Tahitian pearl farms devasted by Tsunami

[Josh]

Got your attention. Not exactly what he had fortunately.
When the wave crashed into Papeete it measured .11m (.4ft) in height. Not sure how they are even able to measure that and not get it confused with the wake of a windsurfer.
Our town recently installed a tsunami horn that went off this AM at ten to 10. I put my emails on hold and did a quick Google search and found that there had in fact been an earthquake in Samoa but it wasn't convenient for me to take is seriously (smart right?) so I got back to work and a half hour later got a panicked call from a friend asking if I had heard about it. Another Google search showed that it was to arrive at 20:45Z which means Greenwich Mean Time which to me meant another Google search to figure out when that was in Tahiti. That means 10:45AM so I put my computer away, closed the house and drove up to my neighbors only to find my entire neighborhood there already. All the phone lines went down and there was an unusual stormy West wind so together with the threat it all came together for a great creepy effect. Luckily it was all effect and no consequences.

 

[waimeamomi]

Woke up to the same info here and a tsunami warning. At 2500 feet, tsunamis aren't a threat for us personally. We did have the big earthquake 3 years ago, and I can do without that again. Glad all our islands are OK. We have a very close friend here from Samoa, and her family is one village away from Apia. She was still waiting to hear from them when I spoke to her. Both countries got hit pretty hard. American Samoa has Uncle Sam behind them, I hope the don't forget the other Samoa. Thoughts and prayers to the people there tonight.

 

[Sueki]

There were certainly consequences for the people of Samoa.
99 killed according to the latest reports.

 

[olmander]

Josh, we also woke up with the same question - tsunami? what about the pearl farmers in the Pacific? What about Josh?
Nice to hear that you are not really affected - although the thread is called "...devasted by Tsunami". .. (?)

Any information about other farms on Tahiti? Or Cook Islands, or Fiji?

 

[knotty panda]

Glad your good! Was concerned (not that I really understand that geography) but I know tsunamis have their own geography. Seems pirating might be a safer occupation this year with hurricanes on Doug and this on you. Take care and dry!

 

[waimeamomi]

Here is a link from a former student of mine from American Samoa. Take a look http://tropicalbrowns.blogspot.com/2009/09/tsunami-in-american-samoa.html

This is American Samoa. Samoa (used to be Western Samoa) will have it worse since the are a less developed nation, and their infra structure even more fragile and now I'm hearing Tonga got it too.
If you see a Red Cross box, give them a thought.

 

[SteveM]

Avarua Harbor (Rarotonga). The shop owners were in the hills, but someone forgot to tell the tourists?

Two shots taken one minute apart. It was low tide, and there was no damage.

 

[pattye]

Those photos and narrative tell the story, don't they. Very happy for those unaffected, but such a tragedy for others----------Mother Nature is the cruelest mistress of all----

 

[Josh]

After all the mayhem and harmless chaos a five inch wave caused on our island, it was easy to jump to the conclusion that it couldn't have been that bad elsewhere. I wrote that post last night and this morning read about the deaths in Samoa. As Sueki said, consequences indeed.

 

[Heidi]

Josh -
I think we are all quite happy you are safe!

The scale of devastation elsewhere is amazing, isn't it? Hoping for a very speedy recovery effort and no more waves or storms or anything.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Josh -
I think we are all quite happy you are safe!

The scale of devastation elsewhere is amazing, isn't it? Hoping for a very speedy recovery effort and no more waves or storms or anything.

It's sad to hear about all the natural disasters in a series, earthquake, typhoon, tsunami.

 

[Johanna]

Glad the Kamoka Farm is safe. I feel so sorry for those on the Samoas and in Indonesia. Any word on how pearl farming has fared there recently?

 

[lisa c]

Josh, we were all worried about you guys, and are happy that you're ok. Please don't worry about your post; you didn't know. Not only that - you're only young once, you should enjoy your life, and be lighthearted. All of those people who died, and their survivors, would rejoice to have another minute together and they would enjoy it, not agonize about what was going wrong in someone else's life. We can do our best, be kind and make sure to help where we can. Then we can pray for everyone else, and enjoy what life we have.

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks Lisa
Beautifully said. I can't add a thing to that!
And that opal! Even in so tiny a picture, it is great!

 

[lisa c]

Thanks Caitlin; I get carried away sometimes, and then I think "Oh, geez, did I butt in where no one needs it?" Thank you for the comment, now I don't feel quite as sheepish.

Anyway, my avatar pic isn't of my ring; it's a ring I found almost exactly like it on an antiques store site in San Fran.(? No, it's in Texas, and called The Three Graces) that I think you 'linked'. My poor ring has rose cut diamonds, and 3 are lost: 2 rose cut diamonds lost from the very worn setting, the original owner used more brilliant cuts to replace them, of the wrong size, and they squeezed out the third. Ack! Someday I'll replace them. In the meantime, I have two tiny, shiny brilliant diamonds to play with.

My opal is very pretty though!

Every time I look at my avatar I smile, thinking of my Nana. You inadvertantly gave me a gift beyond price when you posted that link. If you didn't post the link, then I'm grateful to the mystery poster! (Oh, there I go again, grinning and sniffling at the same time)

 

[CortezPearls]

Just read the news Josh! I ma mighty Glad you and Your Family are Ok and were able to escape the threat Phew! And I am also Happy to know that your Farm is Ok... thank God.

It has been a loooong and terrible year so far...sure glad to see it is almost over for 2009. Let us all hope 2010 will be a much better year.

 

[Josh]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes.
Lisa, thank you too for your sweet post. I felt like a jerk after my sarcastic post then didn't really know how to express that.

 

[lisa c]

You did well

You did well

You're very welcome, and I think you handled yourself, and any awkwardness, very well. You're doing just what you should be doing - being young, working hard and having fun. Love your posts!