Leeward Islands (Huahine, Raiatea,
Tahaa and Bora Bora)
The winds started blowing occasionally in early July, steady
15 - 20 knots for days, with spells of gusts up to 40! This
pattern is known as Maramu and was the theme for many weeks.
One morning we actually dragged anchor (250 lbs, with 300 feet
of 1/2 inch chain, but we were in river mud!) That afternoon
we took a dinghy ride up the Aoppamau River, the only navigable
river in French Polynesia. Quite lovely, the banks dripping
with tropical flowers and ferns. We came upon some boys jumping
off a 12' embankment into their swimming hole; Dylan joined
them and did his famous back flip. They were delighted!
The next day we left Raiatea for Huahine to try to escape the
winds, and encountered rough seas. The three hour trip had the
insides jumping - the jars were jingling, the pots and pans
were clanging and banging, the towels and curtains were dancing
and swaying, the books and magazines were flying, the liquor
bottles were in high spirits, the eggs wanted to scramble and
the Scrabble letters were spelling out words! Since then we
have been happily anchored in a lovely bay, by a white sand
beach, near the town of Fare, Huahine. The weather has improved
considerably, no wind, no rain, and clear skies, clear water,
and beautiful sunshine We feel at home here.
Here in Huahine we have become friends with Tihoti,
a Tahitian who grew up in the Marquesas, and his wife
Pauline, (who is from Norfolk Island and a descendant
of Fletcher Christian and the Bounty mutineers from Pitcairn!),
and their delightful five-year-old son, Oi Hanu.
Tihoti is a tattoo artist and the entire left side of his body
is tattooed in traditional Marquesan symbols, except for the
inside of his ear. The left side honors the past, the old Polynesian
culture and traditions, and the right side has no tattoos, representing
the present and future. We have been invited to his house for
a traditional 'ahimaa' today, with meat (fish, lamb and chicken)
roasted in the ground over fire-heated lava rocks, covered with
banana leaves, and Tihoti promised to do a fire dance for us!
