Lee Abbamonte

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

Lee — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:09:59 +0000

The French Collectivity of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon (SPM) is a collection of 8 islands in the north Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland. The two inhabited islands are the only remaining part of the French Empire in North America. The 6000 or so inhabitants are French citizens with European Union passports. French is the official language and the islands are unmistakably French.

There are two ways to get to SPM. You can fly from Canada from any of Halifax, as I did, Montreal, St. John’s or Sydney. The flights are only certain days or the week and have strange seasonal schedules that change frequently. The Airline website is highly confusing as well. The best bet is to call Air Saint-Pierre directly and hope they return your call to book an expensive flight.

While cheaper, unless you live in Maritime Canada, the ferry can be a big hassle. You must get to a place called Fortune, Newfoundland where there is a daily one-hour ferry to SPM. In order to get there it takes either flying to St. John’s, Newfoundland or taking a series of ferries from Nova Scotia after a long drive from anywhere in the States or even Canada. Trust me, it can be confusing as I seriously looked into it. With gas prices etc., it’s better to just fly.

I based myself at Hotel Robert (pronounced Row-Bair) right in the center of town across from the port and easy walking distance to all restaurants and any points of interest in town. The rooms are very clean, reasonable and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

I ate lunch at the restaurant in the hotel twice and it was fabulous as all the restaurants I ate at in SPM were. Restaurants were the major highlight of my visit to SPM.

Sad to say but the weather was terrible for the first two days I was here and today it was nice on St. Pierre but I went to Miquelon and the weather there, only a few miles away was awful! Go figure!

That aside, my favorite restaurant where I had dinner twice was definitely ‘Restaurant Le Feu De Braise’. This place had tremendous steak frites with assorted sauces (Roquefort and au poivre are always my favorite), risotto with shrimp and they even had pretty good thin crust pizzas.

SPM was like a little Paris for good food. There were also a few patisseries of course. I couldn’t help but indulge in pain au chocolate and brioche just like in Paris. The only thing that was missing from Paris was much to do!

Obviously, when you come to a place like SPM, you’re not expecting a big party or anything but it is a small island to say the least and with the horrible weather I had, the activities were limited. Hiking was off limits because the hiking is all up steep rocks and the rain and mud made it too slippery to go alone.

So I braved the rain, wind and cold the first day and checked out the town and what it had to offer and basically just sought out the best looking place for dinner and took some pictures. On day two, the weather was again very rainy so I arranged a car tour of the rest of the island. It was only an hour but the driver, Jean-Claude, was very nice and spoke excellent English. Speaking French makes my head hurt so I was thrilled!

The excellent tour took me to all points on the island with some history about each stop and site. Aside from just checking out the scenery through the low-lying fog, the most interesting thing for me was hearing about SPM during prohibition.

Mobsters, such as Al Capone, used SPM during the 1920’s to smuggle booze from Europe and Canada into the United States. There is actually a house still standing built solely from the crates of Cutty Sark that Capone smuggled from SPM. That was pretty cool.

Obviously after prohibition was repealed; SPM went into an economic depression as it lost its main source of revenue. Now the main source of income is subsidies from the French Government. Most people work “government” jobs somewhere on the island. SPM is also granted certain tax relief. The islands couldn’t survive without the subsidies from the government. Much like other overseas territories of the French and British such as Wallis or Pitcairn.

On my last day I retook a lot of pictures in better weather on St. Pierre and then I took the one-hour ferry to Miquelon and had a look around. Originally, I was going to walk the length of the 15-mile island but the uncertainty about the weather made it a smart move to just head to town. Luckily, I did because it was freezing, and rainy.

Miquelon is a small and flatter version of St. Pierre. The houses and architecture is the same, brightly colored houses and buildings and lots of open land. There isn’t much else to do on Miquelon unless it’s good weather and you can head across the connecting sand isthmus to Langlade.

As you can probably tell from my tone I am very lukewarm at best on SPM. I am very excited to get out of here in the morning. I did enjoy my time here but there isn’t enough to occupy you for four days unless there is good weather and you have someone to hang out with. Food is the highlight and the locals are very pleasant.

If you choose to come here, do a day trip from Newfoundland on the ferry or work the schedule so your flights give one or two night maximum; which would be ideal in summer. Take it easy because there isn’t much going on but it is an interesting place to be.

Around Halifax

Lee — Fri, 11 May 2012 02:55:58 +0000

A great accompaniment to my trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon and the odd flight schedule was that I was able to get two nights in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This was my second time in Halifax. The first time I was here for work (when I had a real job) and didn’t get to tour around too much. This time I had nothing to do but tour and see Halifax and the gorgeous Maritime province surrounding it.

I woke up refreshed (after a really bumpy flight in from New York) at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel. It has a great location in town so you can walk pretty much anywhere downtown. It also has a rental car office in the lobby; so that is exactly what I did early in the morning. I headed south down the 103 Highway toward Lunenburg.

Lunenburg is a cute little town about 60 miles south of Halifax. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features a beautiful waterfront area, some very cool architecture and some very brightly painted houses, restaurants and stores. Lunenburg is also the home of the Bluenose boat. It is a pleasure to stroll around Lunenburg and there is no lack of places to have lunch-trust me.

A few miles north of Lunenburg is Mahone Bay. It is another adorable little town with typical New England style houses and a very quaint and cute little town center right on the water.

Towns like Lunenburg, Mahone Bay and others such as Chester are what makes Nova Scotia so charming and although it is in Canada, it has a distinctively New England feel.

