Driving the Island

I am so glad Grant pushed to rent a car even though I was frightened of driving on the left. Terrified is the word I should use. There is no public transportation on NI, all though when I called the Visitor Center, I was given Roscoe’s name and number (5 digits) as an ersatz on-island Uber. Betsy and I tried calling his number from NZ using all different variations of the country and area codes. The only one that answered was the Australian Antartica research station which could not hear us. Evidently NI and AUS Antartica share the same code.

Today we decided to drive the island, all 8 km x 5 km of it. Millions of years ago, NI was joined to Phillip Island, but with sea level rise and erosion, they have gone their separate ways. 

First up was Howe Point, the northwestern point. Somehow we missed a turn and went more south than we had expected, however good because we went past the Homestead Restaurant, where we had dinner reservations, and I couldn’t find on the map. 

Eventually we found our way back (Good grief, this is a small island. How hard could it be?) and headed up the west coast, stopping at almost every overlook. Cows were scattered hither and yon. I noticed many had reflectors on their backs in addition to their ear tags. 

The roads are full of potholes which makes most people, at least the tourists, drive slowly. I wouldn’t pay for new shocks or wheel alignment here. 

At the Cook Memorial, we saw several whales spouting. The man who pointed them out said they were humpback. I waited for one to breach, but only saw a few fins and areas of backs. Still fun. 

Walking down to the overlook, we could see the Northern Islets, (Moo-oo, Green Pool, Cathedral, Elephant, and Bird) full of white capped noddies, sooty terns, and masked boobies safe from predators. Much clacking and chatter. Red tailed tropic birds were flying, but must nest along the cliffs where we were standing, because I couldn’t see where they landed. There were also a few white terns. 

We lunched on cheese and sesame crackers plus the rest of the salad we’d bought at the store. 

Bumping along the roads, I decided I can drive in other left hand drive countries. Japan, Scotland, Australia may be in our future. We like the tourist events like the fish fry and guided tours, but we also like puttering along on our own.

I noticed collars around some of the palm trees. They must be preventing rats from climbing up. I doubt humans can collect the fruit since the palms are way too tall. Probably another part of predator control by preventing them from reaching a food source. At least that’s all I could think of.

Dinner was back at the Homestead. I posed at the base of the Morton Figs, strangler figs planted by settlers 200 years ago. After that, I’d hoped to walk through the 100 Acre Reserve. This area hasn’t been grazed for 130 years, so slowly returning to what the Polynesians and Cook’s men saw. It was getting a little too dark for my comfort. We walked a way in but not down to the cliff edge. 

Norfolk Island is about as self sufficient as an area could be, with all the beef, chickens, vegetables and fish locally grown or caught. Which makes the food we ate that night really fresh and delicious .

At the same time, the island is an example of what happens when humans outgrow their land. The inhabitants are descendants from the mutineers of Bounty fame. When the surviving English men and Tahitian women and men then their children had overwhelmed Pitcairn Island, Queen Victoria gave them most of NI. The community of 194 people moved enmasse in 1852. (A couple of years later, 34 returned to Pitcairn.) 

All well and good if you have a place to go. As the tee shirts say, “There is no Planet B”.

Steps Today: 4,459