Begin Photo Tour
[Photo from Guide to Pitcairn. Used by permission.]
#1 - Where is Pitcairn?
Pitcairn is just south of west and south from San Francisco, about 5,000 miles. About midway between Panama and New Zealand.
#2 - HMS Bounty
It all started with HMS Bounty which arrived at Pitcairn Island near the end of 1789. On or about January 23, 1790, the ship was burned just off the island.
#3 - Pitcairn from the Air
From the air - a rare view of the island. Pitcairners may go for an entire year without seeing a single airplane. (RNZAF photo)
#4 - Pitcairn in Silhouette
From the ocean - in silhouette - Pitcairn looks much like what many have called her, “The Rock of the West.”
#5 - Pitcairn from the Sea
The fertile, green look of Pitcairn today is attributable to many years of tree planting and tending following a barren stripping of greenery in earlier years.
#6 - Nautical Visitor
On average some kind of ship, yacht or boat calls at Pitcairn about once a week. The trouble is that a month without a ship’s call happens quite often.
#7 - Another Pitcairn Visitor
Many kinds of ships call at Pitcairn: Container vessels, roll-on-roll-off auto carriers, bulk carriers, cruise ships, tankers, yachts . . .
#8 - Diesel Fuel for Pitcairn
To feed its public generator, which provides electricity for about eight hours a day, Pitcairn needs a constant supply of diesel fuel, always brought by ship.
#9 - 1950s Pitcairn Longboat
Whenever a ship calls the Pitcairners go out from their island to meet it. There is no harbor on Pitcairn. This is a 1950s oar-powered Pitcairn longboat.
#10 - Pitcairners Going Out to Meet a Ship
The weather has to be storming heavily before it will stop the Pitcairners from braving the sea to go out to meet the ships that call.
#11 - Pitcairn Boats Today
Today’s Pitcairn boats are about 45 feet in length and are made of aluminum, powered by a diesel engine, and quite speedy.
#12 - Pitcairners
The faces of the Pitcairn people - here waiting to launch their longboats to meet a calling ship – are the modern-day face of the former Bounty mutineers.
#13 - Longboat Heads Out to a Ship
In the far distance awaits the ship. Closer is the loaded Pitcairn longboat that will meet her; a process repeated scores of time each year at Pitcairn Island.
#14 - Drawing Close to Ship
The Pitcairn longboats pull close in to the now dead-in-the-water ship, tiny toy boats compared to the great ship which has called at the island.
#15 - Making Fast to Ship
Making the Pitcairn longboat fast to the visiting ship is the first order of business when preparing to board the vessel.
#16 - Rope Ladder Attached
Once the Pitcairn longboat is firmly attached to the calling ship, a rope ladder is thrown down the ship’s side. Up this ladder all who want to board must climb.
#17 - Lowering Cargo
As quickly as possible, cargo for Pitcairn Island carried by a calling ship is lowered by sling into the waiting, bobbing longboats - a tricky, always dangerous procedure.
#18 - Climbing Rope Ladder
Climbing up the rope ladder can be very long and hard, especially when the calling ship is lightly loaded and rides high in the water like this container ship.
#19 - Strength, not Age
Here former Pitcairn Medical Office Von Stimpson comes aboard by 'Jacob's Ladder'. Whether you’re seven or 70 years old, if you live on Pitcairn and go on board passing ships, you’ve got to be strong enough to safely manage the rope ladder.
#20 - Down the Rope Ladder
When the Pitcairners’ selling of curios on the ship is finished, it’s back down the rope ladder to the now supplies-loaded longboats to beat back to Bounty Bay.
#21 - Jetty at Bounty Bay
The foaming waters and crashing surf surrounding the jetty at Bounty Bay awaits the Pitcairn boats which will be quickly stored in the boat sheds to await the next call.
#22 - Running in to Bounty Bay
Riding the rolling seas just off the Island, the Pitcairners, having left the calling ship, make ready to run in through the often heavy surf to Bounty Bay
#23 - Judging Approach to Bounty Bay
Watching the crash of the surf on the rocky shore of the Island, the Pitcairners judge how they will make their approach to the landing at Bounty Bay.
