I’ve been putting off doing a blog fromTahiti because I’m not sure what to say. Maybe if I had arrived here without first being in the Marquesas and Tuamotu I would find this place exotic and colourful. It is a very lusciously green island. Lots of tall volcanic peaks with palm trees, breadfruit, passion fruit, hibiscus etc – just like Marquesas. It also has a coral reef down the west side of the island and therefore has great diving and snorkelling – just like the Tuamotus. However, the capital –Papeete– is a very unappealing town and feels unsafe after dark. There is a lot of traffic, cruise ships, retired and newly married couples on tour. Not enough bars, restaurants, or shops to make it interesting. By contrast, the Marquesas and Tuamotus have all been peaceful and unspoiled. Overall I found it disappointing. It didn’t help that it was either overcast or raining for 10 of the 12 days we spent here.
Despite all this, I had a great time here mainly because this was a big stopover for all the Arc boats. The fleet had not been together in one place since the Galapagos, 2 months ago. By now everyone was keen to talk to anyone who was not on their boat and this meant lots of eating out and drinks on boats (mainly on Sapphire, mind you).
I discovered, just before arriving here, that my nephew Neil has a friend called Dan living here. It turned out that Dan works on a boat in the marina we were staying in and that his girlfriend,Perrine, works as a diver out of the same marina. It was great to have someone around with local knowledge. They brought us to a couple of really good restaurants. And Perrine took Gavin and Patricia diving. The restaurants were part of 2 hotels and Dan explained that the best bars and restaurants are in hotels and not downtown.
Dan and Perrine with crew of Sapphire
Boat Dan is working on
Sapphire on a Med mooring at Taina Marina
We had a few chores that had to be done while we were here. So we decided to get all these out of the way before exploring the island . By the time we got toTahiti we had cleared out the fridge, freezer, drinks locker and a lot of the goodies on board. So this meant provisioning again on a similar scale to that done in Panama City. Our target when stocking up in Panama was to have enough provisions to do us to Tahiti – so that worked well. Now we are provisioned again all the way to New Zealand. There are a couple of really good French supermarkets in Tahiti and that made the job easy.
Tahitii s almost the only place in the South Pacific where major repairs can be carried out. (Mr.Assam’s son on Apatiki has a small boatyard and can haul out boats under 15 tons). There is a good shipyard here and several of the boats have arranged for lift-outs. There is only one sail-maker and he is under pressure to get all the repairs done for various Arc boats in time for the next leg to Bora Bora. We needed to have a rip in our mainsail repaired. We only got it back in time because Scott went to the sail loft and helped with the sewing.
Another thing we wanted to do here was find out if Beatoo had arrived safely. They were the boat that ran up on the reef in Takaroa and had to sail here using a makeshift rudder. They arrived safely but are now waiting for a new rudder to be sent from France. The stress of the situation has taken its toll on the crew. My favourite Beatoo crew member, Carlos, has decided to pack it in and is heading home to Spain.
At least 5 other boats have also had crew problems. The Yorkshire couple I mentioned in a previous blog have also left the Arc and have flown to Australia. I’ll miss them. Some people have left one boat and joined another. I suppose it is to be expected. A yacht, no matter how big, is still a small space to spend long days and nights on. There is a knack to surviving and to not driving those around you crazy either. I think we’ve cracked it on Sapphire.
Last thing we had to do was pick up Jerry (from Cork) who is joining the boat, having left us in San Blas. Originally, I was to leave fromTahiti, but since I am now staying on until Bora Bora we will have an extra pair of hands.
With all chores done, rain stopped and Jerry on board, it was time to explore the island. We rented a car and using Dan’s list of the hot-spots, we spent 2 days touring the island.
Tahiti is made up of 2 islands, joined by a causeway. The main island, Tahiti Nui, is where most people live. The smaller island is Tahiti Iti. There is just one road that runs around the shore of Tahiti Nui. It takes about 2 hours to drive around the whole island. On our way around we visited Les Trois Cascade – 3 magnificent waterfalls. Because of the amount of rain over the previous days they were flowing quite fiercely. I could only take pictures from a distance as the spray was too much for the camera. We passed a couple of impressive surfing beaches too. There is a headland called Point Venus where Cook was stationed for 2 years. His job was to measure the transit of Venus across the sun. The reason for this was something to do with celestial navigation. Anyway, whatever it was intended for – the project failed!! I’m sure Cook had a wonderful time here though. He seems to have been very well received by the natives and how bad can it be to be surrounded by beautiful women with flowers in their hair. Most women still wear flowers today. A flower behind the left ear means you are married or not available and the opposite for the right ear.
