Making the most of Bounty Bay
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Due to the geography of the island, Cruise ship passengers don’t disembark, the small harbour is too difficult for tenders.
The islanders will visit the ship, stamp passports and sell souvenirs
Bounty Bay is an embayment of the Pacific Ocean into Pitcairn Island.
Bounty Bay is named after the Bounty, a British naval vessel whose 18th-century mutiny was immortalized in the novel Mutiny on the Bounty, and the numerous subsequent motion pictures made of it. Current Pitcairn Islanders are largely lineal descendants of the mutineers, as exhibited by some of their surnames.
- The remains of the Bounty are in Bounty Bay. The ship was deliberately burned and sunk by the mutineers, and it's been well picked over by divers in the meantime, but there's still an allure to seeing (what little is left of) the vessel of the true tale that made "Captain Bligh" and "the Bounty" household names.
- The Bounty's anchor is on display in front of the Public Hall in the town square, where the library/post office building, and the Adventist church can also be found.
- The new museum in Adamstown contains artifacts from the Bounty (including Fletcher Christian's Bible), stamps, issues of National Geographic featuring the islands, and other items of local interest. One of the ship's four cannons is planned to be displayed here.
Food and shopping
The islanders sell locally made handicraft items, guide books and the beautiful Pitcairn stamps.
Most of the islanders are members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, so there is no making or consumption of liquor.
Money
The official currency is the New Zealand dollar. U.S. dollars are accepted.
Staying connected
Language English (official), Pitkern
Thanks to a seismological monitoring station on Pitcairn, the island is now connected via satellite to the internet at 128kbps, with free wireless access throughout Adamstown