Papaetee

While in Papetee prior to coming home we had many meetings to gain consensus on the route the BPO would take for the rest of the round the world trip. We also attempted to accommodate those who wanted to spend longer in certain places. It was determined that we would spend longer in Australia to allow those who wanted to spend more time there the opportunity. The BPO will spend 3 months in & around Thailand out of the cyclone zone. This will allow for longer trips inland to Thailand or China or to New Zealand by air. From there the BPO will travel to Sri Lanka and then past Madagascar to South Africa and around the Cape. Then on to St. Helen and on to Brazil where they may do a trip part way up the Amazon. The BPO will then continue to the Caribbean. 

Along with the meetings we enjoyed being docked right in the centre of Papetee. We enjoyed the new park along the waterfront. We also enjoyed the baguettes & the French cheeses and the food and tourist trap open air markets with all their wares.  

The BPO boats had an official welcoming to Papetee  from the Port Authority. This was following a great talk on the Society Islands and dancing by local native dancers. We had a fabulous party afterwards where we were able to mingle with the local dancers and other cruisers who had joined the festivities. 

We also enjoyed the food trucks that were parked about half a kilometre from the marina. I was fortunate enough to visit with a group of 16 to 21 year olds who were part of a government program to help them identify opportunities for employment or entrepreneurial endeavours. Some of them were looking for material for puppet shows they would do for younger kids during their school break. We explained with Luc as interpreter what it was like to make the passages we had already made, how the BPO was helping to make the world aware of climate change and the activities we had done to help facilitate that. They also wanted to know what it's like to live on a boat. We also showed them the route we had take and the places we had seen. I showed them the rest of the planned route. That night I was on a plane back to Calgary. 

Another Island Paradise

We are now anchored in a cove near another small island Taou. It is a beautiful spot with lots of palm trees and sand. I went snorkelling and saw thousands of colourful tropical fish, coral, moray eels and more nurse sharks.
Before arriving  on  passage from Fakarova we saw 15 dolphins that came and played near our bow.  Six dolphins jumped at the same time- an awesome sight! Sorry I didn't have a camera handy.
There is a 3 knot current in the cove so when swimming you need to be mindful and careful.

Paradise

As you can see this is truly paradise. Beautiful coconut palms with coconuts everywhere, waves lapping on a white sand beach and warm crystal clear aqua coloured water. On Sunday I rented a bicycle and went as far south as the road would take me stopping regularly to soak in the beauty of the reef on one side of the island and the beach on the other side of the island. There were many coconut plantations along the way with coconuts littering the ground everywhere. I especially enjoy the stops looking out over the reef watching the waves crash into the reef and having the cooling breeze flow over me. I then headed north past the airport to the gorgeous beach photographed above where I swam and then husked a coconut, poked 2 holes in it and drank the milk. I then cracked it on a rock and had a delicious snack and then brought the rest of it back to the boat. I then proceeded to the end of the road where the pass into the atoll is and enjoyed the spectacular view. 

Yesterday we had some unsettled weather and our walk to the pearl farm was a wet one. While there 

We saw nurse sharks attempting to eat the bread thrown into the water for the fish in the enclosure. 

A moray eel dart out from under the coral and then back under the coral again as it is doing here. We looked at all the beautiful black pearls and all the different sizes available. We also saw 

many many different sizes and colours of fish in the enclosure. 

Today we had a tour of the pearl farm. The farm starts by purchasing 6 month old black pearl oysters from a neighbouring island as this atoll is too deep and too big for them to find and harvest the 6 month old black pearl oysters. The oysters are male for the 1st 2 years and then turn female. If they are stressed they remain male. Only male oysters produce pearls. So at 6 months they stress the oysters and they clean them every 6 months to continue to stress them. There is a Japanese who comes to implant the perfectly round balls into the shells with a piece of the black lip from one of the oysters. He has open the shell, implant the lip and ball into the sack in under 2 minutes or the oysters dies. They clean the outside of the oyster shells every 6 months and after 2 years they harvest the pearls and implant another ball the same size as the one they removed and let it grow for 2 years. It was fascinating to learn about this process. To swim out and watch them bring in the net with 20 oysters. Watch them being opened and retrieving the pearls 

Fakarava

After 4 days of sailing we arrived in the Tuamotu's. The last night we were trying to slow down and the winds were blowing 20 to 24 knots with squalls up to 30 knots. The sails were well reefed as we wanted to be going 4.5 knots to arrive at the pass into the atoll at the slack tide at 8 AM. We had difficulty going that slow with so much wind. This is a beautiful spot with clear blue waters and sand beaches and lots of coral and fish life. The island is covered in palm trees. It has been very windy here so the palms are swaying in the breeze. We have a great coral reef within swimming distance of the boat. Lots of colourful fish and super coral. Last night we were able to see nurse sharks and black tipped sharks. A memorizing sight. They were in very shallow water and were very easy to see. 