I highly recommend taking the coast road, route 3, back to Halifax. It snakes in and out of some small towns and villages and also passes two very important places to visit in Nova Scotia.

First, on September 2, 1998 a Swissair flight bound from JFK airport in New York crashed not too far off the coast of Nova Scotia close to Peggy’s Cove. My father actually knew a guy on that flight so I remember it vividly. Today there is a very poignant memorial on the gorgeous coastal rocks a kilometer or so away from the site of Peggy’s Cove. It is well worth a visit to pay your respects but also for the amazing view and setting.

The aforementioned Peggy’s Cove is the highlight of the loop around Nova Scotia that I drove. It is simply a lighthouse perched atop a small village amidst some amazing rock formations. The rocks strangely reminded me a bit of Badlands National Park in South Dakota for their grandeur and unearthly look. They also had some orange color in them like you’d see at the Bay of Fire in Tasmania. It was gorgeous.

Being as though it’s early May and I am in Nova Scotia, the wind was howling at some 50-60 mph and even with a jacket on, the wind was bone chilling. I didn’t have gloves and could barely grip the camera after a while! It was a great place to see and if it’s warmer or at least less windy, it’d be a great place to have a picnic or eat at the little restaurant nearby and have a lobster roll.

Back in Halifax, it started to rain pretty hard. I drove around the city and reacquainted myself with it. The main thing in town I wanted to see was the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic; which featured an exhibit and some cool memorabilia from the Titanic.

Being as though the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic just occurred in mid April, I felt that it was quite appropriate to check it out. Ironically, on a side note, one of the passengers on my Pitcairn boat was actually one of the single largest collectors of Titanic memorabilia and artifacts in the world. He told me a lot about it on that boat ride so I had extra incentive as well.

The museum itself was very nice and right on the waterfront on Lower Water Street in Halifax. It featured several cool nautical exhibits including tons of wreck pictures from Nova Scotian boats that had been sunk. But for me, the highlight was definitely the Titanic exhibit.

It featured pictures, captions and some artifacts along with a very informative yet slightly morbid video of the Titanic’s sinking. Aside from the Titanic, the museum also had some amazing model ships including one of the Lusitania. This was of course the American boat that was sunk by the Germans and led to our involvement in World War 1. It’s very cool if you are into history.

Halifax is a very nice city. It features a ton of restaurants and pubs, a large University and has a few different burial sites for different Titanic victims. All bodies recovered were brought to Halifax. The people are exceptionally friendly and helpful as is typical Canadian fashion. You wonder why Americans can’t be this nice (at least all the time).

That aside, it was good to be back in Nova Scotia after a decade or so and I am looking forward to coming back again sometime soon. I am also very excited for my four-day trip up to St. Pierre and Miquelon; which is the only French overseas territory in North America. That means one thing-great food!

SV Xplore

Lee — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:01:47 +0000

The sailing vessel (SV) Xplore is a British made, Panamanian registered and Australian owned yacht. It measures 20.47 meters or about 70 feet. It has been battle tested in the rugged Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean and it is really nice. I was privileged to be on it for a few days going to and from Pitcairn Island.

Captain Stephen Wilkins also owns the boat. He is a great guy who is incredibly knowledgeable about sailing and very professional. Safety is always first and everything is done on his boat as it should be.

The boat itself fits 8 passengers comfortably and up to 4 crew. The bunks are relatively spacious and even at 6’3”; I was able to stretch out fully in my bunk without hitting anything. Compared to other yachts I’ve ridden on, it was like heaven.

The bathrooms are spotless and very hygienic. They are cleaned throughout the day and you are given strict instructions on how to use and clean up after yourself. It also has a shower that is relatively easy to use.

The kitchen is stocked, spacious and even has a big eating and sitting area if it is raining on deck for meals. Luckily for me, it did rain a lot but we were always able to eat on deck. The fresh air helps a lot.

The cockpit area was large enough to have all hands on deck and have it not be annoying. There are a few cool little spaces that are super comfortable, especially when on the leeward side.

What else can you ask for from a chartered yacht? I couldn’t have been happier. In fact, I spent a good deal of time chatting with the skipper about doing some other trips in the Indian, South Atlantic and Antarctic seas. We are currently working out the details but hope to have some firm dates soon to work with for late this year.

My trip to Pitcairn, 51 hours there and 45 hours back to Mangareva, was certainly made hugely more manageable because of Stephen, his first mate Alexis and the fine yacht they operate. I even got to drive a little! I highly recommend the SV Xplore.

The Gambier Archipelago

Lee — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:02:47 +0000

The Gambier Archipelago has all the makings of an exquisite holiday destination. A single reef surrounds a small archipelago with attractive, lush, high, green islets engulfing a gorgeous crystal clear and calm lagoon. The Gambier is also the cradle of Polynesian Catholicism and is home to an impressive cathedral. But today, the main product from the archipelago are pearls. Some of the world’s best and most colorful.

Administratively and geologically the Gambier is linked to the Tuamotu Archipelago within French Polynesia. But for many cultural reasons along with the fact that the Gambier Islands are volcanic rather than coral atolls, the islands are considered to be their own group. You even get your own passport stamp when you enter and leave the Gambier Archipelago, even if coming from Tahiti.

There is one expensive flight a week that comes from Tahiti. The return flight from Tahiti to the Gambier will be over $1000. From the airport you take a communal slow ferry; which cost 500 CFP to the island of Rikitea and the port of Mangareva.

