Leaving the buzz of Tahiti was a huge
relief for us. Since the owners of our boat, KoKo had decided to
return to Norway we made arrangements for the rest of our trip across
the Pacific. We were able to hop aboard a 62 foot Fontaine Pajot
catamaran, Vivo to Bora Bora before joining another 60 foot
catamaran, Nexus in Bora Bora. Both boats are American owners
traveling with the ARC
We had a warm welcome aboard Vivo and
really appreciated returning to a more “American lifestlye,”
complete with taco dinners, hot sauce, and good music. We sailed the
few short hours back to Moorea, where we had spent the prior week
with the French family. The anchorage in Moorea was really unique, as
there was an underwater tiki garden right under our boat. We only
spent a day and a night in the anchorage, but it was nice to return
to Moorea.
The seas were quite rough during our 1
night passage to Riatea. In the Society Islands, Riatea is known for
being the most sacred place in French Polyneisa. We visited Marae
Taputapuatea, one of the largest and best preserved temples in
Polynesia. Evidence of native rituals are scattered about the
archaeological site.
Upon arriving in Tahaa, we had a
difficult time finding a place to anchor. Scattered in 100+ foot
depths were coral heads 2 feet from the surface. We finally decided
to abandon the idea of anchoring at Tahaa and try a sandy motu, Motu
Tauta, just off the island. Motu Tauta is a private island home to
Le Taha'a Private Island and Spa, French Polynesia's most luxurious
hotel. Guests reach the hotel by helicopter and stay an secluded
bungalows with views of Bora Bora on the horizon. One night at this
hotel starts at CFP 150,000, plus 11% tax, not including meals. We
anchored the boat along the line of bungalows and enjoyed several
nights of pink and orange sunsets. Days of crystal clear water were
filled with diving for French Polynesian coins that we threw in the
water and raced to collect. A Ironically, at the end of the day we
brought up more money than we started with, 25% return rate.
In Bora Bora, we were able to get
aboard Nexus, the boat on which we will be sailing the remainder of
the way to Australia. The owners, Laurie and Russ, are an American
couple circumnavigating with the ARC. Back home, Russ is an aerospace
engineer for CSC and Laurie is a speech pathologist. The fleet was
moored off of the Mai Kai Yacht Club, who's owners were very
accommodating to the boats. The club's infinity pool was a nice place
to relax with a few beers during happy hour. A 40 minute car ride
around Bora Bora was enough to get a grasp of our surroundings on
this small island. We snorkeled several times, and while exploring a
new reef was fun and interesting, it didn't compare to Rangirora.
Most of the resorts on the main island had been abandoned, as they
relocated to the outer motus. If you are staying at a fancy resort,
you are sure to see a romantic show, but the tourist and resort scene
has really ruined and otherwise beautiful area. The manta ray
population and the health of the reef has deteriorated as a direct
result. The ARC held a dingy race prior to our departure. Team Nexus
was victorious, of course. After a week in Bora Bora, it was time for
us to move on to the next leg of sailing.
We had a really nice sail to our next
destination was Suwarrow, located in the Cook Islands. Suwarrow is
part of the Cook Islands National Park and is uninhabited with the
exception of a caretaker who resides at the island for several
months. Suwarrow was home to the famous New Zealand hermit, Tom
Neale, who wrote about his life on the island in the book, “An
Island to Oneself.” We wish we had a copy of his book to ready
during our stay. Since the island is only accessible to cruisers, it
has an isolated survivor like charm, untouched by tourism and hotels.
Cruisers have left their touch by constructing hammocks, swings and
small wooden shade structures on the beach. Scattered along the beach
are yacht club flags of decades of cruisers.
Our current location is Niue, is one of
the world's smallest self-governing states. The island itself only
has 1,300 people. New Zealand entred a free association with Niue and
there was a huge drop in population, as Niuians could easily obtain
New Zealand citizenship. Many villages are ghost towns, but still
have an erie charm. The area is full of rocky limestone shores and
sea caves. The inhabitants of Niue are some of the friendliest we
have come across in the Pacific. Upon arriving at the Niue Yacht
Club, we were pleasantly surprised to see Blackbeard Sailing Club's
(our sailing club in New Bern) flag being flown front and center. We
spent our brief stay in Niue snorkeling, cave exploring, and
attending ARC events.
From Niue, we travel to the Vavau
Islands in the Kingdom of Tonga.
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