Pitcairn Island

Has anyone travelled to Pitcairn Island in the past 12 months? I would love to get there and I noticed that the last thread was a year ago and it seemed almost impossible then.
Many thanks
W

As far as I know on this TT, Venezio was the last poster to visit, and that was maybe two or three years ago.

It is of course very hard to get to. Oceanic Voyages in Sausalito CA offers some trips via yachts based in Tahiti, other than that it's a yacht on your own, or Pacific Expeditions out of Rarotonga if Graham Wragg is doing that again.

Occasionally one of the small cruise ships will stop by on their way from Easter Island to Tahiti. These are the expedition-type cruise ships, not the big luxury ones.

The Pitcairn website has some links to ships, etc., that may stop there.

As noted by Raro, I made the trip in June 2006 with Pacific Expeditions.

Thank you this is a great start!
Venezio, how would you rate the trip you made in 2006? Was it really good as I believe it is quite expensive.

As far as I can remember, there was a discussion last year on the price-performance ratio.

With Pacific Expeditions you have to add the expensive Papeete-Mangareva return flight and a fixed daily rate for accommodation and meals on Pitcairn.

Oceanic Voyages: At first glance on their website I had the impression that there are no fixed dates, as with Pacific Expeditions.

Cruise ships from French Polynesia to South America with a stop at Pitcairn: For me, this option was out of considerations, since I don't like cruises (too much time on the ocean waves, too little time in the ports), the ships head for Rapa Nui, Chile etc. where I was already before and - most important - the stopover on Pitcairn is for a few hours only and is completely cancelled if the sea is rough. Pacific Expedition offers you a sojourn for several days (I was there for one week including a trip to Henderson) with an unspoken guarantee to get ashore (with the tiny lifeboat they use it is possible at almost any weather conditions and if not today, then tomorrow; cruise ship can't wait for another day, they have their schedule).
For all that reasons, Pacific Expeditions was the only choice for me.

I don't want to keep secret the fact that for tourists, but also for travellers demanding high standards, the Bounty Bay (this is the ship's name as well as the landing point at Pitcairn) might not be the ultimate means of transport: There are - down in the hulls of the catamaran - berths only, not cabins (if my terminology isn't correct, in other words: there are bunk beds only, not rooms with single or double beds), and when you dream of an outside cabin, you can climb up the upperdeck to enjoy the 360 degree panoramic view.
Finally, I'd like to say that the crew was very helpful and friendly and I enjoyed every single minute on board - and on Pitcairn itself, of course.

correction: Pacific Expeditions has fixed dates!!!

Thank you, much appreciated.

I am booked with Pacific Expeditions for the 3 week Ducie expedition to Pitcairn in March 2009.

Wooo Hoooo, can't wait!!!!!!

Well, I guess that makes three than, my nephew and I will be going there as well in March 2009. Nice to meet you...;-)

Hey Utrecht2 - Nice to meet you too!!!!!!!!

What a great surprise to find someone on here that is going as well. I am so excited about this as it's been my long time desire to go to Pitcairn. I am also fascinated by uninhabited islands so Ducie, Henderson and Oeno will be an added plus....that is if we are able to land on them, Do you and your nephew dive?.

Hi Tom,

I am Utrechts Nephew and I do scuba dive my nephew don't. I have a PADI Advanced Open Water License and I already asked Graham if there would be more divers, he didn't know but he said there are always possibilities and so you must be one of those possibilities ;-)
See you in March I can hardly wait it seems to take forever

I am more of an Advanced Wadi Snorkel Enthusiast myself, but if the water visability is like 40 meters I am fine with that..;-)
So I will probably wander around the islands or get a tan on board while you guys enjoy that beautiful underwater world.

But Pitcairn has been on my list for like 20 years and just be coincidence I stumpled upon Pacific Expeditions. I thought only cargo and cruiseships went there with the only possibilities either hoping to set foot on land for a day or night or staying there for months.

Still waiting to book that flight to Mangareva as well Tom?

Hi Erodrigo and Utrecht2.

Glad to hear there is someone else that dives. Always better to have a buddy especially when diving in unknown areas. It will be an adventure :-).

As I mentioned, I have wanted to go to Pitcairn for many years. There is a three masted- schooner out of NZ that does a 46-day South Pacific trip with a stop in Pitcairn but in the US no one has 46 days holiday unless they are retired, and I did not want to wait until I retire to get there, so in researching found Graham, who by the way is a friend of the divemaster on Cook Island who taught me to dive!.

As for air tickets to Mangareva. I purchased and received them last week, but not through Air Tahiti as they would not take any reservation until after 1-Nov.

On an Air Tahiti Nui (international) web site, they provide a telephone number of the USA agent for Air Tahiti (domestic) in Los Angeles. I called them, and made reservations the same day. I gave them my credit card number, and a few days later received paper tickets. If I had paid by check, it would have been an e-ticket. I do not understand why the difference, c'est la vie!. Total cost was $887 USD plus $22 USD for Fedex.

The Air Tahiti US Reservations numbers are: 800-346-2599 or 818- 907-7981

I leave on the Tuesday, 10-March flight and returns on the 31-March flight.

I arrive in Papeete on 06-Mar and have planned 1-day diving each on Tahiti and Moorea.

Here is the link to the Air Tahiti Nui site with the number and a little more details

http://www.airtahitinui-usa.com/abouttahiti/interislandflights.asp

Hope this helps
.
Looking forwared to our adventure.

tom

Thanks Tom,

Maybe try that as well. Was the $887 for the total return flight from the US?
Well, even if it is only a Tahiti-Mangareva return, I guess there really is no choice whatsoever.

I surely hope/think there will be more divers boarding the Bounty Bay.

We will arrive at the 8th of March, so probably spend the 9th doing nothing much besides sleeping and recovering from the Amsterdam-Paris-LA-Tahiti flight (26 hours). We will have 3 nights afterwards though, probably spending that on Tahiti and Moorea as well. Perfect island combination if you ask me, especially with the Mangareva and Pitcairn islands combined.

Wow, really looking forward to that trip already now that I am talking/typing about it again.

Cheers!
Michael.

Michael,

The $887 is only for the Tahiti-Mangareva return, and as you say there is no other choice so they can price it as they want.

I also hope there are more divers. I believe Graham dives so that would make 3.

Only a little more than 5 months to go!!!!!!

Cheers,
tom

This is fantastic. Fancy you three bumping into each other here!

Hey Michael

Less than 3 weeks to go. Check your mailbox. I sent you a private message.

tom

Hey, you three, shall we get a detailed report?
Please?