Mangareva is where the majority of the just over 1000 residents of the Gambier Archipelago live. The sleepy little port town has a very calm lagoon for weary yachties who have just come across the Pacific from South America. Some stay for weeks, literally just chilling in the pristine lagoon.

The town itself has a few little stores, one sort of paved road, a gendarmerie (Police), and a pizza place that is only open on weekends. It also has a massive cathedral that actually can sit more people than the population of the whole entire archipelago at some 1200 people.

Originally built when the Catholic mission was set up on Rikitea in the 1800’s. In the last few years it underwent a $2 million renovation and is quite nice. I went inside although I wasn’t supposed to and it is pretty cool inside. It is certainly the most recognizable landmark in Mangareva and the whole archipelago.

I was supposed to stay at Pension Maro’I but apparently the governor of the archipelago was hosting some French dignitaries who were investigating the pearl farms. My shipmate from the Pitcairn boat, Roy, and I got bumped to the owners sisters house at the top of the hill.

This did not please us after we had already paid in accordance with the Pitcairn package but what can you do. After some careful rearranging of their house to make for two rooms, I spent the night trying to stay sane with their two children’s incessant banging on my door and the blaring TV directly outside my paper-thin wall.

It wouldn’t have been that bad but the house is literally at the top of a massive steep hill in the middle of the island so it makes for getting anywhere on either side really annoying. So we had to rely on the man of the house (who never spoke in English or French-he just listened to his headphones in silence) driving us back and forth from the original hotel for meals. That’s life. At least there were great sunset views.

We were able to make friends with a 20-year-old guy who operates one of the biggest pearl farms on Rikitea at dinner. We got him to take us on the boat to check out the operation the next morning after breakfast. It was really cool and it was the highlight of the stay to me.

Each pearl that they pull out of the oysters can potentially be worth thousands of dollars even though the prices have slumped majorly after the world economic crisis. They have a real assembly line working at these little farmhouses perched in the water over the reef. There are about 8 people working at a given time.

They chop up the process. One person lays and pulls up the screens that hold the oysters. Another washes them when they are pulled up. Then a runner brings them to the guy who essentially shucks the shell of sediment and little corals that may have developed on them.

Another guy sticks a separator in them and delivers them to the two people whose job it is to open the oyster with fine instruments and pull out the pearl and/or culture the pearl by inserting a nucleus into the oyster. It is very streamlined and fun to watch them in action. They really know what they’re doing although the whole operation did kind of resemble a sweatshop of some sort.

My time on Rikitea was a nice break after the grueling boat ride back from Pitcairn Island. Mangareva is either the first or last port that you will see coming to or going from Easter Island. With all it’s natural beauty, the archipelago has a lot of potential for a lot more tourism but for now the Gambier Archipelago is a nice place to chill out. Life is slow, people are nice and there is no rush. Maybe you can even find some pearls…

Pitcairn Island

Lee — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:06:58 +0000

For years I’ve speculated and thought about what it would be like to visit Pitcairn Island. I had a somewhat romantic vision of the island through my own conceptions and also what I have read about it throughout their history and from others I’ve known who have visited before me. But I wasn’t prepared for the reality. Pitcairn blew my mind in ways no other place ever has and I was only there for three days.

I could sit here and list what there is to see and do on Pitcairn but that wouldn’t be right. That’s the thing about Pitcairn. Seeing the stuff to see and do is easy, you can do it in a day or two if you had to. What’s difficult is seeing the relationships between people and families on an island with only 50 people; where the history goes back 200+ years.

It’s hard to imagine that only four or so families live on this historic piece of Earth that measures roughly one mile by two. It’s tough to see the relationships, the generations, the factions, feelings of self, family, community, love, hate and all other human emotions. I only had a taste but it left me wanting more.

Pitcairn was different for many ways from the many other places I have visited. First, I stayed with a family, an awesome family. The Christians; Tom and Betty, who are parents of four girls.

One of those girls, Jacqui lives on Pitcairn Island and was actually the one who arranged for my trip to the Island. Their other three daughters live in other countries and it’s been years since they were all together.

As an outsider, it seems like living on a tropical island in the middle of the South Pacific seems like a fantastic thing. But when you’ve seen inside a family and how that isolation can leave you feeling empty in many ways, your thoughts change.

Pitcairn is tough to get to. It is expensive to get to. It takes a minimum of three to four days to get there and that’s if you time everything perfectly. Even for locals it is very expensive to travel to and from the island. There is no airport. There is no high-speed boat, seaplane, helicopter or any other means of transport back to the bigger world.

Even once you get back to Mangareva (the closest airport to Pitcairn) then you need an expensive flight back to Tahiti to get another expensive flight to wherever you actually want to go in the world. That’s tough. It can tear a family and a bond with an island, somewhere you may have grown up, apart.

Someone somewhat recently wrote a relatively unflattering book about Pitcairn called ‘Paradise Lost’. I didn’t see it that way. I saw it more as a lost paradise.

Pitcairn has all the elements of paradise. It has gorgeous scenery, a lush interior and all that a subtropical island should have. What it is missing are people: its own people. I feel as though many people who were born there or used to live there have lost their paradise. It’s s shame because as I see it, Pitcairn is just that…paradise.

Pitcairn island is a great place for hiking. It has stunning vistas wherever you look. It has one paved road, an old town square with a small church, post office, and local meeting hall. It is pretty much what you’d want a quaint little English town to be. The difference is that it is located so far from England, New Zealand, Australia or any other country it is associated with is some capacity.

