On August 1, 2012 Wednesday
We sailed from Bora Bora this morning at 1030 hrs local. The wind was out of the SE at 12-15 kts which allowed us to set a direct course of 262 deg to Palmerston: distance 662 nm. It took us seven days to make Palmerston. Our experience has been that the SE Trades are not as constant as the NE ones. During the evening the winds can go calm or squally. On this particular trip the "Mara'amu" (strong SE Trade Wind) piped up to 20-25 kts with 8-10' seas after a period of calms. During these strong winds we can manage quite well with a double reefed main and small staysail. The Valiant is an amazingly dry boat. Rarely does a wave break over it and get us wet in the cockpit.
We picked up a mooring in Palmerston Atoll on August 8th at 1030 hrs. Palmerston has six mooring buoys that are maintained by the three families living there. The history of Palmerston is unique and interesting. It was settled by an eccentric Englishman in the early 1800's who brought with him three Polynesian wives from Penrhyn, Cook Is. His name was William Marsters and he sired seventeen children between the three wives. Additionally, he divided all the property evenly between the wives. This ended up with the island of Palmerston having a middle family, eastern family and western family. All the population are Marsters. The Patriarch may have been an oversexed man but he wasn't stupid. He setup very strict rules against intermarriage amongst the children. Each male or female child had to seek a mate from other islands. This has kept the population healthy with a diverse gene pool while still being Marsters.
Palmerston is a remote and infrequently visited island but very much in touch with the modern world. Prensently, there are 73 inhabitants living on the island. There is a schoolhouse, church, internet, telephone and electrical generating plant. The town is all dirt roads but kept very clean. The streets are wide and lined with coconuts. One can see the boundaries between the families by the long straight roads running in a very straight line. The community is well organized with each person in charge of some affair. Someone is the policeman, communications officer, pastor, etc, etc.
These Palmerstonians have been the most friendly, open, generous people we have met anywhere in our travels. Yachts have been their main contact with the outside world and bring them cargo and mail from relatives living on other islands. On this island one still finds that Polynesian tradition of welcoming the stranger. There is a small inter island trading ship that calls on Palmerston about every five months. Supplies have to ordered a year in advance so good planning is necessary. The main export is parrot fish. This particular species of fish in Palmerston do not have ciguatera and are safe to eat- delicious too!! The island is abundant with coconuts but there is no longer a market for copra because the island is so remote and off the beaten path.
Palmerston will remain remote and isolated because it doesn't have a harbor or pier where boats can find a secure and safe mooring. The depth going into the lagoon is only 3 ft. The outgoing flow of water can exceed 11 kts!!! It is unprotected from the North through the South so a watchful weather eye has to be kept for any wind change brought about by some frontal system coming through. As long as the Trade Winds are blowing from the SE to NE the moorings or anchoring are safe.
Most of the Palmerstonions are living on other islands or in New Zealand. There they can earn money and send some back to their families who have chosen to stay on the island. When these relatives come to visit, they have to stay for five or six months until a boat arrives to take them to Raratonga where they can get a flight back to New Zealand. Also, the children that seek a higher education after completing the course work on the island have to go to Rarotonga or New Zealand. There are no specific grades that students complete. Each one works at his own pace and then takes the required inter-island exams. The present teacher is from England and the principal is a New Zealander that married one of the Marsters and made a life on Palmerston.
The life style and general ease of living have resulted is a longevity that is remarkable. Most of the senior population are well into their eighties and still going strong. One of the matriarchs has given birth to fourteen children and is eighty-two. She is bright, talkative and has a remarkable memory. Church forms a large part of the Palmerstonions life. On Sunday they have three services: 0600 hrs, 1000 hrs, 1600 hrs. It is a day of rest and relaxation: no work or other activity is done.
Phyllis and I believe that we could spend a year or so in Palmerston. There is so much that can be learned from the self sufficiency of the population as well as the fishing, snorkeling and general beauty of the other "motus" (small atolls) within the lagoon. It harkens back to our days on Fuerteventura, Canary Islands when we had less than the Palmerstonions.
Next stop Alofi, Niue
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