Cyndi and Rich aboard Legacy
September 16, 2012
We visited the National Park of Samoa, and to get there we needed to drive over the mountains surrounding the harbor. This was a great place to stop for some terrific views of Pago Pago. -Cyndi
September 16, 2012
Even though American Samoa is only 80 miles from Western Samoa, it turned out to be worlds away as far as heat goes. It’s been comfortable here! And it’s a wonderful place. We’re so glad we made this side trip.
We haven’t been in the water here but the diving must be great as scuba tanks seem to grow on trees!
Well, actually, they hang tanks, usually acetylene tanks, and bang on them every day at 6PM to signify a time of prayer and reflection. Another clanging about 15 minutes later and life resumes.
A big industry here is tuna canning. We got a chance to see Charlie in person! Wow, now I know you’re jealous.
We’re flying back to Western Samoa tomorrow (Monday, Western Samoa time – Sunday, American Samoa time – how’s that for confusing?) and we’ll start getting the boat ready to sail to Tonga. We’re planning to leave Wednesday for that three day sail, weather permitting. -Rich
September 15, 2012
When we first checked into the Tradewinds, they gave us a flier for their yearly “famous seafood feast” and urged us to sign up. It’s a clam bake/crab boil-style dinner and I did not have high hopes for it. I would not hope to get good Polynesian food in New England, and I would not expect good New England food way out in the middle of the South Pacific. In spite of my trepidations, we decided to give it a try. We would need to eat dinner someplace and how bad could it be?
I worried again when we were seated under a big white tent outside in an atmosphere that felt more like a 50’s wedding reception at a Moose Lodge than a seaside venue. The wet wipes they passed out had been pilfered from the local KFC, and an older couple with a keyboard and microphones provided the musical entertainment. A drunken middle-aged guy became enamored of us and decided he was going to join us at our table, but luckily his friends came and dragged him away. By now I wondered what we’d gotten ourselves into.
Our first course, a seafood chowder, arrived and was surprisingly good. But the really surprising part was the main plate. On it were the freshest, best shrimp I have ever had, fantastic Dungeness crab, very good lobster tail, and decent clams, mussels, and potatoes! Even the snow crab was good! (The corn and sausage not so much, but with everything else so delicious, this could be overlooked).
There was a traditional Samoan dance show along with the dinner, and that was also very good. Thankfully we got our dessert (chocolate cake) before our cue to end the evening: the dreaded random selection of audience members to join the Samoan dancers onstage. How nice to have a nearby room to which we could beat a hasty retreat.
In all, it was a strange yet wonderful dinner in the strange yet wonderful American Samoa. -Cyndi
September 15, 2012
We stopped back in Pago Pago for a quick dessert at the Goat Island Cafe, a restaurant right out modern times attached to a motel out of the past. The place, Sadie’s by the Sea, has been recently refurbished yet still feels like stepping back into 1962. I thought it was beautiful. -Cyndi
September 15, 2012
The eatery/place I most wanted to see here in American Samoa was Tisa’s Barefoot Bar and Grill. It’s like a tree house over the beach, and it’s a great place. The food is pretty good, but it’s the atmosphere that makes it worth seeking out. -Cyndi