With my friend Lydia from the SV Xplore boat, I did a 40-minute steep uphill then steep downhill hike from the Christians house all the way to St. Paul’s. It is a natural pool at the bottom of a mountain where it meets the sea. It was stunning. The beauty of the colors and sheer power of the water captivated me. The natural rock formations were impressive and it is the type of place you can stare at for hours. The sound of waves crashing and the washing out of foam; watching the fish through the clear water below can be hypnotic.

On the way to St. Paul’s pool is down rope. Down rope is the islands only real beach. The catch is that you have to climb down a near vertical slippery rock and tree formed path down to the beach. It’ll take 20 minutes or so to get down but one wrong step and you can easily fall to your death. No joke.

Needless to say I made it with the help of Brenda who is the resident down rope expert. She took me down and up without incident. When you get down to the beach and are surrounded by massive cliffs on 3 sides of you, you feel small. It kind of hits you that you are on Pitcairn Island. The crashing water echoes around the cliffs and makes you realize why you came all this way.

The ancient petroglyphs on the cliff walls will fascinate you. They are impossible to date. Conventional wisdom says they came from the ancient Polynesians who had come over from Polynesia or from Easter Island but nobody is sure. It doesn’t matter, they’re fun to think about and imagine who, what, when.

On the other side of the island is Gannets Ridge. It is a great walk with steep cliffs on each side to see panoramic views of the island and of Adamstown, the capital and only settlement on Pitcairn.

Passing back trough Adamstown, you can see the grave of John Adams, the last surviving member of the Bounty mutineers. You can also see the aforementioned public square where they have island council meetings. This is where the islands tedious politics, provisions and laws can be hotly debated for hours. Plus the HMS Bounty cannon and anchor lie within town limits on different sites along with a police station and the health center. A doctor is hired on a 12-month contract and is always available for emergencies.

Outside of town and just past the Christians house is Christians Cave. It is a great walk up some steep rocks where you may have to rustle with some goats as you go. Once in the cave, which will be full of goat droppings, you will have some awesome views of Adamstown from the other side plus we were able to see our boat mooring in Bounty Bay. Ask your guide (mine was Jacqui) if you can take the tunnel track back down, it’s worth it!

Bounty Bay is of course where you arrive on Pitcairn. The actual HMS Bounty ship is sunken in Bounty Bay and you can dive down to see the wreck at times. Bounty Bay has a somewhat legendary status among travelers.

The notably rough seas, difficult landing, famous long boats and mystery about the Bounty itself make it a fascinating place. Add in the steep ‘Hill of Difficulty’ that leads from Bounty Bay to Adamstown; which was recently paved, and you’ve got quite a setting for a dramatic entry.

The sites for such a small island are innumerable but the best way to see the island is via ATV; which every local has. It is the only real way to get around the island as aside from the one road, none of the others are paved.

On a side note, there is actually one car on Pitcairn Island, a little Suzuki jeep. Apparently, one of the residents’ daughters had moved to Norfolk Island (Australia); which is where at one time, Pitcairners abandoned Pitcairn for in the 19th century. They obviously returned thereafter. But the daughter had a car on Norfolk and couldn’t bear to sell it. So she shipped it to her family on Pitcairn. The cost of shipping from Norfolk to Pitcairn is astronomical and for the cost, she probably could’ve bought two or three Suzuki’s!

I had a few interesting experiences on the back of ATV’s on Pitcairn. On a Friday night, I was invited to a house party at Andrew’s house at the top of the island. It is the highest house on Pitcairn and likely the most modern, at least of the handful of houses I was in.

I was very excited and was to be picked up, along with the first mate from the boat Alexis (a Corsican guy pronounced Alex-ee), by Pawl. Pawl is a bit of a Pitcairn icon. Pirate Pawl as he is affectionately known is a big man. He has some 11 earrings in each ear and wears a big pirate like necklace and often a bandana. He can be an interesting fellow to meet-not to mention a fine dancer.

After driving like a maniac and nearly throwing Alexis and I off the ATV several times we arrived at Andrews for the party. Once there, I had to do a right of passage kind of thing with Pirate Pawl called the whale’s tooth.

This means that I had to pound a shot of tequila out of a large whale’s tooth along with Pawl. I was not thrilled as I hate Jose Cuervo tequila but it didn’t seem like the sort of thing I could say no to as Pirate Pawl seems to like to get his way. Plus, as I said, he is a big man; so I did it. It was a lot of fun although I still hate Jose Cuervo tequila.

The party lasted for hours running on generator power after the lights go out on the island at 10pm. Andrew had an awesome house, was a gracious host and a really nice guy. Sue, who is a Kiwi that moved to the island a few years ago, is Pawl’s partner and also the local Rocky Horror Picture Show aficionado. She tried to get me to learn the Time Warp. It was ugly; let me tell you, but fun nonetheless.

I felt very privileged to be able to attend such a local party on Pitcairn. As Jacqui said, “who says there’s no nightlife on Pitcairn”. I for one was shocked but incredibly pleasantly surprised.

If you’ve noticed throughout this story, I have used people’s names that live on the island. That’s because everything is done by names on Pitcairn. There are no addresses. There are only 50 people on the whole place and many families have been on Pitcairn forever. Thus the maps of the island list people’s houses by name, and directions go something like take a left at Steve and Olive’s house to get there. It is pretty cool and very unique from my perspective.

All of this aside, what struck me the most and made it the most difficult to leave was that you feel a small part of the island. By the time you arrive, everyone knows your story. Gossip travels on Pitcairn like wildfire. Plus, everyone is so welcoming. It makes you feel like you are at home and always comfortable.

