A Week on the Chatham Islands
They may be windswept and 45 minutes ahead of New Zealand time, but the Chatham Islands sure are a great place to visit. Their life is certainly unique.
Tour leader Kel Littin, visiting for the first time, was impressed with the scenery, nature, solitude and the hospitable, personal and organisation of the locals.
Their isolation, a changeable, moody climate and a history that goes back to the Moriori, gives the locals a strong community spirit, a sense of independence and self-sufficiency that allows them to be at ease with their lot.
The islanders have to be self-sufficient. They have a post office, school, bank, general store, craft shop, garage, golf course, hotel and even their own policeman.
They have 150km of good quality roads which give access to the settlements of Waitangi (main town), Port Hutt, Owenga, Te One and Kaingaroa.
There are several wharves; they have their own Power Board, airport, golf course and racecourse for the once-a-year meeting. Their weekly summer touch competition is for all ages and the annual rugby match that pits one end of the island against the other is a special occasion.
Locals grow their own vegetables catch their own fish and help one another out in times of need.
In the week, the group was shown around the 90, 000 hectares island with its rugged coastline, towering cliffs (a smaller version of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland), volcanic peaks, lagoons and several fresh water lakes, peat swamps, sandy beaches, rolling farmland, wind-swept vegetation and walked through native forest areas.
Having photos taken at Tommy Solomon's statue, seeing ancient tree carvings and listening to a local guide gave them an understanding of Moriori history which dates back around 1000 years.
Some of the group took advantage of the short flight on a five seater Cessna aircraft to PittIsland. “This was a highlight,” says Kel. “The small island exists on farming, fishing and tourism and has a population of 35.
They met the mayor, wandered on a bush walk, set foot in an old church on PittIsland and kept an eye out for the rare Black Robin.
In 1980 there were only five in the world! Now thanks to a special breeding programme there are now more than 250 on Pitt and nearby islands.
They wandered past the fish factory where crayfish, paua, groper (hapuka), blue cod and other species are processed before heading to the mainland, a thriving industry that employs many of the young males from the island.
Kel was very impressed with the food. “The meals at Hotel Chatham were excellent, the morning teas impressive and the meal at the Kaingaroa Community Club where the friendly locals love scrubbing up for an evening out to mingle with the visitors, while serving up crayfish, cod and paua and lamb was something special.”
If you love fishing this is the place for you, where there is an opportunity to catch cod, kingfish and groper (hapuka).
Visitors see the island as it is - trees that lean one way, tractors and other vehicles left where they die - enjoy a special dinner at the Kaingaroa Sports Club at the far end of the island, ate fabulous food at the local hotel and for history buffs visited Vi's 19th century house with its range of antiques and well-established gardens.
Bookings are now being taken for the tour in February 2010.