#24 - Threading the Narrow Inlet
Having made their landing decision, the Pitcairners thread the narrow inlet of Bounty Bay in such a way that their longboat will come safely in to the shelter of the Island’s jetty.
#25 - Landed Safely
In calm seas the Pitcairner’s longboat has sheltered behind the Island jetty and the work of unloading supplies begins.
#26 - Tidying up after a Ship Call
Having safely landed after a ship call, the Pitcairn’s longboat, loaded with bright green barrels of diesel fuel for the Island’s generator, is readied for storage in the boat shed.
#27 - Unloading Three Pitcairn Longboats
Three Pitcairn longboats of an earlier day are lashed together behind the Island’s jetty as unloading of a cargo of fuel oils begins.
#28 - Pitcairn's Children
Pitcairn’s children, some probably wanting to go for a swim in Bounty Bay, watch the waves crashing into the inlet before taking their chances.
#29 - Visitors Welcomed
Visitors to Pitcairn are always enthusiastically greeted. On this day some of the islanders are costumed for a special occasion.
#30 - Gathering Supplies
The Pitcairn longboats having landed supplies and visitors at The Landing, both islanders and visitors must now get their supplies carried up to the village of Adamstown.
#31 - Protecting Boats from Storms
When sea water has been bailed out, and they have been checked for damage, the Pitcairn longboats are stored against possible storms in the Island’s main boat shed.
#32 - Ship Landing Point
One of the first Pitcairn “sights” visitors to the Island take note of is “Ship Landing Point” which thrusts its needle-like point hundreds of feet into the air above Bounty Bay.
#33 - Bounty Bay from Above
From the top of “Ship Landing Point,” the tiny inlet of Bounty Bay hundreds of feet below looks even smaller.
#34 - Historical Marker
At the top of Pitcairn’s “Hill of Difficulty” road leading up from Bounty Bay is a historical marker and an inscription in the Pitkern language.
#35 - View over Pitcairn
From near the highest point on Pitcairn Island, one can look down over the village of Adamstown and see “Ship Landing Point” rising in the distance.
#36 - Village of Adamstown
The village of Adamtown is comprised of newer and historic homes scattered about among the greenery of Pitcairn on a few acres of the Island’s flattest land.
#37 - View beyond Adamstown
Beyond the village of Adamstown, and Ship Landing Point is the unbroken horizon Pitcairners see every day - the blue of the South Pacific Ocean.
#38 - Garnet Ridge
The face of Garnet’s Ridge - only slightly lower than Pitcairn’s highest point of 1,109 feet on Pa’alwa Valley Ridge - rises above the greenery of Adamstown.
#39 - View of Garnet's Ridge
Another view of Garnet’s Ridge from the Pitcairn cemetery is framed by the relatively few coconut trees that grow at lower levels on the island.
#40 - Christian's Cave
Christian’s Cave, set in the face of Garnet’s Ridge, has very little depth to it. It was here that Fletcher Christian used to come and brood over his unhappy lot.
#41 - Pitcairn Forest Road
One of Pitcairn’s “freeways” makes its way into part of Pitcairn’s forest of greenery.
#42 - Banyan Tree Canopy
The opportunity to hide from passing ships under the Banyan tree canopy that covered Pitcairn when the mutineers landed in 1790, was one of the reasons they chose it for their home.
#43 - A Pitcairn Valley
The beauty of the green valleys of Pitcairn are an invitation to exploration to both those who live on the island and to sightseeing visitors.
#44 - Pitcairn Vista
The lushness of the land, accented as it is by many flowers, and the warm, tropical climate, are two of the great “draws” of Pitcairn Island to visitors and Pitcairners alike
#45 - Teacher's Residence
In a beautiful setting under Garnet's Ridge and above the island school is the residence of Pitcairn's school teacher.
#46 - Soothing View
The view from a number of Pitcairn’s residences provides a soothing vista of both island vegetation and the ocean.
#47 - The Inviting Waters of Bounty Bay
A calm day at Bounty Bay is always an invitation to Pitcairn’s children - not infrequently to its adults too - to try out the natural swimming pool.
#48 - Swimming in Bounty Bay
Though the visit of sharks to the waters near or in Bounty Bay are not an unknown quantity, there are few if any instances of shark attack of swimmers at Pitcairn.
