Cruise By Easter Island, Chile

Moas on Easter Island Postcard

Moas on Easter Island from ship

Islands of Easter Island for Egg race

Hi Guys,

Easter Island – Pacific Ocean 12 February 2011

(Longitude: 27 05’West Longitude: 109 20’East)

(Time -6 GMT)

We have come out of Valparaiso Chile, and for the past four days, we have travelled about 500 miles each day to come to Easter Island. We will travel another 4 days to reach Papeete in Tahiti. I can only conclude that Easter Island is one of the most remote places on this earth. The time of our clock is adjusted backwards by an hour each day, giving us a 23 hour day. Presently we are at -6 hours GMT or about the equivalent of Central time USA.

We approach Ester Island from the west and it has taken about 1 ½ hours to slowly cruise by the southern shore. The captain gives a running commentary of the history of the island and the Moas. The island is volcanic and as we approached we are faced with a great cliff and we can see that there are more cliffs further to the south. The seashore in between the cliffs has no beaches; there are no boats and the waves crash onto the rocks along the shore. We see rolling hills and no animals, sheep or cattle. As we round a promontory we see a row of Moas lined up, just above the beach, perhaps 15 of them. The photos below show my pictures and below a postcard that I bought in Chile, of course just to show the other side of the Moas from the land.

At the southern tip of the island are two small islands, one little more than lighthouse sized. There are birds that nest there and legend has it that the chief would set a test for the first young man to return an unbroken egg back from one of the islands. The young man representing one of the clans would then be the favoured clan to rule for the next year.

The Captain turned the ship west and we continued with our journey to Pitcairn for the 14^th February.

Moas at Easter Island from ship