Where is kosrae located

In crystal shallows, I skimmed blankets of antler coral, huge brain coral studded with multicolor Christmas tree worms, anemones with clownfish the size of my hand and 6-foot-tall pink pillars that the locals call castle coral. But one of the neatest experiences was church. The church in the village of Tafunsak is large, with cool, white floors and high ceilings. Women sit on the left, men on the right. The service, in the lilting Kosraen language, is punctuated by singing — high-pitched chorals from women in white, lace dresses, answered by soft tenors from the men.

Virtually everyone on the island belongs to the Congregational Church, whose services are little changed from those performed by founding missionaries in The day of rest is taken seriously here.

Men must swim wearing shirts, women in skirts. There can be no work that breaks a sweat, which means, among other things, no cooking. And that leads to Sunday Soup, a tasty porridge of rice or breadfruit, coconut and fish, which the local ladies get up before dawn on Sunday to make.

We started with the soup, thick, with chunks of tuna and crab, and creamy from the rice and freshly strained coconut milk. There was a plate of freshly cooked taro and breadfruit. We finished with homemade banana pie that tasted, surprisingly, like apple. That night, after a brief dip in the ocean, I had absolutely no trouble falling instantly asleep. I understand that happens a lot. Yvette Cardozo is a freelance writer and photographer from Washington state.

There are six hotels on Kosrae, with a total of 60 rooms. Three of these hotels are used by tourists. The others are used by islanders coming to Kosrae mainly on business.

All three of the tourist hotels have dive shops that offer dive packages, scuba equipment and nitrox. They have electricity and hot water but no air conditioning except for one cottage or telephones.

Pacific Tree Lodge Resort: Six rooms with air conditioning. Kosrae Nautilus Resort: Eighteen rooms with air conditioning, TV and telephone plus Internet access and a swimming pool. Across the street from a beach. Contact: kosraenautilus. Car rentals are available and there is an Internet cafe on the island. The island uses U. Average air temperature is 85 F but with extremely high humidity. Average water temperature is in the low 80s year-round.

The trade winds blow November to mid-June, bringing cool breezes but limiting scuba diving. Summer July to September brings calm water, little wind and the best conditions for diving. Kosrae has a hospital that can handle routine medical problems such as broken bones. There is no chamber on Kosrae to handle bends from diving but all three dive shops have a working relationship with DAN Divers Alert Network. United is the only airline serving Kosrae, via an island hopper from Guam or Hawaii two days a week each way.

The trip involves several connecting flights. Contact: united. For more information , contact the Kosrae Office of Tourism at kosrae. Catch up on North Texas' vibrant arts and culture community, delivered every Monday. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas. More from Homepage. Kosrae is a square kilometer island surrounded by a reef.

Kosrae is circular in shape, measuring only 16 kilometers across at its widest point, and it is the only state without an outer island.

Kosrae's main natural resources are the abundant marine resources surrounding the island and the beautiful lush green island which has significant agricultural potential. The island is mountainous with a dense jungle, with white coral sand beaches around the rim. Kosrae is known for its citrus fruit which includes delicious oranges, tangerines, and limes. Legend has it that Kosrae was shaped by the gods from the transformed figure of a sleeping lady.

Indeed, the skyline from many parts of Kosrae reveal the silhouette of a female body. Kosrae State has its own constitutional government with three co-equal branches of government consisting of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Executive Branch is headed by a Governor and Lt. Governor who appoint their own cabinet members and are primarily responsible for executing the laws and administering state government services. See, Art.