Kiritimati (Christmas Island)

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Kiritimati (Christmas Island)/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island)#Kiritimati_.28Christmas_Island.29

Kiritimati (Christmas Island) There are Port(s) of Entry here 01°52.000'N, 157°24.000'W1.866667;-157.4 destination

lat=1.866667 | lon=-157.4 | zoom=10 | y

Map of Kiritimati

Kiritimati or Christmas Island is a Pacific Ocean atoll in the northern Line Islands and part of the Republic of Kiribati. Nuclear tests were conducted on the island by the United Kingdom in the late 1950s. During these, tests islanders were not evacuated. Subsequently, British servicemen as well as local islanders have claimed to have suffered from exposure to the radiation from these blasts.

The island has the greatest land area of any coral atoll in the world: about 322 square kilometres (124 sq mi); it is about 150 km (93 mi) in the perimeter, while the lagoon shoreline extends for over 48 km (30 mi). Kiritimati comprises over 70% of the total land area of Kiribati, a nation encompassing 33 Pacific atolls and islands. It lies 232 km (144 mi) north of the Equator, 6,700 km (4,200 mi) from Sydney, and 5,360 km (3,330 mi) from San Francisco.

It's roughly 320 km2 (120 sq mi) lagoon opens to the sea in the northwest; Burgle Channel (the entrance to the lagoon) is divided into the northern Cook Island Passage and the southern South Passage. The southeastern part of the lagoon is partially dried out today; essentially, progressing SE from Burgle Channel, the 160 km2 (62 sq mi) main lagoon gradually turns into a network of subsidiary lagoons, tidal flats, partially hypersaline brine ponds and salt pans, which as a whole has about the same area again as the main lagoon. Thus, the land and lagoon areas can only be given approximately, as no firm boundary exists between the main island body and the salt flats.

Kiritimati is the first inhabited place on Earth to experience the New Year each year (see also Caroline Atoll, Kiribati). Despite being 1,530 miles (2,460 km) east of the 180 meridian, a 1995 realignment of the International Dateline by the Republic of Kiribati 'moved' Kiritimati to the west of the dateline.

The entire island is a Wildlife Sanctuary; access to five particularly sensitive areas is restricted.

An old map of Kiritimati

Charts

See Kiribati.

Weather

See Kiribati.

Passages

See Kiribati.

Communication

During your approach to Kiritimati hail the authorities on VHF channel 16 to inform them of your arrival and need for clearance.

Also see Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

Entrance

Kiritimati (Christmas Island) has a "port" of entry for Kiribati, London. For details see Entrance: Kiribati.

Berthing

There is no harour here. Yachts have to anchor off.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Anchorages

London

London/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island)#London

anchorage London [[Kiritimati (Christmas Island)#London|London]] 01°59.014'N, 157°28.970'WLondon1.98356;-157.48283

Port of Entry

This maybe the only safe anchorage located West of the town of London. It is advisable to anchor deeper then 10 m because of the surf. You must go ashore with the dinghy to the town for clearance. It is reported that the officials will want to taken on the yacht before clearing you.

Amenities

Provisioning

Give the names and locations of supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, etc.

Store name1/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island)#.3Cspan_style.3D.22color:magenta_.22.3EStore_name1.3C.2Fspan.3Eprovisions Store name1 [[Kiritimati (Christmas Island)#Store name1|Store name1]] DD.ddd, DD.dddStore name1; description, location, tel. +XX XXXX XXXXX.

Store name2/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island)#.3Cspan_style.3D.22color:magenta_.22.3EStore_name2.3C.2Fspan.3Eprovisions Store name2 [[Kiritimati (Christmas Island)#Store name2|Store name2]] DD.ddd, DD.dddStore name2; description, location, tel. +XX XXXX XXXXX.

Eating out

Give the name of recommended restaurant, tavernas, pastry stores, etc.

• Location1

Name/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island)#.27.27.3Cspan_style.3D.22color:magenta_.22.3EName.3C.2Fspan.3E.27.27eatingout Name [[Kiritimati (Christmas Island)#Name|Name]] DD.ddd, DD.dddName; description, tel. +XX XXXX XXXXX.

• Location2

Name/wiki/Kiritimati_(Christmas_Island)#.27.27.3Cspan_style.3D.22color:magenta_.22.3EName.3C.2Fspan.3E.27.27eatingout Name [[Kiritimati (Christmas Island)#Name|Name]] DD.ddd, DD.dddName; description, tel. +XX XXXX XXXXX.

Transportation

• The island's airport, Cassidy International, is served only by Fiji Airways on its once-weekly Nadi (Fiji) – Christmas Island – Honolulu (Hawaii) route.

Tourism

History

Give a short history of the island.

Places to Visit

List places of interest, tours, etc.

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

• Kiritimati at the Wikipedia
• Kiritimati at the Wikivoyage
• Noonsite

References

See Kiribati.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and this page's details validated:

• Compiled from research (pilot books, internet, etc.) October, 2018 --Istioploos Travels with S/Y Thetis

If you provide a lot of info and this page is almost complete, change {{Page outline}} to {{Page useable}}.

Contributors to this page
Names: Lighthouse, Haiqu, Istioploos