Almost as good is hike along south coast, although you're bound to run into other tourists here as a paved highway follows shore. Begin early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, stone quarry where all of island's statues were born. This is easily island's most spectacular sight with 397 statues in various stages of completion lying scattered around crater. And each day large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to sightsee and have lunch. However, if you arrive before 9 am, you'll have site to yourself for a few hours. When you see first tour buses headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on coast, where 15 massive statues were reerected in 1994. From here, just start walking back toward Hanga Roa (20 km) along south coast. You'll pass many fallen statues and enjoy some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, simply go up onto highway and stick out your thumb and you'll be back in town in a jiffy.

An outstanding 13-km walk begins at museum and follows west coast five km north to Ahu Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes pealed for banana trees growing out of barren rocks as these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland from Ahu Tepeu is one of island's most photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues restored in 1960. From here an interior farm road runs straight back to town (study maps at museum carefully, as you'll go far out of your way if you choose wrong road here).

A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller crater which provided stone for red topknots that originally crowned island's statues. There's a great view of Hanga Roa from three crosses on an adjacent hill and you can easily do it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right around 3,353-meter airport runway, which crosses island just south of town. Near east end of runway is Ahu Vinapu with perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in Peru.

Easter Island's moderate climate and scant vegetation make for easy cross country hiking, and you won't find yourself blocked by fences and private property signs very often. You could also tour island by mountain bike, available from several locations at US$10 a day. If you surf or scuba dive, there are many opportunities here. A minimum of five days are needed to see main sights of Easter Island, and two weeks would be far better. The variety of things to see and do will surprise you, and you'll be blessed with some unforgettable memories.

The morning of Day 6 dawns - and you are ready to sail, BUT a minor detail now crosses your mind - only destination open to you is back to your original departure Port or Marina as you only had a week's holiday, your flight home departs tomorrow morning early, and you need to be back in that port that evening !!

What an we learn from this story? However reputable yacht owner/agency, however new yacht and its equipment, however well maintained, however careful you may be - this sort of thing can happen to anyone, anywhere. Just change names and places and a similar problem can arise. Don't forget also that you can be gale-bound in harbour for days on end.

Can you protect yourself against such a happening, and what should you do when it arises?

The answer to first question is NO, and suggested reaction to second is: - relax (difficult though this may at first seem); be patient; try to understand elements of human nature which will be displayed by all around you - your crew and "outsiders".

You could react like skipper in our story and make endless irate phone calls to everyone you can think of or, as we suggest, you can accept facts as they are - problem has arisen.

1. Try and make best of a bad job. Explore locale where you are "marooned". Make short trips by water-taxi, taxi, hire-car, on foot or by local ferries and keep your crew amused and remaining in holiday mood, i.e. shopping, sightseeing, swimming, enjoying special lunches and dinners, etc.

2. Remember, you will certainly be compensated by your charter agent/owner for lost sailing days, provided you take a few simple steps to ensure that your claim will be met.

3. Contact your charter company immediately, PREFERABLY IN WRITING, if it is at all possible, e.g. by fax or e-mail, and inform them of what has happened and that you will contact them again. Give them a telephone or fax number where you can be contacted.

4. NEVER LEAVE THE VESSEL UNATTENDED OR OUT OF SIGHT - Vangelis would love you to give him an excuse or "cover story" for not having come back to boat when promised.

5. Be understanding of Vangelis's problems - he will do his best if you are polite and patient. Tip his assistant - that will work wonders.

6. When all is well again and boat is repaired - contact your agent again, by fax or e-mail preferably, tell him that all is well and tell him that a FORMAL CLAIM for compensation for loss of holiday will be forthcoming.

7. When you finally return home make formal claim, in writing, detailing minutes details of saga as it unfolded - what happened, actions you took, reactions of local agent and his employed contacts.

Make sure you have all paperwork involved, especially contract documents- do not leave them on boat! A sensible thing to have done would have been to look back in Ship's Log Book (if there is any), to see if previous charterers had run into similar problems.

If an accident was part of cause of problem make sure that other people who may have been involved are brought into act, and statements are taken for witnesses.

We can not really advise you as to whether, or not, you will accept any offered compensation - whether it be cash or substitute holidays - THAT CHOICE IS YOURS. Only you know how you and your crew felt about happenings, whether you made best of a bad job at time, whether everyone did their best to mitigate your losses and disappointments, and whether offered compensation is adequate.

Whether you accept cash or a replacement holiday will probably depend on how much holiday time you and your crew have left.

Alexander M. Vournas