Mystery Island
Mystery Island is on the left- to the right is a huge coral reef which dwarfs the tiny island....
Can you see our ship anchored at Mystery Island?
Every port has a little guide that you take with you to tell you the highlights of where you are visiting. Imagine my surprise and smile as I read this one and looked at the map...... I loved that nothing was marked on the map but 2 umbrellas and 2 hiker icons with a rectangle for the airstrip. No streets, No taxi stand, No Mall.... No Starbucks ..... :) Population ZERO.
There is no running water, electricity, roads, internet or tv.... . People who sell goods at the market come by boat from nearby Tanna island. Mystery Island is on the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean. It is about 1000 miles from Australia. It is just a grain of sand in the vast ocean.
I can not believe it took us 24 hours to get here. Then when you actually see it you are in utter disbelief. Couldn't be.....
This is it?
Can you see it?
Can you believe the size of it? We are really getting off here???? Very Cool, indeed.
Once on this tiny spit of land, locals from other islands set up shops, sell souvenirs, tend little cafes, rent out boats and offer massages to tourists. This island is so small you can walk around it in 20 minutes. It really is a piece of paradise. I took that hike .... and it was lovely. Energizing. Freeing. The clear turquoise water was feet from the trail that goes around the island. Good thing I was on the first tender. My hike was pure solitude before the "masses" of the cruise got to the island. Many of my fellow cruisers swam in the ocean during our visit. The island itself is one big beach.
Yes, cannibalism was practiced here.... had to get a photo of the 'pot'. For a mere $5 you can have a picture taken inside the pot. Not sure that feels so safe....
I am told that the reason it is called Mystery Island is because ships had a hard time getting people on and off the island due to the big swells and numerous reefs. The island is uninhabited. Once the sun sets visitors will leave because it is said the island is haunted.
When these islands were discovered, their world was turned upside down in the name of progress, religion and trade. The islands around this area were heavily harvested for the sandlewood, used for boatbuilding, leaving islands deforested. Then with 'black birding', (kidnapping people for the sugar harvesting/slavery), together with bringing foreign disease to these islands, the local population was almost wiped out. Locals had no defense against agais. Such a past is now called "Paradise".
Children from the nearby island of Aneityun sang songs for us. Donations are used for school supplies. Airport build for use in WWII and is still is use today. Loved the cart parked by the back door to transport luggage.
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