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Information aboutPitt
Island
Photography by Tania
Kemp |
Laying just 20 kilometres away from
Rekohu is the 16000 acre island of Pitt. With a population of about 40,
Pitt is a remote outpost of civilization. The first inhabited place on
the planet to see the sunrise, Pitt Island was one of the first places of
settlement for early Moriori. Artifacts, remains and hokopapa (oral genealogy)
support this.
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Information:
The lifestyle of Pitt
island today is a wee bit slower than on Rekohu itself, as there are no shops,
hotels, motels, or anything. There are plans underway for a 5 room
tourist lodge: Flowerpot Lodge, to be commenced in 2008, but at the
moment there are no official commercial accommodation providers there. |
Photography by Tania Kemp |
Access to Pitt Island is by
light plane, or by commercial fishing craft. There is a small fishing fleet
based on Pitt , primarily catching Rock Lobster, or crayfish as it is
locally known. The waters surrounding Pitt Island support a wide variety of species and
it is particularly popular with commercial divers seeking Paua (Abalone).
Information about Pitt Island
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Scania J returning
home.
Photography by Tania Kemp
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More information about Pitt
Island:
Trips to Pitt Island are only
available as day tours, as there is currently no commercial accommodation
providers on the island. Plans are underway for the construction of a 5 room
Lodge due to open in 2009.
Day tours travel to Pitt Island with Air Chathams in a
Cessna that takes five passengers per trip. These trips can be organised for
guests that are staying at Chatham Lodge or Kopinga Marae, including school
groups, and tours are run by Pitt Island residents and take in most of
the interesting scenes, providing a commentary and a detailed history of the
island.
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Mangere Island |
The Jail, Flowerpot Beach,
Pitt Island
Photography by Tania Kemp
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Cattle muster at Glory, South East Island in
the background Photography by
Tania Kemp
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| According
to some Moriori traditions, Pitt Island was the site of first
colonisation for Moriori, and the respected historian, Michael
King, agreed that "it is possible that the initial Moriori settlers
colonised Pitt Island, before they attempted a landing on
Rekohu." There are
many sites of interest around Pitt Island, although few, if any of
them have been properly researched. All of these sites are deserving
of protection, from livestock and the elements. The Pitt
Islanders have been admirable guardians over these sites since
1841.
There are a number of
Moriori legends which also feature Rangiauria in them and the story
of Koche: "King of Pitt Island" is one that students, parents and
teachers would all enjoy.
Check out the English Unit Plans for Myths and Legends: coming soon! |
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Pitt also has an interesting
European history, of sealers and whalers, shipwrecks and even smugglers. The
first European settler to the island; Frederick Hunt, arrived there about 1841.
His descendants still live and farm here today.
The scenery is amazing and every day
is different.
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Shepherds cottage, Glory Bay, Pitt Island.
Built about 1880
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Photography by Tania Kemp |
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Photography by Tania Kemp
There are several thousand
acres of reserve on Pitt Island and all Islanders are conscious of the
need for conservation.
Additionally, the Elizabeth Ellen Preece Covenant
on Pitt is being used to establish a community of Black Robins. This is a predator free zone that teems with
birdlife, including Tui and Petrels.
The Black Robin was once the
worlds rarest bird, with just one breeding pair left.
Today, on Rangatira (South
East) Island, there are now several hundred, with more living on nearby
Mangere Island as well.
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Information about Pitt
Island |
Contact
Chatham Lodge
to arrange your trip to the Chathams and a day tour to Pitt Island, or visit the
official
Chatham
Lodge website here.
Information
about Pitt
Island
Information about Pitt
Island
ŠKopi Holdings Ltd
Webworx by Cashmere Bay ltd
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Waitangi - Rekohu - Chatham Islands
All of the photographs on this
page were taken by Tania Kemp and have been published with her permission.
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