After five months of living on Suwarrow – the Cook Islands National Heritage Park – park rangers Harry Papa’i and Teina Vakapora returned safely to Rarotonga onboard Te Kukupa II on Monday morning.

Papa’i is a seasoned caretaker of the uninhabited island having lived there several times each year. The latest trip was his 10^th season. For Vakapora, the “amazing” experience was a first.

“Suwarrow is just so beautiful, it has been such a wonderful experience,” said Vakapora.

Papa’i and Vakapora are happy to be back on Rarotonga, reuniting with their families, reconnecting to the outside world and enjoying fresh fruit and steak meals.

Each year the National Environment Service sends two park rangers to Suwarrow for up to six months. They are returned to Rarotonga every November when cyclone season starts.

The rangers play a key role in ensuring that the National Park remains protected particularly with the visiting yachts travelling through our waters and wish to make a stop in Suwarrow.

No yachties were permitted to land on Suwarrow during this season, however a few yachts anchored inside the lagoon to attend to maintenance issues.

Suwarrow, its reef and a six-kilometre area around it, are totally protected under Cook Islands law. Yachts require special permission before visiting the island.