ESCAPE MAGAZINE ISSUE 27

This vast lagoon was
once a stopover for the
TEAL (Tasman Empire
Airways Limited) Short
Solent flying boats
traveling the renowned
‘Coral Route’ through
the South Pacific.
you wish. After a wonderful morning of
snorkeling and feeding the fish, lunch is
usually served at One Foot Island which
boasts what could be the world’s smallest
Post Office. Don’t forget to take your
passport with you; because you can have
it stamped here, making a great souvenir
of your visit.
This vast lagoon was once a stopover for
the TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited)
Short Solent flying boats traveling the
renowned ‘Coral Route’ through the South
Pacific. TEAL is the former name of Air New
Zealand and TEAL themery can be found in
a small lodge on Motu Akaiami. The lodge
has been built on the exact spot where
the original terminal stood and remains of
the original base and jetty are still visible
today. Here the well-to-do of the fifties,
including movie stars John Wayne, Cary
Grant and the like, stopped for a few hours
or even overnight, while planes were refuelled,
serviced, or waiting for weather to
clear. Passengers would swim in the clear
warm waters in the bay, shower outdoors
under the palms and eat lunches of crisply
cut sandwiches and local pawpaw, before
re-embarking.
Aitutaki has an interesting aviation
history. It was 1942 when the construction
juggernaut that would soon become
known as the Seabees came ashore and
began constructing what many feared
would be the last line of defence for allied
forces fighting the Japanese. The airport
at Aitutaki was constructed as part of
operation Bobcat. With their slogan” we
build – we fight”, the Seabees soon had
the island air-base operational; just in
time to see them move from this part of
the Pacific, as they pursued the Japanese
further to the north and west. The runway
has recently been completely rebuilt.
Charmingly small, quaint even, Aitutaki
airport is the busiest it’s been since the war
days.
Back further in time; the first European
discovery was by Captain Bligh sailing on
the Bounty in 1789. He sighted the island
just 17 days prior to the infamous mutiny.
82 • ESCAPE