Tinian

May 7th, 2014 – Wednesday

Tinian
Chopped up Lemai

Chopped up Lemai

Pre Cybuk Le’mai (Breadfruit) preparation on the island of Tinian. This type of tree was crucial for the existence of the Chamorro people because it was their “carbohydrate” to fuel and nourish their bodies every single day. There are different ways to prepare this specific stable crop. One way is to simply put it into a fire and let it cook on the outside. Once cooked, its almost like a baked potato but much more tasty. Another way to prepare Le’mai is by cutting off the exposed skin of the crop then chopping it into cubes (as shown in the picture). Boil it in water and coconut milk and then you’ll end up with cybuk. Stay tuned for the finished product!

May 6th, 2014 – Tuesday

Tinian
Fire Preparation

Fire Preparation

I recently made a trip to the island of Tinian to hang out with some friends during the 2014 Tinian Fiesta. Immediately upon arriving at the dock (took my cousin’s boat which was an hour boat ride), we went straight up to the ranch to begin preparing for the evenings feast. This was the fire that was prepared to roast a small-medium sized pig. One of the “local” delicacies is roasted pig. Once the fire is prepared, it is spread around in a circle, surrounding the pig on a spick. The pig is then evenly roasted by turing the spic for several hours. Stay tuned for more pictures!

March 7, 2014 – Friday

Beach, Long Exposure, Ocean, Saipan, Tinian
North Tinian, Looking Towards Saipan

North Tinian, Looking Towards Saipan

Tinian Blow Hole (at night), Tinian. This picture was a long exposure as you can tell by the movement of the clouds and the stars in the horizon. You can see the island of Saipan in the distance, with all the lights and what not taking view. Ancient coral outcrop line the edge of Tinian bordering the dynamic yet majestic ocean to create a contrast of textures.

Suicide Cliff, Tinian

Suicide Cliff, Tinian

Suicide Cliff, Tinian. When the Americans were on the verge of winning the Battle of Saipan, or the Battle of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Japanese forces chose to take their lives instead of surrender to the Americans. This specific cliff was where the Japanese would jump into the big blue ocean in the attempt to take their lives. This photo was taken at night, as you can see the stars in the horizon.

Long exposure shots are very interesting to take. It takes a lot of patience to learn how to adjust the settings of the camera to take the shot that you want. Some shots may be overexposed (too bright), and some underexposed(too dark). It definitely requires a lot of practice to truly master the art of long exposure photography. As for me, I am only scratching the surface…

March 5, 2014 – Wednesday

Beach, Long Exposure, Tinian
Taga Beach Tinian

Taga Beach Tinian

Taga Beach Tinian

Taga Beach Tinian

Guma'nya si taga

Guma’nya si taga

Taga Beach is definitely one of Tinian’s nicest beaches. It is a small beach that cuts into the subtle cliff side of the South Western side of the island of Tinian. A sandy bottom carpets the small portion of the beach where coral reefs surround the small inlet providing a structure to sustain marine life.

A quarry site can be found on top of the cliff side where ancient chamorros carved into the limestone cliffs to create “latte stones”. Latte Stones served as the foundation for an ancient chamorro house. A latte is made up of the column and the cap stone. To this day, it is a mystery to how these giant structures were erected. Latte stones can be found through out the Northern Mariana Island Chain as far south as Guam, all the way up to the island of Pagan.

March 3, 2014 – Monday

Long Exposure, Tinian
Tinian Blow Hole, Northern Mariana Islands

Tinian Blow Hole, Northern Mariana Islands

Took a long exposure of the famous Tinian Blow Hole. It is nested right by the ocean in a limestone/ancient reef outcrop that is literally 5 ft away from the ocean. If you wait for the perfect swell, you will witness the power of the ocean when it meets the land. This place can be a very treacherous place to come to, esp under bad weather conditions. Beware of big swells and a wall of ocean water that could pull you in.

March 1, 2014 – Saturday

Long Exposure, Ocean, Tinian
YCC Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands

YCC Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands

YCC Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands

YCC Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands

I was hanging out with some friends from Tinian at this place called YCC having a few brews. It was literally 25ft away from the ocean. The moon was out so I whipped out my set up and took a few long exposures. The first picture was taken looking at Aguigan, also known as Goat Island. This island can be seen from the highest peak on the island of Saipan. It’s also a great destination for all types of fishing. The second picture looks North of YCC, which looks onto the festival grounds of Tinian’s Pika Fest.

February 27, 2014 – Thursday

Tinian
2014 Tinian Pika Fest

2014 Tinian Pika Fest

2014 Tinian Pika Fest

2014 Tinian Pika Fest

I recently visited the island of Tinian to attend the Annual Pika/Hot Pepper Festival. The island of Tinian is apart of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is approximately 5 nautical miles southwest of Saipan, and has a land area of 39 square miles. Tinian played a very crucial part in WWII due to the fact that the Atomic Bombs that were used for Hiroshima were stored on this island. Currently, the United States has been using the northern regions of the island for military exercises.

I participated in the race called the Dragon Boat Race, which you can see above. It was definitely harder than I thought. If the right side pulls harder than the left side, it will cause the canoe to go to the right. It requires rhythm and sync. Other than that, it was definitely fun. Unfortunately, the team I was on placed fourth out of four teams. 

November 23, 2013 – Saturday

Ocean, Tinian

Taga Beach

November 21, 2013 – Thursday

Ocean, Tinian

TBP_1_sml_wtrmrk

A Beach on the island of Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands

Beach, Island, Tinian
Tinian5

Embarked on a day trip to the island of Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. This island is located less than a mile away from Saipan. This island possesses historical significance as it was used to store the atomic bombs during WWII.