Palmyra Atoll is very much located in the middle of the Pacific. So how does one get there, you ask? There are two primary modes of transportation: by plane or by ship. We cut to the chase and flew. The flight from Honolulu was around 2.5 hours, and the plane (see below) was certainly an upgrade from my trip in 2011. After a bumpy landing – complete with food and coolers flying around the cabin – we disembarked and began preparing our field gear for the next day’s sampling. We had arrived in own scientific paradise.