|33| More Missives to Mumfy

French Polynesia: Marquesas, Tuamotus & Societies

May 2023 – August 2024
Written by Alene (mostly) & Bruce in French Polynesia, Niue & Tonga — Aug/Sept 2024

Foreign boats can stay in French Polynesia for two years before they must leave the country (or pay import tax). Now, at the beginning of our second year in French Polynesia, we couldn’t fathom how time had passed so quickly; there was still so much we wanted to do!

Our plans continually changed as many friends decided this was their last chance to visit us here, and Bruce had to make several unexpected (and sad) trips to the USA.

Alene’s missives to her mother will continue to tell the story.

How is Hao Now?

25 June 2023

Kura Ora,

We had a beautiful 18-mile spinnaker run from Amanu to Hao (pronounced how) & we’ve been busy since our arrival. We are in a little harbor about one kilometer from the village, tied up against a concrete wall for a change. There are 4 other boats here so we’ve been socializing as well as seeking out our old island friends & making new ones.

The evening we arrived, a local man came to welcome us, then ran home & came back with a fresh baguette. That’s a nice welcome!

Early the next morning, we awoke to voices on the quay next to the boat. Two little girls were sitting talking quietly, waiting for signs of life aboard the new arrival. The older girl, Mihi (10) asked if they could come aboard, so we invited them below to see the boat. Mihi’s older brother Alec arrived, & the 3 of them latched onto our 3 ukeleles. 

Things haven’t changed much in Hao. We put our bikes together & rode off to find the people we met when we were here in 2008. We easily found two of our adult friends — they were living in the same house as 15 years ago. However, it was more difficult to find the children who were now grown. There was a little girl named Amalon who we’d spent a lot of time with. When we found her, unbelievably, she remembered my name after all these years. She has 3 small children now. And we connected with Angelique. She & her best friend Terava were my shadow when we were in Amanu in 2008. Angelique has 2 boys: a 2-year old & a baby. She & her husband grow & sell dragon fruit. 

It was really neat sharing our photos with everyone, since no one had phones then & there were few cameras.

Manuia,
says ADR

Sally! – Makemo, Tahanea, Fakarava…

15 June 2023

Kura Ora,

We had not seen our friend Sally from New Zealand for a decade. She was surprised when I asked her to help celebrate my 60th birthday in French Polynesia, but it didn’t take her long to book a flight to meet us in the Tuamotus. It was good fun spending time together diving, exploring, & showing Sally some of the places we’ve come to know fairly well.

Sally arrived at the atoll of Makemo with lots of goodies for us. Together we sailed to Tahanea, then Fakarava.

One of the advantages of having guests is that we tend to defer boat projects during the time they are aboard; fortunately, Migration has been doing great; needing only routine maintenance & leaving us plenty of time to enjoy this beautiful place & have fun with Sally.

Manuia,
says ADR

There were several reasons we spent so much of our time in Fakarava this second year: with multiple flights a day from Tahiti, it’s one of the easier atolls to get to which was important as BB needed to fly to the US twice. The diving is some of the best in the world and we wanted to be in Fakarava during the time when the groupers spawn which happens only once a year.

Fakarava: Grouper Groupies…

5 July 2023

Kura Ora,

Third time’s a charm, cuz we finally got to see the groupers today!

After the first try when we nearly swamped the drop-off dinghy (due to too many people & too much dive gear in 6’ waves), then swam the wrong way & didn’t find the groupers at all … And after the second try, when the waves were too big to even try to go outside the pass safely, finally, we revised our dive plan to have fewer people in the dinghy & with the waves a bit smaller, success!

And it was incredible. Better than all the photos & videos we’ve seen. It’s just indescribable seeing thousands of groupers who have amassed for spawning, all in one place. Most of the spawning activity happens on the full moon at this time each year, but there is often spawning throughout the days & nights before & after the full moon also.

Once we finally located the groupers at the outside edge of the pass, we dedicated ourselves to spending time with them before they dispersed back into the lagoon after the spawning.

Quite something to experience…

Manuia,
says ADR

Fourth in Fakarava…

8 July 2023

Kura Ora,

Because there were so many boats in Fakarava for the grouper spawning, we decided to have a party on the beach for Independence Day. Despite the overcast weather, it was good fun. We organized a tug-of-war, a 3-legged race, an egg-in-a-spoon relay, kite flying, trivia… Lots of people came! Friends from Spirit of Argo, Aldabra, Infinite Grace, Sea Bella, Fundango, Tereva, Ounte Vas II, Limelight, & Annexy as well as several boats we hadn’t met.