It is a very rare and exciting place to be. A place of history, warm people, characters and a place that will make you ponder the mere existence of it. There is no place like Pitcairn Island and I do not say that lightly. There is no other place in the world, so isolated, with 50 English speaking British citizens who manage to live, for better or for worse, on this paradise in the middle of the Pacific.

My words cannot do the place justice; it needs to be experienced in the flesh. But let me conclude by saying this. As I sped away from Bounty Bay to head back to the SV Xplore on my way out back to Mangareva, I was overcome with emotion. The whole island came down to the dock to say goodbye and waved as Randy and Andrew steered us through the rough seas (although I got soaked).

It was enough to make me shed a tear as I left Pitcairn. That’s never happened to me before from anywhere I’ve visited. My time on Pitcairn, albeit short at only 3 days, will linger forever in my mind and in my heart. There are many mysteries surrounding Pitcairn Island and its history, but it is the wonderful people who made the trip and make the island what it is.

How to Get to Pitcairn Island

Lee — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 06:18:10 +0000

Pitcairn Island is one of the most isolated and mysterious places on the planet. The dreams of many of actually visiting are foiled because of the high costs and extremely arduous journeys it can require to get to Pitcairn itself.

Located some 300 or so nautical miles from the farthest eastern port in the Gambier Islands of Mangareva; Pitcairn is a difficult little piece of Earth to get to. There are five different ways to get there and all of them involve significant time on a boat; and generally money spent.

First, the way I got there is via the SV Xplore; which is a 20-meter yacht run by a really nice and experienced Australian skipper and chartered by Pitcairn Travel itself to the island. It has a capacity of 8 passengers on the boat. The speed will be about 6-9 knots depending on the winds and weather. It will be bumpy but will also be relaxing assuming decent weather and no seasickness. The cost including the expensive 4-hour flights to and from Mangareva from Pape’ete, a hotel and transfers on each; plus room and board on Pitcairn is about $4500 for a one-week trip (3 days on the island) and shockingly only $5000 for 2 weeks. 2 weeks includes 10 days on Pitcairn. Book this through Jacqui Christian at Pitcairn Travel.

Second, you can take the MV Claymore from Mangareva as well. This is a motor vessel that acts as a supply ship to Pitcairn Island and runs about four times a year at a cost of some $6500. The speed is faster than the Xplore and theoretically smoother but the added cost may not be worth the extra money-to me it’s not, especially after hearing bad stories about its captain on Pitcairn.

Third, a handful of trans-Pacific cruise ships will try to anchor off the coast of Pitcairn with the hopes of spending a few hours on the island. This usually isn’t successful as the ship has too many passengers on board. Although often the Pitcairners will go out to the cruise ship to sell them souvenirs. The cost and time involved with these cruises can be astronomical depending on the time on board, number of stops and of course class of service.

Fourth, you can ride with an independent yacht owner or service. The price may seem enticing and advertised at about half the others potentially. I do not recommend this as I tried something like this to another remote island called Tokelau and had a terrible experience. The ship captain or even worse, the person who owns or markets the boat can be unscrupulous.

Many people have had problems with services like these. Especially a service called Pacific-Expeditions with a boat now called Discovery, previously known as Bounty Bay. DO NOT use them. The list is long for people who were unhappy with this outfit. See my article and the ensuing comments on my trip to Tokelau for more information on this and why you shouldn’t go with them.

There is no recourse for these operations. It is nearly impossible to get your money back if something goes awry or they don’t deliver on what they said they would do as is what happened to me. Especially because they generally will not accept credit cards; only bank wires. So once the money is sent, it’s gone for good. Other independent operators can be trustworthy but that was my experience and I don’t know of any others at this time that call at Pitcairn.

Fifth and finally, if you have your own yacht, congratulations! Or if you are working on a crew on a yacht heading across the Pacific. You can arrange a landing on Pitcairn although plenty of advance planning and documents are required to land. A British overseas territory, Pitcairn has its own brand of bureaucracy to deal with so just plan accordingly and plan ahead.

That’s pretty much it besides swimming so pick your poison, save your pennies and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!

Landing at Bounty Bay

Lee — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:50:01 +0000

We anchored in Bounty Bay at about 9pm after 51 hours sailing into a brisk headwind. It was dark, eerie and I had no idea what was happening. It was tremendously exciting. We saw the quad bikes by their headlights coming down the ‘Hill of Difficulty’ to the landing where soon the boats would come to meet our yacht. I felt like a little kid, I was so excited. I couldn’t believe I was about to set foot on Pitcairn Island.

There were two small wooden motorboats that came up to the SV Xplore, not one of the famous long boats because we were a small group. One was for the luggage. The other was for the 8 passengers; including three Pitcairn residents and myself. There was a big swell in the water and the step down from the Xplore into the wooden boats below was treacherous and slippery.

I was worried for some of the less able passengers but everyone made it down OK and dry for the most part. We then headed onto the Pitcairn landing dock where the entire island came down to meet our boats and welcome us with open arms. It was an incredible experience that is hard to put into words properly.

It was a tremendous rush of adrenaline. If that sounds weird, it’s because it’s one of those experiences that cannot be explained-it has to be experienced. I am not overstating this point.

Perhaps some of the build up for years of knowing that I would come to this special place. Possibly the 51 hours of sailing with half the passengers throwing up and the long days and nights in the hot bunks. Maybe it’s the history here, the almost mythological legends and mystery surrounding the mutiny on the bounty, its survivors and their current descendants still living here. Likely all contributes to the thrill. But believe me, when they come to the boat and everything happens so fast, it’s a whirlwind of excitement-especially in the dark.

