Tisa's

The favorite spot on American Samoa is Tisa's. The Hi'ialakai comes here every other year so many of the crew and scientists have been here several times and know Tisa, and Tisa's, well. It is truly a little barefoot bar with a wooden sign and a little deck, a tiki bar, meat or fish on a skewer (=entire menu, but there is no need for anything else). You can jump in for a swim out front-can actually wear skirts and tanks (the shame!...can't do that on the rest of the island)-and we even brought the boat band with us for a show! For those of you who know Seacrets-this is what it tries to emulate on a grand scale. One night they prepared a special traditional feast for us, called an Umu. The food is layered and cooks for three+ hours. Fruit, breadfruit, octopus, fish stew, many meats-it was unbelievable. It is served in a handmade plate made of leaves from the woods behind Tisa's, and you have to eat traditionally-with your hands. Our Chief Boatswain brought his own champagne-Tisa doesn't care!-and Tequila, and Tisa made us amazing frozen margaritas. We all had a much needed care free night with no sailing the next day! 

Hi'ialakai-work hard; play hard.