Boo's year in the Marshall Islands

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Beth's Trip Begins - Halfway to Bikarej

After a 2 week postponement, Beth started her journey to visit Boo Thursday morning.

Ted and I dropped her off at Logan for her 7:30 AM flight - original itinerary had her flying Boston to Chicago, then Chicago to Honolulu - 14 hours. Then a 14 hour layover, and a 5 hour jaunt to the Marshall Islands.

The layover would allow her to sleep in a hotel, vs. hanging at the airport (only - at most - one flight a day to Majuro)

An auspicious start however - flight from Boston late and she missed her connection. Finally made it to Honolulu - but 7 hours later . . . . 21 hours total.

From: bflynn6733

Subject: Half way to Bikarej!

Date: February 28, 2013 4:54:12 PM EST

To: Doug&Kathy, Tom&Anu, Pete&Karen, Todd&Wendy, Mom&Dad, Jim

Hi everybody

I'm on an excessively long and unplanned layover in San Francisco ... was hoping to be half way to Honolulu by now... but by Saturday I should be on a boat to Bikarej with Booey! I heard word that she is going to try and get over to the main island with the official councilman’s boat to meet me. I'll have some entertaining pictures I'm sure after a week of island life. I hope to be as brave as Booey is when it comes to food ;) I will report on how she's doing, which I'm sure is as well as it seems in her letters... meantime I hope all's well in Michigan and Massachusetts and New York and Connecticut and North Carolina!

Beth

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone

From: JAMES FLYNN

Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2013 8:45 PM 

To: bflynn6733 

Subject: Re: Half way to Bikarej!

Don't buy Beth's contention that she will be brave with her food - the real brave one is Ted who will have to eat what I make while she's away . . .  

Sent from my iPhone

Feb 18 - effects of the Budget Crisis hits Bikarej - Stamps go up ;-)

Jan 26 - Letter to Natalie & David

Natalie & David, daughter and son of Chris and Allison (Beth's long-time friend from Madison), have been great friends for Boo. They sent her a letter and package. Below are the notes Boo sent back to them, along with some thank-you notes from some of the Bikarej kids!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

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.