Where is Pitcairn?
If you have a map of the Pacific Ocean nearby, you will find Pitcairn Island at latitude 25° 04' south, longitude 130° 06' west. There are three 'nearby' uninhabited islands where the islanders periodically visit for wood, fishing, or 'on holiday'.
- Oeno, the nearest, is about 80 nautical miles northwest of Pitcairn. It is the favorite holiday spot for the Pitcairners, where islanders can bask in the calm waters, sun themselves on the sandy beaches which do not exist on Pitcairn, and enjoy spearfishing.
- Henderson, 106 nautical miles to the northeast, is the largest by far of the group, and double the size of Pitcairn itself. Ringed by trecherous coral reefs, with only a dangerous lagoon spotted with coral heads, Henderson has steep cliffs on all sides, pocked with caves in which human remains have been found, likely survivors of 19th century shipwrecks. It is the primary source for prized miro wood, which is the wood preferred for hand-carved Pitcairn handicrafts. Regardless of its dangerous reefs, and difficult ascents, it is the most productive of the three satellite islands, and semi-annual trips in the long-boats are conducted when substantial quantities of miro are required.
- Ducie, an atoll of several small motus, is the smallest and most distant at 288 nautical miles to the east. It is not visited by the islanders, and like its companions, it has been the site of many shipwrecks throughout the years.
Other than these three uninhabited islands, the distances from Pitcairn to some of its 'neighbors' are:
- 1,350 nautical miles east-southeast of Tahiti
- 1,400 nautical miles west-northwest of Easter Island
- 3,300 nautical miles east-northeast of Auckland, New Zealand
- 4,000 nautical miles west of Chile
- 4,100 nautical miles east-northeast of Norfolk Island
- 4,150 nautical miles south-southwest of California
A European Example
If Pitcairn was in Rome (Italy):
- Oeno would be in Grosseto (Italy)
- Henderson would be in Pescara (Italy)
- Ducie would be in Tirane (Albania)
- Tahiti would be in the Atlantic about 500 km west of Spain
- Easter Island would be on the eastern shore of the Black Sea
- Norfolk Island would be in New York City (USA)
An American Example
If Pitcairn was in St. Paul (MN):
- Oeno would be in St Cloud (MN)
- Henderson would be in Ironwood (MI)
- Ducie would be in Green Bay (WI)
- Tahiti would be in Reno (NV)
- Easter Island would be in the Atlantic 200 miles east of Boston (MA)
- Norfolk Island would be almost to Hawaii