Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
High sea swells occurred several times in the past (Environmental Data Services 1966). In
January 1958, swells were 4.6 to 6.1 m (15 to 20 ft) high lasted for several days and damaged
the seawall protecting the runway.
In Abariringa (Canton) as well as other remote air field locations operated by Pan American
Airways, there was a motto that was followed call Clipper glory (Oates 2003). Basically,
even after working longer, harder, and smarter than expected, the worker would do the same
tomorrow. There was no second or third shift to relieve workers. Also, there was no city or
other services to support passengers or planes. Workers stayed on duty until the work was
done. This motto extended beyond the airlines to the entire island community.
Since 1958, Pan American and Qantas began using jets to on their flights from Hawaii to
Australia and New Zealand (McIntire 1960). These flights by-passed Abariringa (Canton).
Pan American Airways sold its Abariringa (Canton) installation to Qantas (Oates 2003, no
date provided, but this appeared to have occurred in the late 1950’s).
By 1958, most of the above water portions of the 1942 President Taylor wreck had been
salvaged (Degener and Degener 1959; see also McIntire 1960).
In 1959, the population was 330 (McIntire 1960). In that year, 595 planes landed on
Abariringa (Canton) (McIntire 1960).
Abariringa (Canton) support for trans-Pacific air flights was already losing its importance due
to developing long-distant flights (Luke 1962).
In September 1959, commercial air flights through Abariringa (Canton) stopped (Stack
1982). Long range jets by-passed Abariringa (Canton). After that, the airstrip on Abariringa
(Canton) was maintained as an emergency landing field until the 1960s (Levy 1996). It was
abandoned after that.
In October 1959, Abariringa was selected by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) as a station for the worldwide Mercury tracking network (Stack
1982).
In 1960, in addition to the regular population, there were 75 members of the Mobile
Construction Battalion Ten on Abariringa (Canton) (McIntire 1960; see also Oates 2003).
They were involved in construction of the NASA facility there. Construction began in April
1960 and was completed by November 1, 1960. Abariringa (Canton) was designated Station
11 of 26 stations worldwide (Oates 2003).
McIntire (1960) reported that vessels more than 128 m (420 ft) in length with drafts more
than 7.0 m (23 ft) should not enter the Abariringa (Canton) lagoon entrance, except in an
emergency. The lagoon turning basin was unsafe for vessels greater than 61 m (200 ft)
(Degener and Gillapsy 1955). The wharf can be used by vessels of 4,536 gross tonnes (5,000
gross tons) can tie up (according to Degener and Gillapsy 1955). There was anchorage on the
reef side south of the lagoon entrance for vessels that drew less than 7.3 m (24 ft). For larger
ships, there was no good anchorage on the outer shelf.
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