#49 - Fishing
Though in some parts of the world boat fishing might be a pastime, on Pitcairn it is a necessity, what with fish being an important part of the Pitcairner’s food supply.
#50 - Pitcairner Fishing
A number of the Pitcairners have canoes which they sometimes use to go fishing when they do not fish off the island’s rocks or use the larger, public longboats.
#51 - Historic Longboat
For decades the Pitcairners used white-hulled, wooden longboats to answer to ships that called at the island. Today diesel-powered aluminum boats are used.
#52 - Longboat with Canopy
Canopies are often rigged on Pitcairn’s public boats as protection against the sun when the craft take a number of the islanders to favorite fishing areas.
#53 - Pitcairn Bell
The bell, seen here at left, in the Square at Adamstown has served for many years as an important “communicator” to let the Pitcairners know of corporate functions.
#54 - Pitcairn Bell
Although today “family radio” is used, the island’s bell in the Square used to call Pitcairners to answer ship calls, come to worship, and to a host of other activities.
#55 - HMS Bounty Anchor
One of HMS Bounty’s anchors is kept on the Square of Adamstown. Here Fred and Parkin Christian pose with the relic.
#56 - HMS Bounty Cannon
In the yard of Len Brown’s home on Pitcairn one can see one of HMS Bounty’s rust-encrusted cannons, retrieved some years ago from the waters near Bounty Bay.
#57 - Medical Clinic
Pitcairn has a well-equipped medical clinic, usually with a specially qualified nurse who watches over the health of the islanders.
#58 - Island Council Meeting
Although Pitcairn’s population is greatly reduced from former years, most of the islanders attend the meetings of the Island Council at which important actions are taken.
#59 - Island Council Members
These members of a recent Pitcairn Island Council had the authority to enact rules of the nature of by-laws which must be notified to the island’s non-resident Governor.
#60 - Pitcairn Island Council Members
The members of a Pitcairn Island Council of nearly a half century ago did a “dress up” for the photographer of this formal picture.
#61 - Craft and Currency
The processing of money received by the Pitcairners is an interesting process since the islanders receives money from craft and other sales from many countries of the world.
#62 - Currency from all over the World
Drachmas, rubles, pounds, piasters, dollars and other currencies being counted by these Pitcairners turns up on Pitcairn from craft and other sales to ships of many different nations.
#63 - Busy Hands
Even when they sit down to take a break from the day’s heavier work, Pitcairn women probably have their fingers busily at work weaving the basketry they sell on ships that call.
#64 - Island Baskets
Most of the larger Pitcairn baskets, woven by the loving hands of women on the island, have woven into them the name, “Pitcairn Island.”
#65 - Pitcairn Island Vehicles
Pitcairn transportation is largely confined to all terrain vehicles, both three- and four-wheelers. This one has just come to the Square in Adamstown, parking beside the island church.
#66 - Herd of Terrain Vehicles
Down at The Landing, hard by Bounty Bay, beside the boat sheds, a whole herd of all terrain vehicles await their owner’s use.
#67 - Oversized Loads
Pitcairner Betty Christian demonstrates the correct technique of moving oversize loads on the island’s all terrain vehicles.
#68 - Practical Island Vehicle
Depending on the weather, Pitcairn’s soil frequently moves from one place to another. This all terrain vehicle’s heavily muddied tires are doing the moving.
#69 - Post Office
On one of the three sides occupied by buildings on The Square in Adamstown we find the island’s small but sometimes very busy Post Office.
#70 - Ship Mail Day
Ship mail days on Pitcairn often bring many letter-filled sacks and packages to the island, while as many or more pieces of mail may leave on the same ship that brings mail.
#71 - Inside the Post Office
Pitcairn Postmaster Dennis Christian minds the store at the island Post Office. On “Mail Day,” when mail arrives or departs from Pitcairn, Dennis is one busy person.
#72 - Checking Postal Rates
With frequent changes in postal regulations affecting Pitcairn, the islanders need to check prevailing rates at the small Post Office often.
#73 - Pitcairn Stamps
Since 1940, when it began issuing its own stamps, Pitcairn has issued scores of different and colorful stamps, many of them depicting the island’s history.
