Pitcairn was either inhabited or frequently visited by Polynesian peoples in earlier centuries (they left glyphs etched in the rocks), and was visited briefly by Portuguese and British explorers (one of whom gave it his name), but it was deserted when in 1790 the infamous mutineers of '''H.M.A.V. ''Bounty''''' and their Tahitian companions settled there under the leadership of Fletcher Christian. They burned and sank the ship in what is now called Bounty Bay (there was nowhere else to hide it), and founded a village on Pitcairn. At first a rather lawless community of violent drunks, it was "tamed" when John Adams, the last mutineer to avoid accident or murder, converted the women and children to Christianity. They lived there for 24 years before being rediscovered by the British, who allowed the community to continue. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific.
Emigration – first to Norfolk Island and mostly to New Zealand in the last century – and a nearly-prohibitive approach to immigration have thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50. Furthermore, the island was rocked in 2004 by accusations of chronic and ubiquitous sexual abuse of the community's young female members (including pre-adolescent girls), and the subsequent investigation of much of the adult male population (including several who were no longer living there), six of whom were sentenced to terms in prison. It's unclear whether the Pitcairn society – already hovering at the lower fringes of self-sufficiency – will survive.
The climate is humid and tropical (the Tropic of Capricorn lies a short distance to the north), with average temperatures ranging from 60__F (16__C) on winter nights to 85__F (30__C) on summer days. Rainfall is moderate with no strong seasonal pattern, just a bit wetter in the winter. The island is subject to infrequent typhoons during the season from November to March.
The islands are each unique, with differing origins. '''Pitcairn''' is distinctly volcanic, jutting steeply out of the ocean with a peak of 337 meters, seemingly a stone's throw from the shoreline (in any direction). As such it has very little of what would be called a "beach" – however the word "cliff" gets used a lot – and harbors are hard to come by. Bounty Bay hardly deserves the name, consisting of a small indentation in the shoreline with water deep enough only for small boats without keels and a small sea-level landing area... connected via the Hill of Difficulty to Adamstown. It is the only island of the group with fresh water sources. '''Henderson''' is the largest island, a flat coral formation, but raised 50-100 feet above sea level by volcanic activity. It has caves along its shoreline which served as either tombs or ill-fated residences to an ancient people (remember: no fresh water). It might be suitable for building an airstrip if it weren't for all the endangered seabirds that find it an ideal spot to land. '''Oeno''' is a small, flat island (accompanied by another sandy island known as "Sandy Island") surrounded by a circular reef, a typical South-Pacific paradise with palm trees, lovely beaches, and a sheltered lagoon. '''Ducie''' is distant from the others (over 100 miles from Henderson and well over 200 from Pitcairn), a circular reef and island, popular with seabirds.
The remoteness and ruggedness of Pitcairn's geography, the insularity of its bureaucracy, and the scarcity of its resources conspire to make it a '''''very difficult'' place to visit.'''
Visitors staying on the island for any length of time require a license from the governor, because the irregularity of transport means they're effectively residents of the island for the next several weeks or even months. These licenses require proof of good health, the means to leave at the end of the visit (''e.g.,'' passage on an upcoming ship), at least NZ$300/week to cover your cost of living on Pitcairn, various other conditions, and a $100 fee; they are valid for six months. [mailto:admin@pitcairn.gov.pn]
There is no airstrip in the islands, and it's out of range of land-launched helicopters, so flying is not an option. (The largest flat area on Pitcairn would offer a very short runway, and level Henderson Island is both a UNESCO-listed bird sanctuary and inconveniently located.) The nearest airport is on Mangareva in the Gambier Islands, 330 miles away.
Pitcairn Island is accessible to tourists via scheduled visits by a small number of commercial cruise ships, and via private ocean-traversing yachts. Sailing from French Polynesia is relatively practical; from almost anywhere else (''e.g.,'' New Zealand, Chile) it requires crossing thousands of miles of the Pacific Ocean.
The island is located about halfway between New Zealand and the Panama Canal, near a main shipping lane, so travel via cargo ship is possible several times a year. Contact the Pitcairn Island Administration in New Zealand (+64-9-366-0186) to arrange passage; fares are typically US$800-1000 one-way.
There is no safe harbor for medium-sized or larger vessels; visitors access the island itself by small longboats launched from Bounty Bay (which is scarcely large enough to be ''called'' a "bay") to meet up with ships anchored off-shore.
Since October 2005 there is now one short paved road on Pitcairn (up the Hill of Difficulty from the landing at Bounty Bay to Adamstown), but most routes around Pitcairn Island are dirt trails, generally very rugged. Walking and personal all-terrain vehicles (3- and 4-wheel "motorbikes") are the main ways to get from one place to another, and a bike is usually available for rent.
English is the official language and spoken by everyone. Pitkern, a mixture of 18th century English and Tahitian with a bit of sailing jargon thrown in (''e.g.,'' "all hands" means "everyone"), is spoken by the residents amongst themselves.