Manuia,
says ADR

Aratika for Heiva…

21 July 2023

Kura Ora,

We had a delightful one-day 40-mile sail from Fakarava to Aratika, a small atoll where we planned to celebrate Heiva (an annual celebration with dancing & music) & meet up with our friend April visiting from California…

Manuia
says ADR

April in Aratika (& Fakarava)…

25 July 2023

Kura Ora,

We had a fun visit with April, BB’s friend of many years who is also a children’s book author. She flew to Aratika (one flight weekly) where she got to see the last couple nights of the Heiva celebration, then together we sailed to Fakarava.

April was with us for over a week & we did a lot: snorkeling, beachcombing the outer reef, miles of great sailing, meals on deck, yoga at sunset, games, socializing, etc. The nights were very dark with the new moon, & April was amazed at the number of stars in the sky. Living in LA, she said, “Where has this sky been all my life?”

Manuia,
says ADR

Night Diving with Sharks – Fakarava…

30 July 2023

Kura Ora,

We were fortunate to make the acquaintance of a Belgian sailor who had completed many dives with the sharks at night. It was nice to do this for the first time with someone who had experience!

Seeing the difference in the behavior of the sharks during the night vs. the day was really something. In daylight hours, the sharks swim lazily to conserve energy, but at night they are significantly more energetic, swimming rapidly to & fro looking for dinner. They are not at all interested in the humans observing them except for our lights which occasionally illuminate a fish that has been flushed from its hiding spot. That fish, unfortunately, is often doomed, since, once in the sights of the hunters, 10 or more sharks will descend on it simultaneously, giving it little chance for escape. One fish can outrun one shark easily, but a fish is not fast enough to outrun & outwit many sharks coming from multiple directions. It was very exciting to watch the sharks plunge their snout into the coral, their body writhing as they attempted to locate the hidden fish that they can smell. We try to be very careful to not damage the living coral when diving & snorkeling, but the sharks are hungry! 

Manuia,
says ADR

BB needed to go home again to see his family, so I was alone on Migration for a couple of weeks. I stayed in Fakarava. After dropping BB off at the airport, I sailed the length of the atoll (30 miles) so that I could do more snorkeling & diving in the south.

Why Bruce Left… (written by Bruce)

When you read the above Missives to Mumfy, it might seem that our life is always amazing (except for the occasional gale or 2-year refit). The truth, of course, is that life is, well, life, and it offers great joy as well as deep sorrow.

I made two trips to California in July and August. I was there to say goodbye to my wonderful brother Doug.

Doug had been diagnosed with a form of ALS but the doctors were never quite sure as the disease wasn’t progressing. However, in 2023 it came on with a vengeance and Doug decided he would not fight it.

I was lucky to be in a place where I could fly back to Los Angeles. And lucky that Alene could take care of Migration on her own while I was gone. (Though Alene has been alone aboard Migration before — notably when my Mom contracted cancer — this was the first time she sailed our boat by herself… I was very proud of her.)

My brother was a good man. He was kind. He was thoughtful. He was funny. He was nuts in his own way. And wonderful in his own way. We hated each other when we were kids, and grew to love each other deeply despite the fact that we drove each other crazy. He was a mensch.

If you’d like to know more about Doug in the words of the people who loved and admired him, you can view the book ADR and I put together in his honor.

I’ll finish with these words from a letter he left us:

Cool Kauehi…

19 Sept. 2023

Kura Ora,

After BB returned from California, we sailed to Kauehi & spent a long time there moving around to visit various areas of the atoll.

Kauehi’s population is diminished since we last were here. Unfortunately, they no longer have a big Heiva celebration like the one we attended in 2009. But we did find old friends & made some new ones…

We also did some bicycling… From the east side of the atoll we rode our bikes 17 miles roundtrip to the village. We dodged palm fronds, coconuts, pandanus leaves, crabs & crab holes… It was a good adventure & very beautiful with the glowing lagoon on one side & the ocean on the other.

Manuia,
says ADR

Friends in Fakarava…

9 Oct. 2023

Kura Ora,

We had two different sets of visitors in Fakarava in October: Pat & Shannon from Seattle & Michel & Susan from Stanford, California.

