My life as a dog on Anaa
My host had two dogs, and such harmonoius dogs! Being a total stranger I would suspect a greeting of loud barks and jumping to and fro. Not these dogs! Approaching them and simply giving attention and petting them was well received, with pure joy and friendliness in return. Most of the time they were [...]
Anaa shell desert
Some areas the shelldunes stretched far and wide, and it resembled a desert more than an atoll. The enormity of shells deposited is is a grand display of how rich the ocean is here.
The strangest of all things here was the absence of human waste! There was nothing! Not even a tiny bit of fishing [...]
Anaa shell dunes
In the lagoon there are huge deposits of shells in formations similar to what you see in the snowy and windswept mountains in winter. The different ages of shells are like the snow, where the fresh snow is the whitest on top, and here the newest shells are the whitest all the way down to [...]
Anaa ocean channel
This is one of many openings in the chain of dry land and during storm surges the ocean will flood through here and rearrange shores and islets and deposit shells, coral and other dead material in the lagoon.
In 1983 Anaa was hit by a hurricane which destroyed the bridge over this channel. Only the [...]
Heliotrope Tree (Tournefortia argentea)
Native to Anaa and grows widespread here. I found none in bloom the few hours I was on Anaa, but my host put the flowers to scent the bathroom, so they were still in bloom a few places.
Hermit crab (Paguridae)
This Anaa beach was teaming with hermit crabs of sizes from just a few milimeters to about 10 cm. A sign of good health on many levels, as the crabs need food as well as a supply of empty shells to fit their ever changing sizes. With insufficient food supply for the shells, the hermit [...]
Pemphis (Pemphis acidula)
Endemic to Anaa and is the the dominant plant in some places. It grows right above the reaches of the high tide, and is battered by sea salt and wind. Some can grow to form beatiful bonzai trees. Those who grow on deeper soil can form 2-3 meter tall forests.
They are pollinated mainly by [...]
Great Crested Tern (Sterna bergii cristata)
At this particular beach the terns were very inquisitive and unafraid. They flew to and fro many times, and hovered low in the sky.
They are common thorughout the Pacific and here on the Anaa atoll where this was shot.
Anaa coral reef
Anaa is incredibly diverse, and here the coral dominates the landscape. The outrcops are fossilized coral or limestone.
When the outcrops eventually erode away, the remains will flatten to a beach seen here. This in turn is battered by endless waves grinding coral pebbels over the surface until it’s as smooth as seen here.
I was [...]
I AM
Like a leaf on the great tree of Life, rooted in the source of All.
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My life as a dog on Anaa
My host had two dogs, and such harmonoius dogs! Being a total stranger I would suspect a greeting of loud barks and jumping to and fro. Not these dogs! Approaching them and simply giving attention and petting them was well received, with pure joy and friendliness in return. Most of the time they were [...]
Anaa shell desert
Some areas the shelldunes stretched far and wide, and it resembled a desert more than an atoll. The enormity of shells deposited is is a grand display of how rich the ocean is here. The strangest of all things here was the absence of human waste! There was nothing! Not even a tiny bit of fishing [...]
Anaa shell dunes
In the lagoon there are huge deposits of shells in formations similar to what you see in the snowy and windswept mountains in winter. The different ages of shells are like the snow, where the fresh snow is the whitest on top, and here the newest shells are the whitest all the way down to [...]
Anaa ocean channel
This is one of many openings in the chain of dry land and during storm surges the ocean will flood through here and rearrange shores and islets and deposit shells, coral and other dead material in the lagoon. In 1983 Anaa was hit by a hurricane which destroyed the bridge over this channel. Only the [...]
Heliotrope Tree (Tournefortia argentea)
Native to Anaa and grows widespread here. I found none in bloom the few hours I was on Anaa, but my host put the flowers to scent the bathroom, so they were still in bloom a few places.
Hermit crab (Paguridae)
This Anaa beach was teaming with hermit crabs of sizes from just a few milimeters to about 10 cm. A sign of good health on many levels, as the crabs need food as well as a supply of empty shells to fit their ever changing sizes. With insufficient food supply for the shells, the hermit [...]
Pemphis (Pemphis acidula)
Endemic to Anaa and is the the dominant plant in some places. It grows right above the reaches of the high tide, and is battered by sea salt and wind. Some can grow to form beatiful bonzai trees. Those who grow on deeper soil can form 2-3 meter tall forests. They are pollinated mainly by [...]
Great Crested Tern (Sterna bergii cristata)
At this particular beach the terns were very inquisitive and unafraid. They flew to and fro many times, and hovered low in the sky. They are common thorughout the Pacific and here on the Anaa atoll where this was shot.
Anaa coral reef
Anaa is incredibly diverse, and here the coral dominates the landscape. The outrcops are fossilized coral or limestone. When the outcrops eventually erode away, the remains will flatten to a beach seen here. This in turn is battered by endless waves grinding coral pebbels over the surface until it’s as smooth as seen here. I was [...]
Pacific Pigweed (Portulaca lutea)
Endemic to Anaa, and grows widespread and in particular on disturbed coral ground like roads or paths where it can grow to large specimens like this one. Once larger plants and bush take over it will not receive sufficient light and will eventually diminish.
Creeping Half-flower (Scaevola paulayi)
Endemic to French Polynesia and the Anaa atoll, where it grows commonly. I didn’t see many insects on the flowers, so it’s perhaps pollinated at night.
Wild Poinsettia (Euphorbia cyathophora)
Not endemic and comes from Latin America. Here on Anaa it is a small plant, no taller than 30-40 cm. I found it growing alongside the coral dirt road in the coconut groves close to the village.
Triumfetta Vine (Triumfetta procumbens)
Endemic to French Polynesia and grows commonly here on Anaa. It’s a creeping subwoody plant. The flower has a slight resemblance to the Hypericum.
Rosy Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)
Grows commonly in the coconut groves and alongside the coral dirt road around the village. Introduced species that is native to Madagascar.
Indian Mulberry (Morinda citrifolia)
When this fruit is ripe it turns white and smelly – some therefore call it cheese fruit! It’s rich in carbohydrates and fiber. Both ants and humans alike find it edible. Juice is also made from it.
Indian Mulberry (Morinda citrifolia)
Endemic to French Polynesia and the Anaa atoll, and grows commonly here. The flowers are a magnet to ants which flows to each and every flower during its blossoming hours. It grows to a few metres and is bushy and decorative, and thus some have this in their garden.
Honey bee (Apis sp)
Anaa has a healthy population of honey bees, and they were busy pollinating the flowers in the interior as well as on the windward and salt sprayed shores where there is an abundance of Pemphis. It’s a strong flier and the wind must be quite strong to dissuade it from visiting the Pemphis on the [...]
Coat Buttons (Tridax procumbens)
Grows commonly in the coconutgroves, and is an introduced species to the Anaa atoll and French Polynesia. It’s native to latin America