Dolphins

We left Nuka Hiva (lifted anchor) about 11 AM on April 18.  We are headed to the Tuamotu Atoll Islands where we hope to visit Fakarava, Apataki, and Rangiroa. The atoll of Rangiroa is 40 miles long. The atoll consists of sand islands with a barrier reef to the outside of the atoll.  The sand islands are normally covered in coconut palm trees and form a ring around the atoll.  The atolls were once volcanic islands that have sunk below sea level and as they sank the coral reef grew up to almost sea level while the volcanic island submerged.  Check the islands out on a map on on the internet.  It is fascinating.
The inside of the atolls is protected from the swell by the barrier reef and the water is supposed to be a beautiful blue.  The diving and snorkelling is said to be excellent here (I'm not sure - maybe the best anywhere) as the water rushes in and out of the passes into the atolls with a great number of sea life including hammerhead and white or black tipped sharks.  I'm sure there is every kind of fish imaginable and to top it off you have endless coral reefs.
Back to the blog title. I have been remiss to not be telling you about the dolphins that play on our bow or we see jumping in great numbers as they feed in huge numbers.  As we have approached most of our destinations so far we have been welcomed by these mesmerizing creatures as they frolic and play.  Since leaving Nuka Hiva we have seen them twice and they have played on our bow for at least 10 minutes each time.  They are amazing as they swim a metre from the bow, sometimes one on each side. The other amazing thing is how they rise for air at exactly the same time. Yesterday there was a pair that seemed in perfect harmony and rhythm with their swimming and breathing.  It was certainly fascinating to watch.
Future plans include a meeting of the Blue Planet Odyssey in Tahiti on May 4 to discuss the route we will be taking going forward and the timing of the route. The current plan has us departing Bora Bora on May 27.

Nuka Hiva

We left Oa Pau about 9:30 on Monday & arrived in Nuka Hiva around 2:30 in the afternoon. We are at Taiohae Bay in the town of Taiohae. Taiohae is the capital of the Marqueses and the most populated village.  Yesterday we had an official welcome from the town's people 

Complete with lays & ceremonial dancing. 

Later we were allowed to choose between learning how to make a bead necklace or weave with coconut palm branches. 

U can see I was into the weaving in a big way. I was determined to replace the woven hat I was forced to leave behind in St. Lucia oh so many years ago so I convinced Jocelyne our teacher to teach me how to make a hat. I also made a bag & a serving tray. 

After Jocelyne made a hat for me I had to make another 

Later we had a traditional Marquesian dance this time with men and women. 

This was followed by our farewell dinner for those boats that won't be part of the Blue planet odyssey going forward. These were boats that signed up for the Pacific Odyssey only. 

On Tuesday we had a talk on the Tuamotu Islands which we plan on visiting on our way to Tahiti. We have a talk this afternoon about weather in the South Pacific. A good part of today was spent cleaning the hull of the boat. 

Hakahetau Bay (Welcome in Marquesian)

We were to start the drive from Hakahua to Hakahetua at 9 AM. Upon arriving on shore it was determined that S/V OM was drifting. The crew headed out to resecure their stern anchor & it was decided we would all wait for them. At 10 OM came back to report they had reset both anchors & were unhappy with the result so they were going to sail the 4 miles to Hakahetua.  During this time Chapter 2 was observed to be drifting as well & it was determined upon investigation that the strap used for the stern anchor had chaffed through & Chapter 2 was swinging. 

We then started the 45 minute ride over the mountain, past the airport & the white sand beach.

  On route we were told that during the drought a few years back all the donkeys & horses that grazed on the high plateau we were traveling over died due to lack of food & water. Upon arrival we were welcomed by young ladies of about 12 who put a woven necklace around our necks that had flowers attached. We walked through an isle made by drummers & warrior dancers. We were then treated to a Marquesian dance after which the men were taught to do the courting dance of the island. 

Some of the guys really got into the guteral grunts & the hip movements. It was now 11:15 and we were served the welcoming meal of fruit, salted octopus with cookies, and a type of bread or pancake with a fruit sauce or syrup. We had barely finished & the lunch was served which again included octopus, goat, breadfruit, and rice. The joke was they were attempting to fatten us up prior to eating us as their ancestors had done. They were doing a good job. The 2 meals were so close together because we arrived so late. 

Later we were driven to a self contained farm where this German fellow has been making chocolate for 40 years. On the return trip we visited a waterfall which was enjoyed by all 

And learned which plant could be used as a natural bug repellent. Some of us then went snorkelling to an area the children of the community are trying to get reserved as a marine sanctuary. We saw a great number of fish & some coral. Our guide was spear fishing & got an octopus. When we returned we played the local version of Boccie ball with metal balls that are smaller than the ones we use at home. We then watched the warriors perform the fire dance & a dance to the white man. 

The warriors then unburied the pig and other things cooking in the ground since 4 AM. We had a great feast followed by another dance lesson to learn the pig dance.