Memories from Polynesia

Bora Bora

We woke up in Raiatea to a calm morning. We had waited for two days for the wind to die down a bit and now we were ready to make the sail. I was a little bit worried, considering my last ocean trek, but I popped a Dramamine and secured my things, went on deck and drank it all in. What a day! Blue skies, calm breezes, gentle water. We approached the coral reef and soon went through the pass out into the ocean.

This day was a little more than sentimental for Jerry as it was his last day to sail Scotch Bonnet. He and Jock have owned this boat for 23 years. They first bought a boat together in 1969, when Jerry was a mere twenty-two years old and now their boat days together have come to an end. Jerry was set to continue the sail with Jock to Tonga and then to New Zealand, but after much thought and discussion, Jerry decided to leave the boat now and return to California to resume his business while Jock will continue on to New Zealand and sell the boat there. Jerry is done with this chapter and book of his life. So thankfully it was a beautiful last sail.

That evening we decided to go into town and eat dinner at the famous Bloody Mary’s! I read that it was a great place for fish, but the guys were worried it was going to be a dumb tourist trap. Well it was a little of both and we all thought it was great. It was a big thatched roof room with sand on the floor. The furniture was all natural wood stools and tables. You are invited to go to a big display of fish and meats on ice that is on the menu and you pick your entrée right then. It was all so fresh and delicious.

The next day Jerry cleaned out all of his things from the boat. He wrote his last log entry while Jock made breakfast and I packed. It was a pretty quiet morning filled with mixed emotions for both Jerry and Jock. We lowered our things into the dinghy and stacked our bags on the dock of the Bora Bora Yacht Club. I sat on a bench trying to finish Pitcairn Island while the two sailors made small talk as we waited for our boat taxi. Finally it came and we all hugged goodbye. Jock waved to us as we sped across the lagoon to a motu and eventually Jock and the boat were gone.

We arrived at the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort. What a change from our last month of adventures. This is a shallow, sandy motu with over the water bungalows. This is the perfect place to end our trip and reflect on all the fun I have had over the last month. The first thing we did after landing was jump into the crystal blue water and swim. Next, we hiked all around the motu, returned for some cocktails, dinner and then we sat on our porch overlooking the pacific and gazed at the sky full of stars.

Marae, Raiatea

We took a sail down the coast of Raiatea to the oldest marae in Polynesia called Marae Taputapuatea. Whenever a new marae was to be built on neighboring islands, a stone from this marae was used in the making of the new temple. This is the place of human sacrifices and religious ceremonies. It was pretty impressive, considering how old it is and the condition is still quite good.
As we sailed the boat, Jerry saw a place to dock the boat. We circled around slowly to make sure we wouldn’t hit any coral. As we did this a couple of Polynesian me stood by and looked at us. Once again, these guys looked like they were cast straight out of a Disney movie. I thought Captain Jack Sparrow would come around the corner any minute. They waved us in with big smiles and helped us tie up. Jock began with his usual “Maruru!” and that started the conversation. In a matter of no less than 30 seconds we discovered that one of the guys knows Sabrina’s brother on Ahe. He is a small French man whose name is Pascal, but his friends call him Piwi. He is a pearl grafter and had spent six years on Ahe working with Maki. The other man is a 300 pound Polynesian with exotic tattoos and a big toothless grin. Next thing we all are hugging and they are saying we are their good friends. Jock is inviting them on the boat and begins showing them pictures of Sabrina and Pascal as well as Maki and his family. It’s a small world.
When we returned to the boat, the greeters and their friends were playing friendly game of petanc and sitting around a hubcap grill eating chicken and drinking Hinanos.

Sunset Beach Motel

Before we arrived in Raiatea, Jerry decided it was time to take a little shore leave, so he made a reservation for two nights at the Sunset Beach Motel (catchy name, don’t you think??). He and Jock stayed there when they came in early July and worked on the boat when it was in the boat yard. It is a former coconut plantation that has been converted into a mini resort. There are about 25 little bungalows that are equipped with a picnic table, a kitchenette, a small shower and toilet, and a bed with a foam mattress. The first thing I did when we arrived was take a HOT shower. What a luxury! The funny thing is that while in the shower I felt like I was still in the boat, trying to keep my balance. We sat on the porch that overlooked the lagoon, drank coconut juice, and watched the sun set over Bora Bora in the distance.

