Chris Crumley Blog

Yapese mermaid Marilei Maifil on steps to Talngith Village traditional Meeting House on bank of waterway near Miil Channel on island of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) near junction of the Philippine Sea and Pacific Ocean.

The photo crew consisted of Enerihka Berger, Christina Macfarlane, Chuck Guthrie, Kathy Read, Julie Morgan, Manta Ray Bay Hotel driver Theo Gumang and Yap Divers boat Captain John Pekailug.

Additional Manta Ray Bay Hotel support was provided by Owner Bill Acker, Dive Operations Manager Jan Sledsens and Front Desk Manager Dinah Limchieg.

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After finishing the panorama process, I switched to the fisheye optic and moved closer to the water for this view. The fisheye allowed me to curve the horizon for a little different point of view.

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After a few days of rain, a clear morning was a treat.

It's hard to imagine with such a small graphic in the Blog format, but the panorama covers more than 180 degrees and is a 350mb file.

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Chinese mermaid, Susan Liu, in shallow water near the Palau Pacific Resort, Koror, Federated States of Micronesia.

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Seven of us were at the PPR pool bar last night reviewing the finals of Susan Liu's mermaid session; Paris from Cyprus, Francine from France, Paris and Francine's two children, Emile and Eve, who liked mermaids, Spaniard Yago Hurto (Susan's boyfriend), Susan and me.

We'd just finished downloading some jpegs for Susan to take back to China and a big wind and rain came up suddenly. I asked a Japanese girl on the next stool if she would go lean against the palm in the center of the picture. Joking, of course. But, I don't think her boyfriend was amused. Perhaps some cultural humor differences?

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This morning's boat crew were all doing their betelnut at about the same time. Take half a betelnut, sprinkle some powdered lime on it, lay 1/3 of a cigarette and a small leaf on it and tuck into a cheek for awhile.

In another part of the world, we trip over to Starbucks or Seattle Coffee for a grande decaf latte, double shot skim or some such thing.

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I like blue and simple compositions. This beach umbrella and a calm morning sea drew me right in. It's only steps from the door to my room.

This is at the Palau Pacific Resort, home of the $4.40 cup of morning coffee. Not a latte or other specialty drink, a plain (small) cup of coffee in a cardboard cup with a top. I thought it best to not advertise I was putting cream in it ; surely it would have been $5.40. Was I on the wrong plane and I'm actually in Dubai?

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It's still this morning at breakfast and the pool at the Palau Pacific Resort is a giant mirror. My body is still re-orienting itself after 22 hours in the air and airports and a 13 hour time difference.

I'm confident tomorrow will make more sense.

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Seems there is no way around pre-dawn departures heading west, but the glory of sunrise at 35,000 feet out the left window partially makes up for it.

Yes, I could do it different with an overnight hotel somewhere along the line, but with all the gear (diving equipment, underwater cameras, mermaid tail, dry cameras, clothes and all the ancillary things), there is no way I want to trudge from an airport to a hotel and back in mid-travel.

Only 21 more hours to go in the Norfolk-Houston, Houston-Honolulu, Honolulu-Guam, Guam-Yap and Yap-Koror, Palau itinerary.

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