Blogs from Palmerston, Cook Islands, Oceania
October 3rd 2008
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." Anon There are some days in my life where I find myself in such bliss that I almost have to pinch myself just to check that it isn't a dream. Today was one of those days. Early in the morning we disembarked aboard zodiacs for the idyllic island of Palmerston. Palmerston is a tiny dot in the Cook island chain and is inhabited by 38 people. The pristine white sand is literally swept clean daily by the caring residents. After a morning of interacting with the locals and snorkeling - where we saw sting rays, pencil fish, sea cucumbers and a variety of hard corals - we headed back to the ship for lunch. In the ... read more
September 5th 2008
Palmerston in the Cook Islands is a tiny isolated atoll 600nm West of Bora Bora and 500nm from Tonga. There is no airstrip and it is only accessible by sea. There are approx 70 people residing on Palmerston including 25 children. Most of them are descendants from the William Marsters and his three wives. There is a bit of inbreeding but when you are that isolated….anything looks good. We knew that bad weather was on the way and made the decision to stop at Palmerston rather than risk being caught in strong winds and swell enroute to Tonga (4 day sail). We arrived at Palmerston on a Thursday to blue skies and light winds. We where greeted by Bob (mayor)& Topou Marsters. They later picked us up and took us through the pass to the main ... read more
May 7th 2008
Life goal #132: Learn to shake my hips as swiftly and rhythmically as the dancing ladies on the Cook Islands. (This ambition comes right after #131 which is teaching myself how to play the ukulele). Ahoy Rarotonga!! Another landing for Queequeg, slap-bang in the heart of the South Pacific ocean, a startling sea side paradise and haven for the aspiring Jim Hawkin’s of the world (two points if you can guess which book that character belongs in.) We arrived dockside in Raro on a sweltering March afternoon, ready for a ice cold Coca-cola and some fresh veggies, the kind that are crunchy and green and not prepared with affections towards the Jolly Green Giant. My dislike for canned food items is growing by the hour with every tinned, boxed and pre-packaged meal we eat and there ... read more
