Details About Niuafoou

Niuafo'ou Island lies 640km north of Tongatapu and is the most remote island in Tonga with a population of 735. This island also known as Tin Can Island because of its unusual postal service. Since there was no anchorage or landing site on the island, mail and supplies for residents were sealed up in a biscuit tin and tossed overboard from a passing supply ship. Strong swimmers would retrieve the packages. Outbound mail was tied to the end of long sticks and swimmers would carry them, balanced overhead, out to the waiting ship.Today the harbour still has no anchorage and no wharf. Ships stop about 150m offshore and the crew drops two lines into the water, which are retrieved by swimmers and carried to the cement platform that serves as the landing site.