The next day we called a taxi and took a ride in to Uturoa. It is the second largest city in Polynesia after Papeete, but actually, much cleaner and much smaller. It also has a farmers market in the center of town and on the second floor there are artisans selling jewelry, baskets, dresses, etc. Jerry was in the mood for a hamburger and we actually found a place that served them. We got something to cook at the motel for dinner and started winding our way back. Jerry saw a little store where Yuriko and her sister had bought some things last year and said we should check it out. The lady that owned the store was another Polynesian character. Her name was Flora and she told us about everything in her store. Tapa cloth, fish hooks, wood carvings, pareos, and finally….pearls. Evidently her family owned a pearl farm and she wanted me to try on everything she had in the store. “Madame, please, just for fun, let’s try this on.” Well, it was fun. With every necklace she told us about the pearls and why each particular necklace was special. She has a Japanese woman who strings and knots them with silk. Before we left I was the proud owner of a beautiful multi color pearl necklace. Thank you, Jerry. This is the best souvenir yet!

Jerry also bought a gift for Jock; a hand-made fishing lure. Flora had a story about this as well. She knew the man who made it over fifty years ago. Jock is a fisherman and was very touched by the gift.

The next morning we woke up early and went kayaking around the shore. It is amazing how shallow the water is for miles around. The fish and coral are so easy to see right from the comfort of the kayak. We stopped at the boat yard where the boat was stored last year and Jerry went and said hello to many of the boat yard workers he had made friends with. They were a variety of people, men and women, French and Polynesian, all working away on the boats and all with fascinating tattoos. I know I have mentioned this before, but I truly have never seen tattoos done in this fashion every before. I haven’t got the guts to ask anyone if I can take a picture of them yet, but maybe I will soon. The women have theses snake-type tats spiraling up their legs or around their waist and arms, finished with a sting ray or flower. The men’s tats are more tribal looking.

That evening, we went for a snorkel off the pier in front of the motel bungalows. Once again, thousands of fish were gathered around and we had fun swimming in this ocean aquarium when it began to pour rain. We looked back at the shore of the Sunset Beach Motel and a beautiful double rainbow began to reveal itself above the bungalows. What a sight.

On Friday, August 13, we returned to the boat and prepared to leave Uturoa. We fueled up, provisioned the boat, and took off south for the Faaroa River. As we entered the bay that led to the river, a Polynesian man was sitting in his va’a (outrigger) and began to paddle next to us. It really was a beautiful sight. The va’a was a dark blue, streamlined boat with an American flag decal on the back. He followed us all the way up the bay and watched while we anchored. Soon Jock and this man were carrying on a conversation in Tahitian. The man asked if Jock wanted to paddle his va’a. Well, Jock jumped down and hopped in the boat to try it out. It is a little more difficult than the natives make it appear. Jock circled around the boat a few times and then it was my turn. In French, I told him my name was Lisa, and then he said, “My name is not Jim, not James Bond, it is Jems.” He was so funny and was absolutely happy to let me pop into the outrigger and paddle away. It is so fast and goes straight easily, but try to turn and it becomes a challenge. As I was getting out he asked what we were doing tomorrow and I told him we planned to take the dinghy up the river around 10:00am.

