Pitcairn Islands

Introduction

Lonely palmtree at Oeno atoll

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Halfway between New Zealand and the Americas are the Pitcairn Islands. Of the four islands, Pitcairn Island is the only inhabited one - it is one of the most remote inhabited islands on earth. The island is inhabited by several dozen descendants of the "Bounty" mutineers, who settled on the island in the late 1700s.

This small island has few exports apart from its postage stamps and miro-wood carvings. Visiting the island is not for the time pressed traveller and is best achieved by passing cruise ships or yacht. Extended visits will require written permission from the government and arrangements to stay with someone. Among the rather limited attractions on the islands are a rare bird life and historic artifacts from the mutiny.

As the official religion is the Seventh Day Adventists Church, alcohol and smoking are at least frowned upon, although not totally prohibited. Saturday is the official resting day.

Brief History

Pitcairn was probably inhabited or otherwise frequently visited by Polynesians and was visited for a short while by Portuguese and British explorers. Still, afterwards it was deserted until 1790 when the mutineers of the H.M.A.V. Bounty and their Tahitian companions settled there. The leader was Fletcher Christian. They burned and sank the ship in the Bounty Bay (where the current landing spot for very small boats is located) and founded a village on Pitcairn. Alcohol, murder and other problems meant that not that many people survived. John Adams, the last mutineer which survived, converted others (mainly women and children) to Christianity. They lived there for 24 years before being discovered by the British. They allowed them to stay on the island though and pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and remains so up until today.

Emigration, many of which to Norfolk Island and others to New Zealand, and no immigration (nearly prohibited) have meant that the population dropped from a maximum of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 nowadays. On top of that, the island was in the news again in 2004 by accusations of sexual abuse of the community's young female members. There was an investigation of much of the adult male population (including even people who were no longer living there). Six of these men were sentenced to prison. It remains unclear whether the Pitcairn society will survive as the current number of people and the demographic situation is about the lowest you can have to be self-sufficient now, let alone in the (near) future.

During the night of 3 February 2012, torrential rains caused land slides around the island, seriously damaging the small harbour and the access road to the harbour. Also, some boats were damaged but houses and people were safe. It was the worst natural disaster the island had seen for decades, as there was over 400 mm of rain in 24 hours!

Geography

The main island of Pitcairn is volcanic with a peak of 337 metres above sea level. The island has (almost) no beaches, but is mainly surrounded by cliffs. It is the only island with fresh water sources. Other islands are generally flat. Henderson Island is the largest island, a coral formation, raised 15-30 metres (50-100 feet) above sea level by volcanic activity, and has caves along it's shoreline. It's on the Unesco list and has some pretty rare and endangered species of birds, 4 of which are endemic to the island. Oeno is a small and flat island with great beaches and is surrounded by a circular reef. It's paradise and the holiday destination (so to speak) of the Pitcairners, with palm trees, lovely beaches, and a sheltered lagoon. Ducie is the island further to the east and is a circular reef and island. This island is almost never visited.

Islands

The Pitcairn Islands are made up of 4 main islands. On top of that there are several rocky formations mainly near Pitcairn Island and a smaller sister island at Oeno, called Sandy Island, which is generally considered a so-called motu - small island. All but Pitcairn Island are uninhabited.

• Pitcairn Island is the second largest island and home to the island's population.
• Henderson Island is the largest island, home to several endangered birds, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located around 160 kilometres northeast of Pitcairn Island.
• Oeno Island is a coral atoll used as a private holiday site by the population of Pitcairn Island, 128 kilometres northwest of Pitcairn Island.
• Ducie Island is another coral atoll located some 475 kilometres east of Pitcairn Island. Due to its remote location, it is very rarely visited and is not considered as beautiful as the others.

Towns

• Adamstown is the capital and only town.

Sights and Activities

Henderson Island

Henderson Island

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Henderson Island is Pitcairn's largest island and on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its rare bird life.
As UNESCO puts it, it is one of the few atolls in the world whose ecology has almost been untouched by human influence. The island is less than 40 square kilometres big, but there are no less than 10 endemic plant species and 4 land birds which are endemic as well. It was also made a Unesco site in 1988 because of it large untouched phosphate reserves. Some areas are off limits to travellers and you usually have to go ashore at the north beach. But wear sturdy shoes because there is coral everywhere just below the sea level.

Visiting the island requires special permission from the Pitcairn Island Council.

The Pitcairn Island Museum

The Pitcairn Island Museum houses a collection of artifacts from the Bounty (for example a bible which belonged to Fletcher Christian), and other interesting items from the Bounty mutineers. Other things include stamps and even issues of National Geographic featuring the islands. It is located in the centre of Adamstown.

The Bounty Remains

The remains of the Bounty, which was burned in 1790 lie some 3 metres underwater in Bounty Bay. Divers are able to access the wreck. The Bounty's anchor and a small canon can be seen in front of the Public Hall in the town square. A larger canon can be seen about a hundred meters east from the square along the main road.

