Maamalni - Suwarrow # 3: Do you want to apply for this job?

Taking the dinghy into shore the next day was a little problematical as there is a very narrow path between the coral heads to get to the crude wharf of sorts that extends out about 100 feet from shore. Getting out of the dinghy, once tied to the dock, we made our way to the caretaker's quarters. This atoll has very limited elevation change - all of about 10 feet rise above mean high tide which means that the island can be completely swept clean during a cyclone (the Pacific name for the Atlantic "hurricanes"). The New Zealand administration had installed a caretaker some 8 years prior and before the death of the famous hermit Tom Neale who had lived on the island for many years, who with his book made this a sought out stop on the milk run across the Pacific, but the caretaker is only in residence for 6 months as there is a fear for his safety in the event of a cyclone. As it happens, there was a cyclone that hit the island this past December and wiped all of the plant life off of one of the nearby island. John, the caretaker told us that the birds of that island were still in shock and that it would take some time to recover.

As for the caretaker's facilities - well the cyclone had taken out 2 of the buildings, the cooking shed and the shop, but the 2 story "house", actually a covered pad with an enclosed space up the ladder had survived. John is a native Cook Islander and has his wife and their 4 children with him for his tour of duty. Every year a freighter delivers the caretaker and whatever supplies are needed for the next 6 months and then returns 6 months later to pick him up. He has a radio in which to talk to
his boss in Roratonga and if there would be an emergency, it would take 2 days to get a boat there, as the nation does not have a helicopter. John felt that this was an ideal job for him and a way to educate his 4 boys in the traditional ways. He had arrived a mere 4 days before the fleet did and had barely gotten setup but he was ready!