, this Thursday morning, as we were getting up to go to the airport, we received the following e-mails.  Needless to say, we postponed the trip.  The forecast of 14 foot sees - and 11-14 well into next week - didn't bode well for a trip on a 30 foot open boat.  So we rescheduled (after much angst, difficulty, and %&$@ airline extra charges and penalties) for 2 weeks later - February 28th.  Cross your fingers for better seas.  The windy season is supposed to be over, so . . .

From: "WorldTeach Marshall Islands FD" 
Date: Feb 13, 2013 10:52 PM
Subject: Ocean Warnings
To: "Beth Flynn" 
Cc: 

Hi Beth,

    FYI -  I just found out about the following message. I am not sure what the conditions will be for the remainder of the week.

PMZ181-140500-
MAJURO-
300 AM CHST THU FEB 14 2013

...A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST FACING REEFS...

HAZARDOUS SURF OF 13 TO 14 FEET WILL PROLONG ALONG EAST FACING
SHORES THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THEN SURF IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO BETWEEN 11 AND 13 FEET ON SATURDAY NIGHT...AND REMAIN AT THESE
HAZARDOUS LEVELS INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

AVOID VENTURING NEAR EXPOSED REEFS AND BEACHES...ESPECIALLY THOSE
FACING EAST...AS RIP CURRENTS WILL BE LIFE THREATENING.

Boo came over the radio and asked us if you should cancel your flight and I told her I can't make that call as I hadn't heard anything and then this message came in 5 minutes later.