#74 - Miro Wood Vases
This Pitcairn stamp, showing two wood-carved vases, highlights the islanders’ carvings of Miro wood which they gather from Henderson, another island of the Pitcairn group.
#75 - Pitcairn Basketry
The colorful, attractive woven basketry made by Pitcairn’s women is featured on this 20-cent Pitcairn Islands stamp.
#76 - Pitcairn's Coat of Arms
Pitcairn’s Coat of Arms, gracing this 50-cent stamp, features a breadfruit seedling planted in an island wheelbarrow, with the Bounty Bible and one of the ship’s anchors.
#77 - Postage Stamp Display
Almost any grouping of Pitcairn postage stamps on an envelope provide a colorful and informative display of the island’s history.
#78 - Burning Unsold Stamps
One of the factors keeping the philatelic value of Pitcairn postage stamps high is the public burning on Pitcairn of all unsold sheets of an issue.
#79 - General Store
The weekly cycle of life on Pitcairn often finds several all terrain vehicles parked at the island’s General Store as their owners make purchases of basic items that have come by ship.
#80 - Islanders Shop
In Pitcairn’s General Store islanders and visitors can find groceries, toiletries, clothing, kitchenware, stationery, and a host of other basic need items for sale.
#81 - Inside General Store
Pitcairn’s General Store is always in business, but sometimes business can be slow, especially if a ship from New Zealand is delayed in bringing supplies to the island.
#82 - Historic Wooden Longboat
Still kept on Pitcairn as a historic relic of the past is one of the island’s wooden longboats. Today aluminum boats have replaced those crafted of wood on the island.
#83 - Headstone of John Adams
A visitor to Pitcairn examines the headstone of the grave of John Adams, last of the mutineers to die. The graves of Adams’ wife and daughter are also in the family plot.
#85 - Adams Grave Close-up
Visitors to Pitcairn are always interested in visiting the grave of mutineer John Adams. His is the only burial place on the island that is associated with the death of any of the mutineers.
#86 - Headstone of Teio, Wife of John Adams
The Pitcairn headstone of John Adams’ wife, Teio, also known as “Mary” and “Mummy,” notes that she died only nine days after her husband, March 14, 1829.
#87 - Headstone of Hannah Young
The headstone of Hannah Young, one of John Adams’ three daughters by the fourth of his five wives, tells of her emigration to Norfolk and later return back to Pitcairn Island.
#88 - Rosalind Amelia Young Nield's Headstone
The headstone of Rosalind Amelia Young Nield noted that she was “A lover of children.” She was also an island school teacher and widely-read author of a book on Pitcairn’s history.
#89 - Funeral
Always sad occasions, funerals on Pitcairn are usually conducted on the same day as death occurs since the island does not have embalming facilities.
#90 - Pitcairn's School
Located on the rising slope of Palau, Pitcairn’s well-equipped school provides for the education of children from five to 15 years for 380 “half-days” of the year.
#91 - Inside Pitcairn's School
Pitcairn’s school keeps pace with curriculum changes in New Zealand, providing primary education based on the New Zealand syllabus. Correspondence courses are also offered.
#92 - Display of Schoolwork
The attractive and thoughtful work in school of Pitcairn’s children forecast solid citizens of tomorrow who will be well able to take their rightful place in almost any society.
#93 - Student Art Display
The walls of the Pitcairn school at Palau often display outstanding pieces of student art as children depict life on the island and abroad.
#94 - Pitcairn Flag Held by Pathfinders
Dressed in “Pathfinder” uniforms, Pitcairn’s children “show the flag,” not of Great Britain but of their own island, which features the British Union Jack and Pitcairn’s Coat of Arms.
#95 - Island Wheel Barrow
A Pitcairn visitor, having unearthed a relic of the past, trundles an island wheel barrow along the road below Ship Landing Point in the background.
#96 - Island-Made Wheel Barrow
For many years the low-slung, island-made wheel barrow, featuring hooks on its handles because of the steepness of the island, conveyed heavy loads around Pitcairn.
#97 - Pitcairn Child Gets A Ride
One of Pitcairn’s cherubs enjoys a ride in the traditional island wheel barrow.
