| The Palmyra Gazette |
| Gazette brought to you by Michael E. Murray, Maine USA |
A fledgling paper for the introduction of Palmyra
Atoll to the general public. This photo journal /
paper is brought to you by Michael E. Murray, a
freelance writer who worked on the pristine atoll
on behalf of The Nature Conservancy based out
of Honolulu, HI. The pictures and information
contained within this web site is the exclusive
intellectual property of MEMurray. This is a
private effort not supported by or endorsed by
TNC. Please forward all questions and comments
to: MEMmaker3@yahoo.com
Thank you for visiting!
Pictures from this site may be used for
"private" use only on a limited basis. Any
reproduction for use outside this site in any
commercial endeavor must be approved before
hand by MEMurray. Larger reproduction of
images are available for sale to the general
public. Watch for a rate schedule in future up
dates to this site.
In an effort to make this site navigable and "fun"
to view, I've tried to create an Easter Egg Hunt
with the links. Thanks to Dennis, I took over 4500
pictures while on the atoll that I will share with
you on this site. Many of the pictures have "pop
ups" associated with them for larger image
viewing. Watch for the updates and stories!
What happened to Matt & Liz Lang?
Atoll to the general public. This photo journal /
paper is brought to you by Michael E. Murray, a
freelance writer who worked on the pristine atoll
on behalf of The Nature Conservancy based out
of Honolulu, HI. The pictures and information
contained within this web site is the exclusive
intellectual property of MEMurray. This is a
private effort not supported by or endorsed by
TNC. Please forward all questions and comments
to: MEMmaker3@yahoo.com
Thank you for visiting!
Pictures from this site may be used for
"private" use only on a limited basis. Any
reproduction for use outside this site in any
commercial endeavor must be approved before
hand by MEMurray. Larger reproduction of
images are available for sale to the general
public. Watch for a rate schedule in future up
dates to this site.
In an effort to make this site navigable and "fun"
to view, I've tried to create an Easter Egg Hunt
with the links. Thanks to Dennis, I took over 4500
pictures while on the atoll that I will share with
you on this site. Many of the pictures have "pop
ups" associated with them for larger image
viewing. Watch for the updates and stories!
What happened to Matt & Liz Lang?
| Palmyra Flag |
| Welcome to: PalmyraGazette.org Created by: Michael E. Murray January 2008 Enjoy your visit! |
Coconut Crabs
| Maine Native Lives the Dream on Palmyra Atoll ! |
Michael E. Murray left by Greyhound bus 4:00 pm Thanksgiving day 2007 from the Lewiston, ME
terminal to travel cross country making his way on the 7180 mile journey for a four month stay in
a once in a lifetime opportunity to lend his construction talents for the betterment of the Cooper
Island Encampment. A life long resident of Maine, he gave notice to his employer at The Dingley
Press . Saying farewell to one of Maine’s worst winters on record, he eagerly signed on to this
South Pacific adventure. Four plane flights passing through TSA checkpoints and several days
later, Maritime Air’s turbo prop plane set down on the one-mile long Cooper Island runway the
beginning of Murray's four-month adventure!
The Nature Conservancy, along with The National Fish and Wildlife Service, purchased the privately
owned atoll to save this necklace of emerald inlets in the South Pacific during 2000 for mankind.
Construction crews soon built the Cooper Camp establishing a small base of operations. Soon
after, a seasonal rotational community made up of scientists and TNC employees began living in
open-air cabins calling Palmyra home for their brief stays. The winter rotation 07/08 population of
four was made up of Murray, Dennis Girardot, Station Manager, Will mechanic and Karen camp
chef. They spent their days servicing the Atoll by way of their specialties and talents. March 17th,
with the return of Maritime Air, marked the end of the tour for three of the four island castaways
who were replaced by the spring rotation crew, eager to step into their roles proudly working for
the betterment of Palmyra and the TNC mission.
