Abatao

Outrigger canoe

Canoe ride across channel

On Sat. May 4 we went on a hike, a long hike. Well, it was actually across another atoll on the Tarawa chain. We, 11 of us, drove as far as we could to a place called Buota which is on the south eastern end of the atoll. Then we boarded a small canoe with a small outrigger on it. The canoe also had a small 4 horse power boat motor attached to the outrigger arm next to the canoe. You don’t sit inside the canoe; only on top because he had rails to sit on. The boat driver would sail back and forth all day long and only charge 50 cents per person one way. 

From Buota we sailed across a small channel to another atoll, Abatao.  There are no roads; only pathways for walking or biking. 

Village School

The first place we came to was a small school.  There were four grass huts with mats inside and a water tank in the middle. When we walked inside there were English alphabet letters and multiplication facts tacked to the stick walls. Tears came to my

eyes when I saw the humble educational environment.  Not too many people live there. It seemed like there were a lots of young children.

Inside school

Inside school

  We walked for about 45 minutes across the atoll to a place called “broken bridge”. This is a real old bridge made out of cement about 70 years ago. It crossed a channel to another atoll, Tabatuea. We were glad to finally make it back to Buota after our long walk. It was long and hot and humid. We both got sunburned a little. Not as bad as our last outing as we remembered the sunscreen this time.

Broken bridge

Pandana Tree