The grave of John Adams

John Adams was the last surviving mutineer, and the capital was named after him. The grave is a little east from the central square, a short walk up a hill.

Other sights and activities

• Acadia Island is an islet home to thousands of seabirds and the wreck of the Acadia, a British shipwreck from 1881.
• Thursday October Christian's House is the oldest remaining house on the island, built by Fletcher Christian's first son.
• St. Paul's Pool, a natural pool for swimming down the cliffs.
• Watching an old Galapagos turtle named Miss T.
• The other islands you can theoretically visit, apart from Pitcairn and Henderson Island, are the islands and atolls of Ducie and Oeno. Remember though that visiting both islands require you to have a small rubber boat (dinghy) to pass the reef. There is a gap for entering the Oeno lagoon, but visiting Ducie requires you to wait when it is high tide, which can be extremely dangerous.

Oeno Atoll

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Events and Festivals

• Every year on January 23, Bounty Day is celebrated. On this day, there is a large community dinner and the burning of a model of the Bounty, combined with other festivities.

Weather

The Pitcairn Islands have a moderate subtropical climate with rarely any real cold nights or hot days. The lowest temperatures ever recorded are around 10 °C, the highest 34 °C. On average, August is the coldest month (19 °C) while February is the warmest (24 °C). The slightly cooler months of June to September are also the driest. From November to March, there can be heavy downpours and as a result the 'roads' on Pitcairn become muddy slides. Occasionally, hurricanes can strike the islands in this period, but mostly they are not more than heavy tropical storms, rarely causing severe damage.

Getting There

By Plane

There are no options of getting to the Pitcairn Islands by plane.

By Boat

Your options of getting to Pitcairn by scheduled passenger boats are very limited and mainly a matter of luck. You might try to get a place on a yacht from French Polynesia or a cargo ship on the route from Auckland to Panama. Some cruise ships occasionally visit Pitcairn from Chile but visits are brief. On the other hand, getting out of Pitcairn is even more difficult and you might get stuck a long time on the island before another ship comes by. Note that in order to stay on the island you have to have permission to spend the night at people's homes as there are no hotels or other regular places to stay whatsoever. Also note that in case of bad weather you might not be able to get on land at all!

Probably your best bet to visit the Pitcairn Islands for a longer (but not too long!) period of time, is by joining one of the rare options of organised trips. Pacific Expeditions have several trips a year on their research vessel 'Bounty Bay'. You will sleep on board in bunk beds and it is not comfortable, but very adventurous. You will have the opportunity to visit all islands, or just a few if you like. There are also special diving and fishing themes at some of their trips. They all leave from Mangareva, one of the Gambier Islands, a remote outpost of French Polynesia which has the airport closest to the Pitcairn Islands at about 500 kilometres. Flights to Mangareva from Papeete leave once or twice a week, depending on the season.

From 2011 onwards, Pitcairn Travel will have 2-week trips from Mangareva as well. You can also start from Tahiti and include everything but your intercontinental plane tickets. Prices start at US$3,500 for a standard trip, though the full trip from Tahiti starts at more than US$6,000, including accommodation and meals, both onboard as on Pitcairn Island. Extensions to Henderson Island cost US$1,000 more. They leave quite a few times throughout the year and have a more luxurious boat as well.

Ocean Voyages and Soren Larsen have occasional charter trips as well, but are more expensive sailing trips.

Getting Around

By (Long)boat

Several longboats are used to travel between Bounty Bay on Pitcairn Island and Henderson and Oeno islands. Otherwise Pacific Expeditions is probably your best chance, as they offer 2- or 3-week trips to several or all of the Pitcairn Island chain, without having to wait to travel with the locals in their longboats. Apart from Henderson and Oeno, you might even be able to visit remote Ducie island.

By ATV

The main form of transportation around the main island Pitcairn is by 3- or 4-wheeled ATV's (All Terrain Vehicles). The island's 6 kilometres of dirt road turns to sticky mud when it rains.

By Foot

Of course, you might be able to walk around the main island Pitcairn and several of the other islands.

Red Tape

You need to apply to the governor for a permit to visit the Pitcairn Islands. You can mail to: admin@pitcairn.gov.pn. Technically speaking, you will be a temporary resident and you need to be in a good health. Depending on your way of visiting Pitcairn (cargo ships, cruise ship etc.) you have to stay on the island for weeks, if not months. If you are visiting on an organised trip, these details will be arranged for you.

Money

See also Money Matters

The official currency of the Pitcairn Islands is the New Zealand dollar (NZD). 1 dollar is divided into 100 cents. There are 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins. Bills are issued in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Other currencies, mainly US dollars and Euros, are widely accepted though.

Work

There are no jobs available to non-residents. There are however a few professional services like teachers, nurses and/or social workers needed but they are hired by the New Zealand government. Still, if you are lucky enough to spend a decent amount of time on Pitcairn island, you are expected to be self-supporting, and to help with community needs including fishing.