Shannon & Pat visited us for 10 days & we had a fabulous time together. They quickly ran out of adjectives & exclamations to express their surprise & excitement at discovering the beauty of this corner of the world. They were enthusiastic about discovering the different environments that make up an atoll & asked a million questions — they were curious about every little thing.

After diving the south pass so many times, BB & I are pretty good at getting it right (the timing of the currents, finding the grotto, ascending in the right spot, etc.), so Pat had some amazing dive experiences while Shannon snorkeled above. They were both enjoying every moment in the water & kept saying, “pinch me — I can’t believe this is real.” I think they’ll be visiting us a lot now that their kids are in college.

Manuia,
says ADR

A few days after Pat & Shannon left, Michel & Susan arrived. We packed a lot into their 3-day visit & had a great time together.

Michel was deeply affected by the tranquility we frequently get to experience – one of the things we so appreciate about our life. He wrote about it more eloquently than I:

“When I close my eyes, it is interesting to see what images come up first, and which places marked me the most, and why. What I see first is the beach of blinding broken corals where we walked. The light was so bright it seemed supernatural, the ocean had the most perfect shade of marine blue, and the lagoon so inviting I had to go sit in it. Mostly, there was not a soul around except us. It was the epitome of remoteness and peacefulness. These few intense moments of silence on their own, broken only by the sounds of small waves, would make the long journey across worth it.”

All our friends marveled at how healthy the marine environment is, with so much to see & discover…

Marvelous Makemo…

25 Oct. 2023

Kura Ora,

Due to unsuitable weather for passagemaking to the Marquesas, we’ve gotten to stay longer than expected in Makemo. The water is very clear, so we’ve spent a lot of time snorkeling.

One of the things we love about these atolls is that the air is so fragrant. Just after sunset is the strongest time for the floral scent that absolutely fills the senses & makes one almost swoon. Just wonderful.

Manuia,
says ADR

Breaking Things – Makemo…

3 Nov. 2023

Kura Ora,

We had a little hiccup in our voyage from Makemo to Amanu. After sailing 80 miles to the SE towards Amanu — we were about halfway there — we turned around & are back in Makemo. Why?

We departed around 0930 after waiting an hour & a half for the whitewater to subside. Then we motorsailed for an hour to clear the island & get a good wind angle. All fine. Wind was up & down throughout the day & night, but mostly we saw max winds of only 12 knots, which is perfect for upwind sailing. So we were reading our books, taking turns sleeping, & making good progress towards Amanu. On the second day out, a squall came through & winds increased to a steady 20 knots gusting toward 30. BB woke me & said we should reef. We were in the process of putting a double reef in the mainsail when the boom fell onto the deck. The gooseneck — the attachment point of the boom to the mast — had broken. Fortunately, it was a controlled & rather gentle fall due to the sail holding up the boom, so it didn’t do any damage to the deck. As we were securing the mainsail, I noticed that the mizzen (our second, smaller sail) was ripped across the top third of the sail, so we dropped it immediately. Thus we were left with only one sail. We turned around & limped slowly downwind under our foresail & dropped anchor back in Makemo the next day.

We were lucky enough to find someone who could weld the metal gooseneck piece in Makemo, so we were able to put the boom back on the next day. As for the mizzen sail, I spent 3 days hand stitching it.

There is a positive note to this. It’s a good thing it happened while we were still in the Tuamotus & not en route to the Marquesas. It wasn’t too far back to Makemo, & it also gave us the opportunity to fill our propane tanks, so that’s a bonus. And we really cannot complain as this is the only major breakage we’ve had during our time in French Polynesia — not bad for a 55-year old boat.

Manuia,
says ADR

Amazing Amanu Again…

12 Nov. 2023

Kura Ora,

We made it to Amanu this time around, but the weather was a real test for our repaired gooseneck & mizzen sail. We experienced a bit of everything on the voyage: calm seas, confused seas; no wind, steady 25 knots; clear blue skies, complete overcast with lightning & rolling thunder… We haven’t seen that much lightning or heard so much thunder for years. It always makes us a bit nervous with our two lightning rods (masts) sticking up in the air, so we put all the electronics we weren’t using to navigate in our oven for the duration of the passage. Supposedly it will act as Faraday cage.

