All good things must come to an end. And they did so today as I boarded the MV Silver Supporter for my return to Mangareva. Up early I was like usual, I just had to see Mrs. T one final time. The last of my bananas went to her as she was in her usual spot.
She's the ultimate highlight of my time on Pitcairn. Now I must put the Galapagos Islands on my radar.
Jay and Carol are absolute legends for allowing me to stay in their home without them being there so I made sure to clean up as best I could this morning so Char would have a minimal amount of work to do. This is a (no longer used) old-school phone.
Did you know it once cost a whopping $18 per minute (!) to make a call from Pitcairn?
Char invited me over for a big lunch of American-style burgers and chips. The only thing I didn't get to experience on Pitcairn is a local fish fry. If the guys weren't so busy unloading the ship during my time here I probably would have experienced this quintessential Pitcairn feast. However, I'm not in the least bit disappointed as I enjoyed every minute of my time in Pitcairn. After a sumptuous lunch I visited Pawl and Sue to have one final glass of wine and settle my tab. Sue, as a former prison officer, is very sensible when it comes to serving alcohol. When I asked if I could have another glass of wine she said the coxswains (longboat captains) could decide a person is too intoxicated to be on the longboat. Sue explained she could also lose her licence to serve alcohol and that she's taken locals' keys out of their quad bikes if she's determined they've had too much to drink. It's one of those areas I'll never complain about...if I've had too many or if I need to be focused, it's understandable. I would refuse drinks to others if I had to. Shortly afterward, Wayne would pick me up, and then I'd retrieve my bags and head for Bounty Bay. At 4 PM (nearly) the entire Pitcairn population gathered at the dock. We wanted a group photo with as many people as possible in it.
With a local population of 47 and a foreigner population of about 24 or so we got 41 people in the photo, therefore we didn't do too bad by squeezing in more than half the people on island currently. From there it was time to hug everyone and thank them for their hospitality. Everyone I've met on the island has been so wonderful. From there, our lifejackets were on, and it was time to say "se yorlyi suun" to Pitkern Ailen. We were on the longboat, motoring toward the MV Silver Supporter.
George is a member of the DXpedition who took a horrible fall on their chartered ship as he was boarding. Whilst he tried to stick it out, the resident doctor recommended he leave due to his age, heart condition, and fractured ribs. It's extremely disheartening for him because this trip took seven years of planning and he's now 73, so it's likely he'll never return to Pitcairn. He would be loaded onto a stretcher and then be taken first from the longboat to the MV Silver Supporter.
Andy was the last person I got to thank as I climbed the ladder and then settled into my cabin. As we sailed west I watched Pitcairn get smaller and smaller, and with amazement and euphoria, I not only accomplished one of my dream destinations but had it leave an indelible mark on me. For now I must give shout-outs to a number of locals: Andy for the pizza, Heather for helping organize everything for me, Char and her family for making dinner every evening, Pawl and Sue for wine and chatter, John and Ruby for inviting me to their home for lunch, Wayne for driving me round, and Kevin for taking me Down Rope. I will sure miss it here! It’s safe to say that Pitcairn is one of those trips I’ll likely only do once due to the cost and rigmarole of getting here. If you’re a dedicated traveller, Pitcairn is a must. If you can surmount the logistical hurdles of getting here, you’ll experience a place like nowhere else on Earth!
As a footnote, one thing I feel like I'm better prepared for now is post-achievement depression. A couple of years ago, just after I returned from Antarctica I had about the worst bout of depression imaginable. The best recommendation I can give to tackle that is to have some sort of goal for afterward when you're know you're going to accomplish a major goal.
