Pitcarin Island

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I think the main reasons Pitcairn was chosen were it's isolation and incorrect positioning on the charts of the day making it difficult and unlikely that other vessels would call there.

Regarding the anchorage, pretty much what I understand from looking at charts and reports of those that have been there. It is certainly an open roadstead and protected only by the lee of the island. Wind shifts leave any vessel very exposed. Landing is by small boat only at a very exposed pier.

If I might clarify Skip...The position of Pitcairn in the late 1700's only stated it's longitude with no latitude. This is why they sailed well south of it while sailing east and then rumblined it directly north. They were actually lucky they found it. They could have easily sailed by it in bad weather.

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Read a book about that island.
Lots of rapes and child abuse going on and no law or justice to protect the victims until the Kiwis came in with cops.
Horrible story and most of the males seemed like pigs and even the women brushed it under the carpet as it was also in their past.

Will pull the book out when I get home and post the title..

Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Pitcairn has always fascinated me, mostly because of it's remote location and romantic history.

I re-read some articles on the sex abuse convictions. Hopefully things are better now, and I don't want to sound like I'm condoning their behavior, but I find the cultural context interesting, albeit a little disturbing.

All but one of the original mutineers were dead within a few years. The seagoing services in general were a brutal life at that time, and these were particularly brutal individuals. The Polynesians they brought with them (by choice or otherwise) were from a culture where women married very young by Western standards. There was a small group of people on a remote island with no law enforcement. It's not hard to see how the "law of the jungle" took over. It's a good lesson to remember whenever we get feeling romantic about leaving civilization behind and living like the inhabitants of Pitcairn.

Originally Posted by robert sailor

I don't think there s anything too unique about this island when it comes to sex. While in the Marquesas I spoke with the local French Police and I asked them what the crime rate was like, he responded that its a safe place as long as your not a local as incest was the biggest problem on the Islands.

This was certainly a bad event that had reportedly gone on for at least 3 generations. But based on other similar cultures, probably since they landed. It has been stated in many history texts that fighting between the Tahitian men and Englishmen, resulting in the killing of all the Tahitian men. Soon after fighting resumed among the Englishmen themselves. As you might have guessed, it's was over the possession of the Tahitian women. Nothing has changed...

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

If I might clarify Skip...The position of Pitcairn in the late 1700's only stated it's longitude with no latitude. This is why they sailed well south of it while sailing east and then rumblined it directly north. They were actually lucky they found it. They could have easily sailed by it in bad weather.

Thanks. I didn't remember the exact details of the position uncertainty just that it was mischarted and wasn't clear at the time to anyone, including the group on the Bounty. However, a question. You say the longitude was known but not the latitude? But in those days before reliable time keeping longitude was much more difficult to determine than latitude which could be determined by a noonsite with a sextant.

So, do you know or recall how come at Pitcairn the latitude was the unknown factor instead of the longitude?

[Teknav]

The island that was mis-labeled on the charts, during the Mutiny, was Tofua; a dependency of Tonga and is way off Pitcairn. Fletcher Christian took cover around it, from ships looking for him.

Mauritz

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Thanks. I didn't remember the exact details of the position uncertainty just that it was mischarted and wasn't clear at the time to anyone, including the group on the Bounty. However, a question. You say the longitude was known but not the latitude? But in those days before reliable time keeping longitude was much more difficult to determine than latitude which could be determined by a noonsite with a sextant.

So, do you know or recall how come at Pitcairn the latitude was the unknown factor instead of the longitude?

Hmmm...I found this, so maybe I am incorrect. I took my conclusion from the path that the mutineers took to Pitcairn

"Pitcairn Island was sighted on 3 July 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS Swallow, commanded by Captain Philip Carteret. The island was named after Midshipman Robert Pitcairn, a fifteen-year-old crew member who was the first to sight the island. Robert Pitcairn was a son of British Marine officer John Pitcairn, who was killed in the American Revolution.

Geodesy collection on Pitcairn Island



Carteret, who sailed without the newly invented accurate marine chronometer, charted the island at 25° 2' south and 133° 21' west of Greenwich, but although the latitude was reasonably accurate, the longitude was incorrect by about 3°. This made Pitcairn difficult to find, as highlighted by the failure of Captain James Cook to locate the island in July 1773.[7][8]"

[donkey_jaw]

I'm a sucker for anything history and thats how I originally heard of the island.

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by Delancey

I am cruising nearby but bent my anchor and I don't know how to fix it. Can I get a replacement shipped to Pitcairn? It weighs about 20kg anyone know how much that would cost?

Delancey, what type of anchor and what bent? Is it possible to affect repairs?

[donradcliffe]

On my last visit, they could do basic arc welding, but not stainless.

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Delfin

Delancey, what type of anchor and what bent? Is it possible to affect repairs?

Please disregard this comment. I was attempting to illustrate a point about self-sufficiency as it relates to a different thread. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ct-113732.html

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Please disregard this comment. I was attempting to illustrate a point about self-sufficiency as it relates to a different thread. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ct-113732.html

Permanent ignore.

[bobconnie]

All I can say about going there without a GOOD anchor, is don't do it ! as the holding ground is deep and ya can get blown off real quick and easy !! just a thought from someone who even drug a danforth there, WITHOUT A WIND SHIFT !!