Upon departing Tahanea in the Tuamotus, we were again plagued with light winds. In an often constant state of experimentation on sail trim, weather helm, point of sail, and sail area/ combination, we were gaining on Tahiti, 3-1/2 days away.
Well vegetated, the volcanic up-thrusts of the Societies are protected by barrier reefs and surrounded by a ring of calm, protected aqua blue water. We utilized the benefits of a first world country, such as paved roads and developed hiking trails, while ignoring the tourist industry’s recommendations and requirements of hiring a guide. Directions to a trail head were similar to those given by a taxi driver, only to be punctuated by fear of lawsuit. Trailheads were unmarked but effort and persistence paid off. We got everywhere by bicycle or on foot, which only added to our long missed and much enjoyed full days of exercise. Peaks came in and out of the clouds as we ascended their ridges and valleys. A day in our own private swim hole in the jungle was an enjoyed rarity compared to the long, narrow and often exposed ridge walks. The steepness of the ridges, sometimes resembling irregular elevated stone sidewalks allowed for both nice views and a good bit of shade first through the larger trees and tree ferns, followed by shrub brush, tree entanglements, and small fern groves in the windier parts, starting at about 1200 to 1600 feet above sea level. Hanging ropes were common as was the question of whether or not to trust them.
It was 5:45am on the island of Moorea as we biked the 27 km to Mount Moa Puta, rising 2600 feet above Chandrika. Taller than wide and wider than narrow, the peak is shaped like the blunted tip of a knife. At the top of the sharp fin, a hole penetrates through the center, making the summit the top of an arch. Our goal was to reach the summit and then rappel inside the hole. The trail climbed steeply up until it crossed the top of a waterfall and followed along a river. It then split off from the river, where we quickly gained a ridge. The ridge climbed up steeply along loose earth. There were fixed ropes along much of this section to prevent erosion and to keep us from slipping. The summit offered gorgeous views of the coral reef below. A short scramble down the far side of the peak brought us to a bolted anchor, where we hung our climbing rope and rappelled inside the hole below the arch. To ascend back out of the hole, we climbed back up to our anchor on the crumbling rock and scrambled back up to the summit. We then reversed our steps and returned back down the trail. By the time we reached our bikes in the mid-afternoon, we were quite tired and were looking forward to returning home for a big meal and a good night’s sleep. As we approached our bikes, we discovered that the seat to our folding bike had been stolen and the thieves had released the air in the back tire of our other bicycle. On closer inspection, we discovered that our bike lock had been dented, as if someone had tried unsuccessfully to smash it with a rock. Fortunately, we had carried a bike pump with us, but we were not looking forward to biking the 27 km back to Chandrika standing on the pedals the entire way. With our terrible French, we attempted to ask around the neighborhood to see if anyone had seen anything suspicious. At one home, we met a kind English-speaking Polynesian woman, who was concerned about how we would return to our boat without a bicycle seat. Her teenaged daughter then offered us the bicycle seat off of her own bicycle that she no longer used. With relief, we begrudgingly accepted the gift, happy to know that we would be able to get home and would be able to use our bicycles for more adventures in the Societies and beyond.
Moa Puta
climbing out of "the hole" on Moa Puta
Often on our hikes and explorations, we enjoyed the company of various fellow cruisers. Despite the large scale of the South Pacific Ocean, there is not much land, and we see our friends at various anchorages. Our exploration of the Societies also brought us to the Leeward Islands of the Societies, such as Huahine, Raiatea and Bora Bora. In Huahine, we met up with Kirk on Salsa and Martin on Anima. Kirk, always looking for entertainment, proposed setting up a zip-line from the top of his mast to the mast of neighboring Anima, anchored about 200 feet away. As the zip-line idea did not involve the mast of Chandrika, we were more than happy to give it a try.
hiking the narrow Rotui ridge in Moorea
a view on the hike of Mt. Pahia in Bora Bora
June-July 2009
