A week or so in Paradise
Farr Gone Blog
Stuart Cannon
Mon 23 May 2011 02:15
I walked back to the Yacht Club de Tahiti and was about to hop in the dinghy to go back to the boat when there was a loud whistle and a yell to come and have a beer. I was about to get swept into Polynesia. I have been adopted, acquired or just straight kidnapped by a bunch of Polynesians who have taken it upon themselves to help with anything they can. One is to be my tour guide for Tuesday when we go round the island. He came and helped me get the mainsail back on and then dock the boat for water. It has been wonderful having these happy and kind people being so keen to show me their island. I've even had a go at an outtrigger. Thats plain hard work and I still have some aches, but how great to be paddling towards the sunset with so many other outriggers doing the same. My schoolboy rowing was of no help as the technique is quite different but rhythm is important
Their pride at being Tahitian is there for all to see and their desire to get rid of the French is stronger than I realised. Apparently the original French agreement was to provide military security for the islands in return for a base. They have taken more and more until it has become a full blown colony. The Tahitian president was elected for his pro independence stance but now that he is in power he is advocating slow change, in other words its worth money to keep the status quo as long as possible. Trouble is only a few get the money, certainly not the average Polynesian.
As far as plans go I am being pathetically indecisive. I should return to Australia for a couple of weeks. That would be a good thing to do for several reasons but I could also stay here and drift around these beautiful islands and I am finding hard to tear myself away. I'm sure it will all work out for the best. The boat only requires a batten car for the mainsail and everything will be up to speed. Hopefully that task will be completed tomorrow.