ZECO TRAVEL TALK

At dawn the next morning, a pale moon was heading west, the sun broke through a patchwork of clouds and a rainbow shot out from behind Pitcairn as if to welcome us with open arms. The mood was jubilant—even at 5:30 in the morning as people came up on deck realizing we could not only go ashore, but that Mother Nature herself was in sunny spirits.

Two longboats came out to the starboard side of the Odyssey and we climbed down, about 35 at a time, and sat cross-legged on the broad deck. The vertical cliffs of the island seemed to loom larger as we approached, and we stepped onto a concrete pier next to a large “Welcome to Pitcairn” sign, surrounded by dazzling Bounty Bay. A long uphill walk brought us first to the resting place of the Acadia anchor which now had tangible meaning for us, then to the small town square bordered by Pitcairn’s Post Office, Public Hall, and Seventh Day Adventist church. Everyone was out, hosting folding tables of carvings, stamps, T-shirts, guidebooks, local honey, and handmade soap. We met just about everyone who lives here—including Tom Christian, the oldest surviving member of the Christian family—during our daylong visit, and we were all charmed and delighted by the friendliness, openness and eager exchanges.

We split into small groups to walk and hike this superb natural wonderland covered with lush vegetation, a profusion of flowers, pandanus, banyan, papaya, mango, and guava trees… and just about all of us saw the endemic Pitcairn reed warbler. Sheer cliffs, Christian’s Cave, St. Paul’s Pool, Highest Point, the Pulau School, and Eco Trail were a few of the treks we made during the day. For lunch, all the residents (including the mayor, postmaster, and minister) pitched in at the town square to cook us up a delicious lunch of fried fresh-caught fish and potatoes, salads, and huge wedges of fresh papaya for dessert. Miralda, a singer and guitarist, coaxed three children to stand in front of the Bounty anchor in the square to serenade us with local songs in the Pitkern language.

Before we set off for afternoon walks, we were invited into the church for an island slide presentation and brief singsong with about 12 of the locals who quickly pulled off their aprons to come inside from the square and sing for us. The striking words, the earnest strength of the voices, and the beauty of these rugged faces were a powerful combination and we spilled out into the afternoon sunshine feeling the spirit of community.

When we returned to the Odyssey, some of us headed out for a short dive and snorkel to view the Bounty wreck, its large wooden skeletal frame perfectly laid out in the sand—a fitting look into Pitcairn’s past and an perfect ending to a day none of us will ever forget.