NUKUNONU ATOL: Kerry ZL2TPY visited there in May 1992:
There are no hotels on these islands, and the only
way to travel there is by boat.
TRANSPORT VERY HARD TRAVEL ON SHIP DECK ONLY, MY SHIP WAS 30 DAYS LATE DEPARTING FROM APEA SAMOA. IT WAS ALSO 6 WEEKS LATE FOR PICKUP! NO ANCHORAGE FOR ANY SHIP AT ATOL, YOU NEED TO DRIFT BY & RUN THROUGH THE REEF (WITH EQUIPMENT) IN SMALL “ALI” BOATS WHICH CAN OVERTURN. SO PACK ALL GEAR WELL. There is no airport on the island, and no cars. THERE ARE NO SHOPS.
There are no hotels on the island YOU MUST LIVE WITH NATIVE PEOPLE ON FISH & COCONUTS AFTER RICE RUNS OUT.
I RAN OFF SOLAR PANELS & HONDA 350W GENERATOR. SOMETIMES THERE IS NO FUEL ON ISLAND . ELECTRICAL POWER IS INTERMITANT IN MORNINGS & SOME TIME IN THE AFTERNOONS AND AT NIGHT. BIG GENERATORS (if you bring your own) MAKE A LOT OF NOISE WHICH UPSETS LOCALS AS YOU ALL LIVE IN CLOSE GROUPS.
NO HILLS ON ISLAND, ONLY 12 FEET ASL MAX. POPULATION ~ 386 PEOPLE.
MOST LAW IS NEW ZEALAND REGULATIONS. NEED RADIO LICENCE ~$60$USA PERMIT TO STAY& LIVE , ALSO NEED RADIO PERMIT FOR EVERY PIECE OF RADIO EQUIPMENT IMDEMNITY PERMIT, NEW ZEALAND PASSPORT @ MONEY USED ,TOURIST STAY IS BANNED ON ISLAND SO NEED TO GET PERMITS FIRST, FAKAOFO OR NUKUNONU ATOL BEST TO STAY ON, SHIP SAILS EVERY MONTH BUT ALWAYS NO SAIL OR NO BOAT OR CHANGE BOAT LOANED FROM ANOTHER ISLAND. HARDER TO GET TO THAN VP6, COST OF BOAT DECK SPOT ~$300usA THESE ATOLS ARE VERY SMALL ~ 14squ km of land around ~90km lagoon, must respect local values of people as very small place, no guns! on atols!
BEST MONEY IS FISH HOOKS USED TO PAY FOR HELP TO PUT UP YAGIS! (USED FOR FLY FLYING BOATS IN MADE 40YEARS AGO IF YOU HAVE A ONE )
73s KERRY
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