Cultural Resources and Miscellaneous Facilities. A lack of time and
proper training did not permit more than a cursory look at some cultural
resources on the islands of the atoll. The Bikini cemetery and Japanese
shrine were noted on Bikini Island along with many homesites and a school
abandoned during the 1978 evacuation.
in the 1950's) was noted on Eneu.
The ruins of a church (probably built
Several reinforced concrete bunkers. were
also seen on Eneu, including a very large building centrally located on the
island. Other bunkers may also occur on Bikini Island but were not seen.
Many bunkers, built on the outer islands, to facilitate photography and other
documentation during nuclear tests, can still be observed. The shipwrecks in
the central eastern lagoon, sunk during the nuclear test "Baker" also exist
and constitute a historic resource. (See Kubo,
information.) The aircraft carrier Saratoga is
its age and the role it played during W
rd War
of US aircraft carriers. A sacred reef is said
of Bikini Island.
Appendix C for further
particularly noteworthy due to
II and the early development
to exist near the lagoon shore
The author could not document the existence of any previous archaeological
or historical resource studies at Bikini Atoll.
Previous extensive ground
disturbance on the islands could have destroyed at least some sites, if they
existed. Any cleanup alternatives involving removal of soil or vegetation
will probably require an archaeological survey to locate cultural resources,
if any, worthy of in-place protection relocation or additional study prior to
earthmoving and grubbing.
E.
SOCIOECONOMIC RESOURCES.
The Bikini islanders were evacuated from the atoll in 1978, and presently
the atoll and its islands are uninhabited except during the brief visits of
scientists involved in monitoring studies and experiments conducted by
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Brookhaven, and other federally sponsored
programs.
All lands on the atoll are owned by the Bikini islanders.
Bikini
Island has been the traditional main island of occupation on the atoll, and
many of the landowners on Bikini apparently also own land on Eneu Island, the
only other large inhabitable island. The size of the land parcels may vary
considerably among the different owners. The land ownership issue will be
important for any options involving settlement on Eneu prior to settlement on
Bikini Island.
The only navigational facility at Bikini is the ruins of the deep draft
sheet pile dock at Eneu which appears beyond salvage; it serves now only as a
convenient termporary mooring for small skiffs. Only some of the concrete
supports for older landings or docks on Eneu are still standing and the
structures are no longer functional or repairable. No docking facilities of
any kind are located on Bikini Island. Concrete reinforced seawall groins .
placed at the southern lagoon shoreline of Eneu have been only partially
effective in arresting shoreline erosion and are being undercut by wave surge.
A large storage warehouse at the south end of Eneu Island appears Salvageab le
but is in need of repair.
SOOT u|
E-8