day 16 – easter island (or rapa nui or isla de pascua)

so the big day finally arrived, after all those sea days!  i knew i had not been selected as a crew escort or i would have received tickets a day or two or at least the night before, but i figured i would get off when all the guests with tours had disembarked and have a look around on my own… when we are in a port without a dock, we tender people in on the lifeboats, and, of course, the guests with tours disembark first and then the crew waits until they announce “open tenders,” meaning that we can get off then if we wish… i knew that if we anchored around 7, i’d probably be looking at 11 or 12 before i could get off, so i didn’t bother to set an alarm… at 9:30 the public address system went on, and it was the captain, letting us know that the southwest side where we were trying to anchor was too rough and dangerous… instant disappointment!  they’d been trying to position themselves well and it would have been too perilous, you could see the waves smashing into the rocks, and we didn’t want to be on a lifeboat in that!  then the captain said we wouldn’t give up just yet, that he would try the north side of the island and it would take an hour or so to figure out if it would work… happily, along about 11:30 he announced that we were anchoring there and would extend our stay to be able to accommodate tours, and you could even see some of the moai (big stone heads) just above the beach in the distance… i was sooo excited, then i heard them saying by the gangway that crew probably wouldn’t be getting off at all… my heart sank… they also said any mobility challenged guests should stay on board since we would have to get off one tender, go through another one they had lashed down on the ther side, cross a small pontoon and get to some stone steps leading up to the shore… i felt bad for our walker/scooter crowd…i went to the library to write for a bit and work on some set lists… i refused to believe that we wouldn’t get to go at all – i mean, i don’t have to work til 7, so i was guessing i should try around 3… i heard them announce the ticketed tenders one or two at a time…

they got to 15 or 16 and then i didn’t hear any more… i went down to the tendering area and asked if it was open yet since i hadn’t heard an announcement, and they said, no, but there’s room if you want to go… yippee!!! my room is right next to the gangway area, so i ran and got my bag with my sunscreen, shades, and camera and practically leaped onto the tender… it felt like christmas or something (easter?)!  i got there, made it ashore in one piece, had a good hike around the beach and hills there to get some snaps of the moai, met up with katzenjammer and a singer called cheryl from brittain i haven’t heard yet, but is very nice, chatted with the park ranger, listened to him bawl out a guy who crossed a fence to get closer to the moai, bought a few souvenirs on the way back from the locals and was very satisfied that i had been able to set foot on easter island, really get a good look about and get some pictures!  i commend our captain for not giving up and doing what he could to make sure people got to see this special place up close and personal… and the crew on board who had to change their schedules, keeping the dining room open past mealtime to accommodate those returning late, it was a great effort on everyone’s part… a very feelgood experience! 

my theme in the piano bar tonight was “you go to my head (my big stone head!)” which featured songs with body parts in the title… (lots of fun to sneak in “great balls of fire” and listen to them giggle)  i have noticed as long as you don’t go past pg-13 ratings guidelines, you can have lots of fun, and they cackle like mad at any slightly naughty thing you might say (see horseshit line in song below…)… i am having a lot of fun with my regulars and getting to know them better… the two guys at the end are almost like those judges in the balcony on the muppet show – it’s the show tune guy and the novelty song guy, and they are pretty funny, especially now that they have joined forces and sit right next to me until i finish every night – the characters are definitely emerging, and the bar seems made for television in moments (like cheers)… i bought a stone moai statue and put him on my piano last night… we named him ray, after the late great ray charles… here’s a few pics from the day… cheers!  df

this is the one where the park ranger took the guys camera cause he climbed the fence

many moai were toppled in times of conflict

villagers at the tender area selling souvenirs

port song for easter island, chile

(to the tune of “lady in red” by chris deburgh)

i never thought i’d make it to set foot on easter island today

cause our anchoring had been delayed

and some folks were dismayed

i figured all the ticketed tender people would head out first

and the case scenario at worst? 

my open tender hopes might burst!

and tho i kept on crossing my fingers

i never knew that it would actually come to pass,

my tender turn at last!

great big stone heads

they’re beckoning me (across the sea)

there’s so many here, on rapa nui

they’re what i want to see

and i hardly know

how many souvenirs to buy

i never will forget

those great big stone moai

the first place we attempted to anchor was too dangerous

but it was so lucky for us

the north side was amazing

i’m glad the captain made every attempt for our benefit

none of us ever will forget 

those white sand beaches and horseshit

and the park ranger guy was so friendly,

except the one dude he actually threatened to send to jail

‘cause he crossed over the rail

to see great big stone heads

from those old cannibal days (a former polynesian craze!)

there’s no need to fear, no maneaters here! 

that was so yesteryear!

and i am so glad,

we came to easter island on this trip

‘cause 10 sea days in a row

would be tough on a ship…

and i wouldn’t have had a song

about something as hip...

as great big stone heads

great big stone heads

those great big stone heads