C O N T E N T S

 Easter on the Pacific Ocean [Sun Apr 4th 1999]

We passed Easter Sunday mostly indulging in the weather, but the Easter Egg Decorating was a big hit in the bar, with some great specimens appearing as the day wore on. Austin and Rolf were our competition judges, and our final winner was Chris who received first prize of a hat that didn't fit her!

A swimming pool appeared on the stern deck, in the form of a Zodiac filled with sea water and a few of us indulged as the sun beat down. Theresa unravelled the mysteries of Easter Island in her morning lecture. She discussed the history and possible origins of the inhabitants of the island, theories regarding the erection of the Moai, the Birdman cult, the massive deforestation, and the volcanic activity which formed the island as we will see it.

The last of the ship tours took place and we were all very impressed with the introduction we had to the workings of the ship. Thanks to Shane for showing us around. Adam was looking quite sore after spending a little too long in the sun yesterday, but there were plenty of people enjoying the brilliant weather on the decks throughout the day.

In the afternoon, some of us also watched the movie Rapa Nui, filmed on Easter Island in 1993. It highlighted some of the beautiful scenery across the island, whilst offering us a look at how the inhabitants may have lived.
 

The Pacific Ocean contains more than 30,000 islands; their total land area, however, amounts to only one quarter of one percent of the ocean's surface are. The largest islands, in the western region, form volcanic island arcs that rise from the broad continental shelf along the eastern edge of the Eurasian Plate. They include Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and New Zealand. The oceanic islands, collectively called Oceania, are the tops of mountains built up from the ocean basin by extruding molten rock. The mountains that remain submerged are called seamounts.

“Dreams come true; without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.”

John Updike

 Sala y Gomez [Mon Apr 5th 1999]

We had a couple of hours to take in the scene before the anchor was weighed and we set sail towards Easter Island but the fishermen among us took advantage of the stop to see if anything was biting off the stern deck. We were treated to a good selection with grey reef sharks, mackarel, a Black Jack and two Trevallies. Theresa gave us an impromptu talk on the differences between sharks and fish and Steve capped it off by dissecting one of the sharks for a quick anatomy lesson.

Later in the morning, once we were again under way, Jeff gave us another in his series of lectures about Captain Cook's voyages, carrying on from where he left off a couple of days ago. He discussed the commissioning of and the journey aboard the Resolution, and it's accompanying ship the Adventurer, which took Cook and his crews around the tip of Africa, across the Indian Ocean and into the South Pacific. We heard of the cannibalism which took the lives of ten crew members, and the horrendous conditions which Cook's ship endured pushing south to find the great southern continent.

After another splendid bar-b-que, the afternoon was highlighted by a lecture from Theresa discussing the flora we will hopefully see as we make our way across the South Pacific. We all left the lecture theatre with images of paradise, sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and the intoxicating scent of Plumeria and Tiare Tahiti.
 

Largest of the existing stone monuments are the great burial platforms, called ahus, which were used to support rows of statues. The ahus were situated on bluffs and in other positions commanding a view of the sea. Each ahu was constructed of neatly fitted stone blocks set without mortar. The burial platform usually supported 4 to 6 statues although one, known as Tongariki, carried 15 statues. Within many of the ahus, vaults house individual or group burials.

“A journey is a person in itself, no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policies and coercion are fruitless We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us.”

John Steinbeck

 Easter Island [Tue Apr 6th 1999]

The morning's swell was gentle, and after a careful navigation of the harbor entrance, we disembarked from the Zodiacs into a group of waiting buses to begin our excursion. Our journey of discovery gave Jeff and Theresa a day off as we were guided around the island by Alexandra and Raymond. They gave us further insight into the places we were visiting and were fortunate enough to savour some of Austin and Rolf's offerings from the galley as they joined us for dinner later in the evening.

