Tahiti
30 September 2019 | Papeete Marina
Susan
Tahiti
After being off the grid for three months, we are back in Papeete marina docked in a slip with shore power and potable water. Every device on the boat has been charged, even the toothbrushes. The boat
batteries are gratefully drinking their fill. Our main water tank has been filled to the brim with clean, tasty Tahitian water. The smaller tank we fill only with reverse osmosis water from the water maker so the
mineral/chlorine free water can be used to flush the water maker membrane.
The Papeete waterfront, including the marina, is in the process of major renovation. The marina renovation will be complete in January looking very spiffy with a new customs dock for arriving foreign vessels
and beautiful coral facade buildings abutting a shoreline park . The marina office has been moved to the ferry building some distance from the marina. There are no longer any ablution facilities or laundry
room. So we are showering aboard hence the excitement over shore power and a brimming full water tank. We can enjoy long, hot showers in the privacy of our own boat unlike our neighbor who has to
shower on the dock under a hose. One gets to appreciate the little 'luxuries' on an adventure like this. Unsurprisingly, there are many empty slips. The high season weekly rate has not been reduced. Instead,
we were offered one day extra, free that we eagerly accepted since we have a comfortable boat.
It is the end of high season, but except when the cruise ship arrives, Papeete is not particularly crowded. There is an Island Time atmosphere. It takes a while to get service and there's always time for a smile
and exchange of pleasantries. Tourists are significantly in the minority. The cruise ship comes once or twice a week and stays for 24 hours. As many as two thousand people hit the streets, fill the restaurants
and pack the bars. Yet, the locals are still friendly, putting out woven coconut leaf Bienvenue signs and performing impromptu music and dance shows on the sidewalks. Only the waitresses look stressed,
losing their laid back attitude in the face of multiple orders and confused customers.
We've been here a week now. Papeete is starting to feel familiar. We recognize and exchange greetings with waiters at our favorite restaurant and I've gotten to know the Chinese lady who sells the freshest
greens and vegetables at the market. She shared with me a recipe for spicy Polynesian chicken. "Spicy Polynesian" is an oxymoron here where the food is either deep fried and heavily sauced or raw fish and
salads (poisson cru, tuna Carpaccio, tuna tartare). It is difficult to find fresh chilies but she had a bag of bright, red habenero chilies that I snatched up, much to her surprise. She then pushed a bunch of large,
fuzzy leafed spinach into my hands and told me to go to the coconut stand for fresh coconut milk. The chicken is marinated in lime juice, soy and fish sauce before being sautéed. Scallions, chilies and the
spinach are added to the chicken before being finished with fresh coconut milk and cornstarch. It was delicious and very spicy.
Of course, we've been hiking. One day we went up to the Fautuau Valley just outside Papeete. We had to get an access permit from the Town Hall first ($12), then we took a taxi to the trail head ($25) and
back ($30). We had hiked up to the top of the waterfall last time we were in Papeete. This time we hiked to the base of the waterfall. It was quite challenging, clambering over great volcanic boulders and
fording the river several times. The trail was not well marked and there were few helpful fixed ropes along the precipitous canyon walls. Perhaps that's why you need a permit, so they know where to go
looking when someone reports you missing. They aren't spending the money on trail maintenance. It's a good thing we're paying almost nothing for housing because Polynesia is very expensive. It sure is
fun, though.