Carteret Atoll PP and Sad Thoughts
Carteret Atoll PP
This is a disappearing island. It is not sinking, but sea level is rising and motus are disappearing. One estimate as to when this atoll will sink beneath the ocean surface is by 2015. As a result, the islanders are being relocated to dry land.
The Wikipedia article about Carteret Atoll is excellent in it's scope and detail. By 2007, according to the article, all inhabitants will be relocated. Due to rising seas, the island's fresh water supply is being heavily tainted with saltwater. Another article called "Carteret Islands Evacuation" includes a number of photos and an interview with inahabitants. And finally, The Guardian Unlimited, in an article entitled "Pacific Atlantis" discussed the plight of people living on low-lying islands in this age of melting ice and rising seas.
I love islands! They have an almost magical pull on my very being. This post makes me sad. I will not wade into a discussion of the reasons for this disaster. But a world without low-lying islands, without palm trees leaning from the shore to the water's edge, without beachs to explore, without the sounds of village life, without the sounds of a healthy shoreline is lessened. I don't know that they can be saved, at this point. For my part, I will continue to map them thus giving them a permanent place in our "Blue Marble" psyche.This is not an "Enjoy!" post.
PS - To see additional information on the Carterets visit my latest post, Thoughts - The Quaking Carterets
Labels: atoll, Digital Globe, EVS, Global Mapper, Google Earth, island, Landsat, map, Marplot, Pacific