When the wind increased to 25 knots, we were sailing under a scrap of jib & double-reefed mizzen in order to have the minimum amount of sail up while keeping the boat balanced. Then, at 0330 (disasters often happen in the small, dark hours), I heard a zipping noise & knew the mizzen had torn. Again. Not my repair, but the next seam down. I had predicted this might happen. Since my repair was good & strong, the next seam was the weak link. That repair would take twice as long to sew; thus, when we arrived in Amanu, we dug out our old mizzen, buried deep in a lazarette. This sail is the original mizzen BB left California with in 1996 & which we used until we arrived in NZ in 2009. Yes, that sounds pretty darn old & well-used; however, it was immediately clear to both of us that the cloth is of superior quality & the stitching is solid — certainly more so than our current failing sail.

We’d changed the boom & sailtrack so had about 2 days of work to modify the sail & attach new hardware. Though the sail is stretched out of shape, we feel it is more reliable. Fingers crossed it holds together until we can get a new sail in NZ in about a years’ time.

Part of what makes Amanu special is that the kids run to the quay when we arrive in our dinghy. And when we anchor in the little port surrounded by the village, they can swim out to the boat & play. We made friends at Amanu in 2008 & many of those people are still here, so it’s fun to see them again. They are a very traditional people who still have dance festivals & play the songs written by Amanu ancestors. Many islands are losing their traditions, but not Amanu. The mayor invites every visiting yacht to lunch at his house. No other mayor does that!

We will wait for good weather to jump to the Marquesas. We’ve both decided we’re happier sailing slowly upwind in light winds even if the passage takes many days longer. We certainly don’t want to sail in the same convection system weather that we had coming to Amanu, so we’ll stay until the weather is right.

Manuia,
says ADR

After several days on the E. side we sailed back across the atoll to the village where we spent time with our local friends.

Together with Mary Grace & Frank of s/v Ticket to Ride, we did some diving outside the atoll. The coral is in excellent condition & there are a spectacular number of fish, especially near the passes. 

Thankful That’s Over – Tuamotus to Marquesas…

7 Dec. 2023

Kaoha,

Despite our plans to celebrate Thanksgiving in Amanu, we ended up departing on Thanksgiving Day for the Marquesas as that was our best weather window. Even still, our passage from the Tuamotus to the Marquesas was no fun with lots of adverse weather & more wind than anticipated. But we made it in just 4 days & are happy to be done with that upwind voyage & back in stunning Fatu Hiva. 

Now we can finally offload a bunch of things for the locals we’ve been carrying around since my visit home in March. These are all items requested when we were here last year. People were very happy to get their new carving tools, wood stamps, & grinders. They seemed pleasantly surprised we had followed through — I think many sailors don’t.

We also spent time hanging out with other cruisers in Baie de Hanavave (also known as Baie de Vierges) getting multiple boat washes & weathering the 40-knot gusts that regularly come ripping down the valley. 

Although Fatu Hiva is beautiful, we finally got fed up with the gusty & inclement weather & sailed to Tahuata to swim with the dolphins & begin Christmas celebrations with friends.

Mokai,
says ADR

INTERMISSION: A few cool photos that we like…

More Matava’a – Nuku Hiva…

1 Jan. 2024

Kaoha,

The Matava’a festival in Nuku Hiva was fabulous! We’re so happy we were able to be here for this truly spectacular cultural event.

We enjoyed five full days & nights of dancing with hundreds of dancers & drummers under the blue sky & blazing hot sun, then later under the stars. The events took place in 3 different venues on the island of Nuku Hiva, always in a traditional marae (a communal or sacred place that serves religious & social purposes in Polynesian societies). There were dance troupes from each of the six populated islands in the Marquesas plus four Marquesan dance troupes from Tahiti — over a thousand dancers in all. They had clearly rehearsed well, & the handmade costumes were wonderful. 

Traditional Marquesan dance is very powerful. The accompanying music is incredible — particularly the drums. The drums are all hand-carved from wood with animal skins lashed across the top. No metal is used. There were often more than a dozen drummers (sometimes 30!) with many of the drums taller than their players so that the drummer had to stand on a box to play. 

What a memorable experience. Photos simply cannot do it justice, especially since everything was on such a grand scale.

Mokai,
says ADR

On the 3rd day of Matava’a, the daytime event was located across the island on the north coast in Hatihe’u at a very sacred marae called Kamuihei. The site is surrounded by a banyan forest with 600-year old trees. It’s gorgeous.

Our friend David arrived on Dec. 18th from New Zealand; just in time to enjoy the last 2 days of the festival.

