wild SPS corals, Marshall Islands

[r-balljunkie]

As with everything in life, there's tradeoffs to living on an island in the South Pacific. I can't run out and get a cup of starbucks or sit down to at a restaurant and eat a fine meal. the diving is out of this world , i would hazard to say with any other spot in the world....we do quite a bit of walk in dives, never get bored between the sea turtles (they often follow you the whole dive), manta rays, reef sharks, moray eels, fish, corals etc......... if anyone is interested in dropping out of society for awhile, you can Google 'kwaj jobs' to see what's out here.

definitely don't consider it unless you like being outdoors, diving, boating, deep sea fishing, exploring, the beach, other cultures...the weather/temp varies only a couple degrees all year. it's pretty much 85 degrees every single day. no one wears pants, just shorts.

not trying to make anyone jealous, must wanting to share some pics.....I'm a hobbyist just like you

 

[Cgreene]

Those pics are amazing!

 

[chilwil84]

anywho. enjoy the pics....keep in mind, zero export from the Marshall Islands, so these are very indigenous(quote)

ORA has a aquaculture setup there so we do get a few here in the states from the marshall islands


that said when you going to post a pick of one of those sea turtle in your tank so everyone on the board will be jealous. more pics please

 

[r-balljunkie]

anywho. enjoy the pics....keep in mind, zero export from the Marshall Islands, so these are very indigenous(quote)

ORA has a aquaculture setup there so we do get a few here in the states from the marshall islands


that said when you going to post a pick of one of those sea turtle in your tank so everyone on the board will be jealous. more pics please

yes you are correct.
i believe ORA's facility is for mostly for clams, the next atoll over near the capital, majuro.

http://www.orafarm.com/about/about_marshall.html


we get notices for turtle hatchings here a couple of times a year, to keep an eye out around dusk...its crossed my mind to grab one of the little buggers and put him in my display tank to take pictures, but im sure someone 'politically correct' would flame me, plus they're still listed as an endangered species. if i ever did it, it would be my little secret :lolspin::lolspin:

 

[r-balljunkie]

collecting clams at low tide. for every 5 you see, only 1 is remotely even possible to remove without damaging it. you have to pass on a lot of oooh and aaaah.

still looking for the elusive black clam for my tank.

 

[Cgreene]

I couldn't imagine waking up to that every day!

 

[markie mark]

please keep posting pics..please...

 

[justinkarl]

man o man i am moving there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fijiblue]

I bet there are going to be a rash of applicants applying for those jobs in the next few weeks.

 

[r-balljunkie]

im NOT afflilated with the tourism board You shouldnt move here for free corals, you move here for the lifestyles and opportunities you are afforded. its not for everyone. my personal decision was due to the rat race feeling i was getting, hamster on a wheel stuck in rush hour traffic in houston. i now wake up and have a cup of coffee and watch the sun come up with the coconut trees swaying before i go to work, put on the birkenstocks, hop on my bike and cruise into work. after the weekend: diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, drinking past my normal limit , im dead tired and look forward to going to work to get some rest. kinda like a weekly mini vacation.

 

[M007]

im NOT afflilated with the tourism board You shouldnt move here for free corals, you move here for the lifestyles and opportunities you are afforded. its not for everyone. my personal decision was due to the rat race feeling i was getting, hamster on a wheel stuck in rush hour traffic in houston. i now wake up and have a cup of coffee and watch the sun come up with the coconut trees swaying before i go to work, put on the birkenstocks, hop on my bike and cruise into work. after the weekend: diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, drinking past my normal limit , im dead tired and look forward to going to work to get some rest. kinda like a weekly mini vacation.

I could live with that! Congrats and thanks for the pics from coral paradise

 

[reeflover7826]

im NOT afflilated with the tourism board You shouldnt move here for free corals, you move here for the lifestyles and opportunities you are afforded. its not for everyone. my personal decision was due to the rat race feeling i was getting, hamster on a wheel stuck in rush hour traffic in houston. i now wake up and have a cup of coffee and watch the sun come up with the coconut trees swaying before i go to work, put on the birkenstocks, hop on my bike and cruise into work. after the weekend: diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, drinking past my normal limit , im dead tired and look forward to going to work to get some rest. kinda like a weekly mini vacation.

Sir, I envy you.

One day, one day...

 

[Spun1_2]

I live far far from the sea so I appreciate your pictures. Seeing the animals in nature must be great!! Im hoping you continue posting your pictures.

How did you remove the acros?

 

[Lamball1]

More Pics!!!!

 

[Islander84]

Wow!! impressed! I will have to vacation there sometime soon Whats the tourist rate over there?

 

[r-balljunkie]

Wow!! impressed! I will have to vacation there sometime soon Whats the tourist rate over there?

zero. this is a restricted atoll. we can have visitors (my mother in law left a couple months ago), but its a bit of a process to have folks come and visit, i.e. paperwork and clearance. the US govt leases the atoll from the Marshallese government. you could travel to the capitol, Majuro or somewhere else, but not here. if you had the finances, other options like Kosrae, Fiji or Pohnpei.


Asides, i like the fact we dont have tourists here, locals only brah!
lol :celeb3:

 

[somethingphishy]

great pics...so u work for the us goverment?

 

[r-balljunkie]

great pics...so u work for the us goverment?

no, not directly.


we have both here
i am a contractor who's company works for the government. im a step removed from being a federal employee which is fine by me, whereas i have tax free status, and a true gov't employee has to pay taxes :twitch:. its like a regular job, 7-4 same as in the states, except im wearing shorts, hawaiin shirts, and sandals vs. slacks and a starchy shirt when i go to work. still have meetings to sit in, emails to write, problems to fix...just at a reduced pace, and not to the same rigors of working a corporate job.

 

[Arkayology]

Just wow... finding clams like that in the wild would blow my mind

 

[agcneves]

More pictures please!

Congratulations for the courage of to leave a life in the city and move for more close to the nature. You has to have courage, because nor everything is flowers. We aren't noticing, but the life in the big city leaves us addicts with frenzied day by day. :thumbsup:
Best Regards!