We have spoken much about our time at Raiatea in the past while. It is after all, an island where Impi has spent a good deal of time … as in months … and has been a wonderful ‘home base’ for Ana and me. From this location, Ana and I have flown to 2 weddings … our visit to Thailand, South Africa and recently to the UK.
During our time away, the good folks at CNI carenage (Karin and Kathy) have been of exceptional service in taking good care of Impi and we would highly recommend CNI as a carenage to store ones boat over hurricane seasons. Of course, space is limited and one would do well to book months in advance.
Even from our position at anchor just off CNI carenage, Ana and I found ourselves to be having incredible fun and those crisp clear days make for a spectacular time darting about coral heads in the dinghy whilst Ana rather takes to the canoe for our visits to the little motu called TAHUNAOE … mostly known for its lack of all little things that bite …
Fun video at this link - you may want to watch it in HD though as otherwise not too clear ...
Raiatea will always be a place Ana and I will remember for its charm and relaxed ambiance, a place to ‘catch one's breath and sort out technical issues with the boat’ in a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere to that of Tahiti. Fortunately Impi has been behaving, but I did assist one cruising friend to overhaul his yacht engine and CNI proved to be as geared up as Tahiti for that ...
Having said this about Tahiti though, I must admit that on our recent visit to Tahiti (we have been there a number of times now) we really enjoyed the beauty of the island when we hired a car and proceeded to explore the entire island. The outer lying areas are definitely more picturesque than the ‘city area’. Perhaps we will share that trip and the photos with you when we have more time … it included a visit to TEAHUPOO well known for its massive waves and world surfing championships.
Anyway, back to Raiatea … Ana and I had returned from the Tuamotu Archipelago on Impi after some months cruising through that region.
In this photo, the green path is more or less our passage to the Tuamotu region, the purple line roughly the passages between the various motus and the red line shows roughly our return passage to Raiatea. Our sail there was in calm conditions ... you may recall the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDCsPPecGEQ
We had sailed past the other Society Islands we have visited a number of times before and marvelled as we entered the passage into Raiatea … mostly because we had not seen mountains in months on account of the flat lying atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago.
We pulled in at the main dock of the town known as Uturoa and used the few days to re-stock with supplies and enjoy freshly baked baguettes for breakfast each morning.
Well rested from our journey, it was time to set off for a circumnavigation tour of Raiatea and Tahaa which share a common outer reef system.
To keep this letter short we will share with you the areas we enjoyed most.
Of course a cruise down to the south side is spectacular …
A spot to anchor right opposite the main town is also incredibly pretty and we wondered why we had not spent time here earlier on …
The GE pic below - entry shown by RED LINE
Zoomed GE (Google Earth) pic below. The red line indicates a rough passage way in very shallow water to anchor on the sand. The best path to take is right up against the sandy shelf on the deeper side of it.
This area lies as a long narrow band which meanders north within the reef system itself.
To enter the area from town, one needs to look for a marker just south of a little motu and entering here can be quite nerve wrecking. We had a few friends join us out there on our recommendation … they all without exception ‘howled’ down the VHF radio at us for fear of hitting coral heads as they entered.
The passage is not as dangerous as it looks to be, but it does take concentration and a person up on the foredeck keeping a look out.
As we entered this channel we kept Impi to the east side against the edge of a beautiful sand plateau and cruising up onto this plateau one is able to feel the keels just make contact with the sand … a good idea not to venture much further in unless you have first hand knowledge of the area.
Here the views are spectacular. With the prevailing wind Impi had the entire mountainous Raiatea seen a few hundred meters across the bay as backdrop view from the patio …
Up front one could see the waves being tamed by the reef and at night with hatches open one can hear the thunderous roar …
On the other side and across turquoise blue sea the beautiful mountainous island of Tahaa added to the serenity and ambiance of this very beautiful place under the sun …
Here we lowered the canoe into the sea mostly for Ana who always loves to get a fair share of good exercise whilst exploring …
When we posted these photos on Face book (cat-impi) it was amazing to read some of the comments there … such as ’this canoe seems to be floating on air …’ and, ‘Are these photos real?’ ... and so on. And yes, truly the water is so sparkling clear that it is quite amazing to watch one's shadow cast on the seabed below just cruise along with you …
We had set the anchor in such a manner, that as Impi turned about in the water, she would 'just' touch keels on the one side of the shelf, and to the other would find 3m depth below …
This was terrific as we were able to make fresh water when the boat shifted into deeper water, and were literally able to stand alongside and clean the hulls when in the shallower part.