Each island participating in the Matava’a gave a gift to Nuku Hiva to thank them for hosting the event. We visited our friends from Fatu Hiva — the ones we brought carving tools to — who were carving their gift during the festival to be presented at the end…

New Year in Nuku Hiva…

16 Jan. 2024

Kaoha,

It was fun having David with us for the festival & over the holidays. After Matava’a, we sailed around to Baie d’Anaho on the north side of Nuku Hiva to celebrate Christmas & then to Hakatea (Daniel’s Bay) for New Year’s; however, our celebrations were somewhat subdued since I contracted Covid during the festival despite all the events being held outdoors. This was my first case of Covid & it hit me pretty hard. Fortunately, BB only got a light case & David stayed healthy.

Mokai,
says ADR

We celebrated Christmas a second time with our friends on s/v Cleo & s/v Margot on January 7th when I was feeling better… It was a fun group for appies, a semi-traditional Christmas dinner, games, Christmas music, homemade eggnog, & an outdoor showing of A Charlie Brown Christmas…

After David departed, we needed to decompress & recover for a few days. Everyone had been all fired up about Matava’a & the holidays, but afterwards most sailors were at loose ends, including us. The supply ship wasn’t due for a couple of weeks & most everyone was running low on provisions, so no one wanted to venture very far from Taiohae Bay, including us. Thus, the neighboring bay of Hooumi seemed like a good idea; however, 20 other boats had the same thought. As a result, our time in Hooumi Bay became a bit like summer camp with yoga class each morning under a pavilion on shore, get-togethers on the beach & on various boats for cocktails, potlucks, BBQs, games, a drum circle, whiskey tasting, a 2-day beach cleanup, etc. So, lots of socializing.

The locals of Hooumi were very welcoming to cruisers. While walking through the village, we met Herve & Lisette who kindly gave us as many bananas & pamplemousse as we could carry as well as homemade cookies to fortify us on our walk.

Locals Fred & Larissa wanted to show us a special sacred marae site with very old tikis, so a group of us joined them for a daylong expedition up into the mountains.

There had recently been a flood which swept a lot of debris down the river which ended up on the beach, so the sailors spearheaded a beach cleanup effort that lasted for two full afternoons. The beach was littered with waterlogged coconuts, big logs, mango seeds, matted grasses, lots of driftwood & trash… so we collected it all & threw it into big piles to dry out & subsequently be burned. 

The locals thanked us with a big kaikai (meal). They provided the Marquesan main dishes while the sailors made salads, sides, & desserts. Hervé killed a goat & a pig & made pork in coconut sauce, pork in its own blood, & pieces of goat in soy sauce. They also made a dish with river eel, plus fried bananas, taro, breadfruit, & rice. It was a ton of food & a very nice party on the beach with singing, dancing, & games.

Our plan now is to continue sailing around in the Marquesas Islands until friends visit at the end of February, then go back to the Tuamotus as soon as it feels like it’s safe enough (it’s cyclone season now) — possibly in March. We love the spectacular beauty of the mountainous Marquesas, but quite honestly, we both prefer the atolls with their gin-clear water. We are looking forward to returning there.

Mokai,
says ADR

Extraordinary Eiao…

16 Feb. 2024

Kaoha,

It was only 60 nautical miles from the west coast of Nuku Hiva to Eiao, but it felt so remote — like stepping into another world. The island is uninhabited — except by about 3,000 sheep. The anchoring can be quite challenging, so very few boats visit.

We departed Nuku Hiva at 5am to make certain we’d arrive at Eiao before dusk & were anchored in the bay on the NW side by 4pm. The sailing was easy — idyllic, actually. Wind aft of the beam at only 12 knots so we were scooting along at 6 knots in mild seas.

Eiao is a small island with spectacular cliffs plunging into the ocean. The water was a delightful temperature, so we swam every day in just lycra. We found mantas gliding along the shelf on the south edge of Baie de Vaitahu. At the bay’s southern point were hundreds of one-spot silver dartfish that swarmed all around us when we dove down. Magical!  There were also plenty of trevallys, schools of spotted eagle rays, & curious grey sharks. The water clarity was good — in fact, the best we’ve seen in the Marquesas — probably 50 feet.

Our friend Silke on s/v Ocean Maiden joined us on this adventure. We had a great time together for several days & then she headed off, so we were all alone. It was wonderful to have time to ourselves after the hectic days of the Matava’a, the holidays, & Hooumi summer camp. It’s been a year since we were in such a wild place with no lights on shore to disturb our stargazing. The moon rose after we went to bed, so we had lots of time to look at the beautiful sky, count satellites, & use our StarWalk app to find out what we’re seeing. Pure joy.

