Life in the Gambiers

On the island of Mangareva is the main village called Rikitea. About 1200 or so people live on this island, so there is lots of boat traffic. Cruisers anchor here, pearl farm boat tenders head out to their jobs, and kids learning to paddle as part of their PE are all in the anchorage.

These kids are just learning to paddle. We can tell be cause it is a training boat with two hulls lashed together, so it cannot capsize. The school probably makes them all wear life jackets. We were cheering them on as they went past us.

Other kids learn early. This guy was out on his dad's paddle board, just drifting along one morning.

Big brother takes younger brother out for a paddle in a kayak. The smoke on shore is from burning yard trimmings, which also helps to eliminate mosquitoes.

At the school we saw a couple of interesting paintings. This one depicting an oyster shell with a pearl.

Traditional Polynesian symbols, with a tiki hidden behind the fire hydrant and a ying & yang symbol snuck into the center of Maui's hook.

We had many of the “Shark suckers” which look like Remoras live under our boat when in the Rikitea anchorage. They come out anytime we throw leftovers or compost-able veggie trimmings over the side. They usually only eat meat, definitely not vegetarians these fish! But fun to feed. They were like our temporary pets. The top of their heads have a big suction cup on it and they just attach themselves to the bottom of the boat (like we are some kind of big shark) and wait for us to throw food overboard.

This ship is the Claymore, which is the ship that services Pitcarn Island. It comes here to pick up passengers who fly in, then takes them on the 300 mile passage to the island where they stay for the week. This is the closest airport to that island. We plan to go there one day ourselves!!

The main supply ship for the Gambiers is the Taporo VIII. They have just rounded the end of the island and are coming in with a full load.

The fairly large ship weaves its way in through the narrow channel in the reef to get to the anchorage.

Everyone and their uncle comes down to the dock on supply ship day to pick up their packages from Tahiti.

The crane is unloading 4 barrels of diesel. This is one of the main things this ship delivers. Note the guy in the green vest over there watching the cargo carefully.

If you need to buy diesel, this guy in the little metal box takes your money and gives you a receipt to take to the other guy, who then gives you a barrel. You can only buy 50 gallon drums, so if you need less than that, you split it with other boats. Cost, just under $250 USd for one barrel!! Expensive!! But where else you gonna get it? No gas stations!

They deliver their cargo and then load up the empty tanks and containers to take back to Tahiti to refill. The 5 tall silver looking containers under the crane body are for jet fuel. The commune has a barge, similar to the one stacked on top of the green shipping containers, that schleps the jet fuel from the quay in Rikitea over to the airport motu.

Yo! Guys in the dinghy, do you see the ship headed out?!? Tonnage wins!

In 24 hours or less from the time of arrival, the ship is headed back to Tahiti for another load. It comes once a month.

This is a Dutch boat called Silverland, with our friends Marco and Mariah and their son Matis. It is their first boat! Luckily he is a carpenter, which all old wood boats need.

Silverland under sail, heading into Rikitea.

People from all over the world arrive here, on all different types of boats. Silverland is one of the larger family cruisers!

The view from one of our favorite spots in the Gambiers, Herve and Valerie's house on Terevai. It is on the West of the island group. That is Mangareva with the two peaks of Mount Duff on the right and Mount Mokotu.

On one of the sandy motus (an outer reef barrier island), footprints in the sand.(reminds me of a famous poem)

The norm is just our own footprints.

But the birds and the crabs leave footprints too!

A crab has just cleaned house, leaving a pile of sand by his door.

Even the waves leave a footprint. Each time one comes ashore, it leaves a line where it finishes its life.

Sometimes the wave brings in shells and rocks which it deposits on the sand. The leaves from the trees either blew out and are waiting to be washed away with the next tide, or they came in with the last one.

Erosion is a fascinating artful thing to see created by Mother Ocean.

A wave washes over a rock, creating more erosion.

Another gorgeous day in the Gambiers, but no wind means motoring to get to the NE motus near the airport.

Looking back at Mangareva from the NE side and the sun setting behind it in the West.

The sky turns pink and orange over a squall line out in the ocean to the SW. Our time in the Gambiers is coming to an end.