Bounty Bay

New Look For Bounty Bay

From a Correspondent

Pitcairn’s famous Bounty Bay

is not what it was. In one of the

biggest undertakings on Pitcairn

for many years, improvements are being made to the island’s

only safe landing spot.

THE new project is still only half completed, but steady progress is being made and the end should be seen next year.

The harbour is being deepened, im provements will be made to the slip way, the boat houses, jetty and flying fox.

The jetty has been built up to connect three rocks which previously acted as the only breakwater. A rail way line runs along the top of the

us Bounty Bay on Pitcairn is being improved. Top left shows the Bay looking down above, with boats just about to set off from the landing to meet a ship. At right, Pitcairners manhandle rocks from the harbour as part of the improvement scheme.

GOES! An explosion sends the waters of the bay a hundred feet into the air blasting operations to improve the harbour. Below is a close-up of the boat houses, are to have steel bearers instead of the wooden slipways. At right, men of Pitcairn are the tricky surf in the Bay as they head out to sea to meet an incoming ship.

Photos are by M. D. Howse.

md the wagon takes the heavier as it is unloaded from the boat 40 ft. to the tray of the flying wall is to be built along the ■east side of the boatshed to it the erosion which is at present gering buildings at the landing, present wooden slipway will be ed by steel bearers, and a new and flying fox engines have ordered. Erection of permanent ouses hasn’t got past the in ation stage at the moment, st of these plans were worked ist year by a visiting engineer, 7 . Brocklehurst, and by Mr. F. iam, a public works supervisor Fiji, who followed him to super he harbour deepening, eral tons of explosive were used, hard type of rock encountered progress much slower than was ted. ce loosened, the rocks had to be andled by local labour working ■ very trying conditions in the r surf. They had no mechanical and boulders weighing many redweight often had to be shifted arrows made from 44 gallon s. . Bradnam left because of illness the work has continued under vision of the Education Officer, M. D. Howse, and the Island icil.

Government subsidy in addition nds raised by the Pitcairners has it possible to buy an engine tie new motor boat which is at nt being built. When the boat

is finished the island will have two reliable motor boats, together with three 38 ft. rowing boats.

The motor boats will ease the present problem caused by the shortage of oarsmen. There is an increasing desire on the Part of the younger *° " n Tv K and at present there are only 19 men under 60 on the island.

Under the best conditions, six men are required to man each rowing boat.

And increasing amounts of cargo have made it necessary in recent years o take out the three boats at a time to meet the incoming ships.

Nevertheless the recent improvements to Bounty Bay are going to be a great help.

A report from Suva in September said British Petroleum recently made a special effort to deliver an order 0 f 1?0 00 gallons of petroleum to Pitcairn. The order would have cost f 3 300 to deliver which would not make i( economical but company officials decided that it was worth the , . n .

S° odwll >’, espec ! a ly as they could also send a film unit to make a film of the island. film unit shot a fine film hi h wi „ be shown throughout the . likely to be in keen , ’ , J demand. The company will divide the c ? s f . between its sales and film divisions.

works supervisor from Fiji, Mr. [?], prepares charges in empty tins at Bounty Bay.

Photo: M. D. Howse