Auckland, New Zealand

Sun. & Mon. Feb.6 & 7, 2011    73 degrees                           8:00 AM – 5:00 PM



Dock in Auckland, New Zealand

Set between 2 harbours. Beautiful beaches, expansive parks, fascinating Polynesian culture.  We are staying overnight in this sporty city.  The ozone layer is weak above New Zealand, so slap on the sunscreen and resist the temptation to bake.

Auckland’s city center includes the port area, much of it reclaimed from the sea in the latter half of the 19^th C. A dozen “city ambassadors” patrol the city center on weekdays between 8:30 and 5; they can give you directions and field any other questions you might have. They are identified by their yellow and gray uniforms with “ambassador” written on their tops in red. Have map for tour of city.  Auckland’s outsize sprawl mirrors the scope of experience it offers. A vibrant city with a colourful cultural mix, it still retains a relaxed Kiwi attitude. The central city neighbourhoods, with their cafes, bars, and restaurants, quickly give way to bays and marinas. A short drive can take you to breathtaking beaches with pounding surf. Standing on one of the city’s volcanic cones and looking toward the shimmering harbor, you can take your pick.  There are over 70,000 powerboats and 102 beaches in this area.

Cruise ship docked at Princess Wharf on Quay St. – 5 min. to Ferry Bldg. Walk down Princess Wharf to main road (Quay St.) turn left and walk in front of the ship. Large terracotta bldg. with Clock tower is Ferry Bldg. Bus stop just past Ferry Bldg. If ship is berthed at Queen’s Wharf bus stop at the gate.

We took  a shore excursion “Highlights of Auckland”.  We drove across the harbour bridge and past the Westhaven Marina where we viewed thousands of pleasure craft, hence Auckland’s name “City of Sails”.  We drove through historic Parnell Village  to the Auckland Museum, housing an impressive collection of Maori and Pacific Island artifacts.  This museum is located in Auckland’s Domain’s 200 acres of parkland and there were several cricket matches going on.  Next we drove to Mt. Eden, the city’s highest point, for a panoramic view of the city and Hauraki Gulf .

In the afternoon we decided to take the ferry to Devonport across the bay from Auckland.  We met a fellow on the ferry who said to come to his car with him and he would drive us up Mount Victoria.  We had great views of Devonport as well as Auckland across the bay and the Hauraki Gulf.  He then gave us a tour of North Head and parts of Devonport.  After  enjoying a beer with him, he let us off in downtown Devonport where we could enjoy Auckland’s colonial architecture before reboarding the ferry back to Auckland.

  On our second day in Auckland we took the Link Bus back to Parnell where we wanted to visit St. Mary’s Cathedral (Anglican).  The site of this magnificent building took my breath away.  The new cathedral is used for concerts and many other community gatherings in addition to all the church services.  The Old St Mary’s wooden church which was moved to its location adjacent to the new cathedral is used for weddings and special ceremonies.  After visiting the two churches we took the Link bus again on a trip around the city and disembarked downtown at the Sky Tower.  Walked downtown, visited a shopping mall, and an internet cafe and then reboarded the ship.



Old St. Mary's Cathedral





New St. Mary's Cathedral (Anglican)



 

Nuk'Alofa, Tongo

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011    85 degrees                                       9:00 AM – 5:00 PM



Port of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga

Tonga is the only country in the Pacific that has never been colonized. Nuku’alofa is the nation’s capital. Request permission before photographing anyone. Tonga means “South”.  You can see why the country’s main island is named Tongatapu (Sacred Garden). Every bit of it not occupied by a building or by the road is under cultivation with bananas, tapioca, taro, yams, watermelons, tomatoes, squash, and a plethora of other fruits and vegetables.  Nuku Alofa means “abode of love”.

Nudging the international dateline, in a time zone of its own, the Kingdom of Tonga is the first land to see the dawn of each new day.

Even traditional dress reflects the Tongan social structure. Western style clothes have made inroads with young people. Tongans still wear wraparound skirts known as valas. These come to well below the knee on men and to the ankle on women. Men and women wear finely woven mats over their valas. Men hold these up with waistbands of coconut fibre. Women wear decorative waistbands known as kiekies.

Friendly indigenous people; migrating humpback whales; kings and queens ruling an island paradise; tapa adorning the walls of every building; packed churches on Sunday.

Tonga is easily distinguishable by its beautiful beaches, clear azure water, bountiful coral reefs and luscious landscape, much like the other Polynesian islands in the South Pacific.  The Kingdom of Tonga, although protected by Western powers, has never been ruled by them.  This is evident on the island as traditional Polynesian culture continues to be the way of life, even with the dawn of the modern era.  Although Tonga is the poorest of all the Polynesian islands, its rich culture, history and beauty are sure to make up for its economic shortcomings.

