After a brisk 255 mile sail, we arrived late afternoon. Fortunately, as we arrived on a Saturday, we just made the customs cutoff time. Also, most unusually for we cruisers, we are “claimed” by one of the three branches of the Marsters Family that live on “Home” island, population around 62 people……read on! Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Not to be confused with Bob Marley…:) This is Bob, head of the Matavai Family, one of three descendent families of William Marsters. William Marsters was an English sailor in the mid 1800’s. He is rumored to have jumped ship when he found this island and at first had a Polynesian wife somehow imported from Suwarrow island, around 200 miles to the north. The young wife was lonely and had her two cousins imported and the next thing you know…We have three wives. The families today are mostly descendants of three three families from that time. They are known as “Matavai”, “Sara” and “Tepou”. These were the names of the three wives of William Marsters. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Claiming is a tradition from the old whaling days. When a ship arrived, it was “claimed” and the family that did so had then exclusive trading rights with that ship. The tradition despite it’s foibles remains. Bob and eldest daughter Taia were first to find us and hence, “claimed us”. Frankly, we turned out to be very happy about this. Sailing friends Carolyn and Fatty Goodlander had written an article in a sailing magazine a few years ago and were also claimed by this branch of the Marsters Family. We felt a bit as if we knew them from Fatty’s article. Here, we are following Bob and Taia to our mooring. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Simon on the left is part of the “Sara” family along with Tere (Terry) whom I think is “Tepou”?. Taia will look at this and correct me by the way! Simon represented the island council and Tere sort of the Cook Islands Customs representative. Socially, the families get along well. When it comes to the “business” of the cruisers…..not so much. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Cindy in her “ready for church” outfit and Daniel. Daniel (who is about 2 inches taller than Scott) is a young doctoral candidate from the University of Kent in London. He is doing his thesis on the future and current status of the Marsters unique family. Not so much a genealogy at all, but of their present day social and perhaps future outlook. Daniel got along great with most of the families living with all of them. However, we heard he had some difficulties with one of the other families after we left and was sort of persona non grata with them. Ah, Peyton Place in the Pacific! Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Originally, the house of one of William Marsters sons, it was serving as Daniels house at this juncture while on Palmerston. The Hospital flag you see was because the house was sick (in disrepair) per one of the locals, Bill of the “Sara” family. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Here we have the ladies in their Sunday outfits. Yvonne, the school Principal and Tere’s wife is second from the back right. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
As is tradition here on Palmerston, your “host family” feeds you anytime you are ashore. This includes ferrying you back and forth from your boat at the mooring field. Seen from Left to Right. Tupou (Mom), Munokoa Goldeen (who goes by Goldeen), Taia, Mehau Ngarima (who goes by Mehau pronounced “May-how”) and Bob. Not seen in this photo is son Bury Andrew. You’ll see him soon. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is Bob Marsters with son Bury Andrew (who goes by Andrew). Bury is a traditional name on Palmerston. We’re not sure why. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Mehau was not only a pretty young girl, but quite playful. She and Cindy hit it off right away. She was fond of teasing Scott as well. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
One day, on a tour of the island by Taia, Mehau decided she would torment Scott. She was very good at it too!….:) Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is Taia, whom Scott hit it off with right away. She was a terrific and knowledgeable tour guide and knew how not to step in the local political goings on. Taia didn’t pull any punches though and would tell you anything you wanted to know about the history of the Marsters family. Very refreshing! She is seen here with the telecom offices one and only telephone. They do have satellite internet and I’m sure I’ll hear a few comments from Taia when she sees the photos and posts. A few corrections I’m sure (which I will then update) as well. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
As there are very few internet users in Palmerston, their satellite system works pretty well for internet. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Legend has it that William is actually buried just to the left of his grave site. This is so everyone would have to walk on him and therefore remember him. Apparently “Matavai” is buried next to her grave site in another location as she liked the idea too. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This was William Marsters original home. Made of heavy oak timbers from wrecked sailing ships and their nails and hardware. Today it is used as a storage shed. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
I’m a bit unsure if this was a cemetery from people before William Marsters or if it’s just unknown who is buried here. Apparently they’re were inhabitants of the island before Marsters. Taia?….corrections please. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is the one room open air school on Palmerston. Yvonne, the principal seemed to run a pretty tight ship. There was a chair just off to the right of the photo for the student who talked too much. I told Taia, that’s the seat I occupied in school. She told me, she did too!…..:) Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is Shekinah, she is Tere and Yvonne’s daughter. Yvonne is Dutch and her parents were visiting. The family has a lovely large home on the south side of “Home” island. Shekinah didn’t sit in that chair in the previous photo by the way…:) Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is Taia right, with Cindy and Mehau in the background. The other gals are cousins. This is the Palmerston Island Yacht Club. Uncle Bill built this facility around 10-15 years ago as he was told that the world cruising rally would stop in and have drinks, meals, etc. They did once and dropped Palmerston’s rolly roadsted anchorage off their future itinerary’s. Taia told us that they have had over 100 boats visiting at one time, but 3-10 is more the norm. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Linda, more flowers from exotic locations…..Everyone else, enjoy too. For those of you who don’t remember, Linda is Cindy’s Los Angeles friend who is a garden and cat lover. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Pigs are a big source of protein for the Marsters clan. As they all eventually go to oven, most of the kids don’t give them names. They feel it would be too sad. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Booby and Frigate birds are everywhere here as in much of the South Pacific. North Island a few miles to the north of “Home” Island has large nesting grounds. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