The internal economy is based primarily on barter, with residents producing much of their own food and sharing supplies from passing freighters or large fish catches communally. When money is used, the New Zealand dollar is the standard currency, but easily-exchanged currencies such as US or Australian dollars or UK pounds will be accepted.
The main locally-produced items for sale are '''handicrafts''' (especially woven baskets, models of the ''Bounty'', and carvings of local wildlife out of miro wood harvested from Henderson Island) and '''honey''', and the island's '''postage stamps''' (also available by mail overseas) are of interest to philatelists. Anything else has to be imported, and is priced accordingly.
There is a small co-op general store which stocks imported foodstuffs from New Zealand or French Polynesia, mostly ordered by customers in advance. It is open 3 mornings/week, an hour each. The local cuisine relies heavily on seafood. Deep-fried nanwi (bluefish) is a local favorite, with red snapper, tuna, whitefish, grouper, wahoo, and others also being common. Pilhi is made from pureed fruit (such as banana, sweet potato, or breadfruit) with sugar and milk, then baked to custard consistency. Food staples grown on the island, include arrowroot, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cabbages, pineapples, melons, citrus fruits, bananas, and breadfruit. Some families keep poultry or goats.
Alcohol was prohibited on Pitcairn prior to 1991, but a six-month license to import alcohol for your own consumption is now available to tourists for NZ$25. Don't expect to buy alcohol locally; BYOB or take your chances on buying some from a passing ship.
Those staying on the island for more than a day visit must make arrangements with the mayor of Pitcairn for a place to sleep. [mailto:co@pitcairn.gov.pn] Individuals and couples will typically be accommodated in residents' homes; groups may be housed at a government-owned cottage known as "The Lodge". You will need to secure a place to stay before a license to land will be issued.
There are no jobs ''per se'' available to non-residents, only a few professional services (''e.g.'' teacher, nurse, social worker) hired by the government in New Zealand, and a pastor assigned by the international Adventist church. On the other hand, anyone taking up temporary residence on the island is expected to be self-supporting, and to help with community needs such as crewing the longboats to reach supply vessels.
Registered medical practioners spend time on the island periodically, but most health issues are handled by a nurse stationed there (currently the pastor's wife). The island has a small health clinic with dental and X-ray equipment and emergency medications, but is not equipped to deal with major problems, which may require waiting days or weeks for a nearby passing ship to provide evacuation to a medical facility. '''The island is out-of-range of all evacuation helicopters.''' Needless to say, this is no place to have a heart attack, stroke, and so on. A full medical check-up back home a couple weeks before arrival is strongly recommended.
The population are mostly members of the Seventh Day Adventist church, following mission work in the late 19th century. Although religious observance has declined, church doctrine strongly influences both public practice and civil law. For example, alcohol was legally prohibited until recently; dancing, public displays of affection, and cigarette smoking are frowned upon; and the Sabbath (Saturday) is consistently considered a day of rest (if not worship). Reasonably modest, climate-appropriate western clothing is worn.
The recent trials of several Pitcairn men (including the former mayor and much of the island's workforce) on sexual abuse charges have been very difficult for the close-knit island community, with everyone being a friend or family of at least one of the victims, the suspects, and/or the convicted. The incident has also brought to the surface tensions over Pitcairn's sovereignty (such as unfamiliar UK laws being tried by New Zealand courts). Strong feelings should be expected, and statements expressing any opinions beyond an acknowledgement of how difficult this has been for the islanders stand a high probability of upsetting ''someone'' in your audience.
Don't bring bees or beekeeping equipment. The island's bee population has been certified as disease-free and Pitcairn honey is becoming an important economic activity.
There is satellite phone service on the island, with one public phone (with an answering machine): + 870 762337766. Until recent years, ham radio was the only means of live communication between the island and the outside world, and several residents are operators, on the air regularly each week.
Postal service via New Zealand is infrequent, sometimes taking months for delivery. The post office is open 3 days/week, an hour each.
Thanks to a seismological monitoring station on Pitcairn, the island is now connected via satellite to the internet at 128kbps, with '''free wireless access''' throughout Adamstown.
Electricity (240V) is available only for a few hours in the morning and several hours in the evening.
Although there is no broadcast radio or television in the region, most homes are equipped with televisions and VHS/DVD players. If you bring any recordings with you, be sure they are PAL format and DVD region 4 (or bring your own DVD player), as the locals' equipment supports those standards (not NTSC or other DVD regions).
If you'll be sailing your own ship, the nearest islands are in French Polynesia, roughly to the WNW: the isolated Gambier Islands are 330 miles away, the Acteon Group of the Tuamotu Islands are 450 miles away, and Tahiti and the rest of the Society Islands are a mere 1,300 miles off. Easter Island is about the same distance in the opposite direction.
Passing freighters will likely be bound for either New Zealand or Panama.