 Easter Island : Profile
Lying at the south-eastern point of the Polynesian triangle, yachts increasingly call at this isolated island the South American coast is over 2000 miles away while its nearest neighbour is tiny Pitcairn, 1200 miles to the west. Easter Island, or Isla de Pascua, belongs to Chile and is also known by its Polynesian name Rapa Nui. There is good protection inside the small harbour at Hanga Piko, on the west coast, but access is difficult without local knowledge and the port captain insists that a local pilot is employed, who will charge about $US100 for his services. The anchorage off the main settlement of Hanga Roa is open but sheltered from the prevailing south-easterly winds. If the wind turns, one can move to Anakena Bay, site of some of the most interesting excavations and statues on the island, or to Huituiti in the east. Swell is a problem in all these anchorages. Tourism, fishing, agriculture and on-going archeological studies are the
primary activities of the island. The 3500 inhabitants, most of whom are Rapa
Nui of Polynesian descent, live around Hanga Roa, the only town. A different way to visit the island is to fly from/to Papeete, thus leaving your boat safely in Tahiti while enjoying a visit to the island.
From October to April the SE trades prevail. The summer, mid-November to mid-February, is when winds tend to be lighter and the seas calmer. May to September are the rainier and colder months, when westerlies predominate. The island falls outside the cyclone belt. The climate is subtropical, with an average temperature of 20C (15C-27C) and the mean humidity is 77%. The coolest months are July & August. The month averaging the highest average rainfall is May.
WX reports are available 3 times a day by listening or calling the port
captain's office on VHF CH 16 (Spanish, French & English spoken). Wind changes
will be announced so you can move your boat to a safe side of the island in
time.
Hanga Roa
*
*Indicates a port of entry.
|
Related ReportsFrom Salinas to Easter Island (30 Apr 2008) Tide Information In South Pacific (17 Oct 2007) Route To New Zealand (04 May 2007) Brisabane to Coquimbo, Chile (01 May 2007) World Cruising Handbook Corrections and Updates 9: Pacific Islands (09 Jan 2007) Weather Forecast Services for South Pacific (24 Jan 2006) World Cruising Handbook - Corrections May 2002 to November 2002 (04 Dec 2002) Easter Island Visit (24 Apr 2001) Related NewsEl Nino and Pacific Passage Planning: Responses (15 Jan 2007)
|