28 — Sunday, September 8, 1991 - North Shore News

TRAVEL

Outside world kept away
from the ‘forbidden island’

NUHAU — This is the *‘forbid-
den island’’ of Hawaii, a private
island owned by the descendents
of a pioneering Scotswoman.

David
Wishart

TRAVEL TIPS

Only 200 Hawaiians live on the
island, 18 miles by six, which lies
17 miles to the southwest of
Kauai. The main work is ranching
the Robinson estate, which has
12,000 sheep and 1,500 head of
cattle. Six hundred horses run
wild.

The only employer is Bruce
Robinson, who continues the fam-
ily tradition of keeping the outside
world away. There is no airport
on Niihau and the only vessel
allowed to land is the Robinsons’
barge.

The islanders speak Hawaiian
and run their own affairs. They
are free to leave the island, but if
they do they can’t return.

The family has been accused of
running a feudal operation, but
the people of Niihau apparently
don’t agree.

Things are changing, however.
Niihau now has a helicopter, part-
ly for use as an air ambulance,
and to help pay for it low-key
tours are being run for the first
time.

The U.S. $250 three-hour touz,
bookable at the new Hyatt Regen-
cy Kauai, includes a 12-minute
ride over, lunch on the beach
from a Hyatt picnic hamper, and
the chance to go snorkelling,
watch whales blow offshore, and
meet native Hawaiians, some of
whom sell rare shell necklaces.

But the story of the island’s set-
tlement and its isolation may be

Cycling
event
scheduled

SUPPORT THE Seymour Salm-
onid Society and the Seymour
River Hatchery at the Seymour
Salmon Cycle on Sunday, Sept.
29.

Bike, walk, or rollerblade down
the If km paved road that leads
through a rainforest to the
Seymour dam and hatchery. There
you can enjoy hatchery tours,
refreshiacnts, a barbecue and
more activities.

Entrants who tackle the 22-km
round trip will receive a com-
memeraiive T-shirt and oppor-
tunities to win several prizes.

Entry forms are available at
North Shore bike stores and
North Shore Credit Unions.

For more information call 980-
9893.

the chief attraction.

The main character is Elizabeth
Sinclair, born in Glasgow,
Scouland, in 1800. She married the
Royal Navy officer who had
brought the Duke of Wellington
back to England after the Battle
of Waterloo.

By 1839 when they had three
sons, three daughters and no lack
of adventurous spirit, they sailed
for New Zealand. They settled
successfully, but then Mrs.
Sinclair's husband and a= son
drowned at sea.

The family decided to move to
Canada. One of her daughters had
marzied a whaling captain, so they
used his 300-ton barque, the
Bessie, to sail to Victoria.

However, they didn’t like Vic-
toria nor the sound of California,
preferring to check out a tip that
Hawaii had good fand available.

A seaman’s chaplain in
Honolulu recorded their arrival at
Honolulu wharf in 1863 as being
“‘surprised to find the trim barque
with its large family party on
board, with a beautiful old lady at
its head, books, pictures, work,
even a piano, and all that could
add refinements to a _ floating
home, with cattle and sheep of
valuable breeds in pens on the
deck."’

They bought Niihau, 18 miles
long and six miles wide, from the
Hawaiian king for $10,000. The
family lived there for a while then
moved to Kauai.

One of Mrs. Sinclair’s daugh-
ters had been married to a man
called Robinson in New Zealand,
and it is this name that has carried
on to this day, with the Robinson
family continuing to own the
island as well as large estates on
Kauai.

Hyatt Regency’s innovative
Kauai by Design activities also in-
clude a ride along the rim of
Waimea Canyon on horseback,
kayaking the Hanalei River, and
sailing and snorkelling aboard the
42-foot Lady Keane 11.

There is also an enjoyable hike
around spectacular Waimea Can-

David Wishert photo

HELICOPTER PILOT Tom Mishler says the fishing’s good on

Niihau.

yon climaxing.

Guides are Joca]l naturalists.
Meanwhile a Robert Trent

Jones Jr. golf course, the Poipu

Beach Resort, has opened behind

the new Hyatt Regency Kauai.
it all adds up to a_ bargain

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ASHMORE TRAVEL

Welcomes

Julia McIntosh

Certified Travel Consultant
as Manager & Partner
For Professional Travel Service

, Travel

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Caulfeild Village
West Vancouver

926-5566

because the opening rate is US$55.

Getting there: Continental
Airlines, now offering three flights
a week between Vancouver and
Honolulu, and inter-island carrier
Hawaiian Airlines.

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& CRUISES

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