VP6DF – Pitcairn

Dave, WJ2O will be VP6DF of IOTA OC – 044, Pitcairn Island, from 30 May to 10 June 2024.
He will operate on the HF band.
Nearest DX Point VP6DF
VP6DF Log Searchsearch QSL via N2ZN.

Pitcairn Island: A Little Paradise in the Pacific

Pitcairn is an archipelago of five islands. It is located in the South Pacific. Four of them are uninhabited, and only one is inhabited, and only a few people – only 122. There is no island with a lower population density on the entire planet. By the way, it is inhabited because there is fresh water there – a stream, which is not available on the other four islands. Now, the source of water, that is, the stream, has dried up, so the residents carefully collect rainwater in artificial reservoirs.
These islands are British property. By the way, they are the only islands in the Pacific Ocean. Pitcairn Island is small – only one mile long and two miles wide, and is formed by volcanoes. The island was named after the brave Lieutenant Commander Robert Pitcairn, who in 1767 took part in Philip Carteret’s British expedition. He was the first to discover this land. But due to bad weather, the expedition could not land. Carteret recorded the information about the island’s location incorrectly, and the longitude was wrong by 3 degrees – about 200 miles.

The fascinating history of the first settlement

The first settlers on the island arrived in 1790. They were mutineers aboard the famous British ship, the HMS Bounty. Here’s the story.
The British learned that there was a wonderful breadfruit tree growing in Tahiti (near Pitcairn Island) with delicious and nutritious fruit. They decided to lead an expedition there to bring breadfruit seedlings to the West Indies. The slaves had to feed themselves somehow. This was an easy, cheap source of nutritious carbohydrates.
In 1787, a small ship, HMS Bounty, sailed to Tahiti. The captain was William Bligh. Initially, the ship was supposed to reach the island via the Drake Passage, thus bypassing South America. But a month-long storm disrupted the plan. The ship had to turn east, pass the southern tip of Africa, and cross the entire Indian Ocean to reach the island. After ten months at sea, the crew stayed in Tahiti for six months.
In the spring of 1789, the Bounty set sail from the island, but a mutiny broke out on board. It should be said that the sailors on the British ship enjoyed the rights of slaves. But after living on the island and making friends with the local Tahitian women, they felt free. As a result, Bligh’s assistant Christian Fletcher led the rebellion.

The captain and 18 crew members loyal to him were sent on a ship, almost doomed to death (by the way, all but one survived and managed to reach the Dutch colony). Fletcher returned to Tahiti, but soon realized that the British would find them here and punish them. The same was true for those who remained in Tahiti. The others, with their Polynesian girlfriends and six other locals, found the uninhabited island of Pitcairn and settled there. They took everything they could use from the ship and burned the hull, thus destroying any trace of it.
At first, everyone lived peacefully, but after about six years, the British began to suppress the Tahitians, and the Tahitians outnumbered the British. Only John Adams, eight women, and 25 children were left alive from the struggle. Life returned to normal.
In 1823, a British ship sailed past the island. Since then, Pitcairn Island has become known to mankind. Today, almost all the islanders are descendants of the Bounty rebels. Fifteen years later, in 1838, Pitcairn Island officially belonged to Britain. The local museum tells the history of the island.

Pitcairn Island. Author – Stephen (Steve) Brown.

How is the situation here?

There is only one population center on the island, the town of Adamstown, which is more like a village. There is no airport on the island, or even a decent pier to moor large ships. Bounty Bay can only accommodate longboats, which are used by tourists to arrive here. Similarly, goods are also transported here.
In the past, the barges were wooden barges made locally. Now they are made of aluminum. The barges are parked in garages at the pier. Residents get around on quad bikes. Every household has one. However, there is one passenger car that belongs to a local entrepreneur.

How to get here for eco-tourism enthusiasts

If you want to get to Pitcairn Island, you must first fly to Tahiti, then take a flight to Mangareva Island and then take a ferry to Bounty Bay, which takes less than a day and a half. Only 500 meters of the island’s roads are paved. The section of road leading to the town is called “Difficult Hill”. Other than that, the roads are dirt roads.

What to see

There is not much to see. The museum we mentioned. There is a local store. Four times a year groceries are delivered there. However, the locals do not feel the lack of supplies. There is even cat food for sale.
A church has been built. In 1886, John Thaw, a Seventh-day Adventist, arrived. Today, Seventh-day Adventists are the only religion on Pitcairn Island. The Cultural Centre has a library. It has a wide range of books and DVDs for children and adults. There is also a post office.

Governance

The head of the island, the High Commissioner, resides in New Zealand. Half of the local unicameral parliament is elected by the people, that is, 5 people. The other 5 people are appointed for a term of one year.

The only public holiday is the Queen’s birthday. Locals know English, which is the official language, but they more often communicate with each other in Pitcairn, a mixture of English and Tahitian. It is impossible for newcomers to understand this language.

Settlements on the island are made in Pitcairn dollars. Its value is equal to that of the New Zealand dollar. Currency exchange is not possible here. The main income comes from tourists. In addition, the treasury is actively replenished through the sale of local unique honey (the bees on the island are disease-free), products of local artisans, soaps, cosmetics. Local residents are no strangers to work, and many hold several positions. Salaries are usually between 50 and 150 US dollars.

Do the children study here?

Children aged 5 to 13 on the island receive free and compulsory pre-school and primary education. The school curriculum is the same as in New Zealand. Teachers have a 1-year term. The school has an online safety policy. Children go to New Zealand for higher education.

What about the doctor?

Before 1944, there was no medical care on the island. The locals treated themselves as best they could. The priest’s wife worked as a nurse for a long time. Since 2004, there has been a doctor’s post on the island, who is sent here for six months to a year. The doctor is assisted by local nurses. But for more professional help, one must go to Tahiti or New Zealand.

Local hospitality

There are no hotels on the island, but tourists always come here because tourism contributes 80% of the annual income. Tourists are accommodated in locals’ houses. Locals even line up when receiving newcomers so that no one is offended. Accommodation costs $70 per person per day. Some locals have built separate houses for rent.
Life is just like in the village. People cook with gas stoves because electricity is too expensive. Gas comes from gas cylinders and electricity comes from diesel generators. Ordinary houses have two grids: 220 V from ordinary diesel generators and 12 V from small batteries. That’s why people install two switches on the wall. Rich people also have their own generators.
Arriving on the island, people will be assigned to the best rooms, which are clean and tidy, and even have internet. As for food, despite the rich local natural resources, the islanders prefer to eat imported frozen ham and sausages. There are several cafes on the island, but they are open rarely, about once a week or two weeks.
Locals get important information from the radio. Every household has a radio, and you can listen to foreign programs on the radio. There is 128 kbit wireless internet. Satellite phones are also common. Every household has a TV, and the signal comes from a satellite dish. Many people have DVD players at home. The local government is concerned about the development of tourism and sees the future of the state as an opportunity.

VP6DF. Where is Pitcairn Island located. Map.