Situated some 1000 miles due South of Honolulu, HI a landmass made up of 4.6 square miles, the
atoll represents a pristine coral reef environment surrounded by waves breaking upon the outer
reefs that provide the buffer and security for the atoll. On nautical charts, Palmyra is but a tiny
speck in the middle of the mass of blue that represents the Pacific Ocean. The island lies well off
of the major shipping lanes for vessels plying the Asian/American run and is geographically
perhaps one of the remotest places on earth and one of the last few truly uninhabited islands left
in the world. At nighttime while sleeping in the well-appointed open-air cabins mere feet from
West lagoon, a constant roar of the ocean can be heard as a sweet and enchanting melody to fall
asleep to. There’s a huge 29 species bird population as well, their songs added to the serenity of
the warm tropical night air and the bliss of this enchanted island life. Truly a castaway's dream
come true! (Click on pictures for larger images)
There has never been a real population on the atoll other than a few fortunate souls. It is believed
a Frenchman, Roger Lextrait spent the longest term of eight years. In 1816, the Esperanza, a
Spanish pirate ship loaded with gold and silver plunder from the Inca temples in Peru, came under
attack from another vessel and a fierce battle ensued. Several crew members that managed to
survive the fight sailed off with the treasure only to wreck on a nearby reef. As the ship was
sinking, they managed to transfer the treasure to Home Island on the South West corner of
Palmyra. The legend and mystery goes on, captured by the movie “And The Sea Will Tell…” a
murder mystery that unfolded late 1974. Buck (Wesley) Walker, now free from prison, has
written his account in “Palmyra: The True Story of an Island Tragedy”. Back in the early forties, a
construction crew shipped in from Johnston Atoll spent a number of years on site building an
incredible infrastructure of bunkers and gun emplacements that were never used during WWll.
Many of the structures still remain. The most elaborate structure is on Engineer Island, a three
wing bunker that served as the hospital now encapsulated with tropical foliage. A one mile long
crushed coral runway provides access to the atoll via airplane, a white ribbon that extends the full
length of Cooper Island clearly visible on any aerial map or Google World view of Palmyra.
Safety is paramount on the atoll since rescue is some 1000 miles away. Protocols have been set in
place to guide the termed inhabitants while out and about searching the various nooks and
crannies from Sand Island to Coral Gardens. Andy Deering and his life mate Lisa sailed into West
lagoon at the end of our tour for a brief stay to add to the excitement of this enchanting island
life. Andy’s book “The Best Life Money Can’t Buy” is a great read for those who want to touch a
sea farrier's life. This is without question one of the most fundamentally basic life styles possible.
No need for money, no mass population, no auto noise pollution or traffic, no blinding
snowstorms. A castaway kind of life style with warm Pacific Ocean breezes punctuated with warm
tropical rainfall. An incredible journey of mind, body and soul that thanks to an add posted by
CoolWorks member Kari Quaas, one life long Mainer had the great good fortune to visit,
experience and be a part of the growing Palmyra history and legacy! Michael E. Murray
terminal to travel cross country making his way on the 7180 mile journey for a four month stay in
a once in a lifetime opportunity to lend his construction talents for the betterment of the Cooper
Island Encampment. A life long resident of Maine, he gave notice to his employer at The Dingley
Press . Saying farewell to one of Maine’s worst winters on record, he eagerly signed on to this
South Pacific adventure. Four plane flights passing through TSA checkpoints and several days
later, Maritime Air’s turbo prop plane set down on the one-mile long Cooper Island runway the
beginning of Murray's four-month adventure!
The Nature Conservancy, along with The National Fish and Wildlife Service, purchased the privately
owned atoll to save this necklace of emerald inlets in the South Pacific during 2000 for mankind.
