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Ruth Rosenthal | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Easter Island Jan. 14, 2016 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Easter Island Jan. 14, 2016

Visited Easter Island (Isla Pascua, ancestral name Rapa Nui), Chile on Jan. 14 via tender from a cruise ship (Oceania Marina). We had pre-arranged a tour with Easter Island Sprit (James Grant-Peterkin) for the two days we were scheduled to be there. Swells were too rough for tendering to Hanga Piko the second day, but luckily we saw a lot the first day (mostly Tongariki, Ranu Raraku (quarry and its crater lake), Anakena Beach and the Tahai Ceremonial Complex). I then walked along the waterfront from the tender pier to the town cemetery and back. I was too tired to walk into town, but saw the main street and unusual church from a distance when Marina circled the island the second day. We also stopped briefly at the Post Office as people wanted to mail postcards, so I saw a small part of the town.

Photos are copyright Ruth & Howard Rosenthal. For a larger version, double click. Note there are multiple pages.
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First glimpse of Easter Island - haze, mountains & 3 crosses on top - beautiful!
First glimpse of Easter Island - haze, mountains & 3 crosses on top - beautiful!		 Could see Tahai moai from tender platform on Marina
Could see Tahai moai from tender platform on Marina		 Met James ashore, bought National Park tickets & waited for Pepe's van to fill (18 people total)
Met James ashore, bought National Park tickets & waited for Pepe's van to fill (18 people total)		 Moai near Hanga Piko harbor
Moai near Hanga Piko harbor
Tender boat coming in to Hanga Piko
Tender boat coming in to Hanga Piko 		Boats & houses near Hanga Piko
Boats & houses near Hanga Piko		 Frigate birds
Frigate birds 		Hanga Piko harbor 9:15
Hanga Piko harbor 9:15
At 9:30 off we went in Pepe's van with Sebastian as guide. Rocky coastline of Easter Island; few roads but some great views
At 9:30 off we went in Pepe's van with Sebastian as guide. Rocky coastline of Easter Island; few roads but some great views		 Mata Ote Vaikava outside of Hanga Roa
Mata Ote Vaikava outside of Hanga Roa		 Beautiful Easter Island from Pepe's van
Beautiful Easter Island from Pepe's van		 Went first to Tongariki - 15 moai there.
Went first to Tongariki - 15 moai there.
Sebastian, guide for Easter Island Sprit, tells us about the moai
Sebastian, guide for Easter Island Sprit, tells us about the moai		 Ruth posing with moai. Almost all on island face inland.
Ruth posing with moai. Almost all on island face inland.		 Cecilia, Howard & Ruth on Easter Island
Cecilia, Howard & Ruth on Easter Island		 Ruth, Easter Island, Tongariki, 3 men
Ruth, Easter Island, Tongariki, 3 men
Tongariki all 15 from left side AM
Tongariki all 15 from left side AM		 Tongariki, 6
Tongariki, 6		 Ruth waves to Howard at Tongariki
Ruth waves to Howard at Tongariki 		2 moai 1 bird Tongariki
2 moai 1 bird Tongariki
2 moai one bird
2 moai one bird		 Our new friend & photography nut Dominic took our picture. He & CeCe were a riot - fun, upbeat people, was their 44th cruise!
Our new friend & photography nut Dominic took our picture. He & CeCe were a riot - fun, upbeat people, was their 44th cruise!		 Tongariki, all 15
Tongariki, all 15		 Tongariki AM from right side
Tongariki AM from right side
Then we visited the enormous quarry where most of the moai were built - person on bench shows you how big the place is
Then we visited the enormous quarry where most of the moai were built - person on bench shows you how big the place is		 Quarry - Moai on hill
Quarry - Moai on hill		 Quarry - 2 large moai on slope with blue sky
Quarry - 2 large moai on slope with blue sky 		In Rano Raraku quarry, face almost all way down
In Rano Raraku quarry, face almost all way down
Quarry - 2 moia with lots of rocks
Quarry - 2 moia with lots of rocks		 Quarry - 3 faces close together with lots of rocks
Quarry - 3 faces close together with lots of rocks		 Tuhuturi, an unusual kneeling maoi with different head, from side. Some think he was an early moai.
