Pitcairn is a small 4.5 km² island group in the South Pacific. A
small colony lives here, whose ancestors, in addition to
Polynesians, were partly mutineers of the famous Bounty. Pitcairn is
now a British Overseas Territory.
Regions
Map of Pitcairn Islands 2.png
The widely scattered Pitcairn Islands include the
following islands:
Main island Pitcairn (only inhabited
island)
Oeno Island with Sandy Island
Henderson Island: The
island is approximately 10km long and 5km wide. There are 10 endemic
plant species and 4 endemic bird species on the uninhabited island.
It has been a UNESCO natural heritage site since 1988.
Atoll
Ducie
On December 23, 1787, the British Admiralty ship HMS Bounty put to
sea with orders to bring cuttings of the breadfruit tree from Tahiti to
the West Indies in the Caribbean. After a five-month stay, the ship made
its way back, making a stopover along the way. After a major argument
between the lieutenant and the crew, there was a mutiny near Tonga, the
lieutenant was abandoned along with other crew members on a launch and
the crew set off alone with the Bounty.
While the lieutenant and
his barge reached the Dutch port of Kupang on the island of Timor, 5800
kilometers away, after 41 days to warn the Admiralty, the mutineers
landed with the Bounty on the small atoll of Tubuai with the aim of
building a fortress there. After this failed due to fighting with the
indigenous population, the mutineers returned to Tahiti. Fearing that
they would soon be apprehended and arrested by the Admiralty, the core
of the group, along with some Polynesians from Tahiti, decided to go and
search for an island where they could hide, while other members of the
crew decided to stay in Tahiti (where they were actually arrested).
The mutineers sailed single-mindedly to the island of Pitcairn.
Although this had been sighted by a British ship 20 years earlier, it
had never been entered; it was in the middle of the Pacific far from any
trade route and due to the inaccuracy of the maps of the time it seemed
unlikely that the mutineers would be found there. On January 15, 1790,
they actually reached the island of Pitcairn, ran the ship aground,
unloaded all the cargo, and then burned the ship to prevent escape from
the island.
The mutineers found traces such as tools and statues
on the island, which already indicated an earlier Polynesian culture on
the island, but at the time of settlement the island was uninhabited and
the Polynesian culture had already died out. The existing flora
(including coconut palms and breadfruit trees) seemed to make life on
the island economically viable. However, life on the island was anything
but easy and, above all, the cultural differences between the British
mutineers and the Polynesians regularly led to skirmishes. When two
British warships docked off Pitcairn on December 17, 1814, only one of
the mutineers was alive; all others had either been violently killed or
had become addicted to alcohol. The crew refrained from trying him
before a British sea court, especially since he was now deeply rooted in
the church as a Bible-believing Christian.
Pitcairn was evacuated
twice: once to Tahiti in 1831 and once to Norfolk Island in 1856. While
the stay in Tahiti was short-lived, two-thirds of the population chose
to remain on Norfolk Island permanently, with only a third returning to
Pitcairn two years later. In 1887 Pitcairn officially became a British
colony. In 1890, the island of Pitcairn was converted by a Seventh-day
Adventist proselytizing ship. All islanders were baptized and to this
day the entire population belongs to this free church.
Pitcairn
has always remained a secluded island, only between the world wars the
island was visited more frequently due to the shipping traffic through
the Panama Canal. After the Second World War, the ships gradually
disappeared again. In recent times, the island has suffered from a high
rate of emigration; many young people hope for a better future in
Australia, New Zealand or Great Britain.
Pitcairn is now the last
British overseas territory in the Pacific and at the same time, with
just under 50 inhabitants, the most sparsely populated self-governing
territory in the world. Although cruise ships regularly dock at
Pitcairn, visits to the island are fairly infrequent. This is due to the
small number of islanders who would be overwhelmed by such visits.
Since Pitcairn does not have an airport, the area can only be reached
by boat. Walk or quad bike to the island's capital, Adamstown, from the
1st dock.
The government of the Pitcairn Islands has its own ship
that connects Pitcairn with the island of Mangareva (French Polynesia)
on a weekly basis every three months. Departure times (usually Tuesdays)
are coordinated with Air Tahiti's weekly flight from Tahiti to
Mangareva. However, if you are traveling from further away, especially
from German-speaking countries, you may have to spend several nights in
Tahiti before you can continue your journey.
The price of 5000
New Zealand dollars for the mere crossing is almost exorbitant when
compared to the prices charged for trips to similarly remote islands. If
you have the opportunity to rent a ship in French Polynesia, it will
usually be significantly cheaper. The journey from Mangareva to Pitcairn
takes two days.
A visa is not required for a stay of up to 14
days, but you must provide proof of international health insurance that
covers the costs of any return transport that may be necessary. If you
plan to stay longer, you must apply for a visa online in advance.
Transport
Quads have established
themselves as a means of transport on the island, not least because of
the unpaved roads and the sometimes long distances. Of course you can
also explore the island on foot, but sturdy shoes are absolutely
necessary.
Shopping
The island mainly sells souvenirs to tourists, including
models of the Bounty. Recently, the island has also been trying, more or
less successfully, as a honey producer.
Pitcairn produces its own
commemorative coins at irregular intervals, which are mainly collectors'
value and hardly suitable as a means of payment. The island's stamps are
of philatelic interest.
Kitchen
Self-sufficiency prevails, the
local gastronomy is limited to a few cafés, which only open once a week.
The cuisine on Pitcairn consists mainly of fish products, everything
else has to be imported from New Zealand and French Polynesia and is
accordingly expensive.
nightlife
Accommodation
It is best
to book accommodation before you arrive via the official tourism
website. You have the choice of either staying with a host family and
eating and living together, or renting a self-catering cottage. Prices
are usually billed per day and not per night.
Work
There is no
work on Pitcairn. Special staff needed on the island (such as doctors or
technicians) are provided by New Zealand.
Security
The island
of Pitcairn has recently been rocked by an abuse scandal that made
national media coverage. For this reason, underage children are now
banned from entering the island, and the British Home Office has also
instructed its staff not to bring any minors onto the island.
Apart from that, the island is perfectly safe.
Health
New
Zealand sends a doctor to Pitcairn, there is also a small hospital for
dental treatment and radiology. However, the island is unprepared for
specific medical emergencies and it can take weeks to get to a
well-equipped hospital, so be in good physical condition.
Practical hints
Electricity is rationed on Pitcairn and only
available a few hours a day.
There are no radio or television
stations on Pitcairn and no cell phone service. Sometimes even amateur
radio is widespread. Internet does exist, but there is only one 1 Mbit
line for the entire island, so it is unsuitable for HD streaming.
A probably not entirely serious joke: the entire island is covered
by Google Street View. If the cost of the crossing is too high, you can
at least travel the island virtually.