The two Samoes

Hello All,
We are still here in Samoa waiting for weather so I thought I would take the time to compare the 2 Samoa's.
The First place I will talk about is American Samoa. The main Island Tutuila is the center of government for the 7 Islands that make up the unincorporated territory of the United States. The main and basically only harbor of the Island is Pago Pago Harbor. It is very well protected and is said to be one of the finest in the South Pacific. That being said, my cruising guides for the area do not rate this place very well.
First of all the water is very muddy and the bottom is littered with junk so anchoring can be interesting at times. They offer basically no yacht facilities and the Tuna canneries smell of fish and blow into the anchorage with the prevailing winds almost 24/7. Okay, that's all the bad things which for me were not all that bad. Alaska has canneries by the harbor but the people and the scenery make up for it and the same goes for Pago Pago. The Island itself is breath taking with its razor sharp mountains that drop right into the bay. They get a lot of rain so the greenery is very lush and thick with trees. It is one of the most green Islands I have visited.
The public transport is the best around the Islands and was very cheap. Stocking up the boat is easy to do there with good grocery stores and good prices.
Okay, now the people, there is basically no tourism there so the people you meet don't want anything from you, they just want to know where you are from and what brought you to the Island and they always ask if we like the Island and if we are having fun. Jon and I hitch hiked some while we were there and were invited to peoples homes for dinner, we only took one up on the offer but it was very kind to ask. The Samoans there have American Passports and some have served in the armed forces. They are very proud of their culture and enjoy the benefits of being part of America. The Island does lack the south Pacific feel, they are a cash economy so grass huts are replaced by houses and motor boats replace outrigger canoes.
All in all I enjoyed my month there and met some good cruising folks also.


Samoa (Formerly known as Western Samoa)

The main Islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savaii. Apia is the largest city of Upolu and is the center of government for the Islands. Apia is the only port of entry and it has one of the finest marinas I have visited. It was built just a few years ago so is very modern and provides water and electricity. It is located a short walk from downtown. The city is very clean and offers a little more than Pago Pago for traditional looks. It is a tourist town to say the least and is littered with taxi cab drivers begging you to take a ride with them and street vendors begging you to buy something. Once you get past all of that the Island is beautiful and not as mountainous as Tutuila but breath taking in its own right. Massive waterfalls can be found here and several nature preserves.
The draw back to visiting these places is, they cost money, sometimes excessive amounts and your not paying like a park ranger your paying some guy standing in the trail so you wonder how much is legitimate. It really wore on us after days and days of handing out all of this money. The transportation system isn't as good as Pago Pago as far as the frequency and bus stops but the rates are a little better with the exchange. Samoa has its own currency and resembles the New Zealand Dollar. It is called "Tala", which is dollar in Samoan.
Outside of town the villages are very clean and this is where you find traditional Samoa. The locals are much like in Tutuila, very friendly and always say hello as you pass. Savaii is an Island unspoiled by visitors. There is a daily ferry that go back and forth from Upolu but most of the visitors that come have booked with one of the few resorts located here and have rental cars. So walking around like we have or hitching rides is not common so the locals you run into are curious of your travels and are always amazed we came here by boat. Both Islands get a lot of tourism from Australia and New Zealand to escape there colder winters like Alaskans use Hawaii as a retreat .
I have enjoyed both Samoa's and will not choose between the two. All I will say is I like both equally. They both have flaws like anything in this world and I would visit both again when I get a chance.

PEACE