One disadvantage of being anchored up this channel, is that the locals use it to get to work from Tahaa in the mornings and back home again late afternoons. This makes for an early morning and late afternoon ‘disturbance’ as waves from those boats cause a 'rocking motion'. Anyway, the place is still very beautiful and this is a small price to pay for being here.
A similar, quieter spot is found off a little motu called Motu MAHAEA on Pass TOAHOTU.
Here to the north side of the motu one is able to take the yacht up onto a sandy plateau with minimal clearance below the keels (for catamarans) …
Tahaa forms a magnificent backdrop to this place …
In the photo below one can see the sailing cruise ship ‘Wind Spirit’ anchored in front of Tahaa.
Ana likes to contact the captain on Wind Spirit to ask him if Impi is being seen on their AIS (Automatic Identification System)since we have fitted a new GPS antennae on account of the older one loosing signal on the odd occasion. The Captain humbly obliges ... clearly a friendly ship with a friendly Captain.
Back to the motu ...
The little motu is private and landing on it will have some individual asking for money ... not much ... but really ... it feels out of place to be searching ones swimming trunk pockets for a few sheckels on such a tiny island ...
The little motu is private and landing on it will have some individual asking for money ... not much ... but really ... it feels out of place to be searching ones swimming trunk pockets for a few sheckels on such a tiny island ...
Fortunately we had already ventured across the island when the gentleman approached us for payment … we had no money with us, so told him we would spend the rest of the day on the beach there instead. As we understand it, French law (and generally most countries laws) state that any land up to the high water mark is for the use of the general public ... and we have quoted this on the very few occasions where people have approached us to advise us the land is privately owned. Interestingly enough, we have found this to be more of a trend around Tahaa than on any other island group in the Pacific we have visited, so it is important to be assertive in one's rights here as otherwise this trend will eventually see sailors not having free access to any of the little motus scattered about on the reef system off Tahaa.
The beaches off this motu are terrific though … the sand feels like powder underfoot and the water is incredibly clear and warm.
This little motu looks out over a pass of entry from the sea called TOAHOTU which some sailing friends of ours have described as treacherous ... however in calmer conditions we found this was rather straight forward ...
In the pic below Ana sits on a bench overlooking the pass watching yachts enter …
A small Lagoon catamaran enters the pass …
In the photo above the foreground shows the wooden stakes and nets that form the typical styled 'fish farms' where the locals 'farm and keep fish'.
These boats are based on the original styled vessels built by the Polynesian ancestors.
The message these vessels hope to carry is one which connects all the people of the Pacific under one common goal and to broadcast a message ... 'to protect our oceans'.
In November of 2013, Gaston Flosse, the president of French Polynesia made a commitment to preserve at least 20% of its waters - 1,000,000 Km2 - and part of the idea behind this historic canoe journey is to hold him accountable and bring more awareness to the people ...
We usually steer away from political issues, but this is quite the news on these islands currently ...
It will be interesting to see how this progresses toward the future as today Ana posted an article on our Facebook page which announces Gaston Flosse's exit to presidency this Friday by order of France (The French President, Francois Hollande).
Of course we are not politicians but it would appear to us on the face of it that the local French Polynesian people are not happy about this move and the French President is coming under a lot of criticism by the people on the ground. We believe the move is due to Gaston Flosse being found guilty of corruption charges which he has asked France to forgive him for ... so it appears to be so.
We find it interesting to see how gentle by nature the people on these islands are ... even when under pressure and in situations of conflict and disagreement, we observe a tenderness and respect in the manner by which they debate and seek resolve.
We trust the situation will work out to the best for the local people of these islands, however Ana and I both feel the gaining notion to want their territory back from France would be a huge mistake for the people at large. France really has invested hugely into the infrastructure found on these islands, and from what we have seen they have been an extremely caring nation for all who reside here.
Ok Moving along ...
Dropping into the bay of HAAMENE on the opposite side to where we had been anchored was pleasant for the views …
We ventured all the way to the end of this bay where yachts can anchor. We decided against anchoring here though as the water was murky and there was a lot of construction activity at the dock, let alone the howling and erratic winds coming down the mountain slopes, known as the ‘Venturi effect’.
