I have to share a fantastic experience with you today.
Passengers on this cruise had the unique opportunity to send mail home from “Tin Can Island”, official name Niuafo’ou, Tonga. A remote island in the Pacific, nicknamed from a unique way of sending mail.
This tradition started back in the early 1900’s when a local used to swim out to passing ships to deliver and receive mail via a biscuit tin. Yesterday we had a chance to send mail via our own sealed tins. The “Boson” did a great job making the tins.
All the cards and letters posted by passengers and crew were specially postmarked “Mail sent via Tin Can from Pacific Dawn”. Wow, what a memory!
Out the locals come, about a mile offshore, eager to collect the tins, the small fee we pay and some gifts we have hidden in the can.
Preparing to let em’ have it. We put flags of interest on the tins: P&O for the company, Australian and of course an Italian flag for the Captain.
Gently does it, precious cargo going over the side. Never mind, the tins are waterproof and the mail is in safe hands. Watched eagerly by the owners of the mail.
Last one, the Captains mail “always should be the last to leave a ship”. No worries it’s all in good hands.
The guys did a great job and all had a memory of a lifetime to share. The question remains as to when it will arrive though!
We then sailed off into the midday sun and onwards to our next adventure…
Smooth seas until next time.
Andrew
Hotel Director
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That sounds like so much fun, and a different way to send a postcard home. I’ll definitely have to make sure this is on one of my future cruises!
Loving the blogs from everyone, keep them coming!!
its a pleasure for me to see your blog! Great Job!
I was there when they dropped the mail off,now i`m just waiting for my postcard that I posted to myself!!
we are coming on your cruise ship on 11 july (3 months from today) i have heaps of questions between now and then, firstly though can you tell me on a 10 night cruise how many “theme” nights and what are they?
I was there on that cruise too. We really enjoyed the whole ceremony and the Captain was just wonderful with his commentary of the occasion. Now we are at home and at work again, I had forgotten about our postcard. It hasn’t arrived yet and now I can’t wait to see it again.
Love the site.
15 may 2009
My postcard arrived yesterday! So it takes 6 weeks to swim from Tonga
to Australia! Great souvenir though.
Do they now have an ATM onboard the Pacific Dawn? Looking foward to cruising again on the 9th September 09.
That is really a great idea. I will surely try that when I go to a cruise.
Hi Robyn. From what I have read on this blog and in the brochure they do have ATM’s aboard pd. But you can’t rely on them so people say as they can either run out of money or out of service. We are also cruising on the 9th September.