Orongo was the first stop on the itinerary where we gained a better understanding of the Birdman cult and the effort required to participate in the ritual swim to the Motus to obtain the first egg of the nesting season. Some of us ventured through the tiny doorways to find small spaces in which the bird worshippers lived during their festivities, as well as petroglyphs and spiders galore. We then moved to Ahu Viahu where we saw eight large moai lying face down, with a number of topknots strewn in the near vacinity. This was our first shopping opportunity, but we were able to withstand the temptation and continued on in earnest. There was a stop at Rano Raraku, which gave us a short time to look around the quarry from which all these statues originate. We visited the kneeling Moai Tukuturi and were treated to the sight of an abundance of partially completed Moai which litter the hillside. Ahu Tongariki provided us with a view of the Moai as they would have been, after the restoration in the wake of a sunami which all but destroyed the statues.

After lunch at Ahu Anakena, some of us took the opportunity to plunge into a surf that has travelled futher than most to reach its shoreline destination. Our final stop was Ahu Tahia, the Moai site closest to the town of Hanga Roa, with its three restored ahu. Apart from the magnificent moai, the surrounding area was highlighted with dwellings similar to those found at Orongo.

On the way back to the pier, an impromptu guava harvest took place, the fruits of which were savoured in the bar later in the evening. Our wildlife list was boosted today, with sightings of Chimango Caracara, Common Duica Finches and House Sparrows as well as more Masked Boobies and Great Frigate Birds. A great day was had by all!. Some residents of Rapa Nui wear flowers and other plants in their hair, and you'll also see the occasional topknot (as worn by the Moai) which remains part of the culture on this remote island.
 

Pacific Ocean, largest and deepest of the world's four oceans, covering more than a third of the earth's surface and containing more than half of its free water. It is sometimes divided into two nominal sections: the part north of the equator is called the North Pacific; the part south of the equator, the South Pacific. The name Pacific, which means peaceful, was given to it by the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan in 1520. The Pacific Ocean is bounded on the east by the North and South American continents; on the north by Bering Strait; on the west by Asia, the Malay Archipelago and Australia; and on the south by Antarctica.

“Work to live. Live to travel? Travel to broaden the mind... broaden the mind and incapacitate it with tolerance.”

Matthew Mumford

 Rapa Nui Revisited [Wed Apr 7th 1999]

The early birds were treated to another beautiful sunrise over the hills of Easter Island, the sky swathed in a multitude of colours as the hot sun began its relentless onslaught for the day. The seas were calm, and we were quickly underway for a smooth landing after an early breakfast. Some of us took the opportunity to revisit and further explore the historical sights of the island in greater detail. Raymond offered his guiding services once more, as did a number of other Easter Island residents, and we were treated to the Rapa Nui hospitality at it's best, whilst continuing our historical education.

Others chose to explore other features of the island with the aid of a variety of modes of transport, offered by our hosts. Taxi, jeep and horse seemed to be the preferred modes but regardless, everyone succumbed to the dust being blown around the landscape on this dry, arid island. By the end of the day we were all very thankful for the hot showers awaiting us on the ship.

A few of us explored the lava caves on the western coast of the island, climbing through tiny holes to discover vast majestic caverns which provided housing and shelter for earlier inhabitants. In the heat of the day these caves seemed like very comfortable places to live.

Virtually everyone was spotted in the shopping metropolis that is Hanga Roa at some point in the day. Bargaining and bartering were in mind, and there were a few successful transactions that were completed with no money changing hands whatsoever. Business was still booming on the main street right up until our last few minutes on shore, and we can all feel that we have contributed something to the Easter Island economy with our purchases.

A couple of us remained aboard ship during the day pursuing various pastimes, and we were fortunate to share some of the results of these endeavours when Ann showed us her superb painting of the Easter Island coastline during the recap later in the evening. Our time on Easter Island has been fascinating and extremely educational, and will certainly leave an impression in everyone's minds for a long time to come.
 

When Captain James Cook first encountered the Polynesian natives, they had never seen white-skinned men in sailing ships before. The natives referred to Cook's two vessels as "floating islands".

“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere. The dew is never all dry at once. A shower is forever falling. Vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset. Eternal dawn and glowing, on sea and continents and islands, each in it's turn as the earth rolls. And for this I am forever gratful to be alive.”

