Shelly's Birthday and hike

Ocotber 2017

The bay of Hanatefau is also known as dolphin bay. Almost every day we were anchored here a large pod of dolphins would come to visit.

The swell was rolling in under the boat creating quite a lovely sound as they washed up on to the rocks. Water running off.

Same spot, a big swell comes in.

Then lots of water loudly runs off.

There is a low rock in the water near us. Now you see it.

Now you don't.

And it comes right back between swells.

We went to Hapatoni village on the day of my birthday to make some phone calls from this superman pay phone right by the ocean.

Big majestic shade trees line the road in Hapatoni.

Makes for a lovely walk.

One of the big trees by the church and Shelly.

Me in my flower crown at a shaded rest stop with tikis carved in the posts.

A lovely little spot to stop and rest.

The path to Tahina's blue house where we can get internet.

The ladies of the village all play bingo every afternoon in the shade of the porch on the artisan display house.

Tahina and I both dressed in purple on my birthday at her house. Such a sweet lovely lady.

We see more of the braided palm fronds for the festival drying in the sun.

They are stacking them up in the community building before delivering them to Vaitahu.

Birthday sunset was not a disappointment.

The sky grows orange as it touches the horizon.

I was trying to photograph the elusive green flash. I kind of got it here.

The next day, we decided to hike the other direction from the village this time, toward the South. The road goes up hill down there and turns to concrete.

It is only one lane, but it goes up fast and we start to get a view.

That is Hiva Oa in the distance and the village of Vaitahu is just past the last point you can see.

The road turns back to dirt and we can see the anchorage behind us now.

Still fairly steep, but the road remains dirt, dividing the tropical plants.

Someone's house with an awesome view.

These trees looked to be growing white grapes, but they were too high for us to reach to see if they really were.

Then the road turned back into concrete as we were getting closer to the top.

A view of Hanatefau bay, with banana and Kapok trees in the foreground.

Avatar in the distance, patiently waiting for our return.

Looking back at the steep part we just climbed and toward Hiva Oa in the distance.

Something you will never see from the deck of a boat. The white on the sea is a reflection of the cloud above it. This can only be seen from high up!

Now we have a good view of Hanatefau bay and the island of Tahuata. You can even see the light colored sandy bottom of the bay in spots.

We are getting closer to the top and the road turns back to dirt again.

Now on the South side of the ridge we get a different view of the peak.

We spotted a small cove down below us.

This bay is wide open to the southerly swell, but looks lovely from up on the hill.

The road continues to the other side of the island and another village, but we had gone about as far as our feet and the heat of the sun would let us, so we headed back to Hapatoni.

The Fairy turns here were checking us out as they do their aerobatics on the updrafts.

This one just about dive bombed me as he glows from the sun.

This was a tiny little flower on the side of the road. I did not even see the ant until I was looking at the photos!

Some beautiful red flowers back at Tahina's house.

She takes us out back to pick some mangoes and papayas.

Using a net at the end of a long stick is how she got them down with out damaging them. These are papaya.

These are mangoes.

Mike removes Tahina's prize from the net.

Me with one of Tahina's nephews who is the dance troupe leader for the island of Tahuata! (and that is a big job with the festival coming up!)

Mike has nothing on this guy's tattoos!