Point Venus - with Jerry
Passion fruit - the juiciest I've ever tasted - plentiful in Tahiti
As with all the other islands we visited in French Polynesia, the local people are getting a great deal from France. The old-age pension can be drawn once you reach 55. You don’t have to have worked and is equivalent to 600 US$ a month. Free education and health care. The government also provide a type of social housing whereby a 3 bedroom house is given for a cost of 1,000 US$ with the proviso that it cannot be sub-let. You own the house after ten years. I wonder if the French public are aware of the amount of money being pumped into French Polynesia.
Before the arrival of the religious missionaries, the Polynesians engaged in providing human sacrifices to the gods. Apparently, this was done on a voluntary basis. Only young men could volunteer. A number of tribal elders would get together and make the selection. The man would have to be fit and good looking in order to please the gods. He would then be given a drink to numb him and his throat slit. As a reward his family would be given a prime piece of land. A clever way to ensure a steady stream of “volunteers”. However, I bet the selected man pissed off someone on the tribal council!
Sacrificial alter
A few other places of note are the Paul Gauguin museum, which has no original paintings or sculptures(!), the Botanical Gardens which has 2 giant tortoises from Galapagos, a fabulous fish restaurant in Tahiti Iti and my favourite place of all, the indoor market in Papeete.
Amazing fish restaurant in Tahiti Iti
Band playing in the Papeete market
Next stop is the island of Moorea which is only 10 miles away. There is a regular ferry across but we will sail over and anchor there for a couple of days. Dan has told us it’s not to be missed.
I’m gone to say to my little brother, that he should also go to see this blog on regular basis to get updated from newest information.
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will come back once again since I book-marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
Spot on with this write-up, I honestly think this website needs far more attention. I’ll probably be back again to read through more, thanks for the info!
Хотите заказать стяжку пола в Москве, но не знаете, где искать надежного подрядчика? Обратитесь к нам на сайт styazhka-pola24.ru! Мы предоставляем услуги по устройству стяжки пола м2 по доступной стоимости, а также устройству стяжки пола под ключ.
поставки строительных материалов компания
Dear immortals, I need some wow gold inspiration to create.
I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own blog now 😉
This is very interesting, You are an excessively professional blogger. I have joined your feed and look ahead to seeking more of your wonderful post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks
The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
Does your site have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.
Hello there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one? Thanks a lot!
Сайт mehanizirovannaya-shtukaturka-moscow.ru является надежным партнером для тех, кто ищет качественную машинную штукатурку. Доверьтесь профессиональному мастерству.
Sweet blog! I found it while surfing around on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it
Good day! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!
Your style is really unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this web site.
Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while people consider worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
What’s up to all, how is everything, I think every one is getting more from this site, and your views are good designed for new people.
Hi there, I enjoy reading all of your post. I like to write a little comment to support you.
We stumbled over here different page and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to checking out your web page for a second time.
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.
Great beat ! I wish to apprentice at the same time as you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a applicable deal. I have been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast provided brilliant transparent concept
Howdy! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Thanks for your time!
What’s up, after reading this remarkable article i am too cheerful to share my experience here with friends.
I really like it when folks come together and share thoughts. Great website, keep it up!
Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all folks you really recognize what you are talking approximately! Bookmarked. Please also seek advice from my web site =). We will have a link change contract among us
I do believe all the ideas you have introduced for your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are too quick for beginners. May just you please prolong them a bit from next time? Thank you for the post.
Thank you for another great article. Where else may just anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect means of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am at the look for such information.
I constantly spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s articles or reviews every day along with a cup of coffee.
Прояви смекалку и стратегию в игре Лаки Джет – и ничто не помешает тебе выиграть! Наслаждайся яркими визуальными эффектами и уникальной геймплейной механикой с игрой Лаки Джет.
Игра на деньги в Лаки Джет вдохновит тебя на достижение новых высот и позволит ощутить вкус победы.Показывай свое счастливое лицо с Lucky Jet – самым крутым развлечением на 1win.
Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, wonderful blog!
