Photo shows 2000m Mount Aorai from Pape'ete's eastern suburbs

We have paid several visits to the city of Papeete, just a few miles along the coast from where we have been moored just off marina Taina. We have trekked high into the island's rugged interior, chatted with the locals in a mangled mix of English, French and our few words of Tahitian and circumnavigated the island by bus. We visited one of the most awesome surf breaks in the world, Teahupo'o, when the surf was at its highest at 4.5 m and swum and have snorkelled in the crystal clear lagoon and we have only been here less than 2 weeks!

After the initial shock of the high prices we have discovered they are not a lot more than western prices in a western style country. There are a few bargains. We managed to circumnavigate Tahiti Nui, the larger of the two connected humps of Tahiti by bus for only $8. Baguettes, best of of course when fresh out of the oven, are subsidised and less than 60 cents each. Transient yachties get duty free diesel at prices lower than the U.S.

Life seems to be pretty good on the economic front here in Tahiti as it does elsewhere but we are still somewhat mystified as to what shores up the economy. Tourism and black pearls are supposed to be the number one and two money spinners, but we have hardly seen any tourists anywhere and only a single viable pearl farm (in Fakarava)

Billions of dollars are injected into this small island colony along with its neighbours Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora and some smaller islands in the Society Islands which keep roads, schools, hospitals and other services just about matching western standards. There is little in the way of export dollars except tourism and that is very low key with yachting being the most noticeable. There is a small amount of cash cropping of tropical fruit and vegetables but most consumable products are imported. There doesn't seem to be much sign of an independence movement as has always been the case in New Caledonia further to the west and there doesn't seem to be any obvious South American style poverty.

Most people on this island live around the narrow flat coastal strip that skirts the twin masses of Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Iti, leaving the interior almost untouched, except for a small number of river valleys that penetrate inland. The centre of Tahiti Nui is an eroded crater, circled by 2000 metre jagged peaks. Steep knife ridges lead down to the coastal flat separated by ravines and river valleys covered in an amazing mixture of mostly introduced trees and shrubs. Australian gums compete for space with Asian tulip trees and there are even South American cercropias - sloth trees without sloths!



Teahupo'o is actually a small village at the end of the sealed road at the East end of Tahiti Iti (small Tahiti) but it has also given its name to the readily available, famous surf break at nearby Hava'e Pass. A day after the largest swells to hit the island group in 15 years, caused by a deep stationary low half way between NZ and the Societies, the wave was in top form and there were plenty of people, locals and itinerant surfers out on the water. We stayed safe by keeping well away!



Photogenic Moorea looms across the channel from Tahiti's lagoon near Marina Taina. Saraoni moored in near foreground on the left.