Tuhuturi, an unusual kneeling maoi with different head, from side. Some think he was an early moai.		 Tukuturi O with Tongariki in distance. Tongariki seemed to be eveywhere.
Tukuturi O with Tongariki in distance. Tongariki seemed to be eveywhere.
Tuhuturi again
Tuhuturi again		 Tongariki seen from quarry with Birdman cliffs, site of Birdman competition.
Tongariki seen from quarry with Birdman cliffs, site of Birdman competition.		 Unfinished moai & largest one on island
Unfinished moai & largest one on island		 Collapsed & upright moai
Collapsed & upright moai
3 or 4 moai
3 or 4 moai		 We and others did a lot of walking at the quarry, all the while wondering how the moai were moved from here
We and others did a lot of walking at the quarry, all the while wondering how the moai were moved from here		 Variety of moai in enormous quarry
Variety of moai in enormous quarry		 One face reclining
One face reclining
One big one & one leaning back
One big one & one leaning back		 Fallen moai near quarry
Fallen moai near quarry		 Huge standing moai
Huge standing moai 		Another moia almost in grass
Another moia almost in grass
Seaside toppled face down moai
Seaside toppled face down moai		 Easter Island Spirit guide Sebastian explaining the known and unknown
Easter Island Spirit guide Sebastian explaining the known and unknown		 Then we visied the crater near Ranu Raraku quarry
Then we visied the crater near Ranu Raraku quarry		 Crater next to quarry; kids were swimming & playing
Crater next to quarry; kids were swimming & playing
Quarry again
Quarry again		 Then tour went to Anakena Beach - beautiful palms & water but terrible service at snack bar
Then tour went to Anakena Beach - beautiful palms & water but terrible service at snack bar		 One moai & one bird, Anakena Beach
One moai & one bird, Anakena Beach		 Moai with pukaos (headdresses) from back, Anakena
Moai with pukaos (headdresses) from back, Anakena
Anakena moai from front.
Anakena moai from front. 		One moai, one bird, Anakena
One moai, one bird, Anakena		 We re-visited Tongariki briefly on the way back to the tender pier - more light on the faces then
We re-visited Tongariki briefly on the way back to the tender pier - more light on the faces then		 Tongariki in afternoon. Little did we know what those gray clouds meant.
Tongariki in afternoon. Little did we know what those gray clouds meant.
Tongariki again, afternoon, front shot
Tongariki again, afternoon, front shot		 After a bad experience with an hour's wait for lunch at Anakena Beach, we ate potato chips & proceeded to Tahai
After a bad experience with an hour's wait for lunch at Anakena Beach, we ate potato chips & proceeded to Tahai		 Tahai family
Tahai "family"		 Tahai complex, think Vai Ure with Marina
Tahai complex, think Vai Ure with Marina
Tahai area single wtih eyes & hat
Tahai area single wtih eyes & hat		 Tahai complex, think Ko Te Riku
Tahai complex, think Ko Te Riku		 Near Tahai, we saw native dancers with painted legs - probably part of EI Traveling show
Near Tahai, we saw native dancers with painted legs - probably part of EI Traveling show		 Polynesian woman, probably from nearby show, looked to be applying sunscreen
Polynesian woman, probably from nearby show, looked to be applying sunscreen
Tahai moia with ahu (platform) & Pacific
Tahai moia with ahu (platform) & Pacific		 Two single moai one with eyes, Tahai Ceremonial Complex
Two single moai one with eyes, Tahai Ceremonial Complex		 Tahai complex - Ko Te Riku
Tahai complex - Ko Te Riku		 Tahai was a ceremonial complex; think this is Vai Ure moai
Tahai was a ceremonial complex; think this is Vai Ure moai
Tahai moai wtith Marina
Tahai moai wtith Marina		 View from tender - large swells, rocky coastline
View from tender - large swells, rocky coastline		 Moia with eye and sun, gorgeous!
