Palmerston Atoll

We found famous Polynesian hospitality at Palmerston. As we approached the island in the middle of the storm we were met by brothers Edward and Simon Marsters in a small aluminum fishing boat. They had seen us coming. The Marsters guided us up close to the reef and showed us where to drop the anchor in a patch of sand in a bed of coral. We would never have gone that close to a reef with out their help. The next night Edward came out in the dark, in the rain, in 35 knot winds to meet another sailboat and guide them safely to anchor.
The Marsters family and ancestors have inhabited the Atoll since 1863. William Marsters settled on the island with his three Maori wives and fathered 26 children. Together they started 3 family groups that today each live on separate parts of the tiny island and share common facilities (school, church, electricity, etc.) which are in the center of the island. Currently 73 Marsters family descendants live on the island.
It is tradition, that each of the three families compete for the privilege of hosting guests to the island. Who ever meets the boat first gets the privilege of entertaining them as long as they stay. Strangers from everywhere in the world stop by this tiny little island, and are made to feel welcome before they even come ashore. The Marsters take care of them all while they stay at the island.
Simon and Edward work the hardest at this task and scoop more visitors than the other two families. Edward and Simon seem to spend most of their day helping boats anchor, entertaining guests at their home, and taking them fishing. His wife spends most of her days preparing lunch for everyone.
Normally when we anchor off an island, we would launch our dinghy and motor into shore. This was too dangerous at this particular atoll because the reef totally encircled the island so there was a reef between us and shore. Only the local people knew where the water was deep enough to pass over the reef so each day, the Marsters would radio the 8 boats anchored offshore to see who wanted to come into shore and then they came out in their aluminum fishing boat and picked us up.
On both our visits to shore, Edward had us to his house for lunch. The one day, his poor wife Shirley cooked for 19 of us. ..7 other boaters, her family, a brother in-law, mother-in law (both of which live with them) and 4 of her nieces and nephews. She prepared an incredible amount of food. We had sashimi (like sushi but no rice and somewhere they found wasabi), poisson cru (raw fish with coconut milk, lime and vegetables), 2 pork dishes, 3 different chicken dishes, rice, noodles, buns, and deep fried dough balls. They do this entertaining day in and day out. Before lunch we sat around the table and heard stories about their life on the island , and after lunch Edward played the ukulele and sang us some traditional Polynesian songs. After that, we wandered the island and people stopped what they were doing, and treated us like were their cousins coming for a visit.
The one day we were there was a Sunday so it was assumed that we would want to go to Church, so we did. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear some songs sung in their native tongue reverberating off the church walls. We couldn’t really hear the sermon because the person who led the service was a really old lady who spoke softly and of course they didn’t have a sound system. I guess an island of 73 people has trouble attracting a real pastor. For years they have had trouble attracting real teachers but for the last 4 years they have been able to retain one and the education of the children has increased dramatically.
An average of 50 to 60 yachts visit the island each year. This is a major impact on an island of 73 people. They get an exposure to the rest of the world that they would never otherwise get since their only contact with the outside world is a boat that comes to the island once every three months to deliver supplies to the island. While we were there the supply boat was one month over due, sitting in dry dock for repairs with no schedule of when is would arrive. Although they were badly short on luxuries like coffee, sugar and UHT milk, the Marsters shared these things with us willingly.
Before we left the island, all of the cruisers gave large bags of food items, books, school supplies, clothes, gasoline for their fishing boat and whatever else they could spare. The Marsters were very appreciative.
Palmerston was truly an amazing island experience.