November 4, 2025

Bosco's Birthday Bash! How convenient that we were in a Port with a Wave Lagoon Pool just minutes away on Bosco's actual birth date, November 3rd.

Super hero party hats were hard to keep on in the waves, especially since these came with the chin straps detached! The party started around 11am and went until pool closing, at 6 pm. Above is the group there for last part of the day. (L to R, back to front) - our life guard, Jeff & Becky, Robert, Gary, Sherrie, MaryAnn, Maui Jim, Scott, Julie, Donna & Butch, Bosco, Me, Frazer and Steph. Sadly, I didn't take any photos in the morning, too busy riding the waves! Special thanks to Jim & Deb for photo's and video below. We also had a rain delay in the early afternoon, where we went to The Precinct Bar & Restaurant, right across from the Pool, to wait out the storm. All in all, we had about 40 friends join in the festivities.

The Ship sail away was at 7:30 pm, so we had dinner on board, where the CREW serenaded Bosco at Dinner with a special cheese burger and song and his cabin door got decorated with words of affirmation from fellow residents.

THE ART OF COCONUT CREAM - AMERICAN SAMOA

By Patricia Patrick • December 18, 2025
Making coconut cream is such a big part of the Samoan culture I feel compelled to share the 4 step process we were so nicely shown. Every Samoan young and old takes part in this tradition, it is an intrigue part of their everyday lives.

PAGO PAGO, TUTUILA ISLAND, AMERICAN SAMOA

By Patricia Patrick • December 17, 2025
The tour today was focused on the National Park but we also got a lot of insight into American Samoa's history and current day life. Our guide was Nini and she is a college student studying accounting and finance and works as a part-time guide.

NATIONAL PARK OF AMERICA SAMOA, TUTUILA ISLAND

By Patricia Patrick • December 17, 2025
Today we took the National Park of American Samoa Tour. It's a unique park - the only one south of the equator and where the U.S. Government doesn't own the land. Efforts to establish the Park go back to mid 1980 over concern about the decline of fruit bats and wanting to protect the tropical rainforests. On October 31, 1988 Congress established the NP of American Samoa. In 1993, a complex arrangement for a 50 year land lease years with seven villages and the Samoa government was signed. We got lucky with our tour - we were expecting an open air bus, but because we were a small group, we got a plush air conditioned van!