Christianity is the ‘official’ religion, but superstition and animist belief live on.  Coming of age has to do with the transition from vale (‘foolish and clumsy’) to an enlightened state of poto.  To become poto, requires understanding of values, gender roles, physical skills, kinship, and formal education.  Royalty is venerated.  The Royal family is believed to have descended from the union of a beautiful girl and God.

What is a Bulbous Bow? The bulbous bow is torpedo shape part of the ship’s hull, protruding out of the bow just under the waterline. When placed below the water ahead of the wave, water is forced to flow up over the bulb. The water flows down in the trough being created by the V shape of the bow and the two are cancelled out. This reduces the vessel’s wake, thus giving more energy to the forward motion and less into making a large wake. This also helps us with fuel efficiency!

Alofi, Niue

Tuesday, February 1, 2011    85 degrees                                7 AM – 2 PM



We had to take tenders into Alofi, Niue



Visas are not required. Alofi translates to “behold the coconut” the capital city of the Pacific Ocean nation of Niue. It is located at the centre of Alofi Bay on the west coast of the island, close to the only break in the coral reef that surrounds Niue. Alofi contains the world’s largest toothbrush fence. Niue is a place where crime is almost unheard of. Good to rent a bike to get around. Though self governing, Niue is in free association with New Zealand, and lacks full sovereignty. Queen Elizabeth II is Niue’s head of state. This is a maiden call at this tiny island, crossing the international date line.

There are 600 people living in this paradise where kindness and generosity seem to be genetically embedded, since the time of day is always wait-a-bit, and the pace of life renders the word “languid” completely inadequate. Dress conservatively when you step ashore in this strongly Christian community. Niue was discovered by Captain Cook in 1774 who called it Savage land due to the fierce appearance and hostile conduct of the Islanders. Besides some small industries processing passion fruits, lime oil, honey and coconut cream; the sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is also an important source of revenue.

Niue, known as the “Rock of Polynesia”, is 1500 miles northeast of New Zealand. Niu e, translated as “behold the coconut”, regained use.

Bakery across from Commercial Center (internet) – ask for coconut bread. Island market Tuesday and Friday. One of the most important features is the wharf.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011    83 degrees                                         8:00 AM – 5:00 PM



Tender going into port in Rarotonga, Cook Islands



The Cook Islands are an independent country associated with New Zealand. The Cook Islanders enjoy having a good time and this lust for happiness very quickly rubs off on visitors. They have beaches of dazzling white sand. The Cook Islands have a population of 17,900 and more than half reside on Rarotonga.

Nearly everyone in the Cook Islands puts on his or her finest white straw hat and goes to church on Sunday morning. Many visitors join them, for even though most sermons are in Maori, the magnificent harmony of Polynesian voices in full song will not soon be forgotten.

 

The Cook Islands Christion Church association built many churches, but their imposing Avarua structure is the best known.  This whitewashed coral block structure was constructed in 1855.

 

The several interesting antique buildings around the island referred to as “palaces” are family homes of ariki (district chiefs). Among them, Taputapuatea Palace was home to Makea Takua, ariki of the Avarus district when Britain took possession of the islands in 1888.

Rugged Te Rua Manga, known as “the Needle”, juts dramatically skyward as though it was a stone rocket counting down to take off.   It is an idyllic island paradise - all the alluring elements described in Tales of the South Pacific are found on the round Garden of Eden.

      

Bora-Bora, French Polynesia



Sofitel Hotel, Bora Bora

Thurs. & Fri. Jan. 27 & 28, 2011                                                    7:00 AM – 3:00 PM

James A. Michener, Return to Paradise, 1951: I saw it first from an airplane. On the horizon there was a speck that became a tall, blunt mountain with cliffs dropping sheer into the sea. About the base of the mountain, narrow fingers of land shot out, forming magnificent bays, while about the whole was thrown a coral ring of absolute perfection.

An idyllic island interlude in the South Pacific. Who can resist the soft sands, emerald peaks, and blue lagoons. We have an overnight to explore this wonderful port. We are 160 miles northwest of Tahiti.

As you approach from the sea or air, you can’t help but be awed by the basalt obelisk of Mount Otemanu, a natural sculpture that towers majestically over an island of intense emerald green. The name is a reference to the Otemanu, a sacred bird that once lived on the slopes. Motus are the magical little white sand islands dotted throughout the amazing lagoon.

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island was settled by Tongan people about the 4^th century. Bora Bora’s main attraction is its calm and crystal-clear lagoon. The waters are said to be the most beautiful in the world. When the United States entered World War II, Bora Bora became a South Pacific military supply base, with an oil depot, airstrip, seaplane base, and defensive fortifications. “Operation Bobcat”, as it was known, maintained a supply force of nine ships, 20,000 tons of equipment, and nearly 5,000 men. Seven massive naval cannons were set up at strategic points around the island to protect it against potential military attack and are still a popular tourist attraction. The base was officially closed in 1990.

