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[Craig Romig]

Can u walk through main lagoon passage? At anytime or any certain place. Would a young urban professional try it. Or would a rough boyscout try it. Is it a mudflat to get from norwich city to village side.

[Ric Gillespie]

Can u walk through main lagoon passage? At anytime or any certain place. Would a young urban professional try it. Or would a rough boyscout try it. Is it a mudflat to get from norwich city to village side.

You can walk across the main lagoon passage at low tide (I'm 5'10" and the water is up to my ribs) if you don't mind the sharks zipping past you and occasional ramming you to see if you might be worth eating. Having done it, I don't recommend it.

It's also possible at low tide to make the long trek across the reef flat out near where the waves break.  The water is only about ankle deep in most places so the sharks are not a concern, but the reef is (as we say) "slicker'n snot." 

So, yes, it's possible to get across the passage but it's not for the faint of heart or the reasonably intelligent. 

[Monty Fowler]

It's also possible at low tide to make the long trek across the reef flat out near where the waves break.  The water is only about ankle deep in most places so the sharks are not a concern, but the reef is (as we say) "slicker'n snot."

That must be one of those scientific terms I have yet to learn.  Seriously, though, if the reef flat is that thick, and Amelia and Fred were having to slog out there 2-3 times a day to try and transmit, I would imagine they collected an impressive collection of bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes before the Electra went over the reef edge. Which would further debilitate them. Along with the hideous heat and humidity.

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 ECSP

[Craig Romig]

No sharks for me.

I was just thinking which way they may have explored the island.  Surely not through the lagoon entrance first.  So they could have headed towards the seven site first.

[Craig Romig]

Since my attention would have naturally would have been drawn to the ship wreck. I may have found my way to the camp of the wreck survivers first.  Wasnt there a boat left behind to maybe use. Or atleast look at. And consider using.

[Ric Gillespie]

Since my attention would have naturally would have been drawn to the ship wreck. I may have found my way to the camp of the wreck survivers first.  Wasnt there a boat left behind to maybe use. Or atleast look at. And consider using.

As I recall three of the four NC lifeboats reportedly washed up.  The NZ survey party photographed one of them.  I suspect they were far too heavy for two people (and maybe just one) to move.

[Craig Romig]

Yes i forgot about the 1800 pound weight. I think thats what i read.

[Craig Romig]

I was really thinking. It might be worth going into the brush up from tent city to atleast see the camp. Maybe something would l give a clue there.   I wouldnt take more  than a quick look at the site.shouldnt take too long to find that camp site. With all that was left behind.

[Ric Gillespie]

  I wouldnt take more  than a quick look at the site.shouldnt take too long to find that camp site. With all that was left behind.

Unfortunately that part of the island was logged off, cleared, and planted to cocos and pandanus in the early 1950s. Not much chance of anything surviving in that area.  Further up the beach and inland, where we'll be looking for signs of an initial Earhart/Noonan camp, was never developed.

[Andrew M McKenna]

You may enjoy this little video shot by Mark Smith while crossing the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk-NUO2l35Q

Yeah, they come to check you out, but if you know anything about sharks it isn't so disturbing.  Note the stick that Mark effectively uses to ward off the curious monsters.  Just got to be prepared.

I've crossed the channel many times, and still have both legs.

Whether Amelia or Fred knew anything about sharks is questionable.  They may have opted to go the other direction around the north end rather than try to cross the channel, but at the same time I don't think of Amelia as being faint hearted. 

Andrew

[Jerry Germann]

Thank you, for the video, it gives me as better understanding of the passage.

[Craig Romig]

That shark came in real fast. And that is further across than it looks on maps. I would have gone the other way around the island.

What about the lagoon exit. How wide and deep is that. Any ground level photos of it?

[Andrew M McKenna]

When you say "lagoon exit" do you mean the seaward / reef side of the main Tatiaman passage, or the Baureke Passage on the south side midway to the SE end of the island?

Baureke is sometimes completely closed off and dry, as it was in 2001, but most of the times seems to be open with a fairly shallow channel between lagoon and reef.  Easy to get across in either case.

Incidentlally, the lobsters hang out on edge of the reef just off of Baureke for some reason.  May be that a regular source of yummy morsels flow out of the lagoon through Baureke.

Andrew

Sat image of Baureke
http://tighar.org/wiki/File:GoogleEarth-Baureke.png

[Craig Romig]

That is it. The sw one. Nearest loran. I was hoping to see more real updated general pics of it. And even other parts of the island.

[Krystal McGinty-Carter]

Ive seen the video and stills of the voyage across the lagoon inlet.  As to whether the average person can do it, I woud think something like that is just as much mental as physical, possibly moreso.

Im a very seasoned backpacker. Very little worries me. Im not afraid of bugs, snakes and other critters, heights, caves, etc. Ive camped in the rain, in the cold, in the hottest summers, mountains.  Ive hiked along trails that a foot wide with tright down drop offs.  I generally have a "bring it on" attitude when it comes to being out doors.   But many people I know thing a Motel 6 is "roughing it" and youd be hard pressed to convince the average person to go crawling into a wild cave or go camping in bear country. They might be physically able but they cant get past the mental squick factor.

Then again, there are people who live in the water. They love boating, tubing, swimming. They are a bunch of fish. I may be a Chuck Norris on land But I am a bloody coward when it comes to water. I dont like being on boats or in water where I cant see the bottom. Though I can swim, I rarely do and its usually to get back on dry land after someone pushed me.  Ive seen the video and gotten the heebie-jeebies but reading Ricks description of the water depth (For whatever reason I had it in my head that the water was knee deep) just makes my skin crawl. Im going to go with a great big "NOPE" to wading across..  COULD I do it? Physically I think I could.  Mentally, I dont think you could PAY me enough!  Knowing my luck, the sharks would decide I would make a tasty side dish.  Rick, you are exceedingly braver than I am!

On a side note, lobsters on Niku?


Krystal "Shark Bait" Mcginty