Construction crews soon built the Cooper Camp establishing a small base of operations. Soon
after, a seasonal rotational community made up of scientists and TNC employees began living in
open-air cabins calling Palmyra home for their brief stays. The winter rotation 07/08 population of
four was made up of Murray, Dennis Girardot, Station Manager, Will mechanic and Karen camp
chef. They spent their days servicing the Atoll by way of their specialties and talents. March 17th,
with the return of Maritime Air, marked the end of the tour for three of the four island castaways
who were replaced by the spring rotation crew, eager to step into their roles proudly working for
the betterment of Palmyra and the TNC mission.
Situated some 1000 miles due South of Honolulu, HI a landmass made up of 4.6 square miles, the
atoll represents a pristine coral reef environment surrounded by waves breaking upon the outer
reefs that provide the buffer and security for the atoll. On nautical charts, Palmyra is but a tiny
speck in the middle of the mass of blue that represents the Pacific Ocean. The island lies well off
of the major shipping lanes for vessels plying the Asian/American run and is geographically
perhaps one of the remotest places on earth and one of the last few truly uninhabited islands left
in the world. At nighttime while sleeping in the well-appointed open-air cabins mere feet from
West lagoon, a constant roar of the ocean can be heard as a sweet and enchanting melody to fall
asleep to. There’s a huge 29 species bird population as well, their songs added to the serenity of
the warm tropical night air and the bliss of this enchanted island life. Truly a castaway's dream
come true! (Click on pictures for larger images)
There has never been a real population on the atoll other than a few fortunate souls. It is believed
a Frenchman, Roger Lextrait spent the longest term of eight years. In 1816, the Esperanza, a
Spanish pirate ship loaded with gold and silver plunder from the Inca temples in Peru, came under
attack from another vessel and a fierce battle ensued. Several crew members that managed to
survive the fight sailed off with the treasure only to wreck on a nearby reef. As the ship was
sinking, they managed to transfer the treasure to Home Island on the South West corner of
Palmyra. The legend and mystery goes on, captured by the movie “And The Sea Will Tell…” a
murder mystery that unfolded late 1974. Buck (Wesley) Walker, now free from prison, has
written his account in “Palmyra: The True Story of an Island Tragedy”. Back in the early forties, a
construction crew shipped in from Johnston Atoll spent a number of years on site building an
incredible infrastructure of bunkers and gun emplacements that were never used during WWll.
Many of the structures still remain. The most elaborate structure is on Engineer Island, a three
wing bunker that served as the hospital now encapsulated with tropical foliage. A one mile long
crushed coral runway provides access to the atoll via airplane, a white ribbon that extends the full
length of Cooper Island clearly visible on any aerial map or Google World view of Palmyra.
Safety is paramount on the atoll since rescue is some 1000 miles away. Protocols have been set in
place to guide the termed inhabitants while out and about searching the various nooks and
crannies from Sand Island to Coral Gardens. Andy Deering and his life mate Lisa sailed into West
lagoon at the end of our tour for a brief stay to add to the excitement of this enchanting island
life. Andy’s book “The Best Life Money Can’t Buy” is a great read for those who want to touch a
sea farrier's life. This is without question one of the most fundamentally basic life styles possible.
No need for money, no mass population, no auto noise pollution or traffic, no blinding
snowstorms. A castaway kind of life style with warm Pacific Ocean breezes punctuated with warm
tropical rainfall. An incredible journey of mind, body and soul that thanks to an add posted by
CoolWorks member Kari Quaas, one life long Mainer had the great good fortune to visit,
experience and be a part of the growing Palmyra history and legacy! Michael E. Murray
| Muff on the bow of Seawind. What really happened on that fateful day on Palmyra in 1974? Buck (Wesley) Walker was convicted of her murder and recently tells of his role in the events that unfolded that day so long ago ... For the "REAL" story and interview with Buck, Click Here |
| What Happened to the Iola? |
Andy & Lisa
Click on the link
to see their page.
to see their page.
Eleanor "Muff" Gram
Full View = F11
| Call any phone directly from Skype SkypeOut is the great, money saving way to call phones and cell phones. |
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