Phase I
The Cable Station
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Phase I Aerial
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Airfield Final Approach
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PERL Aviation Services
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PERL Scientific Research
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PERL Research Vessels
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PERL Maintenance Vehicles
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PERL Infrastructure
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Architectural Plans
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Phase I
Offering Memorandum
CDN$1 million (circa1988)
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TABUAERAN (FANNING) ATOLL
Planned Field Station - Phase I

(land, buildings and equipment photos, plus plans circa 1981)
 

The Cable Station main building


Study Center

 
      Tennis Court               Cable Station Road

7-Room Hotel and Restaurant

  
Two-Bedroom Villas (2)

  
Two-Bedroom Bungalows (5)

 
Lagoon and Ocean Beaches

Introduction to Phase I - the Cable Station

The Cable Station complex comprises the 210' long former telegraphic cable relay building, the former staff quarters designated as a 7-room hotel and restaurant, former manager's residence designated as a study center, two 2-bedroom villas, five 2-bedroom bungalows, plus various related buildings and infrastructure such as a tennis court and swimming pool, on a site totaling 36 acres in the central portion of the Napari Islet on Tabuaeran (Fanning) atoll, in the Republic of Kiribati.  A link to the site map of the Cable Station grounds and buildings is provided in the left margin.  Approximately one mile to the south of the Cable Station property is the grass airfield, of which a couple of photographs are provided in the left margin; the upper one shows the airfield and the Cable Station property in the distance, and the lower one shows the airfield on final approach.

History as the Pacific Equatorial Research Laboratory (PERL)

  In 1966, the former Gilbert Islands Protectorate government leased the Cable Station property to the Pacific Equatorial Research Laboratory (PERL), a Hawaiian non-profit organization that was established by the late Dr. Martin J. Vitousek, Ph.D., a geophysicist from the University of Hawaii.  In addition to being a scientist, Dr. Vitousek's skills included every imaginable discipline essential to its operation, including that of being a pilot, sea captain, radio operator, and all-around engineer.  One of the first tasks he was faced with in order to establish and maintain operations on the atoll were the establishment and provision of air and ocean transportation services.  Accordingly, he obtained surplus construction equipment and an old U.S. Navy tug and barge(s) to tow them down from Hawaii and build the grass airstrip, for which further information is provided in the left margin.   Having thus established communications, he was able to operate the Cable Station as his center for scientific research that was conducted on Tabuaeran (Fanning) and on the surrounding atolls.  Further information about the scientific research, research vessels, maintenance vehicles, and infrastructure is provided in the various links in the left margin.  The operations of PERL finally came to a close in 1981 when the Cable Station lease expired, at which time Dr. Vitousek supported the proposal of Empyrean International to continue the scientific operations under its own auspices.

Empyrean International's Former Proposal

In 1981, Empyrean International, which comprises a private Canadian corporation named Empyrean International Limited and a related Canadian non-profit corporation named the Empyrean International Eleemosynary, proposed to lease the Cable Station and adjoining property one mile to the north and one mile to the south.  Many of the original architectural plans for the Cable Station buildings were given by Dr. Vitousek to Empyrean International so as to facilitate their renovation; various recent photographs of these architectural plans are presented in the link at the left margin.  The Phase I objectives were to continue and expand the scientific research of PERL, continue and expand its logistical air and sea support, and use the hotel plus a portion of the accommodations in trial operations for tourists, and in order to train the Kiribatese staff in hospitality management.  Following the success of the Phase I operations, Phase II was to encompass the construction on the property to the south of a 200-unit ecotourism resort, plus a related conference and study center.  All of these plans, however, were contingent upon the internal provision of reliable and economic transportation and communications services, the cost of which was factored into those operations.  In 1988, toward those ends, a CDN$1 million offering of founding shares was registered with the British Columbia Securities Commission in Canada, a copy of which is provided at the link in the left margin.  Unfortunately, the offering had to be withdrawn as no agreement was reached regarding the proposed lease on the Cable Station, which was and is still fundamental for the plans to proceed.

The Atoll Institute's Proposal

The Atoll Institute proposal naturally follows the former operations of PERL and the previous proposals for its continued operation under the auspices of Empyrean International.  The urgency for these operations to resume and greatly expand is growing because of sea level rise due to global climate change and the irrefutable conclusion that unless major measures are taken soon the world's atolls will all be washed under the oceans.  Accordingly, Empyrean International, together with the Atoll Institute, will revive its 1981 proposal to lease, refurbish and expand the Cable Station property for charitable and non-profit operations, which are generally described in the 'Programs' web pages.   Funding for these operations will be provided, in part, by Empyrean International, however the bulk of its support will be required from other foundations, government agencies, as well as our patrons.