Topic: Rota, CNMI

[Bryan]

Rota is the southernmost island in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.  It sits about halfway between Guam and Saipan.  There are two main villages on Rota, Songsong and Sinapalo.  Obviously the island was named after Rota, Spain when the Spanish occupied it.  It was also occupied by Germany followed by Japan.  The U.S. took control of it from the Japanese during WWII.  During the Japanese occupation it was transformed into sugar cane plantations. 

This was my third trip to Rota for work.  We delayed our mobilization to the island a week due to Typhoon Dolphin.  The typhoon went right between Rota and Guam but Rota still had winds of 110 mph and over 10 inches of rain.  By the time I arrived most the power was restored and most of the roads were cleared of debris.  We had an interesting time getting to the island.  We chartered a flight from Saipan on a small twin engine 8 passenger Piper.  When we got to the island it was completely engulfed in a thunder storm.  The pilot looked around a bit then headed back to Saipan.  The next attempt, about an hour later, went well. 

Rota has a very small tourism industry.  This is likely due to the lack of nice beaches, almost the entire island is circled by razor sharp coral.  If you can get in the water and dive or snorkel on the reef you will see some of the most pristine sea life anywhere.  Colorful coral, giant clams, turtles, sharks, tropical fish, etc.  I didn't get in the water this trip due to rough seas. 

Over the years that I have been going to Rota I have seen it in decline.  There are less people and less businesses in Songsong village.  There were only 4 restaurants open on the island this time.  Many buildings are abandoned and some that sustained damage from the typhoon will likely not be repaired.  I'll start off this essay with some photos around Songsong.  I used an Olypus OM-1 with Kodak Portra 400 ad Ektar 100.  These first ones are all Ektar 100.

The Isla Bonita has seen better days. 
Isla Bonita by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Pinatang Park by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Abandoned Building in Songsong by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Songsong Village building by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Bryan]

During the Japanese occupation the island was transformed into sugar cane plantations.  When WWII started the military set up fortifications on the island.  The Japanese knew that if the U.S. made it to Saipan their bombers would be able to strike mainland Japan.  The allied strategy was to hopscotch islands on their march toward Japan.  This resulted in major battles on Guam and Saipan, skipping Rota.  They just cut off supplies to Rota until they surrendered so no major battles were ever fought there.  The following are relics of the Japanese occupation.

Sugar cane train and mill.  Portra 400.
Japanese Sugar Mill and Train by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Japanese WWII cannon pointing across Sasanhaya Bay at Wedding Cake Mountain.
Japanese Cannon by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

The next two photos are the main Japanese Command Post.  They are located high up on the island near the village a Sinapalo, built into a cliff.  The first time I went here several years ago I was told to go to a hotel and ask where it is.  The hotel is old and run down, I think people live there, it's not for tourists.  When I finally found someone they sent a young boy out.  The boy indicated he wanted us to follow him in our car.  He walked ahead as we drove across the lawn and through what seemed to be someones back yard.  We then followed him down a seldom used road to the edge of the jungle.  He pointed up to the jungle and headed back to the hotel.  We started hacking our way through the jungle up a steep slope until we came across a man made wall that followed along the cliff.  The other side of the wall is a walkway with many bunkers and tunnels that connect between gun emplacements.  There are no longer guns there and the jungle is taking over the whole thing.  Obviously tourists don't make it there very often.  The following were both shot on Portra 400.

Japanese WWII Bunker by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Japanese Command Center on Rota by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Bryan]

The best thing about Rota is the undisturbed almost pristine nature of the island.  There is a lot of wildlife on the island that is not seen on other of the more populated islands.  They even have deer that were imported from the Philippines by the Spaniards.  The deer are considered an invasive species so they are not protected.  The locals hunt them for food and it is served in a few of the restaurants.  They have a Venison Ceviche that I have enjoyed several times.  Unfortunately the deer try very hard to avoid people so I have never seen them myself. 

One of my favorite things to do after work is to go to the base of the cliffs near Songsong and watch the Marianas Fruit Bats.  Also known as the Flying Fox the local Chamorro call them Fanihi.  They have a wing span over one meter.  The Typhoon stripped many of the trees of fruit so the bats were coming down closer to the water looking for food.  They are endangered and protected but the locals still poach them and eat them.  Someone told me the meat has a fruity taste.  Rota has the highest population of them at several hundred.  Saipan has and estimated 12 bats according to the Fish and Wildlife officer I talked to.  This was the main reason I brought my Olympus with Portra 400, I wanted to try to get a shot of them with a zoom lens.  They are hard to photograph, this is the best shot I got.

Marianas Fruit Bat by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Some more wildlife.

I ran into this huge spider in one of the tunnels in the Japanese Command Post.
Rota Spider by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

This was in the middle of the path at the Japanese Command Post.
Birds Nest by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Jungle Toad.
Rota Toad by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Found this in my hotel room in the morning.  They don't bite but if you touch them it will burn your skin.
Centipede by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Hermit crab on the beach.
Hermit Crab by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Bryan]

Sorry for going on and on, this is the last set.  Some scenery from the island.

Not a climbing tree.
Not a Climbing Tree by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Bridge on Okgak Waterfall Trail.  The trail was overgrown, once we lost it we started hiking up the stream.  I never made it to the main waterfalls, it became too difficult to get through.
Bridge on Okgak Waterfall Trail by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Plant on the Beach by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

And  I'll end it with a sunset cliche.  Actually this was a one second exposure after sunset.  Ektar 100.
After Sunset by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Indofunk]

Wow! Thank you for the photos and the history lesson! I've learned a lot and almost feel like I've visited Rota

[jharr]

That's a really nice set of photos Bryan. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of a place I daresay none of us will ever visit, though the snorkeling does sound enticing.

[Indofunk]

That's a really nice set of photos Bryan. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of a place I daresay none of us will ever visit, though the snorkeling does sound enticing.

Yes, but getting your feet cut up on coral beaches on the way there does not!

[Bryan]

Thanks James and Satish.  I did have a heck of a time getting into the water when I went snorkeling but it was worth it.  Last year I had to go to the ER and to get my toe stitched up after cutting it on coral in Saipan.  Rota is definitely not a place most people will visit.  Most of the tourism is spill over from Guam and Saipan.  People will make it a side trip for a day or two.   

[imagesfrugales]

I have to admit that I never heard of Rota or the Northern Marianas Islands before. So thank you Bryan for expanding my horizons and the pictures are beautiful.

[Bryan]

Thanks Reinhold, I never heard of it either until I started working there.  Most people have heard of the Marianas Trench just east of the island chain.