At 7:55AM: temperature 73ºF, relative humidity 72%, wind from the NE at 26 kts. 6 Beaufort, speed 16 kts., heading 278º, sea depth 11520 ft. We have traveled 5163 nautical miles from Fort Lauderdale.
What a delightful surprise, to sail around Pitcairn Island on the 221st anniversary of Bounty Day, the day they burned what was left of the Bounty.
Not on the initial itinerary, we arrived about 9 AM (while we were at Tai Chi class), many of the islanders (there are only about 60) came aboard using one of their longboats, and stayed until about 2 PM. The ship set up tables for them on the Lido by the pool and they laid out their wares. They had hand-carved ships, sharks, turtles, plates, spoons, and walking sticks; T-shirts, polo shirts, and caps with “Pitcairn Island” on them; native honey from certified healthy honey bees; stamps and postcards; jewelry from local and other materials; CDs of a local singer; baskets, coconut oil, and various other merchandise. About 11 AM, they presented a narrated slideshow on island life. The Mayor then presented the Captain with a carved replica of the Bounty. Finally they sang a few songs, got back into they longboat, and returned to their island. We were on our way by 3 PM. While the islanders were aboard, the Captain had the ship sail slowly around the island. Perfect weather, beautiful blue sea and sky.
Pitcairn is a British protectorate that gets financial support from the British treasury and physical support from New Zealand. We met their policeman, a NZ policeman here for one year. They also have a NZ teacher for the 8-10 children of school age. The general store is open for two hours, three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The electricity is available 10 hours a day, five in the morning and five in the afternoon, which is sufficient to keep their frozen food frozen. Each household has to catch and store their own water. They have telephone, internet, and two TV channels—TCM and CNN—available from New Zealand.
Pitcairn is part of a four island protectorate. The farthest is an atoll about 300 miles away that they cannot reach in their longboat. The nearest is an atoll that they can easily reach and is used as a vacation island. They have built a kitchen and a latrine there. Otherwise they use tents and tarps for shelter on it. The fourth island is not an atoll, about 150 miles away, and, although they can reach it in their longboat, they have only used it as a source of wood for their carvings. Recently they have planted those types of trees on Pitcairn, so they go there less often.
They have a regular supply ship from New Zealand that comes four times a year. They see eight to twelve cruise ships a year. An occasion freighter comes by, with which they will do some trading, but most freighters these day are making a bee-line from New Zealand to the Panama Canal.
The current population of 55-60 people is not optimal. They are developing plans to attract back Bounty-descendent families to double the population. They also have plans for building an alternative harbor on the other side of the island. The current harbor is tricky to maneuver. Neither the current not the planned harbor will be able to handle anything bigger than their longboats.
Even after talking with several of the Pitcairn residents, I still have a hard time imagining what daily life is like for them.
Entertainment: a return of Horizon, the Motown tribute trio. A fun, get-you-on-your-feet group.
Joined the Piano Bar crowd listening to Diane for about an hour. Enjoyed a Benedictine.
Back in the cabin, we received certificates for visiting Pitcairn Island. I don’t remember so many certificates from the ’09 cruise. One for crossing the Golden Line—the equator and international date line at the same time.
Clocks set back, again.