We invited the entire Bob Marsters family over to Beach House for dinner one night. It was a short, but very fun experience. When they pulled up to the boat, I heard Bob yell to Taia what sounded like, “Pu-em ah – gah”. I asked Taia if she had a clue what her father had said to her? She said, “Of course….Push em’ off Girl”…..Welcome to Palmerston Island. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Can you say cheese? Mehau is a most photogenic young lady. All the girls were smart as a whip too. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
With Home Island in the background, the Marsters quickly took a tour and a liking to Beach House’s “acreage”. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Quietist of the family and very lovely, beauty had great brains too. She could spell just about any word you could think of. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Andrew was a typical boy. Bob often called his kids “boy” or “girl”. Taia was a wonderful big sister too. She had a few set backs in life and has lost sight in one eye. Her disposition is positive and we’re sure she’ll graduate university some day soon…. with honors. Look at those smiling faces! Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
From left to right: Cindy, Bob, Goldeen, Tupou, Andrew, Mehau and Taia aboard Beach House for dinner. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Every afternoon, anyone of the extended family members would show up at the volley ball court for impromptu games. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is the outer barrier reef on the west side of Home Island. You can see the cruising boats in the distance, mostly on moorings. Your host family was in charge of bringing you through the reef in their skiff. It’s not really completely clear why they don’t want people to come inside the lagoon. Boats that can get inside at Aitutaki could get inside here as well. They did blast the entrance once but stopped saying it hurt fishing. Fishy sounding to us. Bob said one or two boats had polluted the lagoon before as well. Think that would be really hard to do unless you went out of your way to do so. Some folks think it would give the host less control of the guest. We may never know. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Simon and Edward were also competing “hosts”. As I maintained three of his moorings and put a new one in for him, we got along just fine. Edward did however seem to want to keep the cruisers more apart than together. His “guests” were mostly kept to his area. Bob didn’t seem to care a bit about such nonsense and to this we were very grateful. Bob basically said, go anywhere you want and see whatever you want. “Girl” (that was Taia), “Take em’ on a tour”. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is 80 year young, Hinano. Jock the nurse got wind that I was a dentist and Hinano had a pretty good infection going on a lower right molar. Also, Jock wasn’t sure she could numb her up well, so Doctor Scott went back into a cameo appearance. Here is a far less swollen (than the day before) and very happy Hinano the day after our 5 minutes of dental surgery. Hinano is Bill’s Mom. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
I think this is Simon and Edwards Mom, but not positive. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is “Visions of Johanna” with Bill & Jo Strassberg and Jo’s son Gram. We met them when we visited Easter Island by plane. We knew we would catch up with each other somewhere out there, but didn’t know exactly where. Visions crew was claimed by Bob as well. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
This is Simon picking up Jerome, Natalie and the kids. They were claimed by Edward and Simon’s family. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
You can see the reef in the background where it was not completely obvious to go through without a guide. This was the smaller pass for the small boats. They have “big pass” too a few hundred meters further to the north. While here, I also put in three mooring for Bob. Nice to have Scuba gear. We didn’t do any underwater photos here, but they had a very nice healthy reef just 50 feet under the boats. Cindy and I did two fun dives here. The rest were work dives. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
A bit unusual, but at all the boats insistence, we had an “all family, all host, all cruisers” get together that Bob hosted. Bob had no problem with this at all, but we did get the impression it was unusual for the other hosts to accede to this request. A great time was had by all. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Cruisers parties are nothing new for this gang of veterans. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Very adept at the coconut life style, Andrew was going to show off to us a bit at the cruisers party his skills by jumping onto the tree swing. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Well, not exactly “cruising”, but these are the gals from (left to right). Tricia (s/v Curious), Cindy (s/v Beach House), Natalie (s/v Na Maka) and Jo (s/v Visions of Johanna). Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
Taia did several tours for the “yachites” while we were here. I loved going along on each and everyone as I got a little more info every time about this very unique place. People often think they speak “Cook Islands Maori” a polynesian language here as well as English. However, Taia told us that they only speak Palmerston Pidgeon and English, no real Polynesian language and that no other islanders would understand them on any of the other Cook Islands. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
A calmer day at the roadsted, just before we would be leaving for Beveridge Reef the next day. Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
We were very sad to leave our hosts and quickly bonded with them. It must be tough seeing new people come and go so quickly. Taia and I have stayed in touch via email….I’m sure I’ll be hearing from her soon! Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
As we sailed off into the sunrise to our next destination, Beveridge Reef, we reflected on our stay here and how we would miss our “Marsters”. Perhaps we’ll meet again some day on another island…… Palmerston Atoll – Cook Islands
