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Website: www.illawarramercury.com.au THE WEEKENDER Saturday, July 11, 2009 11....

‘‘The 200kgmonster creptout from under aledge as I swampast.

Secluded Samoa

Swimming with sea turtles is one of the highlights of

a trip to the Samoan islands. RODERICK EIME got

close to the critters during a memorable holiday.

The secluded islands ofSamoa boast a rich cultureand relaxed atmosphere.

Trip tips:The Samoa Tourist Authorityhas a wide range of travel, tourand accommodation options tosuit all budgets. Visit:www.samoa.travel.Polynesian Blue, internationalairline of Virgin Blue fliesdirect from Sydney to Apia(Samoa) three times a week.Formal connections are alsoavailable via Brisbane withfares starting from $429 perperson, one way on the net.If you’re looking to keepentertained, simply hire thedigEplayer. Your own personalin-flight system featuresmovies, TV shows and a broadarray of music for an additional$15. For extra leg room, bookthe Blue Zone seating optionfor an additional $45 on top ofyour fare. Visit:www.polynesianblue.com

THE DETERMINED REPTILEbore down with a single-mindedness only coming fromeons of pre-programmedbehaviour. This ancient seacreature pursued me with just onething on its mind, and with thescent of food in its nostrils, wasn’tabout to let me get away.

‘‘Oh, give it to him for heaven’ssake,’’ came the plea fromGardenia, my otherwise patientSamoan guide, and with that I

relented and released the fragmentof pawpaw into the water. Withinseconds Crush’s ravenous jawswere munching contentedly on thebright yellow chunk of fruit.

Sea turtles, in this case greenturtles, are about the most sereneand kindly-looking animalsanywhere on the planet. Anywhereelse, you’d be jumping out of yourskin at the rare sight of one, yethere among the Samoan islandsthe delightful critters abound.

Crush is my name for the largestturtle here in the pool at the littlevillage of Satoalepai on the farnorth coast of Savaii, the largestand northernmost of the twoSamoan mainlands.

The local family sells tickets totourists and visitors for about $2.50and you are supplied with all theripe pawpaw the turtles can eat andall the time you want to swim withthe lovable creatures.

I’m told the juvenile turtles hereare coaxed from fishermen for afew tala (the currency of Samoa)and allowed to grow to maturitybefore release. But the story variesdepending on who you ask. Eitherway, the dozen or so currentresidents are in good shape withplenty of room in clean water.

As an amateur scuba diver, I alsoenjoyed a few dives in the crystalclear waters here on the very edgeof the South Pacific. Each diveyielded at least one turtleencounter with one underwaterexploration near the far eastern tipof Upolu (the other island)delivering eight turtles including

the biggest greenie I’ve ever seen.The 200kg monster crept out

from under a ledge as I swam past,scared the daylights out of me andnonchalantly swam off.

Most of the world’s turtles are onthe World Conservation Unionendangered species list as a resultof over-fishing, deadly driftnetsand environmental degradation,particularly to feeding and nestinggrounds.

In spite of a US National ParkService assessment that places theanimals in regional decline, myown unscientific observationswould beg to differ.

In the lagoon at Fagamalo I waseven treated to the gold medalsighting of a critically endangeredhawksbill turtle grazingunperturbed on algae at about10m.

‘‘She’s there most times wedive,’’ says Fabien Lebon, theexpert dive guide on Savaii,‘‘‘Bonjour Fabien’ she says ‘so justone diver today, oh okay’ and keepseating. My daughter calls herVanessa.’’

In Samoa the animals have somenominal protection thanks to theirmythical status as a saviour of lostseamen. The local name I’a sa,translates directly as sacred fish.

Then there’s the old Samoanlegend of the turtle and the sharkwhich recalls unhappy Fonuea, anelderly blind villager, who castherself and her daughter Salofainto the ocean to be reborn as seacreatures away from the unkindhands of humans.

‘‘Lalelei!, Lalelei!, Lalelei!’’ thevillagers still cry coaxing the pair toreappear at the foot of the cliff. Butdon’t point or they will disappear,reminded of the cruel treatmentthat caused their despair.

When caught, turtles weep

profusely and this sometimesengenders enough sympathy tothrow them back to the sea insteadof on the fire. True, despite bothlegend and legislation, turtles arestill caught for food, althoughmuch less so in Samoa than otherislands such as Fiji where they aregathered and slaughtered live inthe Suva markets.

Samoa challenges any writer toavoid the common cliches ofhidden gem, best kept secret ortropical paradise precisely becauseit matches them all exactly.

The great novelist, Robert LouisStevenson, sought refuge andinspiration here in his final yearsand is laid to rest overlooking Apia.

Remote and almostunattainable, Samoa lies at thelimit of most regional airlines’reach, while conveniently avoidingmention in most tourist textsdominated by closer cousins Fiji,New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Samoa’s lack of pervasivetourism infrastructure is a keyselling point. The relatively fewresorts are low impact, relaxed anduncrowded while tacky touristhaunts and souvenirs are rare.

P&O Cruises have rediscoveredSamoa thanks to its cruise-friendlyport (Apia), engaging excursions,rich culture and relaxedatmosphere and have doubledtheir scheduled visitations over thenext year.

I’d be happy if Samoa retainedits seclusion, cherished its lowprofile and remained ambivalentabout the growing interest in itsnatural and scenic treasures.

But that won’t happen in a worldcrying out for new experiences anddestinations far from the maddingcrowd. Please, if you go, treadlightly, be polite and don’t hasslethe turtles. ■