Melanies trip to Henderson Island

My first sighting of Henderson Island was a special moment. Not only was I excited at finally setting foot on this UNESCO World Heritage Site, and seeing the unique endemic bird and plant species, but the 22 hour journey from Pitcairn Island on the Bounty Bay had not been entirely pleasant.

The sun had just come up revealing an island about 20 metres high and flat with long sandy beaches and green vegetation. Frigate birds, clearly unused to human visitors, flew alongside the boat as we approached our anchorage just off the North Beach.

Getting ashore was an adventure in itself. Fortunately, Brenda Christian was travelling with me, and her son, Andrew, was a crew member on the boat. As Pitcairn islanders they had been numerous times before and knew where the gap in the reef was that gave boat access to the beach.

 Brenda and Andrew went first in the dinghy, and once satisfied that they could get ashore, came back for the rest of us. Apart from myself, there were two other passengers, and a couple more crew.  We set up camp in the trees along the beach, and then set out to explore. Brenda and I were on a mission to find the flightless crake, known locally as the chicken bird, one of the 4 endemic bird species on the island and classified as vulnerable. The Henderson reed warbler, another of the endemic species, was everywhere, but the crake was more difficult to spot. Slashing our way through the undergrowth with a machete, we came to a clearing and sat down to wait. Suddenly a small black bird, similar to a moorhen, came running out of the bushes. It was too quick to photograph, but just seeing it was special in itself. During our stay I saw at least one more, and also the other 2 endemic species, the Henderson fruit dove, and the Henderson lorikeet.

In the afternoon, Brenda, Andrew and I took the dinghy round to the East Beach. Only islanders are allowed to land here, so it was a privilege to visit this beach knowing that few others ever have the opportunity. Again, getting across the reef was difficult, but we made it without mishap. We had a special mission here. 

In a cave halfway up the cliff lie five wooden boxes containing human skeletal remains. Andrew had noted on a previous trip that at least one of the boxes had been opened, and suspected that some bones had been taken. Brenda had brought along a repair kit and a sign asking visitors to respect the site. Walking along the beach to the cave we passed numerous seabirds - gannets, boobies, noddies, tropics and petrels - and many with young. I nearly trod on a young tropic as we entered the cave, but its angry squawk alerted me in time.

Having completed our task, we wandered further along the beach, stopping to sift through the buoys and other rubbish that have washed up on the shore, to  a large rock in the water where Brenda knew she would find crayfish. In fact, she found so many she had to let some go as she could carry armfuls back to the beach. Needless to say, we had boiled crayfish that night for dinner sitting on the beach looking out across the Pacific.  

We slept that night on the ground under the coconut palms with just a tarpaulin to protect us from the elements, and with crabs and rats snuffling round our heads. Took a while to get used to.

The following day I was up early to light the fire on the beach and get the coffee going. Then it was off exploring again along the beach, trying not to startle the young gannets and their parents nesting under the cabbage trees. In the afternoon it was time to leave, heading off on the Bounty Bay for the 22 hour journey back to Pitcairn.

Melanie Tankard Governor's Representative, Pitcairn.

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