Sailing Brahminy: PALMERSTON ISLAND

Palmerston Island - 18.0667° S, 163.1667° W

Palmerston Island, a true atoll consists of a number of sandy motu’s on a continuous ring of coral reef enclosing a huge lagoon. The largest of the islets include Palmerston, North Island, Leicester, Primrose, Toms, and Cooks. Palmerston is the only inhabited motu. There are several small passages through the reef for boats, though there is no safe entry for yachts. There is no airfield so sailing here is the only option.

All the islets are wooded with coconut palms, pandanus, and native bush. There are some of the biggest old growth Tamanu trees we have seen anywhere here with their great roots anchoring the sandy islands down when the storms roll across the Pacific. These Tamanu trees were and still are heavily exploited for their rich dark red timber for building and traditional outrigger canoes so it was a relief to see some of these ancient trees still standing on the more remote Cooks. There are only 62 people living in Palmerston all descendents of William Marsters an English barrel Maker and ships carpenter who settled on the island in 1863 with 3 wives from Penrhyn Island in the Northern Cooks. William Marsters fathered 23 children and now the island is divided into 3 main family groups all direct descendents.

There are shipwrecks everywhere both new and old, testament to the viscous swells and squalls, which roll across east to west. William Marster’s original house is still standing built from huge what look like Oregon beams salvaged from an old wreck. You can only anchor outside the reef and lagoon in 15 – 25 m and need to carefully monitor your yacht in case the wind swings from the west, which will send you towards the reef. This was the fate of an American yacht wrecked here in 2011 and now upturned on the beach and used as a storage shed by Eddie Marsters, our host for our time in Palmerston.

On arrival into Palmerston, one of the local families will host you. Most of the time it is a race by several boats and the one that gets to your yacht first becomes your host. As your host they will look after you taking you via dingy through the pass and give you a tour of the island. You are not obliged to help them or give them supplies but of coarse you should give what you can spare as it is very difficult for the people here to get supplies. Anything is appreciated especially fresh food, old rope, fiberglass or epoxy, magazines, newspapers, books cloths or whatever! All the houses on the islands have salvaged bits of shipwrecks or gifts from yachties incorporated into the buildings. Our host was Eddie and he treated us to an amazing traditional lunch and great tour of the island with his nephew. The people here speak English with a noticeable ‘olde’ English accent to it making it pretty unique in the Cooks, let alone South Pacific. There is a beautiful little school here as well as the church. There are of coarse no shops or anything like that on the island. We met another family Bill and Caroline on the island who live just behind the cemetery. If you get a chance to go and say hello to these lovely and hospitable people, please do, they will welcome you with open arms and a hot cup of coffee. We got the feeling Bill doesn’t bother with the racing out to the yachts to try and host people. The snorkeling here was unbelievable both inside and outside the reef and well worth it!