Our arrival had just the right touch -- the Continental Micronesia Airlines Boeing 727 gracefully descended through a layer of short cumulus clouds to reveal Kwajalein Island. "Kwaj," as it's usually called, matched the picture that we'd seen, with the green and tan of the island bordered by green and torquoise water that shaded into deep blue on the ocean side. At some 2.5 miles by 0.5 miles, Kwaj is the largest of the islands that form Kwajalein Atoll, the world's largest atoll.

I am coming to Kwaj to relieve Jeff Halverson as the Surface Site Coordinator. You might say that's a fancy title for "mid-level bureaucrat," since my job is to help ensure that several different sets of observations are being taken (by other researchers) and are up to standards. Even on the flight I am already at work because I am hand-carrying three replacements for sling psychrometers that have broken early in the experiment. These are simple, but delicate, instruments that measure humidity. As well, I'm carrying the laptop computer that will be an integral part of the job.

The number of people getting off the plane surprised me, an interesting mixture of Marshallese, U.S. military, and U.S. civilians, plus an assortment of dependents (i.e., spouses and children). The salt air, trade wind, and hot sun made the exotic tropical location quite tangible. On the other hand, after the recent near-record heat at my home in Maryland, it didn't feel so bad. The process of exiting the airfield also let me know that this was not the usual airport. Kwaj is leased by the U.S. Army from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, so everyone needs specific authorization to stay. A trained dog sniffed baggage while the entire group of new arrivals were briefed on the short version of the rules. Then we turned in copies of our "Entry Authorization" and were issued information packets, purchase authorization cards, and liquor ration cards. The seven new KWAJEX arrivals were piled into a step van and driven to the living quarters for another briefing, room assignments, and bicycle assignments.

In some ways this experience is like going to summer camp as a kid. I've marked my socks, shirts, and so on with my name; dithered about how many of which clothes to take; and then gone off to a place about which I've only heard. I find my room; meet my roommate, who's already been here a while; and try to figure out how to arrange clothes in the drawers. The difference is, in two days Jeff will be gone and I will have to look like I know what I'm doing! Yikes! I find Jeff and we start making the rounds of people I need to meet.

"Making the rounds" is pretty literally true, since the primary mode of transportation is the bicycle. More specifically, balloon-tire, single speed, coaster brake women's beach bikes. The project bought a hundred, and I hear some more have been ordered. Since I bike the four miles to work at home when I can, this shouldn't be too challenging, but I keep trying for a non-existant hand brake and mindlessly try to back-pedal, which naturally sets the brake. Just blame it on jet lag.

The day ended as it should, watching the waves crash on the windward side of the island close to my quarters.

George Huffman