The next morning I made banana pancakes (how many ways can you eat 50 bananas that are ripening at the same time?) Jerry made coffee and we had a nice breakfast on deck enjoying the sun and scenery. Who should come paddling up, but our new friend, Jems. He came to lead us up the river and after we started the journey we realized we needed him. The water was shallow with tree stumps and debris along the way. The river became narrow the farther up we went, the area became canopied with jungle growth and eventually the banks of the river were getting higher and higher. I must admit, I started to get a little nervous and wanted to turn around. The guys started teasing me about alligators and piranhas…not funny. Once again, we are following a stranger in a strange area, I don’t know how I would get back in this 2 feet of water…Yikes!! We pull over at a broken down pier and Jems pulls his boat on shore as we tie up. We climb up on this broken wooden pier and I look over at Jems as he starts whacking a bush with a MACHETE!! Oh my God!! Now I know we are going to be sacrificed. This guy wants our boat! No one will ever find us back here. Jerry and Jock thinks this is great and continues to follow him as he describes the flowers, trees and vines. Next, he cuts some kind of unusual fruit that I have never seen and says, “You eat. It good for you”. Okay, I hesitantly took a bite, then he immediately said, “It not good for me to eat”!! Here we go again; this guy is now trying to poison me! We continued back in to the jungle and I started to feel a little more comfortable. We ambled back to the boat and Jerry hopped into the va’a to try it out. Like I said before, they are difficult to turn. Jerry couldn’t seem to get it to put it in reverse and the next thing I know he went around the bend of the river in the wrong direction. Jock jumps in the dinghy and I knew he was going to take off to help Jerry get turned around, or at least take a picture of the comical situation. I said, “Jock, please don’t leave me, let me get in with you,” but he was worried about Jerry, so off he went. Suddenly I found myself standing on the broken down wooden pier alone with Jungle Jems holding a machete in his hand and no sign of Laurel and Hardy.

Eventually, the guys returned and we maneuvered our way back to the boat. I was exhausted from the morning events and curled up in my berth to read Men Against the Sea and take a nap. When I woke up I saw that Jock was napping so I saw took this as an opportunity to take a sun shower. I don’t particularly like the sun shower, but after a couple of days of sunscreen, sweat, and terror, I needed one. I have come to have a new appreciation for my shower in Napa.

The guys met another cruising couple that are anchored in the same bay and invited them over for appetizers and wine. This couple was from Seattle and had been out on the open seas for five years. They told us about their journey to Alaska, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Galapagos, Chile, Patagonia, Easter Island, Marquesas, and now here! They are in construction and when the funds get low, they put the boat on the hard, head home to Seattle to work for six months and then return to their adventure. This is not an uncommon story as we have heard similar stories from many of the people we’ve met. Yesterday we met a couple from Brussels doing the same thing and a young man from the Netherlands who has singlehanded around the horn. As much as they love it and I’m sure they are having the time of their life, it takes a special kind of person to endure this lifestyle for an extended amount of time. I’ve seen some wonderful things and had experiences that I could never have imagined, but I am getting a little homesick and am ready to come home. Next week at this time I’ll be back in Napa. One more week in Paradise…

Casting off to Raiatea

As we woke up this morning we tidied up the boat and prepared to take off. We decided to head to the Coral Gardens inside the lagoon in North Tahaa. We sailed along the beautiful Tahaa coast and soon we saw Chez Louise. Other than that, only a few beach bungalows dot the coastline. We began to see Bora Bora appear in the distance and I started belting out the South Pacific tunes I am familiar with. All of a sudden a large motu appeared separate from what I thought was part of Tahaa. This is called Private Island because it is owned by a hotel and is decked out with the luxurious over-the-water private cottages you’ve probably seen whenever Tahiti and its other islands are advertised.

As we approached we saw the big yacht from the Sausalito Yacht Club that I described before when we were in Moorea. We lowered our dinghy and got on board. Now the winds were picking up again and the skies were dark above Tahaa, but not above us. Terry and Lori came driving up in there dinghy with big smiles on their faces. They had just finished swimming in the Coral Gardens and said it was absolutely beautiful. We motored toward the motu and found ourselves in about four feet of water. Into the water we splashed and took off toward the coral. I couldn’t believe my eyes. We had seen lot’s of fish before in Tahiti and Moorea, but nothing like this. There were many different types of colorful coral and thousands of different types of fish. Fish of all types of shapes and sizes surrounded us as we carefully maneuvered through 3 – 4 feet of water and large mounds of coral. We saw a sting ray and an eel, but mostly exotically colored fish. I truly felt like I was swimming in an aquarium. Jock brought a zip lock bag of bread and he and Jerry started feeding the fish. They were coming from all over to nibble up the chow. It all was pretty fascinating, but I kept a friendly distance until one of these clowns threw some bread my way. Now the fish were all over me nibbling and fighting over the bread. Unable to keep my typical calm demeanor (ha-ha) I started screaming, “Jerry, don’t throw the bread at me. That makes me mad, blah blah blah!!!” Jerry then responded in his chivalrous way, “It wasn’t me, it was Jock!” Jock started apologizing all over himself, “I’m so sorry, I thought you would like it, I’m so sorry!” Anyway, we all had a good laugh and I survived another fish feeding frenzy.