John Muir

 Back on the Open Sea [Thur Apr 8th 1999]

In the afternoon, we watched the most recent Hollywood retelling of the story, which portrayed perhaps the most historically accurate picture of the events surrounding Bligh and Fletcher Christian. We have another two interpretations of the story yet to view and these will be shown in coming days.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent being creative in an effort to garner a prize in the Topknot contest. Everyone was invited to design the most creative topknot in the wake of our visit to Easter Island, and the judging in the bar saw a wonderful variety of efforts being displayed. Our winners were Estelle, Elizabeth and Betty, but everyone who made the effort to be creative was a winner, with a free drink from the bar to keep Adam busy.

After dinner, the Trivial Pursuit rematch was held where the guests beat the staff hands down. The challenge is now on to settle the score, and a further competition date will be announced soon.
 

Due to its inaccessibility Ducie (6.4 square km) is rarely approached, the atoll contains large whirlpools in the Ducie lagoon caused by tunnels that drain it to the sea.

“I must go down to the sea again to the lonely sea and sky, And all I ask is a square-rigged ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sails shaking, And the grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.”

John Masefield

 Half Way to Ducie [Fri Apr 9th 1999]

At midday we were lucky enough to experience another bar-b-que on the stern deck with a vast Pacific Ocean backdrop on every side - a splendid setting for any lunch!
 

Ducie Island is sometimes visited by the Pitcairners. It lies 290 nautical miles east of Pitcairn Island. It is home to many seabirds and the historic wreck of the Acadia which rests just off shore.

“Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'

 Ducie Island [Sat Apr 10th 1999]

In the morning, Jeff led a discussion on deaths of the Bounty mutineers after their settlement of Pitcairn Island, as well as the fate of the remaining crew which was set adrift. The alternate title of the lecture "12 Steps to an Orgy of Murder" offered an apt description of subject matter. The history of the protagonists proved a gruesome topic with most of the Bounty's remaining crew being slaughtered at the hands of fellow mutineers but we were all enthralled to hear the tale.

After lunch, we were eager to reach Ducie Island, and as the number of birds circling the ship began to increase, so did the number of us on deck hoping to be the first to spy land. Theresa managed to lure some of us down to the lecture theatre for a briefing about the island, discussing some of the birds we would be seeing, as well as the terrain we would be dealing with.

Late afternoon we boarded the Zodiacs for our first close-up of Ducie, and we were all impressed by what we saw. After a tricky landing in the surf amongst an incredibly shallow outer reef, we took time to wander along the coral studded beach, taking care to keep our distance from the many birds nesting there. Among our group there were sightings of Masked Boobies, Fairy Terns, a Red Tailed Tropicbird and Murphy's Petrals, as well as a huge range of brightly coloured tropical fish loitering around the dead coral towers which litter the sea bed within the lagoon. A few of us spotted small Hermit Crabs moving around the island during our wanderings, as well as larger crabs hiding closer to the waterline.

The shores of the entire atoll were strewn with layer upon layer of small coral fragments. On the outer shores, the debris was bleached a brilliant white by the salt water and the sun, while in the centre of the island, the remains of the coral wore a grey coating which made each glance to the ground look like a perfectly framed black and white photo.

There was an abundance of marine debris littering our landing beach, with everything from brightly coloured buoys to messages in bottles. We also saw the monument to the "Acadia" which was shipwrecked in waters near Ducie Island, an unlikely sign of civilisation at such a remote and tiny outpost.

As the sun sped to the horizon, we had fun negotiating the surf and the coral underfoot to load the Zodiacs for our return to the Shuleykin. The staff spent most of their time up to their shoulders in the water, guiding the boats over the shallow coral dotted in the waters around the landing site, but everyone was more than happy to be there and our smooth departure from the island capped off a great visit.
 

Pitcairn Island is located in the central South Pacific Ocean about midway between Australia and South America and covers an area of about 5 sq km (2 sq miles). It is the main island of a group of islands forming a dependency of Great Britain. The group also includes the uninhabited Henderson, Ducie and Oeno islands and has a total area of about 47 sq km (18 sq miles)

“We are an island nation gone mad, behaving like a limitless continent in a world that has already turned into a crowded island.”

Gavan Daws