Mokai,
says ADR

Horsing Around on Ua Huna…

26 Feb. 2024

Kaoha,

The inhabitants of Ua Huna (until recently it was called Ua Huka) is a very different-looking Marquesan island – red earth, few trees, & a rather spartan landscape. The island is known as Ile du Cheval due to all the wild horses. It’s lovely to see them everywhere & it was fun to spend a day on horseback for something completely different…

Mokai,
says ADR

What’s a Melon-Headed Whale? – Fatu Huku…

11 March 2024

Kaoha,

It’s great that BB is making electronic charts from satellite images (The Chart Locker) because during the process he has the opportunity to see the world in great detail & it inspires us to go places that others might not. We’ve always done that to some degree, but now with the influx of so many more cruisers, we’re even more inclined to find places off the beaten track. 

Case in point:  There’s an uninhabited, little-known, & rarely-visited Marquesan island — just a rock, really — named Fatu Huku, only 17 miles north of Hiva Oa. Fatu Huku is only one mile by half a mile, but it stands 1,182’ feet tall. It has steep dramatic cliffs all the way around that make it look impossible to summit (so we won’t be trying), but apparently fishermen have climbed up there & evidence of their visits remain. But now there are just birds — lots of them.

We don’t know of any other sailor who has been to Fatu Huku. Anchoring there can only be done in very settled conditions during the rare times the tradewinds stop blowing. We were fortunate to have a couple days of just that; however, because the island is so small, the swells coming from 3 different directions still made it pretty wild. Even aboard stable Migration, walking around required more handholds than usual.

But so worth it!

First of all, the water color is gorgeous. Because there’s so little land & the bottom is white sand, the hue is like that in the Tuamotus — crystal clear aquamarine. A balm to the soul after a week in the murky choppy waters of Ua Huna.

And second, the melon-headed whales are here!

Our original plan was to scuba dive on the sunken fringing reef. We assembled the gear & headed 2 miles north of the island. The swells were pretty big out there, but the reef is deep so they weren’t breaking. We put my gear in the water & as we were preparing BB’s, there was an explosion of bubbles. My o-ring had split & we didn’t have a spare. We began heading back to Migration (2 miles again) when we came upon the melon-headed whales. There were hundreds of them! They escorted us along, riding the dinghy’s bow wave the way dolphins do. We couldn’t resist stopping the boat & getting in the water with them.

Melon-headed whales are actually a member of the dolphin family but they don’t have beaks like common dolphins. They get their name from the shape of their heads. They are supposedly shy, but we found they didn’t mind our presence. They were all around us as they went about their activities: hanging by their nose from the surface (a resting pose), bumping, caressing, & jostling each other, creating a dolphin sandwich (squeezing one dolphin in the middle of others), tail slapping, spy-hopping, & also swimming by to eyeball the strangers in their midst. Frequently a group would point straight at us & hit us with the chirps & squeaks of their sonar which we could feel throughout our whole body. And the chatter! So much chirping, whistling, squeaking, groaning, creaking, & occasionally a noise that sounded like a monkey. Sometimes when there was no distinct noise louder than the others, it was like birdsong when there are hundreds of birds all singing together.

We thought it might be fun to dive with them since they seemed perfectly comfortable with us (& since we already had our dive gear ready), so we returned to Migration for the o-ring, then dinghied back to where they were hanging out. As soon as we stopped, they milled around right next to Plover until we got in the water with our dive gear. However, as soon as we descended, they all disappeared. We could still hear them, but they stayed too far away to see. They clearly did not approve of the dive gear, so we ditched it & just snorkeled. They came back right away.

After about 4 hours in the water, much of the time rolling, spinning, swimming upside down & generally mimicking their behavior to entice them to come closer, plus dealing with the relatively rough sea conditions, we were exhausted & began swimming back toward Migration, still towing Plover. Incredibly, they stayed with us for a long time before turning back toward their resting area.

How fortuitous that we had the opportunity to spend the day with these compelling creatures that we had previously only heard about.

Mokai,
says ADR

Whirlwind Tour – Hiva Oa, Tahuata, Ua Pou, Nuku Hiva…

1 March 2024

Kaoha,

We’ve been going non-stop since Pat & Michael’s arrival. We rented a car & picked them up at the Hiva Oa airport, then drove across the island to Puamau to show them the largest tiki in French Polynesia. The drive is spectacular & the setting of the marae in Puamau lush & mystical. They both said they felt immediately transported to another world.