Jerry drove the dinghy on our way back to the boat while Jock and I sat in the front. It was pretty choppy and the skies turned black. Soon the rain was pelting us and it felt like we were getting attacked by rice. The water was warmer than the air. Cowabunga Buffalo Bob! This ride back in the dinghy was a blast and we all were cracking up as a big rainbow filled the sky.

The water was getting rougher than before and the guys were busy bringing the dinghy onboard and securing the motor to the stern, so I went down below and made tuna fish sandwiches. The boat was rocking and rolling, but I really didn’t seem to notice. Soon they were finished and I popped up with the lunch. Neither could believe that I could go below in these conditions. They both pronounced that I now have my sea legs and I won’t get seasick again… let’s hope not. We took off for Raiatea and I decided to go below to get my book. I finished Mutiny on the Bounty and now wanted to begin the second book in the trilogy, Men Against the Sea. Soon I became sleepy and took a nap in the cabin. Wow, I guess I really do have my sea legs now! When I woke up I went on deck and realized we were coming into port in Raiatea! Or so I thought...

Tahaa

As I sat on a beach chair looking across the lagoon at Raiatea, Jerry inquired about where to get some bread. Richard told him that if he hurried to the bakery down the street, there may be some bread left and that if we wanted we could order some pastry for the following day. Jerry and Jock took off to explore the neighborhood and get some bread. I remained motionless and finally relaxed. When they returned I heard the bad news…the bread was gone for the day as someone had just bought the last two loaves, but if we returned tomorrow morning at 6:30am, we could pick up baguettes, fresh out of the oven AND the pastry. We returned to the boat to a simple dinner of pesto pasta and salad for the guys and plain pasta for me.

That night the wind howled and blew north of 30 knots at the anchorage in the bay. It rained off and on throughout the night. Although we rocked and rolled the entire night, I seemed to be okay. The next morning we jumped up and put the motor back on the dinghy (we have to take it off each night for fear the dinghy might blow over and dump the motor) and Jerry took off for the bakery. I felt much better and in fact, I was hungry! So I decided to make bacon, scrambled eggs, coffee, fresh pineapple, and pamplemousse juice. Jerry soon returned with a big bag of baguette, pain de chocolate, croissants, and a huge pain de coconut. This is coconut bread made in the shape of a humongous cinnamon roll. Jock was roused from his berth with the delicious smells of food. It was a little rough for all of us the previous day and we were ready to eat…and we did! YUMMM!

The wind continued to blow throughout the day, so we did not go out on the water. We decided to just hang around and take care of boat chores and catch up on the blog. Jerry made reservations for us to go to dinner that night on the leeward side of the island and to get picked up and driven there at 6:15. I started reading Mutiny on the Bounty.

That evening went took the dingy to the Yacht Club and walked back to the street where the TRUCK was waiting for us. We climbed in the back of the truck and took off. Although it was only about 4 miles away as the crow flies, we had to follow the shoreline in and out and around three bays. We arrived at Chez Louise at 6:50. The sun had already gone down, but if it were still shining we would have been able to see Bora Bora from the deck. We were greeted by Louise herself. She is a perfect knock-off of Bloody Mary. The guys both started out by telling her that I speak French and that I would order, blah, blah, blah. Louise would have nothing of it! She said that she “want to practice English. We speak English!” Okay. She pulled up a chair and began to ask us about our trip. She remembered Jock and Yuriko from last year when they brought Yuriko’s sister there. She then told us about some French culinary award she received in 2005. She was flown to France to receive it. Then a few years later she received it again and was to go to Geneva, but her husband was in an accident, so she stayed home. Because of this, Louise is a bit of a celebrity. She told us that Bill Gates has been there three times! This is a little surprising because the restaurant is a small beach house with a little pier attached to a big porch. The tables are of the white plastic variety. Oil cloth table cloths are on the six small tables under the lanai. Jerry asked for the wine list. “You want red or white?” asked Louise. Jerry and Jock looked at each other and said “Red” at the same time. Off she went returning with a screw top of merlot. Hummm.

