Day 36 - Easter Island, Chile

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Easter Island, known in the native language as Rapa Nui (Big Rapa) or Isla de Pascua in Spanish, is an island in the South Pacific Ocean, belonging to Chile (a province unto itself, of the Chilean Valparaiso Region).  Located 2237 miles (3600 km) west of Chile and 1290 miles (207 5 km) east of Pitcairn Island, it is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world.  It was given its common name "Easter" Island because it was discovered by the Dutch on Easter Sunday, 1722.  Early European visitors to Easter Island recorded the local oral tradition of the original settlers.  In these traditions, Easter Islanders claimed that Chief Hotu Matu'a arrived on the island in one or two large canoes with his wife and extended family (believed to have been Polynesian).  Literature suggests the island was settled around 300-400 AD, or at about the time of the arrival of the earliest settlers in Hawaii; however some scientists say that Easter Island was not inhabited until 710-800 AD.  This date range is based on glottochronological calculations and on three radiocarbon dates from charcoal that appears to have produced during forest clearance activities.  On the other hand, a recent study including radiocarbon dates from what is thought to be very early material, indicates that the island was settled as recently as 1200 AD, the time of the island's deforestation.

Easter Island is widely famous for its 887 extant monumental statues , called Moai, created by the early Rapanui people.  It is a World Heritage Site ( UNESCO) with much of the island protected within the Rapa Nui National Park. Easter Island is one of the world's most isolated inhabited islands.  Its closest inhabited neighbour is Pitcairn Island, (1,289 mi to the west, with fewer than 100 inhabitants.  Easter Island has a latitude close to that of Caldera, Chile.  The island is approximately 15.3 mi long by 7.6 mi at its widest point - its oveall shape has been described as a triangle.  It has an area of 63 sq mi and a maximum altitude of 507 meters.  There are three Rano (freshwater crater lakes), at Rano Kau, Rano Ranaku and Rano Aroi, but no permanent streams or rivers.  

The large stone statues or Moai, were carved from 1100 -1680. Although often identified as Easter Island "heads", the statues are actually complete torsos, the figures kneeling on bent knees with their hands over their stomachs.  Some upright Moai have become buried up to their necks by shifting soils.  

We tendered about 6 a.m. and we were originally supposed to get off the ship at 8 a.m. but we are delayed by the fact that it is still dark!  We are currently on the same time zone as Eastern Canada, which seems strange, but is likely in order to keep the island on the same time as Chile.  

Today was one of the best days ever!  Serendipity always wins when it happens and today we just enjoyed this island so much.  Karen called to say that we were going to have 3 more people join us and that we had a van and a driver.  So Annemarie, Yoge, Rudy, Karen, Jonathan, Barry and I got on a tender at 9 am.  The ship was stationed to access a sheltered beach at the north end of the island due to the swells in the port where we were originally set to be.  Later on, we saw that original tendering area on the other side of the island and Jonathan confirmed we could never have made it in, the surf was so high and the rocks so sharp.  

The island is obviously de-nuded of trees, but has a meadow look to it, with grand sweeping vistas and horses running wild all over.  The day began with a grey overcast, which gradually gave way to brilliant hot sunshine.  This gave us all wonderful changes of light for our pictures.   We didn't have an English speaking driver, so what we learned we either read in the literature or heard on the lectures or from Annemarie who has been here previously.  Our first stop was our driver's idea and I know there is a name for it, but basically it was a cairn of rocks formed in a circle with the universe depicted with the earth as a large round rock and the planets in the orbits around it.  This was so fascinating given the fact that  until Magellan sailed around the world, the "civilized" world hadn't proven the earth was round.  We have heard that the Polynesians were expert navigators and had expert ability to read the sky. 

Then through sign language we directed our driver to take us to the  quarry where there are still Moai embedded in the mountain, half cut.  But he knew better and went by the famous 15 mounted statues facing the quarry, down near the water with a magnificent headland in the background.   Each statue is a different individual, both facially, and in height and size.  There was even a tall guy like Barry.   Originally the statues wore hats, and we overheard Erika's guide telling their group that the hair was where their power was, and that the natives kept their hair long and tied up on their heads.. interesting similarities with Sikhs and Orthodox Jews.    There was only one statue with this hat still in place, and the other hats were lying nearby.  

Erika's guide is the grand-daughter of the anthropologist who was behind the restoration and resurrection of the statues which had fallen or been pushed over when he arrived.  He dedicated his life to this restoration and his ashes are buried in a special memorial site on the island, and his granddaughter has been a guide there for 15 years.  

These 15 statues are near the base of the quarry, so we made our way to the entrance by car.  This is a national park (entrance fee is $60/person).. and it was now hot and sunny and getting toward noon.  The tracks climbing the mountain are primitive, and rocky.  By the way, the soil on this island is red just like Prince Edward Island so when we came back we were covered in red dust which meant an immediate shower.

We had originally planned to eat a box lunch that Karen had arranged, but Annemarie told us she wanted to go to the town to a restaurant on the ocean.. so we were off.  Rudy is the celebrity guest chef on the cruise so he suggested we look for a place serving fish.  You know when things just spontaneously happen perfectly?  This was one of those times.  The driver suggested a place that didn't appeal -- in town (probably a relative's) but Rudy's rule of thumb -eat as close to the shore as possible.  There by the "alternative" tender port was an amazing restaurant with an open covered porch looking out over the opposite side with the high surf breaking against the volcanic rocks - no one in sight.  We had the best meal you can imagine - fresh tuna steaks, grilled over an open fire, with rice - and on the side really red, ripe tomato wedges with fresh onions, which we drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, chased down with good white wine.  We thought that would be it, but then suddenly these tiny succulent very yellow, sweet pineapples appeared, with chocolate drizzles on the plate - divine!  So divine, Rudy was trying to deal with someone after lunch to get some for the ship! (too expensive).   Annemarie wanted us to have a memory of the day, so she arranged for us to drive to the owner's house to pick up hats with the restaurant name embroidered on the brim. 

The trip back to the tender at the beach was on the good paved road on the island - and we were off and back to the ship BEFORE the trouble began for the others.  The sea was getting rougher and rougher, and HAL had jury-rigged a platform, and two tenders together to get us off on a beach with these volcanic rocks as the tie downs.  Most of the tours were over an hour late, and a cascading effect happened, when there were over 200 people waiting in line in the hot sun for over 2 hours, one of the tenders got a hole in it from bashing on the rocks, and the platform broke.  Lynn told us the tale at dinner as she was in the last load and had to go aboard the tender through the front portal.  Several people fainted in the heat too.  HAL did a remarkable job getting everyone back safely, and we finally sailed away 3 hours later than scheduled.  Everyone was so grateful that in spite of the difficulty of landing that we were able to get to Easter Island which is truly a magical place.

Jonathan navigating a different vehicle for the day!

Annemarie and Yoge

The whole world...

The quarry from below: