2012 Escape from Managaha

One of the fun parts about doing research in different parts of the world is involving yourself in the local culture and participating in the community.  Here on Saipan that's fairly easy b/c the local people are great and there are a good number of white folk who are inevitably linked to each other by only a couple degrees of separation.  White people on the island typically fall into 1 of 2 categories: (1) temporary visitors who vacation for a week or two; (2) employed in some capacity by a government or wildlife organization (e.g. Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Dept of Environmental Quality, researchers and other biologists such as myself, etc).  You could make a strong case for a 3rd category comprised of a moderate number of lawyers-but we don't count them b/c lawyers are a different breed all their own...JK Jed!

I digress!  As a part of my efforts to partake in community activities, I joined (more like I got talked into it) the Saipan Swim Club for their 9th Annual "ESCAPE FROM MANAGAHA" (*cue deep voice and foreboding theme music).  It's an event held this past Saturday (5/5) that draw around 40 people ranging in age from 6 to almost 70.  Swimmers are "marooned" on a small islet that lies in the lagoon almost 2.5 km off the west coast of Saipan and we had to cross the ship channel back to Saipan (dont worry, there were kayak and boat escorts so we didn't get run over).  Now, I'm no Olympic swimmer or polo player, but I was a lifeguard for 6 years (which is a tough job people!!  We did NOT just sit around and work on our tans as is the common misconception.  We did other stuff like blow our whistles every once in a while).  This was supposed to be a fun swim, not a race...or so I was told.  So playing the odds, I figured I could do this.  I shouldn't have a problem beating some kids and old farts in a fun swim.  Key word there was 'shouldn't'.  

Managaha is nearly 2.5 km to the NW of Saipan.  The pins indicate the start and finish.

Showed up at the docks at 5:30am, checked in, left Saipan at 6am, and we were set to depart Managaha at 6:30.  The weather was beautiful, waters were calm with little current, and no wind.  Then I get to looking around and noticed something.  I look totally out of place and am obviously not prepared for this....I am wearing board shorts and have a snorkeling mask (b/c I didn't have real swim goggles) and that was it.  These people had their speedos on, fully waxed bodies, some of the guys looked like ripped pro athletes (yes, even the 50+ guys), and several people even had FLIPPERS!  I had been bamboozled!  This is going to be a bloodbath.  Remember in Rocky IV when Rocky is standing there looking at Ivan Drago, that huge Soviet boxer?  I felt a lot like Rocky probably did..."Holy Sh*t, I'm going to get me ass kicked and I might even die!"  You know, if this PhD thing doesn't work out, then I could be a fortune tell b/c guess what?  I was correct!  I got smoked by most all of those kids and old farts!  

I finished! *WHOO-RAY* in just over an hour.  Dont bother googling the world record time for a 2.5 km open ocean swim.  Although it may surprise many of you, I was nowhere close to breaking it that record.  Probably double that time actually!  The winner was a 14 year old girl who finished in 38:09!  It probably didn't help my time that I often got distracted looking down at the coral reef, fish, and sea creatures below me (crystal clear water makes that pretty easy and really fun).  I even got to see a sea turtle!  If I were leading the pack, I would have completely missed that.  So there are some perks to being lazy and out of shape!  (see Mom, I told you.  It just took me 26 years to finally find an example to support my argument!)

Anyways, I finished!  That was the goal and I had a blast doing it.  It was a great new workout for the morning and I met some awesome people!  Plus I got a t-shirt to show that I escaped a deserted island.  (btw, no one lives on Managaha but it is a really popular day trip for tourists to boat over, hang out and snorkel for the day)  

I had a great time and gives me something fun to write about.  If you are ever in this part of the world and have the chance to participate in this event, I highly recommend it.

A group of successful escapees who swam to civilization after being marooned on the deserted island, Managaha (seen in the background).

The logo on the back of the t-shirts.  Our little reward for completing the challenge.