Was Jock just telling us a story about this place? And now we find out there is no menu. You just get to eat what Louise and her son are cooking. It all seemed a little suspicious to Jerry and me. And then here came the server (Louise’s daughter-in-law) with two large bamboo bowls/trays of fabulous looking food. The server had to balance the bamboo with Hinano beer caps underneath so the food would not tip over in the tray. There was shrimp, lobster, poison cru, rice, mahi mahi, and French bread. It truly was delicious. Now I see why the French decided to award her for her skills. Louise came over to see if we were happy with the food when she noticed the wine had not been opened. “What, you no like wine??” “Oh no, we love the wine,” Jerry replied as he quickly unscrewed the cap. And we did.

As we looked around we saw there were no other patrons to this fine establishment. All this was for us. We were sitting at the edge of the deck and could hear fish swimming nearby. Then all of a sudden Jock took his empty lobster tail and tossed it over the rail. I couldn’t believe he did this. The fish were making such a commotion gobbling it up. Next thing I know Jerry is throwing shrimp tails and lobster tails over. These guys are cracking up, sucking the fish out of their tails and tossing it over the rail and listening to the fish below. They just seem to make themselves at home wherever they are. The dinner soon ended, we said good-bye to Louise and her family and climbed back into the truck for our trip back to the dinghy at the Yacht Club and motored back to the boat.

Monday, August 9, was just an easy day. It began with a walk down the road (there is only one) along the coast. The neighborhood is well maintained, much better than the ones in Tahiti or Moorea. The whole island is much less inhabited and there are virtually no commercial establishments, except the yacht club and the bakery. We did see a man working copra (drying coconut to sell to coconut processors). We also saw the site of the landing of the first Christian Missionaries in Polynesia. The original church is long gone due to the weather, but there is a church built on the site now as well as an elementary school next door. One thing I have noticed on all of the islands I have visited so far is the number of churches that populate the landscape. They are as common as Starbucks in the states. This just seems unusual to me given the low population of people on the islands. Another curious thing is that no alcohol is sold in stores after 10:00am on Sundays; something the Polynesians take into account given the amount of Hinano’s they drink!

The wind continued to blow, but after lunch we all began to get a little cabin fever and decided it was time to explore the bay. We took to dinghy out to a motu nearby and looked for a place to dive. As we approached the motu we saw signs that said “Private” and so we looked for a place to anchor off the island. This was a pretty difficult task because the island just drops off ninety feet straight from the shore. We were able to talk to a man who came to a dock off the motu and he gave us permission to tie up there. It was a disappointing dive because there was hardly any fish and the water was very cloudy. I suppose this was because of the wind that has been stirring things up so much lately. Eventually, we went back to the boat and just relaxed.

That evening we went in to the yacht club for a warm shower and a beverage and met some California cruisers. Cruisers are people that get on a boat and go cruising for years at a time. First we met Rosalind and Russ Worrell. They are from the Bay Area and retired last year to go on a two to five year cruise. She worked in Sacramento in the Department of Education and he was an optometrist that had a part time practice and taught at UC Berkeley. Then another couple joined us, Dave and Susie from Laguna Beach. Dave was in construction and I’m not sure what Susie did. They had been cruising for about a year and a half and have plans to continue throughout the South Seas and on to New Zealand. Eventually, another couple joined us. I can’t remember their names, but they sold everything, bought a boat, retired from their jobs and hit the open sea. I was fascinated to hear their stories of how they all ended up here all the while Jerry and Jock were telling them their story.

The next thing I know the conversation turns to tattoos. Every one of them had tattoos they had acquired recently in the islands. Some tattoos came from the Marquesas and some from Tahiti. The tattoos were symbolic and all had a story in the Polynesian style. None of them were small or indiscrete. These people are all in their late 50’s early 60’s and were probably fairly conservative in their lives back home, but now they are just like kids again and have no one to answer to, except maybe their own kids! I asked Jerry and Jock if they were thinking about getting a tattoo to commemorate their journey, but they both said no.

