AdventuresAboardAvatar: August 2016

Mike and Katie Tahiti tour

We wanted to make sure Mike and Katie got the full Polynesian experience, so we sailed back to Tahiti for a few more adventures. We said good-bye to Moorea and sailed across the channel relaxing and enjoying the view from the aft deck seats. We did, as always, have to watch out for those fast ferries headed back and forth across the channel!!

Downtown we visited the Catholic Cathedral and admired their stained glass of Polynesian scenes. At the Bougainvillea Park we saw the cannon from Sea Adler (which was the same name as Ingo and Espie's sailboat we sold!). Artisans were practicing the art of basket making, and Mike and Miguel took a nap on the picinic table by the coy pond, while Shelly and Katie shopped. The front of the stadium seats were decorated with tattoo figures, and the kids at the mall enjoyed the electric boat ride with some ice-cream. Back at the anchorage near Marina Taina (just south of Papeete) we watched a guy sailing his spinnaker down the channel inside the reef as the sun was setting behind Moorea. We watched him sail his chute from outside in the ocean, thru the pass and up the channel. We were impressed!

The next day we rented a car and did a circumnavigation of the island of Tahiti including a side trip down Tahiti Iti. Tahiti is shaped kind of like Catalina Island and there is an isthmus where Tahiti Nui (big) and Tahiti Iti (small) are connected. Our first stop on the tour was Point Venus. There was one of those huge Banyan trees at the overlook, where we could see the black beach below, the city of Papeete and Moorea in the distance. Point Venus is where ships landed in the old days, such as the Bounty, Captain Cook, and the first missionary ship. There is a huge lighthouse marking the point, which we saw when we first arrived as well. There were proa outrigger canoes along the beach, including one with a sailing rig.

Next stop was the blow hole, which did not seem to be blowing when we were there. I guess the swell was not from the right direction or big enough. We heard it breathing, but did not see any water shooting out.

Then as I had promised, a hike up to waterfalls. The Trois Cascadas a Faarumai park was being reconstructed after a big rain last rainy season that washed out a bunch of homes downstream. We hiked on where a bridge had been sort of repaired and big rocks were strategically placed by an excavator. It was amazing, but some of the big trees had withstood the water. We crossed thru the small bamboo forest and got a view of the first of the huge waterfalls. It is when you stand back and take in the big picture that you realize how big they really are! Especially when we look like ants in front of it! Mike and Katie made it and they were psyched! But wait, there is more! So onward we hiked, up the rugged rocky path, past some very large and very old trees. At the second waterfall there was a nice size pool of water. So I had to show them how to tough it out in the cold water, and swim under a waterfall! We all did it!! We noticed that the spray from the falls was creating a localized rainbow and I caught Mike and Kaite in the mist of it (pun intended). The third waterfall had big bolders at the bottom, so we climbed on back. The size of the trees along the creek side were quite impressive. Then the trail returned to the thick jungle, with beautiful flowers and moss covered rocks.

As we continued our drive, we could see Tahiti Iti in the distance over the water and up steep mountainous jungle filled valleys. The scenery was amazing! Down the far side of Tihiti Iti we came to the heaviest wave in the world, Teahupoo. Every August the world surfing championship tour comes through for the big wave riders. Kelly Slater had won this competition 4 times, more than any other person. We caught the fiberglass wave in the parking lot as we knew better that to try a real wave! This parking lot was the end of the road and we had to cross the Fauoro river to get a view of the little village. This was an average day, but the waves were still very impressive even from shore. As surfers are usually in tune with mother nature, the village has a Zen Garden complete with Lily pond. If you weren't sure how big those waves really are, take note of the boats out there watching, they kept disappearing behind each one! And the view of the mountains behind the village was lovely as well.

Back in the parking lot we finally caught some of the local kids doing wheelies. We saw teens doing this everywhere we went both in Tahiti and in Moorea. A true teenager tradition.

That night we rushed back to the boat, picked up Mike and Katie's luggage and headed downtown for a bon voyage dinner with Patsy and her daughter and granddaughter as all of them were headed back home on a plane the next day. Mike and Katie actually left that night at midnight!

We have to admit, it was a fantastic visit! We very much enjoyed their company and they made great crew members aboard the good ship Avatar!!

Thanks for visiting!!

OK who out there wants to be next?!?!