Pitcairn Island

[Monkeys Fist 41318]

A tourist's guide to Pitcairn Island

Last Updated: 10:36AM BST 12/09/2009

Here are some of the unusual attractions offered by the remote South Pacific island.

Wreck of the Bounty

 

The remains of the ship lie in just three metres of water below Bounty Bay, where it was burned by the mutineers in 1790. Tourists can dive onto it. Another wreck, the SS Cornwallis, can also be explored.

 

Adamstown

 

The only settlement. It contains a post office, church, courthouse, library, health centre, acupuncturist and hairdresser. Power is provided by three generators, which operate for five hours in the morning and five hours in the evening. Bells in the main square are used to make public announcements. A series of strikes in ones and twos is the call for prayer, three strikes signifies public work, four strikes is the signal for a share-out of food from a passing ship and five strikes announces the arrival of a ship.

 

Hill of Difficulty

 

The steep slope up which visitors must travel after arriving in Bounty Bay, following in the footsteps of the mutineers.

 

Museum

 

Opened in Adamstown in 2005, it contains the original bible from the Bounty. A four metre anchor from the ship is mounted in the square outside the courthouse. A Bounty canon is also on display nearby.

 

Fletcher Christian's Cave

 

On a ridge west of Adamstown is a cave in which Fletcher Christian stayed during an early periods of upheaval on the island. He is said to have later been killed by another islander.

 

Lagoons

 

The uninhabited islands of Ducie and Oeno, which also form part of the same Overseas Territory, have large central lagoons. Whirlpools in the Ducie lagoon are caused by tunnels that drain it to the sea. The lagoon is deep and noted for its poisonous fish and dangerous sharks.

 

Birdwatching

 

The islands are home to thousands of birds, including several rare species, including, the Henderson crake, Henderson fruit-dove, Henderson lorikeet, Henderson petrel, Henderson reed-warbler, Phoenix petrel and Pitcairn reed-warbler.

 

Fishing

 

Pitcairn's waters are full of fish. Local boats are available for trips, or visitors can fish from the rocks.

 

Whale watching

 

Humpbacks and pilot whales can be spotted from the shore as they breach in the waters just off the coast.

 

Eating out

 

There is one café on Pitcairn, called Christian's Café. It opens every Friday. There is also a takeaway, open on Wednesdays, and two bakeries. All visitors will also need an alcohol license before their arrival, if they wish to drink. These cost £40 and are valid for six months.

 

John Adams' Grave

 

Known as the Patriarch of Pitcairn, John Adams outlived the other Bounty mutineers and played a key role in restoring stability to the community after its early period of bloodshed.

 

Bang on iron

 

A place on the northeast coast road where, under an overhanging rock, the mutineers set up their forge. Another unusually-named spot is "Where Reynolds Cut The Firewood", a place where the captain of a ship visiting the island came ashore for firewood.

 

Bernice Christian Memorial Park

 

A sports area with facilities for tennis, volleyball, rounders, cricket and longball.

 

Down Rope

 

A steep cliff, at the bottom of which is a popular picnic area and Pitcairn's only beach.

 

Eco-trail

 

Includes all of the island's 11 endemic plant species, as well as other rare flora and fauna.

 

Tautama

 

Well-preserved remains of stone age settlements from the island's earlier inhabitants. There are also the remains of a prehistoric altar at Tedside, where human sacrifices are understood to have been made.

 

Goathouse Peak

 

The 1,1138 ft highest point on Pitcairn.

 

Little George Coc'nuts

 

A valley located in the south west of Pitcairn. It was a coconut grove owned by George Young, son of mutineer Ned Young.

 

No Guts Captain

 

The burial site of a captain from an early visiting ship who requested before death that he not be buried at sea. Pitcairn was the next landfall and he was buried there.

 

Coast

 

Pitcairn is surrounded by a treacherous – but stunning – coastline with locations whose names evoke the island's history. Among the sites for tourists to visit are several where inhabitants have suffered accidents, including "Where Dan Fall", "Where Freddie Fall", "Where Minnie Off" and "Where Tom Off". Others include "Timiti's Crack", where a Tahitian fell to his death, and "Down the God", where heathen idols were found and cast into the sea. Rocks off the shore include Big George Rock, Bitey-Bitey and Bop Bop. An area of the southern coast is called Ugly Name Side. The origin of the name is unknown. Nearby is a point simply called "Oh Dear".

 

 

What they haven't mentioned are places such as

" Rape daughter cove"

" Beat and Fuck the Kids Beach"

[DanTheMan 0]

Only about 40 people live there and most of them are covincted peadophiles.

[Monkeys Fist 41318]

Only about 40 people live there and most of them are covincted peadophiles.

It's ok though as they all go to Church regularly.…

[Meenzer 15115]

I hear Rob knows a lovely little tapas bar by the marina.

[manc-mag 1]

I hear Rob knows a lovely little tapas bar by the marina.

 

 

[Rob W 0]

I hear Rob knows a lovely little tapas bar by the marina.

 

 

Never been - it's on my list of "A thousand things to do to p*** off everyone on this board" mind!

[Norbert Colon 0]

People going to places like this reminds me of a right tit i met in Bulgaria some years ago - he was like Alan Whicker - going on about the Cook Islands and fuck knows where else.

Don't get me wrong I like to travel and have been to some nice places but I wouldn't use it like top trumps.