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Following in the wake of the Bounty Mutiny

Michel takes a cruise to retrace the footsteps of the Bounty’s mutineers! Disembarking from a rigid inflatable boat to discover a lush natural landscape on wild shores is one of his favourite travel memories.

Michel is a sea enthusiast: a sailor and traveller, who’s always in search of authentic emotional experiences. For the 20 years he’s been sailing with PONANT, he’s been motivated by the idea of being part of a real expedition. Sailing to Pitcairn Island, the refuge of the Bounty mutineers was an unforgettable experience.

A thirst for adventure

Michel dreamed of setting foot on the island known for the mutiny on the Bounty. His visit to this island, a legendary spot for all sailors, has become one of Michel’s favourite travel memories.

“I’ve always heard that you have to be a very experienced sailor to reach it because of the very strong currents,” he recalls. The journey began with a warm reunion with the captain of the Lyrial, who has become a dear friend. Michel recognised the special alchemy that operates between the luxury of the PONANT fleet and his enduring taste for adventure. The voyage was punctuated by a wonderful array of surprises: fascinating encounters with other passengers, a shower of shooting stars seen from the ship’s deck and, above all, a stopover at the legendary Cape Horn. This was not part of the itinerary but as conditions were favourable, the captain decided to set the bar high!

Escale sur l’Île de Pitcairn, dans le sillage des Révoltés du Bounty

**Pitcairn Island: on the trail of the Bounty mutineers**

Thus, primed for mystery and adventure, the crew approached the coast of the iconic Pitcairn Island in the heart of the Pacific. When confronted with the difficulty of navigating into the island’s port, Michel felt something of what the mutineers of the Bounty must have experienced. Nearly 150 years ago, they sailed against the winds and tides to this island after fleeing their captain during a stopover in Polynesia.

Like them, Michel discovered an impressively lush island. And like them, he explored the rainforest and discovered the island’s natural pools. Nothing much has changed since then. Michel sampled the sense of total freedom that they must have felt!

A happier ending!

The Bounty mutineers came to a famously tragic end. Found by their former captain, they were arrested, tried and some were hanged. The island remains home to descendants of these mutineers. Michel, on the other hand, got to finish his trip scuba diving in Tahiti! Something that would have been approved of by the Bounty mutineers, who spent far too much time having fun on the shores of Tahiti according to their captain. It was his authoritarian reaction to this that triggered their legendary mutiny.