Easter Island

After 4 days at sea we arrived at Easter Island. The seas were calm but the swells were huge. It became very difficult to board the tenders. At times the tenders fell 2-3 feet below the ship. They suspended service and we thought we may not get ashore. However, after a while it was resumed. We hired a private car and Gary and I went to see several of the Moai, the giant stone monoliths. There are 3,400 inhabitants but they think that the society that produced the great stone Moai no longer exists. The inhabitants are mostly Polynesian. At one time there were many South Americans on the island. They lived in harmony for man years but began to fight when the island became overcrowded. The South Americans were all killed. Easter Island is part of Chile and the people speak only Spanish. Their main source of revenue is tourism. The Island was once lush with palm trees & rain forests. Now it is very desolate with the only vegetation surrounding the town. Hundreds of horses run freely and now outnumber the people. To see the Moai was an experience we will never forget. The people that built them still remains a mystery.