Study

Pitcairn Island only has a kindergarten and primary school. All of the children leave the island around the age of 14 to go to school mainly in New Zealand. Just a few of them come back at all living on the island.
As a result, obviously there is no possibility to study on Pitcairn.

Language

English is the official language and spoken by everyone. Pitkern is a mixture of 18th century English and Tahitian with a bit of sailing jargon and is spoken by the residents amongst themselves.

Eat

There is one general store on Pitcairn Island, usually open during 3 mornings a week for an hour or so. You will most likely have full board at your local host's home. Still, on Friday night you can have diner at the Christian Cafe and afterwards it usually is time to go and play darts at Pawl's place (see below). This usually ends late at night or early morning after which it is time to relax on Saturday, the official relaxing day.
On Thursday, during the late afternoon, there is a small market at the central square where locals sell home made food to each other.

Residents produce much of their own food and share supplies from passing freighters or large fish catches which they do themselves when sailing towards other islands as well.
Seafood is popular with deep-fried nanwi (bluefish) being a local favorite. Others include red snapper, tuna, whitefish, grouper and wahoo. Poultry or goats are sometimes kept by locals to provide some extra food on top of seafood.
Pilhi is made from pureed fruit (banana, sweet potato, or the famous breadfruit) with sugar and milk. It is then baked to custard. Food grown on Pitcairn island include arrowroot, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cabbages, pineapples, melons, citrus fruits, bananas, and breadfruit.

Sleep

For now, there are no official places to stay, other than at the homes of the local people. Unless you are visiting on an organised trip, you have to apply for a visiting permit first and be sure to arrange places at the home of one of the locals. The current official rate is 70 US dollar a night, including room, 3 meals a day, drinks, laundry service and internet. Not bad for what you get, actually quite cheap.
Since 2009, there has been a new accommodation option at Mike and Brenda's Place. You can either choose to stay at their home or for the more intimate option and stay at a 3-bedroom chalet!
Groups may be housed at a government-owned cottage known as The Lodge.

Drink

Alcohol was prohibited on Pitcairn prior to 1991. Still, licenses to import alcohol for your own consumption or drink at local homes is now available to tourists for NZ$25 and is valid for six months. Don't expect to buy alcohol locally in the general store. At Friday night you can have some alcoholic drinks at the Christian Cafe. After eating and drinking here, you can head up for a night of darts at Pawl's place, including lots of beer and whisky from a whale's tooth! Also, several locals have some alcohol available upon request. Sometimes, there is dancing at Andrew Christian's place, the highest house on the island. BYO drinks. From May 2009 onwards, tourists probably won't need any permit anymore to drink alcohol. Although not totally forbidden, smoking is frowned upon as well. This all has to do with the religion, the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Still, as a traveller you will be ok and several of the locals do smoke.

Health

See also Travel Health

Pitcairn is not the kind of place you should visit if you have any known health issues and it is worth doing a full medical checkup before heading for Pitcairn. Occasionally medical practitioners will be stationed on the island, but mostly issues are handled by a nurse. There is a small health clinic with some dental and x-ray equipment and emergency medications. It is not at all set up to handle any major problems and waiting for evacuation can take weeks. The island is so remote that evacuation helicopters won't reach it.

There are no vaccinations legally required to travel to the Pitcairn Islands. There is one exception though. You need a yellow fever vaccination if you have travelled to a country (7 days or less before entering the Pitcairn Islands) where that disease is widely prevalent.

It's a good thing to get your vaccinations in order before travelling to the Pitcairn Islands. The general vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) is recommended. Also a hepatitis A vaccination is recommended and when travelling longer than 2 weeks also typhoid. Vaccination against hepatitis B is also sometimes recommended for stays longer than 3 months.

Finally, other possible health issues include diarrhea and other general travellers' diseases like motion sickness. Watch what you eat and drink and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration) and bring ORS.

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Pitcairn is one of the safest areas in the world and there is (almost) no crime. Probably only young women should watch out just a bit, with the recent sexual problems. Still, those incidents are highly unlikely to happen again in the near future.

Keep Connected

Internet

There is a single satellite internet connection on Pitcairn, which can be accessed via a free wireless connection throughout Adamstown. Almost all locals have internet access, which you are able to use when you stay there. The country's top level domain (tld) is .pn.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Satellite phones and a single public phone are the only telephones on Pitcairn. Locals communicate with ships via VHF radio.

Post

Due to the lack of physical connections, the postal service via New Zealand is infrequent and can take months for delivery. The post office is open 3 days a week for an hour each day.

External Links

For more information before you visit, check the Governmental website of Pitcairn. Or try the brand new Visit Pitcairn website.

Still, if you like to have monthly updates about what's happening on the island, the best resource would be the Online Pitcairn website by Julie Christian.

The brand new Pitcairn Travel Website is a Pitcairn based business offering travel to the Pitcairn Islands.