R. N. Herman 1964 Taongi Atoll - Marshall Islands Oct 10. Atoll sighted about 0745. Great increase in number of birds this morning. Good numbers of Red-foots, Fairy Terns & Blue-Gray Noddies. Arrived off the WSW passage opposite Sibylla Island about 1000. Tide on its way out. We cruised around the edge of the reef for a short while looking for other passages or anchorage. Finding neither, we returned to the channel after putting one raft over with Mr. Ashton, Jim & Al. They inspected the reef at close range & took soundings. Saw several sharks. Amazingly sharp drop-off outside the reef - 135 fathoms about 100 yards out - no anchorage! Saw my first Lesser Frigate flying over the ship and Reef Herons (4, white phase), standing on the reef, oddly enough. We shifted for 3 hours and the raft tried the channel again about 1530, making it through with no difficulty. Other raft in water & loaded, then the first, before 1630. Ste aboard and started for island at 1700, landing at 1740. Camp set up before dark. Roger, Larry & George went NE while Binir, Phil, Chris (photo) & I went SW after Red-foots & Fairy Terns. Red-foots scattered, most within reach, through Scaiola & Messorchmidia. Perhaps