Moia with eye and sun, gorgeous!		 After tour stayed in town for an hour & walked along shore road. Saw moai with carvings at a campground of s
After tour stayed in town for an hour & walked along shore road. Saw moai with carvings at a campground of s
Decorated rear of moai near Hanga Roa
Decorated rear of moai near Hanga Roa		 Turtle along shoreline, Hanga Piko to cemetery
Turtle along shoreline, Hanga Piko to cemetery		 4344 nautical miles from Sydney and 4 days by cruise ship from Valparaiso
4344 nautical miles from Sydney and 4 days by cruise ship from Valparaiso		 Chilean woman taking outrigger canoe out
Chilean woman taking outrigger canoe out
Boat near Hanga Piko harbor
Boat near Hanga Piko harbor		 Crashing waves Hanga Roa. Beautiful place but weather can be unpredictable
Crashing waves Hanga Roa. Beautiful place but weather can be unpredictable		 Hanga Roa house with circle decoration
Hanga Roa house with circle decoration		 Boats in Hanga Piko or local harbor
Boats in Hanga Piko or local harbor
Religious thing at local harbor
Religious thing at local harbor		 Houses, hotels, businesses around shoreline
Houses, hotels, businesses around shoreline		 Decoration on lawn Hanga Roa along waterfront
Decoration on lawn Hanga Roa along waterfront		 Rapa Nui statue detail
Rapa Nui statue detail
Marina anchored offshore with rocks, surf & spray
Marina anchored offshore with rocks, surf & spray		 Hanga Roa lighthouse
Hanga Roa lighthouse 		Hanga Roa - stray dog under car in shade
Hanga Roa - stray dog under car in shade		 Cemetery with Tahai in background
Cemetery with Tahai in background
Cemetery with lots of volcanic lava & rocks
Cemetery with lots of volcanic lava & rocks		 Cemetery with moai
Cemetery with moai		 Cemetery, Marina & approaching storm
Cemetery, Marina & approaching storm		 The largest non-moai head in the cemetery
The largest non-moai head in the cemetery
As walked back to tender, surf was rough. I was oblivious to upcoming weather until Captain came on loudspeaker 8 PM to warn us.
As walked back to tender, surf was rough. I was oblivious to upcoming weather until Captain came on loudspeaker 8 PM to warn us.		 Hanga Roa - soccer/football
Hanga Roa - soccer/football		 Waves crashing against rocks on walk back to Hanga Piko
Waves crashing against rocks on walk back to Hanga Piko		 Next day was iffy for tendering & then a no-go. Captain circled island instead. Grateful to have gotten ashore one day.
Next day was iffy for tendering & then a no-go. Captain circled island instead. Grateful to have gotten ashore one day.
Some people stayed overnight on the island. Looked to me like O hired these guys to pick them up once the ship had to leave.
Some people stayed overnight on the island. Looked to me like O hired these guys to pick them up once the ship had to leave. 		The 2nd day, instead of getting ashore, the Captain took us around the island.
The 2nd day, instead of getting ashore, the Captain took us around the island.		 Apparently the island used to be covered with palms, but trees were used for canoes & levers to move moai, then rats ate seeds.
Apparently the island used to be covered with palms, but trees were used for canoes & levers to move moai, then rats ate seeds.		 Thankful to have one day ashore. That's more than some cruisers get. If you want to guarantee a visit, flying may be best.
Thankful to have one day ashore. That's more than some cruisers get. If you want to guarantee a visit, flying may be best.
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comment | share
Hugh Rooney25-Feb-2016 14:42
Wonderful set of images from what must be a fascinating place to visit...VV
joseantonio06-Feb-2016 16:35
such an amazing place. I would love to visit some day.V.
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