Then to be welcomed into their world with open arms, leis, hugs and handshakes from all these amazing people; it’s enough to make you shout out like you just jumped out of a plane. I have been here two hours now and I still haven’t stopped smiling but I wanted to capture my initial thoughts before I go to bed.

I got to the home of my gracious hosts, Tom and Betty Christian; the direct descendants of Fletcher Christian, the original Bounty mutineer at about 9:30pm. They made me dinner, we chatted briefly then the power goes off at 10pm every night.

They have battery-powered lights in my room and bathroom so I was able to take a cold shower. I was so thrilled after being on that hot boat for the last 2+ days. It feels so good to be clean and cooled off finally. Now laying here in their guest room, and listening to the crickets outside; looking out the window and seeing the darkest night sky I’ve ever seen with the most stars; I still cannot believe where I am. I am on Pitcairn Island. Wow. I can’t wait to go exploring in the morning!

NOTE I am obviously a few days behind if you’ve been following my trip on Facebook or Twitter and I will be posting several stories about my Pitcairn trip. This was my initial feelings on arrival that I wanted to capture. This is the first time I’ve had a chance to be online where I could upload pictures in 8 days. I am back in the US tomorrow and will be posting more soon. Also look for pictures on Facebook to come!

The Marquesas Islands

Lee — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:13:21 +0000

Powerful, grand, mysterious, brooding, floral and charismatic. Those are some great adjectives to describe the Marquesas Islands. The six inhabited islands and several uninhabited islands are broken up into northern and southern groups. The two main islands are Nuku Hiva in the north and Hiva Oa in the south. My flight from Pape’ete set off for Nuku Hiva where I had a two-hour connection.

Flying into Nuku Hiva was like flying into a mystery. The Marquesas are an enigma of sorts, made notable by vagabond artists, writers and singers. They have an intriguing history of war, culture and European intrusion; which brought disease that nearly wiped the islands population out completely.

As we flew right into Nuku Hiva, part of the island was covered in clouds, the coast was jagged cliffs with waves crashing against its eerie shores. The plane veered from side to side as if the pilot didn’t know how to land it. Finally we arrived on the small airstrip at its delightful little open-air airport on the islands desert northwest.

In my short experience at Nuku Hiva airport and my walk around outside, I came across several islanders and the first thing I noticed was the incredible tattoo work. The Marquesas and their tattoo artists are world renowned for their tribal designs. It is not uncommon to see full body tribal tattoos including on the face and tongue. Normally I hate tattoos in general but in these cases, it’s super cool, kind of scary looking and actually means something to their culture, family or tribe. It’s not like a teenager getting a butterfly, sun or a Chinese symbol that they don’t even know what it means like you see in the States.

So after a croque monsieur and a delicious steak frites baguette; which I had never seen before. I took off for Hiva Oa, the island of the famous French artist Paul Gauguin and the Belgian born musician Jacques Brel.

After another seriously scary approach to a dinky little airport 440 meters high and you have to swoop around to even reach; I was met by the manager of my hotel. The Hotel Hanakee Hiva Oa Pearl Lodge is the perfect setting on Hiva Oa.

It is a movie scene worthy location on a hill overlooking Tahauka Bay with Mt. Temetiu as a gorgeous backdrop. There are some 14 rustic bungalows laced with fresh flowers all over, a comfortable big bed, and my bungalow has a deck that overlooks the bay. The view is breathtaking.

It also has a great pool to chill out at and admire the view or have a local Tahitian brew. This is the best place to stay on Hiva Oa without a doubt. It also has an excellent restaurant that people from other hotels come to eat at as well.

My first stop after arriving was to head to the Paul Gauguin cultural center and museum. Luckily they opened the museum just for me as they knew I am a journalist from Tahiti Tourism. They arranged a special tour; which was excellent.

Gauguin lived on Hiva Oa for the last few years of his life before dying in 1903. He painted many of his best and most famous paintings. His tortured mind prospered here as an artist and he is best credited with putting the Marquesas and especially Hiva Oa on the map. French tourists flock to the museum to admire where he lived and worked.

After the museum, be sure to visit the ‘maison du jouir’ (house of pleasure); which is an exact replica of the house Gauguin lived and worked in. Behind the center you will see a nondescript looking hangar. Inside that hangar is the homage to Jacques Brel.

Brel was a Belgian born French singer who was and is apparently quite famous in France. When you enter the hangar, there is appropriately an airplane displayed above called JoJo; which was his plane.

He actually used to carry out humanitarian missions to fly sick islanders to Pape’ete to seek treatment. He was beloved on the island and died at only 48 years old of cancer. His music plays when you’re in the hangar and there are posters, pictures and descriptions everywhere. It’s actually pretty cool and worth a look.

After visiting their places of reverence, it’s only fitting that many people visit the cemetery where they are both buried. The Calvaire cemetery is in Atuona, the main town on the island and is a quick walk from the Gauguin Museum.

I am not really one for visiting cemeteries in general. It’s just eerie. I didn’t even enjoy visiting Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris, Eva Peron in Buenos Aires or JFK in Arlington. It’s just weird and I am not a huge fan.

Out of town and around the island there is a plethora of spectacular things to see. The main attraction for me is the scenery. The mountain roads, passes and windy rocky paths breed great panoramic views.