We wanted to give them a thorough tour of the Marquesas so they could experience the different feel of each island, so we did a 12-day whirlwind tour of four of the islands. Luckily we had great weather & fine sailing.

Mokai,
says ADR

Tuamotus: Time Too Short – Takaroa & Fakarava…

12 April 2024

Kura Ora,

We’re back in the Tuamotus, currently in Fakarava after spending ten days in Takaroa, where there were no other boats. It was wonderful to see Robert & Maina again. You’ll recall that they are the inspiring couple in their 80’s who live alone on a motu 4 miles from the village. They have some great stories of their life & their travels.

One of the highlights of this visit to Takaroa was going to see the shipwreck of The Country of Roxburgh. It’s a four masted iron merchant ship built in Scotland in 1885. The ship was bound for Melbourne, Australia from Caldera, Chile when she was caught in a cyclone. On 8 February 1906, with her sails torn to shreds, massive waves dropped the ship high on the coral reef of Takaroa where she still rests. It was fun exploring that little piece of history.

Our sail from Takaroa to Fakarava was just over 100 miles & it was dreamy downwind sailing. 12 knots of wind on the beam — just how we like it. Scooting along at 7 knots all day & most of the night. Migration feels so comfortable & happy in those conditions.

We spent one day getting our dive tanks filled & provisioning (despite the stores being fairly empty since there’d been no supply ship for weeks), then sailed the length of the atoll (30 miles) to the south pass (Tetamanu) to do some diving. This visit to Fakarava is bittersweet since we know it will probably be our last. We sure will miss French Polynesia, especially these beautiful atolls.

Manuia,
says ADR

Toau to Tahiti…

Toau, Tahiti – 6 May 2024

Ia orana,

We made one last stop at the atoll of Toau in the Tuamotus to visit our friend Morton, then departed Toau on a less-than-perfect weather window resulting in a rather uncomfortable voyage to Tahiti. Fortunately, it was only a 36-hour passage.

Manuia,
says ADR

Et maintenant nous sommes arrivés à Tahiti dans les îles Société.  We arrived in Tahiti last night at sunset. 

It feels so strange to be in a city environment after 2 years of tranquility in less populated islands. Airplanes overhead every hour, speedboats zipping past, traffic noise, sirens, bright lights, motorcycles, loud music, big screen TVs, jet skis… Many noises we haven’t heard for a while.

Our friends Rémy & Bénédicte, Tahiti residents whom we met in the Tuamotus last year when they were out cruising, welcomed us with a tour & an all-day hike which involved fording a river a dozen times & swimming in a lovely waterfall pool. 

Heading West – Moorea & Huahine…

Moorea – 31 May 2024

Ia orana,

After our busy time in Tahiti, we sailed just over 20 miles to the south side of Moorea for a little alone time.

Manuia,
says ADR

It was just an overnight passage – about 85 nautical miles – from Moorea to Huahine. Sailing conditions were perfect — a nice easy tradewind breeze pushing us downwind throughout the starry night… We had some good adventures in Huahine, including a bike trip across the island to the main town & an all-day excursion in Plover to visit several different spots on the island.

Magnificent Maupiti…

27 June 2024

Ia orana,

It was a pleasant overnight sail from Huahine to Maupiti passing several islands along the way, including Bora Bora which we gave a miss since it has become less cruiser-friendly, more touristy, & we’d already visited in 2009.

Although only about 40km from Bora Bora, Maupiti is one of the lesser-visited islands in the Societies as the pass is often difficult & sometimes completely impassable. There are only 1,200 residents.We brought our bikes ashore, so we’ve been pedaling all over the place. And during our first week here BB did two visits with the school kids, talking to them about writing & how to become an author — all in French! Now all the kids know us & run over to honk the horns on our bikes (&, in my case, do cartwheels together) — super fun.

Manuia,
says ADR

Maupiti reminds us of the Bora Bora of yesteryear — no big hotels, just small home stays. Also, no jet skis, which is a good thing because one of the great experiences here is seeing the reef manta rays that regularly visit cleaning stations in the lagoon. We’ve been swimming with the mantas almost daily, including a nice hour-long snorkeling session this morning with 3 different mantas. There are some tour boats here, but if we go out at first light, we get the mantas all to ourselves. Just wonderful.

