Having finally found and purchased another small scooter, it was time for Terri and I to take a longer trip to explore the island. With both of us riding one scooter, we were limited as to where we could go; but now we should be able to explore the entire island (although the size of the scooters-- 50cc --is somewhat limiting). So we took out our map and chose Fleming point as a likely place.
Although the map shows roads to many places on the island, we have found that the maps are not always accurate. Many times the roads end, or turn into dirt roads, and then just grassy paths. In fact, as you can see by the pictures, often we were almost brought to a halt due to the amount of overgrowth covering the road. We also discovered that some of the paths were quite steep, and though it was easy to get down to the bottom, it was difficult coming back up. Our little scooters just didn't have the power to get us back up the hill! However, with a little effort (picture the Flintstones car, where they use their feet to make their cars move), we were able to make it back.
The paths to both Fleming Point and Tinian Grotto ended short of the shoreline. We were then forced to look for a way to get past the jungle that surrounded us, and be able to get to the shoreline. In both cases we found a small, hidden path that led further out to the shore.
Taking our 'spider sticks' in hand (there are lots of spider webs that often block the paths in the area, so whenever going 'off-road', it is wise to get a small stick that you can use to clear the area in front of you) we headed into the jungle. Sometimes the walking was quite treacherous as the ground gave way to volcanic rock, filled with hidden fissures, sharp edges, and uneven surfaces--a perfect place to turn an ankle. Using the spider stick to check the ground ahead of us, we carefully picked our way to the shore.
To our surprise, what we found was a cliff line. Standing about 50'-60' above the water, we could look down into the blue water. I was sooo tempted to just jump in! But there would be no way for me to get back up. As we were standing there we saw diving/fishing boats and the Tinian ferry heading back to Siapan.
The Tinian Grotto was just a little further north of Fleming Point, along the same cliff line. There was a long, curved cliff that was somewhat concave, creating a grotto-like effect. It was a beautiful post-card moment.
We attempted to travel further down the path to the grotto point, where a white cross was located and we felt we could possibly get to the water, but the jungle was so overgrown, it was difficult to travel. Even then we tried, but were driven back by the pricker bushes along the path. There were so many we began to get scratched and stuck quite a bit, so we decided to call it quits and head for the beach.
Heading back up the hill leading up to the main road was a struggle. At one point we had to get off and walk our bikes, as the hill was just too steep. But that portion was quite short, and we were soon on our way back to the beach by Dynasty Casino. We had our underwater camera with us and took about fifty pictures. The water was calm and very clear, so we were excited to see what we got. Out of the 50 pics, we probably got 5 or 6 worth looking at. The fish just move too fast! We also took some underwater video, but again, it was tough. We just need to practice.
We were very tired when we got back home. We took a short nap before this evenings festivities: the Hospital Christmas Party. I made a microwave cake and our famous jello salad.
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