One the morning of August 10^th we went on a snorkel dive trip with all the Cali Cruisers we met the night before. Later that day Jerry and I walked to a pearl farm and took a tour. That particular day the workers were opening oysters ever so carefully and looking to see if the nucleus they had implanted three months before were taking hold. If not, the oysters were destroyed. If they were, the oysters were tied shut with plastic strips and placed back in a net to return to the ocean for another two to three years. One interesting thing we learned is that a black pearl from Polynesia begins with a clam shell from the Mississippi River! These shells are then shipped to Japan where perfect round balls are precision cut into three sizes. These are called the nucleus. The nucleus is then implanted in the oysters, dropped off the shores of Polynesia in specific areas and if everything goes according to plan, a beautiful pearl develops over the next few years. The whole process is very labor intensive.

That night we went to the Yacht Club for an authentic Polynesian dinner and entertainment. It was our last night in Tahaa, and we sat at a big table with our new California Cruiser friends. Jerry and I got to the club a little early so we could take a shower. Soon people started showing up…all cleaned up! Richard was running around trying to make sure everything was ready to go. I think this was a big night for him as he had 50 people who had signed up for dinner. The entertainment consisted of the local high school kids performing, beginning with four young men singing and playing the drums. They were so good and they looked like they were having so much fun. This went on for about a half an hour when the woman who cooks for Richard and her sister (the lady next door that did our laundry for $15) began to bring out the food they had been preparing all day. Most of it was similar to what we had eaten before: poison cru, banana, taro, breadfruit, sashimi, but something we hadn’t had before was the chicken with some kind of green veggie cooked with it. As you might imagine, I am losing weight, but the guys seem to love this kind of food. The rum punch was flowing and the conversation was mostly about where everyone was taking off for tomorrow. After dinner we moved to the beach and the dancing soon began. Once again these were the local high school students with their teachers nearby playing drums and singing. Many of their parents came to watch them perform. They were absolutely fabulous, fire dancing and all! At the end of their performance, as typical at these types of events, the performers go to the audience and get people to come up and dance with them. Who do you think they went directly to? Jerry and Jock!! For anyone interested, I have it all on video. It was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Jock was totally into it moving his legs and arms like a pro. Jerry, on the other hand, was totally out of his comfort zone. He was trying to move, but somehow looked like a deer in the headlights just waiting for the music to end. What a way to end the evening and our time in Tahaa.

As the native dancing ended the rock and roll cranked up. The drunks hit the dance floor and that was pretty entertaining, as well. There was a French man there that was quite a good dancer and got the party started. Soon the place was packed with French, English, Americans, and Polynesians dancing to the Rolling Stones. Jock could hardly contain himself so finally he went out and started dancing in the middle of the ladies. That was it; Jerry decided it was time to find our dinghy and motor back to the boat before Jock hurt himself. Getting into the dinghy was pretty tricky that night, but we made it home and in the morning we took off for Raiatea.

Casting off to Huahine

We decided to leave Moorea today, but first we would explore a little more of the coastline. We traveled along to the next bay, Oponuhu Bay, and found a beautiful, crystal blue area to do a little diving. As we approached a place to anchor, I saw some big areas of coral we didn’t want to hit. The guys went about anchoring the boat, while I saw this big Tahitian man with long, flowing hair come riding up on a jet ski followed by about five more jet skis with tourists. He stopped right above the coral we were trying to avoid. I tried to listen to what he was telling them; something about the history of Polynesia that lay beneath, then they left. When the guys came over I told them what I heard and Jock said he remembered something about when the Christian Missionaries came and tried to convert the Natives from worshiping their idols; they took the tikis and dropped them in the sea. We put on our gear and dropped down to find not coral, but five enormous stone tikis. It was like finding buried treasure! Jock had his underwater camera and took pictures. They are just beautiful examples of the artwork of this time. How did they carve this stone? How did the missionaries move these enormous tikis into the ocean?

We got back in the boat and continued to travel down the coast of Moorea. We then came to a coral reef area that had a large underwater beach of sand area. Remember, there is hardly any sand on the coast, it is all out by the reef. As we pull up dozens of Sting Rays come up to the boat! We got in the dingy and about 100 sting rays were swimming all around us in about water four feet deep. Suddenly a Black Tip Shark went swimming by. The guys jumped in right away saying that we would be fine. OH Yeah?? I know what happened to Steve Irwin!! Eventually, I decided that I couldn’t come all this way and chicken out. I jumped in and was swimming with the Sting Rays!! They are absolutely beautiful; so graceful and soft. We swam a little way to see many more rays buried in the sand with only their eyes and tips of their tails sticking out. What an experience.