The tallest peak, Mount Teurafaatiu, stands 1,250’ (381 meters) over the anchorage. We climbed to the top for the stunning views of the outer reef with the brightly-lit shallow sand spits that make up large parts of the lagoon. Watching the cloud shadows move over the clear water was mesmerizing, & observing the conditions in the pass was very helpful in understanding how it changes from minute to minute.

More Maupiti…

Maupiti – 3 July 2024

Ia orana,

We’ve been having a great time in Maupiti. There was a dance event at the Heiva grounds on the last day of school. It was good fun watching all the kids we recognize show off what they had learned during school recess — (we had often seen them practicing…)

Because it only took a couple of hours, we climbed to the summit three different times for the spectacular view, plus did numerous bike trips around the perimeter on the only road. We snorkeled the reef & walked around the pretty motu we’re anchored behind. We also attended a traditional kaikai (meal) with the other cruisers in the anchorage. After eating, the kids from s/v Breizh Zion organized a creative marble race on the beach. They built a course which included a bridge with a tunnel, coral, leaf & rock obstacles, short cuts, ponds (half a coconut filled with water), mine fields, jumps, etc… Very fun!

Manuia,
says ADR

We ended up staying in Maupiti for 6 weeks because in addition to the Heiva activities, we wanted to see the once-in-a-decade event called pêche au cailloux (fishing with rocks) happening on July 11th. The entire island participates as well as many people who have moved to Tahiti who come back to be with their family for the event.

It’s a traditional fishing effort requiring months of preparation because it is all done with natural materials. Palm fronds are woven to make a 1,000 meter-long fishing net, & rocks are carved to accommodate a rope that is also hand woven. The boats & people are decorated with natural materials as well.

In order to scare up the fish, they take boats to opposite ends of the lagoon & swing the rocks as they move toward the net. (The boats used to be paddle powered but are now motor driven; however, they have one traditional paddling catamaran.) The fish are herded into the open end of the net managed by hundreds of people. The net is then closed & made smaller & smaller by pushing it along the shallow bottom.

This will be happening where we are anchored, so we will need to move Migration out near the pass.

Manuia,
says ADR

The Last Outpost: Maupiha’a…

30 July 2024

Ia Orana,

Maupiha’a (also called Mopelia) was the very last island we visited before departing French Polynesia. 

Maupiha’a is an atoll with one long motu (island) & only a couple of other small motus. The entire southwest side is exposed with only a fringing reef.

There are only 9 residents currently living at this small atoll — an interesting mix of people that we got to know during our two-week stay. The island is not visited by a supply ship, so the locals count on sailors for transport of goods & people.

We went spearfishing & lobster hunting with Hina & Harry – quite an adventure! We were gifted heart of palm, fresh coconuts (drinking & mature), lobsters, fish, crabs, tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant, pumpkin, & papaya. We were also invited to dine ashore several times. They made sure we ate very well.

We reciprocated by providing things we had aboard that would be useful: food staples, lights, knives, fishing gear. We also invited our new friends out to Migration for a waffle brunch – one of our specialties.

Manuia,
says ADR

We are so happy that we could spend two years in French Polynesia this time around. It truly is an amazing cruising ground with clear aquamarine waters, palm tree-lined white sand beaches, soaring mountains, gorgeous diving, fantastic snorkeling, exciting hiking, wonderful people, and a fascinating culture.

We’ve been continually spoiled by the beauty above and below the water. Most of the islands have little tourism and have therefore retained their authenticity. The ocean and island ecosystems are relatively healthy. Regardless of how one feels about France’s colonialism, their presence in this huge area of the Pacific – about the size of Europe – has kept other nations from raping the seas here as they do in other parts of the world.

As sailors, we marvel and appreciate the accomplishments of the Polynesian seafarers who travelled across vast distances to populate islands thousands of miles apart; navigating by the stars, birds, clouds, winds, currents, and waves, in sea-faring catamarans hundreds of years before European cultures dared such voyages.

Though we travel in far more comfort and ease with the aid of GPS, satellite communications, and modern materials, when we sail between these islands under a star-strewn sky, we can’t help but feel a little bit connected to those who sailed here a thousand years ago.

Now we head west with the wind, the direction from which the Polynesians came. New lands await, but it is very hard to leave. Nous sommes tristes.

Merci beaucoup, Polynésie française, pour ces bons moments. Gardez toujuors ton esprit.

Be safe. Have fun.
says ADR