#98 - Pitcairn House
Visitors who arrive thinking Pitcairners live in thatch-roofed huts are surprised to find modern dwellings like this one (with Christian’s cave rising in the background).
#99 - Pitcairn Home
Although the island is small in size, with only about 100 acres of semi-flat land, a number of Pitcairn homes are located on spacious parcels of land
#100 - Abandoned House
Those who leave Pitcairn do not always care for the future of the home they leave. Mother Nature has begun to take command of this abandoned house.
#101 - Pitcairn Garden
If they are to fend off starvation Pitcairners must grow most of their own food. A former pastor of the island church is here tending his lush vegetable garden on the island.
#102 - Tending the Garden
Usually a couple of days each week are given to tending one or the other of the several garden plots each Pitcairn family owns.
#103 - Pineapple Garden
One of the sweetest things on Pitcairn are its small but delicious pineapples; most Pitcairn families grow them.
#104 - Pineapple Ready To Eat
Almost ready for harvesting, this Pitcairn pineapple will soon grace the family table sliced or cubed, or perhaps made into a mouth-watering cake.
#105 - Fruits and Vegetables
The fruits and veggies of Pitcairn are of great variety and full of the good taste that comes only from field-ripened produce.
#106 - Enjoying Watermelon
When its hot, and the family has been working together in the garden, there’s nothing better than a rest break that involves a face full of delicious Pitcairn watermelon.
#107 - Preparing Coconut
Pitcairner Betty Christian, having just removed the nut from its husk, makes ready to use a coconut in a favorite dish.
#108 - Removing Coconut Meat
With a special knife, Pitcairn housewives cut out the soft white meat of the island’s coconuts to begin making one of the many dishes of which this nut is a part.
#109 - An Old Stone Oven
Mostly in “the olden days” Pitcairners housewives used this type of stone oven, often called a “bolt,” for baking bread and other foods.
#110 - Breadfruit Plants
The gathering of breadfruit plants in Tahiti, seen here growing on Pitcairn, was the mission of the voyage of HMS Bounty in the late 1700s.
#111 - Fish "Share Out"
Piles of fish, separated as part of the traditional “share out” among Pitcairn families, await the journey to Pitcairn homes, and a trip into the frying pans on the island.
#112 - Cleaning Fish
Cleaning fish at The Landing at Bounty Bay is something that happens at least every week on Pitcairn, sometimes more often than that.
#113 - Pawpaw Fruit
Most of the food consumed on Pitcairn are grown there or fished from the waters surrounding it. These Pitcairn pawpaws, nearing ripeness, promise delicious sweetness.
#114 - Well Stocked Pitcairn Kitchen
The kitchen of many Pitcairn homes are often well stocked with island fruits, vegetables, and off-island baking supplies; Tom and Betty Christian's daughters make ready use of the family kitchen.
#115 - Pitcairn Celebration
For many years any birthday or anniversary on Pitcairn called for public feasting. While it doesn’t happen quite as often these days, when it does, the tables groan with good food.
#116 - Outdoor Feast
Whether indoors or outdoors, Pitcairners love to do few things more than to eat of the delicious and plentiful bounty of the island.
#117 - Gastronomic Delights
Different women are noted for the cooking or baking of their own special food dishes on Pitcairn, and when they all come together in a public feast the gastronomic delights are infinite.
#118 - Cane-Sugar-Making Time
When its cane-sugar-making time on Pitcairn just about everybody pitches in to do the needful. The cane juice is used to make molasses.
#119 - Radio Contact
For years Pitcairn has had a twice daily radio contact with its British government headquarters first at Rarotonga, then Fiji and more lately with New Zealand.
#120 - Tom Christian, Radio Officer
For some 40 years Tom Christian (right), shown here with an island visitor, was Pitcairn’s radio officer. His communications skills helped to save a number of lives for which he was awarded the M.B.E. medal by Queen Elizabeth.
#121 - Short Wave Station at Taro
Pitcairn’s short wave radio station at Taro ground is part of a communications system which started with lamp signaling in 1921 and then Morse Code transmissions in 1926.