Here little barges are to be seen carrying sand and various building materials from site to site …
We stopped briefly at the well known HIBISCUS restaurant which no longer has the vibe and ambiance it was well known for in former years as the owner is now elderly and not with good health.
Using their mooring balls is possible at a cost of 1500 Francs per night or a meal at the restaurant. I can’t say there is anything here that impressed us though as there is no entertainment and visiting of the turtle sanctuary is no longer possible.
Within this bay are a number of beautiful places, however anchoring here is deep and the wind was incredibly strong in the gust produced by the surrounding mountain profiles …
Sailing up toward the north, one observes a number of closely spaced motus on the outer reef …
We believe many motus here are privately owned and whilst Tahaa is pretty, we found certain landowners to be the unfriendliest of all the places visited in French Polynesia when landing on a beach they consider to be private. We thought this to be sad since the French have been incredibly friendly, generous and welcoming to us and embrace the spirit of being free in nature and especially in keeping the spirit in sailing free ...
Moving around the north side one finds the capital of Tahaa … PATIO
Our destination for the night is Motu TEHOTU on the NW side of Tahaa and is the largest motu on the north side of Tahaa … Motu TEHOTU
Seen in the photo below … it appears on the horizon and has the island of Bora Bora serving as a magnificent backdrop to this otherwise flat looking motu …
Here we found anchor off a sandy shelf with beautiful views over the reef and sea of Bora Bora. The anchor held fast in fairly strong winds where we felt safe enough, although with the easterly winds we felt the swells which had gained in momentum over the large expanse of water by the time they reached us.
In the photo below one sees the view from the patio toward the little motu hotel complex of the well known coral gardens
The setting sun over Bora Bora from this vantage point is incredible … one will know from my earlier letters that I like to observe each and every sunset ... for me it is a signature across the sky ... a signature that ends each day and seals it into the history book of time forever ... a time to reflect ... to take stock of ones life and all we have done, are doing and will be looking forward to in days to come. The sun setting over Bora Bora is a magnificent signature of such moments …
In the morning, we of course woke up to a backdrop of a different kind ... one that offers opportunity in new discoveries and adventures ...
Walking about these shores, we were constantly reminded of Bora Bora lurking in the background ... displayed in such grandeur that it beckoned for us to leave earlier to explore her shores instead ...
This morning offered us the opportunity to explore the motu known as TEHOTU.
It really is wild and walking around the northern shore one sees some interesting rock pools and bays …
Of course Ana delighted in searching out many shells that had found settlement here …
hmmm ... time for a swim ...
Further along the shoreline is a lovely beach set in a very private setting which makes for a lovely place to spend some time lying about and to enjoy some snorkelling between the beach and the reef.
Here Ana gathered amazing huge ‘conch shells’ which are obviously a favourite food source of the locals.
On the eastern shore of the motu we discovered a number of vehicles that had been scrapped and abandoned here …
In the photo below one sees Tahaa in the background …
Walking around the island and along its southern shore saw us struggling a bit as we found we had to wade in the water for most of the way. Ana seemed to cope well with this ... I felt a bit bewildered at how much effort it took and this brought me to a humble position spiritually when I considered how well I had coped with similar conditions in my youth, when being trained during the years of military conscription back in South Africa. The mind is so young, commanding and active but the body is is rebelling ...
The area on land and along the shoreline is either covered in scrub and brush or with large slippery mud like salt pans …
I ventured onto one of these pans and felt my feet sinking in … down to my knees it became a struggle to pull my leg out again … decided this was not a good idea …
There are a few structures on the island and clearly people live here although guide books claim the island is uninhabited.
Signs are posted everywhere … we don’t understand the writing, although Ana, who has taken to learning some of the local language says she could identify that ‘picking of coconuts’ is forbidden.
Could anyone interpret this for us please …
Down along the western side we cruised in very beautiful waters … I mean, here the water is pristine … one meanders along a sandy ledge for miles …
It is necessary to keep as close to this ledge as possible as the bay is covered with buoys and lines belonging to the pearl farms …
As one cruises along this meandering sandy shelf one feels overwhelmed by the beauty and naturalness of the area … and looking out over the shallows and the reef is the very pretty view of Bora Bora in the distant yonder …
Dropping anchor on the sandy shelf near a pretty row of stilted rooms over the water off Motu TAUTAU belonging to a hotel group finds one in the vicinity of the nearby well known ‘coral gardens’.