It was 3:15 in the afternoon. The skies were blue and all was calm. We set sail for Huahine. I did fine as we watched Moorea disappear into the background. Then, soon, the weather started to change. The clouds surrounded the boat, light sprinkles began, the winds started to change directions. By 6:00pm I was turning a lovely shade of green! Jerry’s encouraging words were, if you are going to lose your cookies, go starboard! Next thing I know I am literally hanging over the side of the boat as the swells came up inches from my face and then dropped back ten feet away. It was at this moment that I realized I forgot to take the Dramamine that Jeff Centoni advised me to bring along. As I continued to hang over the side and felt like I was slipping over I thought to myself, why didn’t I put on a life jacket?? Jerry said he had a hold of my pants and that he wasn’t going to let me slip away. This was only the beginning of a night from hell. It was awful. I was sick the whole time…fifteen and a half hours to be exact. There were lightening showers that followed the boat and the ride was rough, even for my salty sailors. As we approached Huahine, the guys made the decision to continue to Tahaa. It was only another four hours!! They thought it best to go there so we wouldn’t have to make another open ocean journey for a while. Thank God. At 5:45 we arrived at Taravala Yacht Club in Tahaa. We tied up to a mooring and took the dingy in. There we found Richard, the owner, who left California at age 19 in a Cal 36 to escape the Vietnam War. He married a Tahitian and has made a life for himself chartering boats and running this “Yacht Club”. We paid him $5 for a semi warm shower. I got a sprite from the bar and decided I was going to live. Back to the boat that night, we had pasta and listened to the rain storm outside.

Casting off to Moorea

So much has happened in the last few days; then again, not much has happened.

On Saturday we rented a car and went driving down Pacific Coast Highway!! That’s what I call it…there is only one road around the island and it is right along the Pacific. We stopped at a water lily park, went up a trail, saw some waterfalls, and ended up finding a fresh water pond. At one time only the royalty was allowed in this pond to wash off the salt water. The commoners were forbidden. I found this all out from a Tahitian man who was there with a bunch of kids he was letting cool off. He is a former Mormon Missionary.

Yuriko is a diabetic and had to have some medical supplies shipped here ahead of time to a pharmacy. She knew the pharmacist from the last time she was here and decided to invite him to dinner on the boat last Saturday night. When Patrick arrived his arms were carrying a big stalk of bananas as a present to her. It was fun to talk to him about Tahiti. He went through high school here and then to Paris for University. He works in a pharmacy now, but hopes to soon have a pharmacy of his own.

The next day we drove to Tahiti Iti (the small part of the island known as little Tahiti) to our friends’ home for an authentic Tahitian dinner. On the menu was poisson cru (raw fish), pork and cabbage, two types of cooked banana, taro, ipo (a big ball of bread dough with coconut milk) and Hinano’s, the beer of choice around here. Well, it wasn’t exactly all to my liking, but it was an experience!! I tried it all. This event was held at Pascal’s brother’s house. I took lots of pictures, because this is pretty typical of the houses the Tahitians live in. The kitchen and bathroom are outside in the backyard. Pascal’s brother, Frankie, sells plants from his backyard for a living. His aunt sends cactus to him from New Zealand. How can one make a living doing that?? Pascal grows tomatoes in his yard and sells them. I probably grow as many tomatoes as him. Both of their wives do not work other than raising their children.

Evidently, because the French did atomic bomb testing in French Polynesia, they pay every Tahitian a monthly stipend. The French in France do not like supporting the Tahitians with their taxes, but the Tahitians feel they more than deserve it due to the way their islands were abused.

After we left Frankie and Maya’s home we continued to drive south along Tahiti Iti until we came to the end of the road. We found ourselves at Teahupoo, where big surfing competitions are held every year. There was a monument in the middle of the street at the end of the road with all the winners’ names, including Kelly Slater (about 4 times). Big judging towers were set up out in the ocean, but far enough away from the outside reef where the surfing was happening. I can’t imagine how all the media and spectators converge on this little place. There is one café, a few beach shacks, and that’s about it.

