In January of 2010, yet another island has been devastated by a huge earthquake. A 7.0 earthquake hit the heart of Haiti, toppling buildings and killing thousands of people. The death toll there continues to rise as volunteers and residents try and dig out those who have been buried underneath tons of rubble. The search efforts now seem to find more dead than alive. Even the presidential palace was completed flattened by the huge earthquake.

This can happen anywhere in the world. But many times islands tend to be near a major fault. These faults can give way at anytime and cause major natural disasters without any warning. Experts try to understand and predict when these may occur, but in the end they are left scratching their heads as to why they cannot figure out when the next big one will hit and where.

No matter what, islands can be very dangerous places to live. They have to deal with the possibility of earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. When something like this happens, much of the world sits and waits to hear how many will end up dying and how many will end up having to wait long periods of time to find out whether or not their loved ones are safe.

Islands in certain regions have been plagued by earthquakes on and off shore. Off shore earthquakes can sometimes be just as deadly due to their potential of unleashing huge tsunamis. These massive waves of water can do damage several miles inland. So even if you are inland quite a bit, you still may need to be really careful if you hear of a tsunami warning for the area. Islanders know that it is best to go as far inland as possible.

Just recently in the Solomon Island region, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit the area. It was off shore and sent residents in the region fleeing from the coast. Warnings or not, residents of the island know that if there is an earthquake, the disastrous effects of a tsunami may not be that far behind. These off shore earthquakes cause the land to shift and slide during an earthquake. So much land shifts that it causes a massive wave to be pushed out in many directions. The effects of the tsunami can be felt hundreds or more miles away.

So just because an earthquake is off shore, do not think that there is no cause for alarm. Keep in mind that off shore quakes can be just as dangerous.

Many people have heard of Ellis Island but really do not understand what it really is and the role that it plays in our history. It was opened on January 1, 1892, and ended up becoming the United States main federal immigration station. It closed down around the year 1954 and did see and process over 12 million immigrants. This country saw most of its settlers come through this small island at one time or another. It is also said that over 40% of this country’s current residents can trace their ancestors and start here through this island.

In 1990 a museum honoring the island opened there. This can be a great place to visit and look into how history truly changed for this nation through the small island.

The American Family Immigration History Center also calls this island home. They can trace the over 25 million visitors to the island from the years of 1892 to 1924. For those that want to know more about their family history, this can actually be a great place to start. The center has be a good way for families needing to fill in missing pieces of their family trees to do so.

Could you imagine sailing around the world? Many of us barely like leaving the city we live in, much less the state, but could you see yourself trying something like this. Sailing around the world is something that has been done by several people. Now even teenagers have gotten into the act.

This is a huge feat for someone who loves to truly sail. True sailing usually requires someone with a very analytical mindset that helps them to navigate all the way around the world. Sure modern equipment helps with all this but it will not do the sailing for you. Plus it can be really tough when you experience rough seas and very dangerous weather. It is also hard on the body to be at sea for this long. Back in the days of old, ships were out to see for months and months at a time before they would even see land. The journeys could be quite harsh.

But learning from the mistakes of the older sailors and with the help of modern technology, this trip can be done and actually done in a few short months. So do you think you could do it? Even with help would you even last as a passenger in the boat?

Of course each island you visit will certainly vary. But what does the basic life of an islander look like. Well in many island villages, the people may rely heavily on fishing for income and work. Fishermen are usually one of the biggest sources of incomes in these areas next to tourism related jobs. The fishing on most of these islands can be quite good. The islanders themselves rely on their catch as well as for business they sell to people buying as exports or to local businesses and restaurants.

Many islands have good electricity sources like they do here. Although every house may not have the same electrical capabilities that we do, they certainly do OK. The hotels and more touristy type spots have their fair share of comforts that you get when you have a constant power source.

The local people do quite a bit of buying and selling within their communities. This open market style of living is something they are quite used to. This is something in the US we really do not understand.

So the next time you take a vacation to an island, check out some of the similarities and/or differences to where you live that you may see.

There are many archipelago island chains all over the world today. Many islands still have active volcanos on them. Closer to home, such as Hawaii, they still have lots of activity on certain islands from the volcanic activity on them. Imagine looking out your back door and not only seeing a mountain side, but a volcano on at that. No thanks!

In Hawaii right now, as of November 24, 2009 they declared the area a national disaster area due to the emissions from the volcano. Apparently these emissions have really hurt the farmers there. They will not necessarily get free money either, but declaring the area this way gives them a chance for low interest emergency funds loans. You can read more details here in this article. Basically this issue has really hurt produce and flower farms.

So the next time you think it is a great idea to just pack up and move to your favorite island vacation spot, you may want to do some local research first. What you may not know could hurt you at some point. There could be a very active volcano nearby, so you may want to bring a map along on your home hunt and a local expert.

Island sands can be quite beautiful. There are many different colors of sand at the beaches around the worlds. Most of us are used to the light tan colored sand found at lots of beaches. These sands can also be found at your local hardware stores used in play boxes or used in various ways in home construction. These sands though can be quite valuable to the beaches that use them. When storms come in like a hurricane for example, they can actually deplete sand levels at an astronomical level. On rare occasions a storm can actually help to increase sand levels by dumping more on the beaches. But businesses and homeowners near the waters edge have a tough time dealing with sand levels when they plummet.

Some places have sand pumped back on shore. Others may have it trucked in. Some places have even considered using manufactured sand out of recycled glass. WOW, weird.

Some beaches do not have sand at all really. They may have beautiful stones or pebbles that line their shores instead. This can be really nice for those who hate getting sand in every place they possibly can while they head to the beach. So enjoy the beaches and remember not to litter them up!