#122 - Kari Boye Young, Radio Officer
Norwegian-born Kari Boye Young, served as one of Pitcairn’s radio officers for some 20 years before moving off-island to New Zealand.
#123 - "Pitcairn Miscellany"
The monthly “Pitcairn Miscellany,” published by the Pitcairn Island School, saw its first issue published in 1959. Readers throughout the world enjoy reading its island news.
#124 - Missionary Schooner Pitcairn
In 1890 the missionary schooner Pitcairn made its first call at the island. At that time many of the Pitcairners became members of the Seventh-day Adventist faith.
#125 - Pitcairn Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist church, located in The Square at Adamstown is the only house of worship on Pitcairn Island.
#126 - Island Worship
About a dozen of the 50 people on Pitcairn Island worship in the island’s Seventh-day Adventist church each Saturday, the seventh day of the week.
#127 - Tom Christian in the Pulpit
Tom Christian, a direct descendant of Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian and head elder of the church, sometimes preaches on Sabbath at the Pitcairn Seventh-day Adventist Church.
#128 - Special Celebration at Church
Special days having religious significance are marked in the Pitcairn Island church by costumed participants and decorations.
#129 - The Bounty Bible
The Bounty Bible, one of two books of Scripture brought onto the island in 1790 from HMS Bounty, is kept in a special case in the island’s Seventh-day Adventist church.
#130 - The Bounty Bible Open
The Bounty Bible, published before 1790, is in fragile condition and thus not open to examination by most visitors. Great Britain's Prince Philip, though, was allowed to hold it during a visit to Pitcairn in 1971.
#131 - Pre-1790 Inscriptions
Inscriptions that may still be found on Pitcairn tell that there were people on Pitcairn Island some time before the mutineers landed in 1790.
#132 - Stone Tools
Tooled stones found on Pitcairn in considerable quantity testify to habitation on the island, probably by Polynesians, before the Bounty mutineers took up residence there.
#133 - Cave at Gudgeon Harbor
The cave at Gudgeon Harbor is an important source of sand for the Pitcairners. In the back part of the cave Pitcairners load their boats with the construction material.
#134 - Gathering Sand at Gudgeon
“Gudgeon,” as the Pitcairners call their sand cave, gives up its treasure grudgingly. Boats must enter the cave, be loaded with sand and leave before high tide completely submerges it.
#135 - Pitcairn's Bulldozer
Though small and isolated, Pitcairn has a bulldozer which lightens the back-breaking work the islanders previously had to do. The dozer was air-dropped onto the island!
#136 - Unloading Miro Wood
Having just returned to Pitcairn from neighboring Henderson Island, Pitcairn men unload Miro wood logs which they will use in carving curios to sell to those on calling ships.
#137 - Catching Rainwater
Beside most Pitcairn homes is a concrete cistern into which rainwater, caught on the tin roofs of island homes, is stored for various domestic uses.
#138 - Palm Leaves for Weaving Baskets
A Pitcairn belle is almost hidden by a giant palm leaf from which she may weave baskets or curios that will be offered for sale on ships that call at the island.
#139 - Palm Leaf Crown
A Polynesian-like palm leaf crown enhances the beauty of a Pitcairner.
#140 - Basket Weaving
The fingers of Pitcairn women seem always busy as they weave intricate designs into baskets they will sell aboard ships that call at the island.
#141 - Making Curios
Colorful plastic strips are sometimes used in preparing the curios Pitcairners will sell to visitors on ships that chance to stop at the island.
#142 - Items for Sale
Hats, bags, baskets; wood-carved turtles and flying fish are but a few of the items Pitcairners make to sell or barter to visitors. Note “Pitcairn Island” woven into the basket.
#143 - Carving Miro Wood
Wood lathes on Pitcairn Island turn out beautifully crafted trays and bowls and boxes from the dark-hued Miro wood. Islanders will sell these beauties to ships’ passengers and crews.
#144 - Carving with Sharks Teeth
When Pitcairner-carved curios of sharks and other fish look like they have sharks’ teeth embedded in them, it’s not an illusion. They actually are sharks’ teeth.
#145 - Beautifully Carved Bird
An almost ready-to-fly winged grace characterizes many Pitcairner-carved birds.