Monday was laundry day. Jerry and Jock went to Papeete to take care of customs business and boat things while Yuriko and I did laundry at the Marina. Luckily there was a laundry facility at the marina. It only cost $8.00 a load! Then we took the wet clothes back to the boat and hung everything up to dry. And you thought I was on vacation!! Later we walked up to the local grocery store and bought supplies for our meals to last us for a while. Once we leave Tahiti it will be more difficult to get the things we like to eat. Going shopping takes about 3-4 hours. Walk there, look for stuff in the store among things that all look foreign, buy it, bag it, then haul it home. And did I mention it is sweltering hot??? In the afternoon we went out to the coral reef and went diving. That makes up for all the work we did earlier.

Some interesting things about the store: Lettuce and other salad type veggies come from Salinas. You have to pay $1 for a cart, but then get it back when you return the cart. The milk is not pasteurized, it is sterilized; therefore, the milk doesn’t get refrigerated! Delicious French bread baguettes are fifty cents, Champagne is very expensive, and it is difficult to find any California wine. We’ve been eating pretty well on the boat as Yuriko likes to cook delicious Japanese dishes for us.

There are dogs everywhere. They are not necessarily people’s pets, they just roam around. There doesn’t seem to any spaying or neutering going on. They are the ugliest mongrels I have ever seen. The combinations are producing some pretty unusual characteristics.

For my teacher friends…The students are taught English, French, and Tahitian. They also learn a little Tahitian history along with a big dose of French history. My Tahitian friends say they can’t stand the French, and this is one of the reasons. Why do they need to know about Louis Quatorze??

Today I rode the Ferry from Papeete to Moorea with Sabrina and her kids with the car. Pascal sailed with Jerry, Jock and Yuriko. It rained most of the way, but the sun was out in Moorea. This island is much more rural, less commercial, and very calm. Looking forward to seeing what this island is all about, I walked down the rocks to put my feet in the warm ocean. Coconuts were floating on the shore, big clam shells were left behind by someone, it was really nice. I decided to climb out of the water and up the rocks. Jerry extended a hand, I grabbed it and he pulled me up where I made a face plant into a metal fish stand. BAM! Right in the middle of my nose. Another souvenir from Paradise!!

Sabrina and Pascal wanted us to meet their Uncle and Aunt that are nursery owners in Moorea. So, we were picked up by their cousins and taken for another mystery adventure. It was dark, we were sitting in a car with people we never met, we can’t communicate with them and suddenly we are driving on a dirt road up a hill. Of course I started to think, “What have I gotten myself into this time!” All of a sudden we see the sparkling lights of Papeete across the ocean and realize we are at a golf course resort. Jerry was excited about that, even though it was dark. We get out and go around the back to the restaurant and there was their whole family waiting for us!! Aunts, Uncles, cousins, brothers, in-laws…you would think that we were long lost relatives. Anyway, we had a great dinner, I got to practice my French with Pascal’s uncle, the sister in law sitting next to me was about to give birth any minute, and Jock ended up doing a Tahitian dance!! Jerry played pool with the cousins and everyone enjoyed the Hinano’s. They drink it as if it were milk!! Well, the night ended with them promising to come to San Francisco someday. If they do, I’m inviting all of you to help us entertain them.

Week One

I've been in Tahiti for one week now. I seem to have adjusted to the weather nicely and, for the most part, I love it. There are supposed to be strong winds coming in the next few days, so we have decided to stay at Marina Taina until Wednesday, then sail to Moorea. For the last two days we have gone out on the dingy to the coral reef and snorkeled. The water is unbelievably clear. We've had a lot of fun trying to identify all the fish. I know I saw a puffer fish yesterday, but for the most part I just love all the colors of the fish. I'm getting a little tan...no burn this time! We are going on a hike today and maybe find some waterfalls. If its too hot, I'm returning to the ocean!!

This marina is pretty nice. Clean bathrooms are always a plus for me! But the interesting part are all the boat here from all over the world. There actually was a yacht from Sausalito that came in for fuel, but left before we were able to speak with them. The HUGE yachts are from the Caymen Islands. They are absolutely beautiful with full crews on board. Last night one of them had a big party into the wee hours of the night. Unfortunately, we only could listen to the music from across the marina