Sweet blog! I found it while surfing around on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Cheers
If you desire to take a great deal from this article then you have to apply such strategies to your won blog.
Hi there, always i used to check webpage posts here early in the morning, as i like to gain knowledge of more and more.
Tremendous things here. I’m very glad to peer your article. Thank you so much and I’m looking forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?
Hello, I log on to your blogs daily. Your story-telling style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing!
Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article! It is the little changes that produce the biggest changes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was a leisure account it. Glance complicated to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we keep up a correspondence?
Hey, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, awesome blog!
First off I want to say great blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing. I have had a difficult time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or tips? Kudos!
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done an impressive job and our whole community will be grateful to you.
Hi, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam feedback? If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can suggest? I get so much lately it’s driving me insane so any assistance is very much appreciated.
I wanted to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I’ve got you book-marked to check out new stuff you post
Your means of describing all in this post is truly nice, all can easily understand it, Thanks a lot.
Why people still use to read news papers when in this technological world everything is accessible on net?
Hey there! I realize this is kind of off-topic but I had to ask. Does running a well-established blog like yours take a lot of work? I’m completely new to operating a blog but I do write in my diary on a daily basis. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!
Very rapidly this website will be famous among all blogging viewers, due to it’s nice articles
Wow, this article is nice, my sister is analyzing such things, so I am going to inform her.
Excellent post. I’m dealing with some of these issues as well..
Does your site have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for %keyword%
Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how can i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
Hi everyone, it’s my first visit at this website, and article is really fruitful for me, keep up posting these articles.
Undeniably consider that that you stated. Your favourite justification appeared to be at the net the simplest thing to understand of. I say to you, I definitely get irked whilst folks consider concerns that they plainly do not recognise about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top as smartly as defined out the whole thing with no need side effect , folks can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thank you
I have read so many articles or reviews regarding the blogger lovers except this post is in fact a pleasant post, keep it up.
I pay a visit each day some websites and websites to read articles or reviews, but this website offers quality based articles.
What’s up, after reading this remarkable piece of writing i am also happy to share my familiarity here with friends.
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days.
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this brilliant blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will talk about this blog with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
Hi there, I found your blog via Google even as searching for a comparable topic, your web site got here up, it looks good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your web site in internet explorer, might check this? IE still is the marketplace leader and a large component to folks will omit your magnificent writing due to this problem.
Pretty great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing for your feed and I am hoping you write again soon!
It’s nearly impossible to find educated people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
hey there and thank you for your information I’ve definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise some technical issues using this site, since I experienced to reload the site a lot of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and can damage your quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again soon.
Great goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too great. I really like what you’ve acquired here, really like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great site.
pornhub bahis siteleri tthighereduhryyy.Lzcj1JkNgdw
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to come back once again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
Great info. Lucky me I came across your website by accident (stumbleupon). I have saved it for later!
I simply could not leave your web site prior to suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person supply in your visitors? Is going to be back frequently in order to check out new posts
This post gives clear idea designed for the new users of blogging, that actually how to do blogging.
Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I am going to forward this information to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thanks!
Saved as a favorite, I like your web site!
Very rapidly this web site will be famous among all blogging users, due to it’s nice articles
I always spent my half an hour to read this website’s articles everyday along with a cup of coffee.
We stumbled over here from a different website and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to looking over your web page for a second time.
I get pleasure from, lead to I found exactly what I used to be taking a look for. You have ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my agreement. Do you know any solutions to help stop content from being ripped off? I’d truly appreciate it.
I will right away seize your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please permit me understand so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
It’s remarkable to visit this web site and reading the views of all friends regarding this post, while I am also eager of getting experience.
Hi there all, here every one is sharing these knowledge, thus it’s good to read this blog, and I used to go to see this webpage daily.
Fantastic blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused .. Any recommendations? Kudos!
Terrific article! This is the type of information that are supposed to be shared around the internet. Disgrace on the seek engines for now not positioning this submit upper! Come on over and discuss with my site . Thank you =)
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
Hi friends, its enormous article regarding teachingand completely explained, keep it up all the time.
Hi there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
Hello there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I am going to forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
My family members all the time say that I am wasting my time here at net, but I know I am getting experience daily by reading such good articles or reviews.
Quality articles is the secret to invite the users to go to see the website, that’s what this web site is providing.
e5a7a9
Informative article, exactly what I wanted to find.
klpjaq