The trip I took to Puamau was the best on the island. It is literally a two-hour bumpy 4×4 drive, which gives tons of great views along with bone curdling bumps. When you finally arrive, you know why you came.

Iipona is the main archaeological site on Hiva Oa and is one of the cooler sites I’ve seen in all the Pacific. It’s not Easter Island, but it is still an eerie site to behold and wonder why and how it got there.

There are 5 monumental tiki and all are very cool to see. There are also some side sculptures and carvings in rock but the main attraction is Tiki Takaii,

Standing at 2.67 meters tall, he is the biggest tiki in French Polynesia and is somewhat mesmerizing to see in person. The location mixed with the lighting and the eeriness factor make it a really cool place to check out. It made the two-hour drive worth it.

After playing with the tikis, head over to Chez Marie-Antoinette for a great lunch spread of raw fish salad, strange fries and assorted types of meats and fruits. It’s the only option in town so eat up. We did and it was really delicious.

The other attraction in Puamau is the beach. It is the only really decent beach on Hiva Oa. The Marquesas are not a beach holiday destination. Let that be clear but this was a nice surprise and the locals were really enjoying it on Easter Sunday playing soccer in the sand.

I wanted to go in the water as the rest of the car did. However, the thought of riding home bumping around for two hours with a soaking wet bathing suit didn’t appeal to me. I’ve been down that road before. I dipped my feet in and the water was ideal but watching the local kids playing soccer entertained me immensely while the others swam.

After nearly two hours and just past the airport we stopped to see the other iconic tiki. This is known as the smiling tiki. As you can see, he appears to be smiling. He is also quite small and deep into the jungle down a steep hill. It’s worth checking out I suppose but don’t kill yourself if you don’t get there; Iipano is much more impressive.

On the other side of the island past the main town of Atuona there is the ruin complex at Taaoa. This is a very Mayan looking complex but the Banyan trees surrounding it make it distinctly Polynesian.

The complex is pretty large and is about 7km from Altouna. Up from the complex back in the jungle is a well preserved tiki that from afar looks like nothing but as you get closer you can really make out the contours of the face. It stands over 1 meter tall. It is pretty cool.

Finally as I headed back to the hotel for the final time I saw the oldest church built in the Marquesas Islands. The stone construction method is similar to what I have seen on other French Pacific islands such as Wallis.

As I get ready to leave Hiva Oa and head back to Tahiti for one last night before my flight to Mangareva to get the boat to Pitcairn in the morning; I leave you with a stanza from one of my all time favorite songs…

Southern Cross by Crosby, Still and Nash.

Got out of town on a boat
Goin’ to Southern islands.
Sailing a reach
Before a followin’ sea.
She was makin’ for the trades
On the outside,
And the downhill run
To Papeete.
Off the wind on this heading
Lie the Marquesas.
We got eighty feet of the waterline.
Nicely making way.
In a noisy bar in Avalon
I tried to call you.
But on a midnight watch I realized
Why twice you ran away

Tahiti

Lee — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:11:38 +0000

Tahiti…the name says it all right? Tahiti is a magical sounding word that brings about thoughts of an exotic paradise but make no mistake, Tahiti is not what you’ve seen pictures of or dreamed about. Tahiti is a nice enough place to be but it is the largest island of the country of French Polynesia and home to the bustling and traffic ridden capital of Pape’ete.

Pape’ete is only an 8-hour flight from Los Angeles and it is on the Unites States’ side of the International date line. It is actually on the same time zone as Hawaii. Jet lag is not an issue and Air Tahiti Nui is a good airline with a decent entertainment system in coach to help pass the time.

Tahiti boasts a beautiful, mountainous, green interior filled with archaeological sites, waterfalls and hikes. It also has some of the best surfing in French Polynesia. However, most people will never see these things. Unless there is a need to stay over at one of Tahiti’s very fine hotels; most tourists will head straight out to Mo’orea, Bora Bora or another island as soon as possible.

I had heard all of these things before I came down to French Polynesia. Hearing all that negative stuff made me manage my expectations and actually enjoy my time here on Tahiti. I always try to find the good in places and take them for what they are. Tahiti is no different and very pleasant place to be.

I am not going to sugarcoat it. It’s nothing like the aforementioned resort islands. There are some very nice hotels but Tahiti is very much a place that tourists pass through and centered on Pape’ete.

Pape’ete is a decent enough place to be for a few hours as there are many shops, stores and cafes. There is also supposed to be some excellent nightclubs but I didn’t get a chance to check those out. If you listen to the locals, they talk about the nightlife like it’s Las Vegas or Miami. But for me, I basically sat in a traffic jam in Pape’ete and got out for a little walk around. It is also where I caught the ferry to Mo’orea.

I stayed at two pretty nice hotels on my two nights on Tahiti. Both nights were as a layover essentially at the gorgeous Le Meridien Tahiti and the Manava Resort. However, instead of just eating at the fancy hotel restaurant, I decided to head out for dinner at a local food stall gathering place. It was awesome.

This was a great decision as it gave me a real perspective on the actual Tahitian people, not just the ones paid to be nice to you at the hotels. These particular food stalls were recommended by my driver; who was the same lady who drove me both nights I stayed on Tahiti. She said they were the best on the island and a 3-minute walk from the Manava Hotel. I asked her which one she recommended. Her reply was in typical Tahitian fashion, “whichever one has the most people”. I guess I can’t really argue with that logic!

So I peeked around at all the different options. Some had crepes and pizza believe it or not but most had meat, fish and chicken or some combination thereof. I opted for the one with the most locals (there must’ve been 25) sitting down at the plastic tables and chairs laid out around the stall.

