Guam Adventures

I have continued exploring the island of Guam through hiking, scuba diving, and sight-seeing. It’s pretty amazing that an island this small can provide so much history, beauty, and recreational activities. The Spanish definitely left their mark with multiple forts, buildings, and bridges, and many of these sites are still present today. From the monument marking Magellan’s landing to the forts and bridges, the Spanish brought their way of life to the island for hundreds of years.

There is also a lot of World War II history. It was interesting hiking to the actual location of Yokoi’s cave. A Japanese soldier lived in this area for twenty-seven years after World War II. I read The Liberation of Guam, and this book provides insight into the American liberation of Guam from the Japanese. It was, literally, an uphill battle as the Army and Marines had to land on the beach and advance against the Japanese who had the high ground in the local mountains. I also read The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot which details the American aviation victories over the Japanese prior to the ground invasion. It is pretty amazing that this battle was fought from aircraft carriers.

I have also been able to do some scuba diving recently. In my quest for adventure, I recently participated in a night dive. I was a little surprised when the pre-dive briefing involved the crew and fellow divers discussing the possibility of seeing white tip and nurse sharks. At that moment, I regretted my decision to defer buying a diving knife. With a glowstick secured to my diving equipment and flashlight in hand, I took the giant stride into the dark water. The first few points of interest were a puffer fish and lionfish. After swimming a little longer, I encountered a barracuda which swam towards me. After a few minutes of observing each other, we both swam our separate ways. The highlight of the dive was an octopus. This creature was pretty small and maneuvered around the water a little bit. I also spotted a sea urchin and stayed well clear of its spines. After thirty five minutes of exploring, my air supply was running low. After a safety stop, I boarded the dive boat and breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone proceeded to discuss the dive on the boat ride back to the marina. This night dive will definitely be one to remember.