#146 - Carved Vase
For many years Pitcairn’s men have carved wooden vases which they sell to visitors and others. Most of the vases feature a carved hand holding the vase itself.
#147 - Carving of Fish
An element of fantasy often seems to possess Pitcairn men as they create carvings of fish for sale to those who come to Pitcairn or otherwise order their curios.
#148 - Sturdy Walking Canes
Interesting and sturdy are the walking sticks carved by Pitcairners. During World War II the islanders carved and sent to London 500 of the sticks to help the walking wounded get about.
#149 - Painting Crafts
A good portion of the days of Pitcairn women may be given to applying their painting skill to various crafts they prepare for sale to passengers and crew on calling ships.
#150 - "Hattie Leaf"
A brightly colored “Hattie Leaf” curio is ready for sale or barter. The leaf is named after Miss Hattie Andre, a missionary teacher who educated the islanders in curio-making skills.
#151 - Pitcairn Longboat
A model of a Pitcairn longboat begins to take shape under the skilled hand of a Pitcairner. The models are a popular item in the islanders’ crafts catalogue.
#152 - Carving of HMS Bounty
Complete with carefully crafted wooden sails, a model of HMS Bounty is ready for shipment to an overseas customer of a Pitcairn islander.
#153 - HMS Bounty Models
From the window of her home, a Pitcairner displays the latest carved and rigged models of HMS Bounty which will be sold as one of the island's most popular curios.
#154 - Display of Carvings and Baskets
In this view of Pitcairn crafts, the islander sitting at left is astride a Miro log from which most Pitcairn wooden curios are carved.
#155 - Curios Ready for Sale
Ready for sale to visitors who will be coming onshore are a host of the island’s hand-crafted curios.
#156 - Ti Plant
The deep green-colored ti plant was used in distilling the alcoholic beverage which led to fighting and bloodshed during the first years the mutineers were on Pitcairn.
#157 - Christmas Day Celebration
Christmas Day, celebrated by all at The Square on Pitcairn, is usually a warm day because of the island’s Southern Hemishphere location. But the festivities include gifts and food for everyone--just as in cooler climes.
#158 - Traditional Burning of HMS Bounty
Bounty Day on January 23 is a public holiday on Pitcairn, complete with a picnic, perhaps boat races, and the traditional burning of a model of HMS Bounty in Bounty Bay.
#159 - Constructing a Longboat
In earlier days Pitcairn's men built their own longboats from woods found both on Pitcairn and from elsewhere. Today aluminum boats are used to meet calling ships.
#160 - Pitcairn Longboat under Construction
The hardest to find of the woods used in constructing Pitcairn’s longboats was a sturdy timber of hardwood to serve as the boat’s keel. The work was long, hard, and exacting.
#161 - Taking the Boat Down to The Landing
Once construction was completed on Pitcairn’s wooden longboats, which were built high above Bounty Bay in Adamstown, the vessel had to be carefully manhandled down the steep “Hill of Difficulty” to The Landing where in-the-water testing began.
#162 - Waves Crashing Against the Cliffs
Seen from a distance, the waves that crash the cliffs of Pitcairn may not seem big, but this one is at least 75 feet high.
#163 - Frothy Giants
Pitcairn’s coasts may be relatively calm at one moment and but an hour or so later lashed by gales which whip the seas into frothy, watery giants.
#164 - A Constant Roar
When the waves crash on Pitcairn like this, the voice of the ocean is an almost constant roar in the ears of the Pitcairners living a few hundred feet above in Adamstown.
#165 - The Unbroken Ocean Horizon
An evening view of the unbroken ocean horizon from Pitcairn brings with it the brooding, lonely quality of life on the tiny isle that is lost in the nowhereness of the South Pacific Ocean.
#166 - Sunset on Pitcairn Island
Sunset as seen from The Landing at Pitcairn brings to a close this virtual tour of the isle made famous by the landing of the Bounty mutineers there in 1790.
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PHONE: 707-965-6244
TEXT: 707-229-1340
EMAIL: info@pitcairnstudycenter.org
Contact Herb Ford:
PHONE: 559-592-0980 or
559-732-0313
EMAIL: hford@puc.edu
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[California Study Center]