Sunday, January 28, 2024

Pitcairn Island, South Pacific

A historic, exotic and isolated destination, I dare you to find tiny Pitcairn island on the map! Captain announced we dropped anchor closer than 99% of cruise ships which ever attempt to stop here. A very rough approach to small dock awaits for those who go ashore and Captain discouraged it. A few hardy guests persist , but the rest of us are content with photos, and the locals will bring crafts aboard for our chance to help the island economy. A struggle to subsist here, tourist handicrafts seems the only fledgling business. Supply ships arrive four times a year, no school, no medical facilities, a basic communication system — hard to image why the older locals stay. They need immigration, but the lifestyle is not for the faint of heart!

Pitcairn Island, a territory of the United Kingdom, has a legendary and astounding existence. The 33 current residents of the village of Adamstown are descendants of Fletcher Christian, the infamous mutineer of the HMS Bounty, other mutineers and Tahitians. In 1789, 18 crew members on the British ship sailed to the South Pacific in search of breadfruit. They mutinied, set Captain Bligh and other crew off in a rowboat to navigate back to Great Britain without GPS! Incredibly, they actually made the return trip without maps or navigation tools.

The Mayor of Pitcairn Island came aboard to welcome the Onward and present Captqaian with a special gift…a replica of the HMS Bounty!

Pitcairn Island, taken from the jogging track, Deck 9

A special dinner on deck for the 200 World Voyager last night. There are 400 other guests aboard who embark or depart in various of the 10 segments along the voyage. A friendly international group, our fellow diners were from USA, Italy and New Zealand!