Pacific Odyssey - Leg 3

Tonight Sam and Gillian are going to share some of their impressions of staying on Palmerston.
 
We anchored midday on the 13th and there were two skiffs manned by islanders waiting to pick up the supplies we had brought from Rarotonga.  Moments later a third skiff with the customs officer, Alex , arrived.  Shortly after the third skiff arrived, boats were back to pick up all of Port watch and half of Starboard watch. Upon arrival at the island, we were split up into families by the mayor, Bob Marsters.  Tavish, Becca and I were taken by ATV to the other side of the island (a mere three minute ride), where we were welcomed into the household of Grandma, Simon (her son), Edward (his son), Shirley (Ed´s wife), and their children David and John. The three of use were immediately embraced by the family and were shown to our rooms.  It turned out that our ´rooms´ were actually an almost finished house with full kitchen, den, and bedroom.  After we dropped off all of our belongings a massive dinner was served.  These are just a two of many examples of an amazing level of hospitality extended by the family and entire community of Palmerston. The first time ashore (we came back to the boat for one night) was a time to get our bearings, but when we returned the following day (Sept.15th), we interacted more with the locals.  Eventually I found myself connecting with the kids through games and conversations, more specifically with our host kids.  They were interested in what it is like in Canada, and we were interested about their life on the island. It was somewhat challenging to say goodbye today after all that they gave us.  It has been the strongest connection with the locals I have felt so far in my time on the boat.  There are not too many places that will embrace a group of young people like ourselves. I feel blessed to have been able to travel to this amazing place, and to have been asked back in future years to "our other home", in the words of Simon, my host.  I´m sure I am not the only one.  Thanks for listening, and goodnight.  Hi to Mom, Dad and Si, hope you are well.
Sam
 
 
These last few days spent on Palmerston Island will become some of my most cherished memories.  The people here are incredible in the way they welcomed us into their homes and firmly told us as we left that this is now our home - if we ever return to the Island, we are to remember our family and come home.  I was "adopted" by the family of Bill Marsters, the gentleman who took Katie and I shopping on Rarotonga.  Katie and I swapped up our cooking days to give each of us the chance to spend the night ashore and
I went with the first group.  Inano, Bill´s mother, hosted me (at the "Palmerston Island Country Club") while Chase and Leslie stayed next door with Bill´s wife, Metua (at the "Palmerston Island Yacht Club," they have a fabulous sense of humour!).  Bill´s oldest three children (Julianna, 7; Ned,  4; and Caroline, 2 or 3) toured us around the Island, each holding one of our hands and pointing out this tree, that road to the beach, or the public telephone box over there.  Eventually, the hand-holding turned into piggy-back rides and then carrying them as they got tired from the walk.  The kids loved to have the attention and we were constantly pestered for hugs and piggy-back rides.  Caroline was especially enamored with Chase and never left his side (or lap) the whole time we were there. Julianna loved the similarity of our names and had no trouble remembering mine.  I really enjoyed the chance to talk with Inano, the grandmother.  She is 4th generation Palmerston Island - her grandmother was William Marster´s daughter - and has seen a lot of history on the Island.  She regaled me with stories of cyclones and tales of visits by the Duke of Edinburgh in his yacht as well as some of the general history of the Island.  By the end of the first day, I was so tired after long games of cards and talking that I barely managed to journal by the light of the oil lamp, as it was well past midnight and the power was no longer on, before collapsing into bed.  Leaving the Island today was harder.  Inano and Metua were both crying, Caroline was alternating between crying in the corner and clinging to us.  It is incredible the impression that people can make on each other in such a short period of time.  Three days on Palmerston Island and we are family.  -Gillian