Ships anchor in the harbor and tender ashore to the jetty at Vaitape, the main town on the island. There is a monument to French yachtsman Alain Gerbault, who sailed his boat around the world between 1923 and 1929 and lived to write a book about it. From the wharf, head counterclockwise around the island.

We shared a van with 2 other couples and did a tour of Bora Bora. We visited the Mapeotetini Marae (their most important temple), a place to watch them die-dying pareus, the Sofitel Hotel, the Intercontinental Moana Beach Hotel which was next door to a beautiful public beach, Matira Beach. We had a drink of coconut water in an ice-cold coconut. Then on to Bloody Mary’s Restaurant for a wonderful view on the pier back to the city of Vaitape.

Pitcairn Island, Chile

 

Pitcairn Island is renowned as the final resting place of the H.M.S. Bounty and its mutineers. As we enjoy scenic cruising here, view the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Henderson Island—with its abundant bird life -- we might get a glimpse of Bounty Bay where the ship went down. It is one of the remotest of the world’s inhabited islands, lying halfway between New Zealand and the Americas. 4800 km. of open ocean separate you from them.

The Pitcairn Islands form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean and are a British overseas territory (formerly a British colony). Officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Ocno Islands. The four islands are spread over several hundred miles of ocean and have a total area of about 18 square miles. Only Pitcairn, the second largest and measuring about 2 miles across, is inhabited. If you call at Pitcairn, you will see a unique community of Anglo-Tahitian descent which turned a naval mutiny into a celebrated romance.

Pitcairn is the least populous and most remote jurisdiction in the world. The United nations Committee on Decolonization includes the Pitcairn Islands on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. Capital – Adamstown, ethnic groups – British, Polynesian, Population – 50, Currency – New Zealand dollar.

Although archaeologist believe that Polynesians were living on Pitcairn as late as the 15^th century, the islands were uninhabited when they were discovered by Europeans.

Pitcairn Island was sighted on 3 July 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS Swallow, commanded by Captain Philip Carteret. It was named after Midshipman Robert Pitcairn, a fifteen-year-old crew member who was the first to sight the island. Carteret, who sailed without the newly invented accurate marine chronometer, charted the island. Although the latitude was reasonably accurate the longitude was incorrect. This made Pitcairn difficult to find, as highlighted by the failure of Captain James Cook to locate the island in July 1773.

In 1790, nine of the mutineers from the Bounty and Tahitian companions (6 men, 11 women and a baby), some of whom may have been kidnapped from Tahiti, settled on Pitcairn Island and set fire to the Bounty. The wreck is still visible underwater in Bounty Bay. Although the settlers were able to survive by farming and fishing, the initial period of settlement was marked by serious tensions among the settlers. Alcoholism, murder, disease and other ills took the lives of most mutineers and Tahitian men. John Adams and Ned Young turned to the scriptures using the ship’s Bible as their guide for a new and peaceful society. The Pitcairners also converted to Christianity (Church of England), later they would convert to Seventh-day Adventism after a successful Adventist mission in the 1890s.

The Pitcairn islanders reported that it was not until 27 December 1795 that the first ship since the Bounty was seen from the island, but as she did not approach the land, they could not make out to what nation she belonged. The American trading ship Topaz under the command of Mayhew Folger was the first to visit the island and communicate with them when they spent 10 hours at Pitcairn in February 1808. A report of Folger’s find was forwarded to the Admiralty mentioning the mutineers and a more precise location of the island.

Pitcairn Island became a British colony in 1838 and was among the first territories to extend voting right to women. Since a population peak of 233 in 1937, the island has been suffering from emigration, primarily to New Zealand, leaving some fifty people living there.

In 2004 charges were laid against seven men living on Pitcairn and six living abroad with sex-related offences dating back a number of years. The British government set up a prison on the island at Bob’s Valley. The men began serving their sentences in late 2006, as of 2010 all men have served their sentences or been granted home detention status.

In 2010 the island received a new and updated constitution.

In 1904 the days of representation without taxation were ended. An annual license fee for the possession of firearms was introduced which, until 1968, when motor vehicle licenses were introduced, was Pitcairn’s only tax. Postage stamps were issued in1940 which turned the ‘shanty town’ into the Adamstown of today.

Oranges and bananas and other crops are grown in the subtropical climate.

46 inhabitants of Pitcairn Island were invited onto the ship. It is said that they make the world’s best honey, which is Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite. We watched them arrive in their longboat and then they set-up shop on the Lido Deck to sell their wares. They gave a presentation in the Queen’s Lounge at which time they presented our captain with a wooden carving of the HMS Bounty. When they left the ship sent them off with chicken, beef, fresh fruits and vegetables, wine and beer. This was a wonderful and really interesting experience.