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June 24, 2014

1113 MICRONESIA (Pohnpei) - Pohnpei Surfing


Pohnpei "upon (pohn) a stone altar (pei)" (formerly known as Ponape) is an island of the Senyavin Islands, which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Palikir, the FSM's capital, is located on Pohnpei Island, the largest, highest, most populous, and most developed single island in the FSM. The locals have a reputation as being the most welcoming of outsiders among residents of the island group. Pohnpei is one of the wettest places on earth, and contains a wealth of biodiversity.

Micronesia has some of the best waves in the world and Pohnpei has by far the best one in Micronesia. In Pohnpei, waves break far from the beach, similar to Tahiti or Fiji, either on the barrier reef or near a reef pass, so do require a boat ride. Most of the swells that reach Pohnpei are generated by North Pacific winter storms and from typhoons in the Western Pacific. Pohnpei surf season goes from early September thru early May. It's a little bit far from it all and expensive to get to, and this is the main reason this beautiful part of the world has been left untouched by tourism and surfers.

About the stamps
The first two stamps are part of a set belonging to a much large series of butterflies, issued on February 28, 2000. This set has 6 stamps with the same face value (0,55 USD):
• Graphium sarpedon - it's on the postcard
• Papilio machaon
• Ornithoptera priamus
• Ornithoptera chimaera - it's on the postcard
• Graphium antiphates
• Pachliopta aristolochiae

The third stamp is part of the series Surfing, issued on January 26, 2009 and consisting of 14 stamps.

References
Pohnpei - Wikipedia
Pohnpei Surf Club - Official website

sender: Dame Rina Purba
sent from Pohnpei (Pohnpei / Micronesia), on 27.05.2014

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