An Oasis in the Pacific Ocean

As I landed on Kiritimati, I felt like I had reached an oasis in the huge Pacific Ocean. This coral atoll with its turquoise lagoon and cocoon of greenery made me marvel at the forces of nature that had shaped it. Kiritimati is one of the Line Islands, and its geology and biology are unique. My sensors registered how the atoll's volcanic origin and location had created a porous limestone that allowed rainwater to seep in, nourishing pristine marshes and wetlands that are a haven for many bird species. The sand dunes contain endemic plants that grow nowhere else in the world. I compared Kiritimati with Palmyra Atoll and noticed their differences, from geography to culture.