This place served up steak, fish, chicken and all kinds of different island salads; all with huge helpings of fries or rice. I don’t like rice much unless it’s in sushi but I love fries. Throw some delicious steak with roquefort sauce in the mix and I am really happy. Finally, add in this delicious island garlic butter they whip right there on site and I will go to sleep fat and happy (as I did as soon as I finished writing this).

The only issue I had was that the guys taking the orders at the carts didn’t speak much English. My OK at best French in a terrible accent is not what they’re used to. I luckily got assistance communicating from a local man sitting with his family. As usual, things fell into place for the best.

After I placed my order, he offered a seat at his family’s table and I gladly obliged. The kids didn’t speak great English but from him and his wife I got a lot of insights into Tahiti and what it’s like to be French Polynesian. Mainly, French Polynesians hate their politicians…a lot! Sounds like America!

It was a really fun time and I did manage to finish most of the massive serving you see above. I must say it was actually really nice though to get a big serving. Generally when you travel, especially in French territories you get miniscule portions. I have no complaints and it tasted just as good.

Now I am back at the Manava Hotel; which is really nice and I will be picked up in the early morning to fly to the Marquesas Islands. I cannot tell you how excited I am to get up there to the islands at the end of the world.

Bora Bora

Lee — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:52:54 +0000

This is the one. This is the place you’ve been hearing about your whole life. That little piece of paradise located somewhere in the South Pacific. The name alone brings about thoughts of exotic paradise and hedonistic dreams. I am here to tell you that Bora Bora does not disappoint. It is that good. It is by definition, paradise.

Arriving by air at the old World War II airstrip located on its own little island, you see the lagoon. The contrasts in colors make your senses start to explode with excitement and wonder.

As you’re met by your accommodation and swept away by private boat to your little slice of paradise, you race over coral and different shades of blues, emeralds and purples.

You can’t help but see the goliath in the middle of Bora Bora that is visible from everywhere; and everywhere on the island it looks different. It is Mt. Otemanu rising up some 2400 feet like a sheer emerald and rock cliff out of the Pacific. It is spectacular.

But then when you arrive at your other wordly hotel, of which there are several of the top names in luxury; you realize why the rich and famous have called Bora Bora their playground for 50 years.

The Le Meridien Bora Bora, the original of the true luxury hotels on Bora Bora, was my gracious host during my stay. My overwater bungalow buried any bungalow I had ever stayed in before. Renovated just two years ago, they are spacious, luxurious and most importantly transparent.

You can see through the entire floor into the azure water below and you are surrounded by windows looking out into the lagoon and up ahead at Mt. Otemanu. I couldn’t have been more pleased.

The best part was that the back deck was about 15 feet up from the water below and the water itself was about 15 feet deep. So therefore, being the pillar of maturity that I am, I naturally would dive flip several times a day into the water; including as soon as I woke up! I had to keep those honeymooners on either side of me on their toes.

Aside from some of the most luxurious hotels on the planet, the true highlight of a trip to Bora Bora is the lagoon boat tour. It circles the island, stopping at all sorts of great view points and water colors.

You get to feed sharks and rays and swim amongst them. Much to the chagrine or terror of some of my boat mates but it was funny to watch them squirm. Obviously, gleefully jumping into water with sharks circling around isn’t exactly a natural instinct; but hey, when in Bora Bora!

It’s hard to put into words how beautiful Bora Bora is. Seeing it from the boat was one of the most incredible trips I have ever been on. The sudden change from crystal clear to dark blue to green to purple to emerald water was breathtaking.

All of the different views of Mt. Otemanu, from all different angles reminded me of looking at the Empire State Building in New York from all different sides. It never looks the same twice.

Our guide and boat captain were great guys and aside from being really funny, they played a damn good ukulele and even offered lessons. I passed on learning but was thoroughly entertained watching some Japanese people try to learn.

After a full day tour they took us to this private little island and cooked us a delicious fish lunch that included this amazing raw fish salad with a tangy sauce. It was perfect. It was a perfect day. I honestly couldn’t have expected anything better. Bora Bora lived up to the hype. That’s rare.

The only other thing to do on the island really is to eat. Eating fish is a right of passage on Bora Bora and every restaurant you go to will have great fresh fish from wahoo to tuna to mahi mahi. Where you go is the important choice.

All the hotels have a fancy restaurant and there are several scattered around the main island. But the one restaurant that everyone goes to is Bloody Marys. It has been a celebrity haunt for decades and was even just featured on Kim Kardashian’s show for her honeymoon (I know because it said it on the website).

That debacle aside, it is just one of those places you have to go. It is an all sand floor and serves some pretty good food and wine. There are celebrity pictures everywhere and a list of about 500 names right out front when you walk in. Marlon Brando ate there for god’s sake when they filmed ‘A Mutiny on the Bounty’ way back when. It’s worth checking it out and besides the women’s bathroom has a cool name on Bora Bora.

I had always saved French Polynesia on my list of countries to visit as I try to achieve this record of visiting everywhere at the youngest age. I always figured maybe it would be my last stop or it would be my honeymoon. Then this opportunity to come here came up and I couldn’t say no, especially as I am mixing in Pitcairn Island with it.

However, I now know where one day I will be coming back to for my honeymoon. Of all the great beach or island honeymoon destinations in the world; this is my favorite.

So as I am sad to leave Bora Bora, I am excited because I know I will be back. I have no idea when or with whom; but I know I will be back.