Being anchored here for a few days made for a very pleasant and peaceful anchorage … our views from the patio were spectacular …
This is hailed as ‘snorkeling paradise’ and although we enjoyed being here, one cannot help but feel the place is rather ‘over played’.
The area is now cordoned off with a string of mooring balls and tourists wonder about waist deep in the water bent over with goggles and snorkel. You can only imagine my disbelief when I was struggling to swim about with flippers finding most places too shallow for this …
We could hardly believe this was the right spot … I mean … so many make this out to be such a paradise where we feel it is more a ‘toddlers pool’ for beginner snorkelling!
Anyway, we snorkelled the entire area and were pleasantly surprised to find some huge moray eels lurking about. I zoomed about with my camera following the morays and must say I was intrigued to be able to study their movements in the shallows as on previous occasions had only ever come across the bigger ones in deeper water.
To see our underwater video of snorkelling in the coral gardens, go to the link below after reading the comment in red ...
To see our underwater video of snorkelling in the coral gardens, go to the link below after reading the comment in red ...
(you will need to set a higher resolution on the bottom right of the You Tube screen when playing this as we used low resolution due to poor internet connectivity ...)
According to local people who have lived here for the last 15 years there is a deterioration in the state of the coral gardens since it is sometimes overcome with hundreds of cruise ship visitors who walk about and damage the corals with their flippers.
The following day I took the dinghy toward the north to a little rocky outcrop off the reef system and decided to dive there hoping to find more excitement than at the ‘famous Coral Gardens’.
Here too, and sadly so, the corals are in bad shape but swimming about them is lovely. A number of Black Tip and White Tip sharks darted about between the corals and made the swim a bit more interesting.
I came across a number of interesting looking ‘shells’ which I later found out to be ‘caps’ belonging to large shell type molluscs. The locals find these and kill the animal for food and toss the ‘caps’ into the sea. Apparently the animal is attached to this ‘cap’ and when coiled into the shell this acts to ‘seal and protect’ the animal inside … kind of like an armoured door of sorts. We also later discovered these for sale and are quite ‘sought after’ by shell collecting enthusiasts.
Anyway, Ana has given a number of these shells to visitors who have been intrigued by them … some to our kids and the balance we now have displayed in the saloon onboard Impi.
There is much we could write of about Raiatea, Tahaa and the surrounding reef, but we have already written before about our visits around Raiatea, so these areas mentioned in this letter are what we thought would add some other areas of interest.
Cruising around Tahaa is very beautiful … at one point it is possible to cruise right up past a very pretty church built along the waters edge …
It is interesting to watch the local people darting about in these boats which of course are their main form of transportation …
And there is also the regular little ferry boat running between Tahaa and Raiatea … it stops off at the airport several times in the day …
Well known for its vanilla farms, Tahaa is a major attraction for tourists to these farms, however, we have to say that the vanilla is different to that we tasted in Grenada … it seems to be more subtle in taste whereas the flavour of vanilla in Grenada is more potent and definitely much cheaper … shhhh … do not tell anyone in Grenada!!! Locals here are very proud of the vanilla and just yesterday they offered to tourists a variety of local foods incorporating vanilla in their preparation. Here is our own recipe for prawns in vanilla sauce.
http://eat-impi.blogspot.com/2014/07/prawns-in-vanilla-sauce.html
http://eat-impi.blogspot.com/2014/07/prawns-in-vanilla-sauce.html
Tahaa is beautiful … the surrounding cruising area is amazing, however, we found the island lacked in vibe and one could quite easily be looking for some activity to become occupied with if not on a boat. The people are wonderful … the island is green and lush … the waters are magnificent and it is a ‘definite must see by cruising yacht’ … a great place to chill at anchor, to admire the beauty and count ones blessings … Tahaa is good for that!
Ana reminds me though, that we have been rather spoilt with our stay in the Tuamotu Archipelago … it may be difficult now to be easily impressed with other snorkelling and dive experiences … especially after the dive in South Fakarava with sharks … can be seen on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjuRLK9F3iI
Alway nice to read ans see your pictures.
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