From Society islands

Well the pressure to tour is off now that we returned the car- we can actually get some sleep! It's so great to have it and there's been so much to do that you try to cram it all in at once. We have a few boat projects to do over the next couple of days so will make that the priority but still slip in some fun. We still want to hang out in Papeete a little more- headed there to a brewery tonight with some friends who say the beer is really good, & especially so during happy hour! There's another hike we want to do also.

I've loved Tahiti so far. At times I feel like I need to pinch myself to make sure I'm really here & that this is real. We're on a mooring in the area of Marina Taina on the western side of Tahiti. We left the Tuamotu a few days earlier than planned because of predicted high winds that we didn't want to get caught or delayed in, so that meant we had no wind and motored the whole way- about 215 miles. It was an easy trip and we were well rested when we got here. Trade wind sailing feels different here than in the Caribbean! The Society islands are newer than the Tuamotu so each high volcanic island has its own motu- the surrounding ring of barrier reef and islets. In a way this makes this the best of both worlds with both land & water based things to do. They also make for a lot of visual beauty. Once we got into Papeete harbor, we took the inside reef channel down to this anchorage where there's a huge bunch of cruising boats. Last night, we met up with Beau Soleil who are a couple we know from cruising in Honduras. It's fun to run into people years later like this.

Being on the western side of the island, we've missed all the wind. It is flat calm here and the water is surprisingly, incredibly clear. The marina is a great base to tour from and there's a huge grocery store right nearby. On the day we arrived, we took the bus into downtown Papeete to walk around. They've made a beautiful waterfront park that is just like the ones we have back home. I love the foliage here, everything is so big. We visited the historic marche' (produce & handicraft market) and wandered around, got checked in. We still have to leave French Poly by August 15th. The following day we went to the the Museum of Tahiti & Her Islands which was really nicely done and they had a special exhibit on the Heiva dancing costumes from years past. The costumes are a huge part of their culture, made from natural materials like colorful plants & flowers, shells, nuts, seeds, etc. They are elaborate, detailed and beautiful.

We rented a car from the airport nearby and spent the first day circling the island. There is Tahiti Nui (the bigger island) which is connected to Tahiti Iti which is a smaller quieter island. There were lovely gardens, fern covered grottos, a waterfall, a great hike up into a canyon that had pine trees on the higher part of the trail & jungle on the lower parts. We bought some produce from roadside stands in the agricultural part of the island and visited a restored religious site set among old trees. We tried to do a beachside hike to a cave but the trail sort of stunk so we turned around. People are extremely friendly here. Tahiti isn't as affluent as we expected it would be- most of the houses aren't as expensive or finished as they were in the Marquesas. There is more graffiti than I'd like to see, but it's still really nice, lush & beautiful. Looking inland, the mountains are lovely and undeveloped.

The following day we got a very early start to climb Mt Aora'i which is Tahiti's 2nd highest peak at 6,778ft. We went with friends off two other boats- people who love to hike like us. You first drive up to the Belvedere (viewpoint) which is already out in beautiful green territory. There's a little restaurant way up there set on the cliffside. The trail starts there. It was an incredible trail that follows the spine of the mountains upward- many times it was only a couple of feet wide with sheer drops on either side. When we got a gust of wind, we had to be careful not to lose our balance and be blown off! The weather was perfect, no rain, good visibility, and alternating cool & warm winds. We only saw 8 or so other people the whole day and we started around 7a and reached the Belvedere once again around 6p where we sat down with a beer to finish out what was a perfect day. I heard the hiking was good here but had never dreamed it could be THIS GOOD!
From Society islands

July is the month of the annual Heiva in French Polynesia which is a celebration of it's history and tradition. There are many festivities and it works out perfectly for sailors since this is the time of year that we can be here. We'd had a frustrating day on Saturday since 4 of us piled into our car ready to do a waterfall hike, but once we got to the trailhead, we found you need a permit from the Town Hall beforehand, not possible to get on a weekend. We ended up filling the day with other stuff but it wasn't what we wanted to do. But Saturday night we all had tickets for the traditional Polynesian dance competition in that lovely park downtown. We had dinner beforehand on the waterfront at a popular area adjacent to the park where mobile diners called Roulottes set up each evening. We liked the idea of them but the service was slow and so our meal was rushed once we finally got the food.

The show was great. Unfortunately there was no photography allowed. The costumes and sheer mass of performers on stage- over 100 per group was fantastic. There were 3 dance groups performing that night, all competing and each group had about an hour or so of dancing. In between them were traditional choral groups that were interesting but not enough to keep the stands full- many of the locals would leave the stands for a break during this time and come back for the next dance segment! I don't know how the women get their hips shaking so fast but I hear they start learning from childhood. It was incredible to see. It's amazing to look at all the detail of the costumes all set to the beat of drums and other natural instruments. It was a late but very memorable night.

Then yesterday, a bunch of us hitchhiked to the museum for a day of festivities- traditional sports competitions. It is a perfectly accepted way to get around here since the buses are infrequent or as was the case on Sunday, they don't even run. But stick out your thumb and 5 minutes or less later, you're in a car having a conversation with a Tahitian.

We saw javelin throwing, coconut tree climbing races, a coprah harvesting race & stone lifting competitions and had a traditional lunch as well. People come from all over French Polynesia to compete in the events of the Heiva & there is such a festive atmosphere. There was a small scale dance presentation also which we could take pictures of so we'll put up some pictures and amateur videos to try and show you what we saw. It was a perfect day, a beautiful setting along the water with Moorea in the distance awaiting us in a few days when we're ready to tear ourselves away from here. One thing I noticed was every part of the Heiva celebration events are done without shoes. From the dancing competition to the javelin, coprah, etc, no one has any shoes on. And also, people seem so happy and laid back.

So that's what's been going on here. We're learning a lot and having fun too.