Tabuaeran, Republic of Kiribati.

A coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean, also known as Fanning Island, is my weekly photo challenge submission. This week, David W. asks that we share a photo that represents travel. You can read the entire challenge post here.  A late April snowfall here in Fargo had me thinking of warm breezes and tropical weather. I’m not much of a world traveler, preferring instead to travel mostly in the United States. Our first visit to Hawaii to cruise the islands also included an almost 1300 mile side trip to Fanning Island, due south of Hawaii. The reason for the sidetrip is steeped in United States Maritime Law. None the less, we enjoyed our day on Fanning Island. More images of the island are in the gallery below, and you can also visit my original post that features more on our visit there.

The Norwegian Wind is no longer in NCL’s fleet.

One of the beaches used by passengers on our lazy day in paradise.

A pair of young island natives play on the seaward side of the atoll.

One of our first views of the coral atoll.

View from the ship’s tender.

One of the performers cares for his little brother.

This shipwreck lies rusting in the center lagoon of the atoll.

John Steiner