Bastille Day - Island of Taha'a

Quartermoon
Mike Share & Sammy Byron
Fri 16 Jul 2010 05:59
Well we didn't quite make it to Bora Bora for the celebrations, as usual we left Tahiti later than expected. After a mad dash around a very large and expensive Carrefour supermarket then filling up the boat and every jerry can we own with diesel (duty free.. happy days   :-)) we finally left Tahiti. Not before nearly losing me at the fuel dock. I lost my footing and ended up hanging off the guard rail dragging my feet in the water as the boat slewed sideways into the Marina entry channel - arriving in style, Not!... 
 
The sail started really well, with current we were averaging 8 knots. Soon enough (as usual), the wind force and direction changed and slowed us down. Seeing as we were not going to arrive in Bora Bora until late on the 13th (and we didn't want to enter the reef pass in the dark), we decided to stop at an island on route called Taha'a. It turned out to be a good idea as the pass entry was really rough with the boat being thrown in every direction in the breaking waves with reef quite close on both sides - even worse than Fakarava! Taha'a is the small sister island to Raiatea (2nd largest island in the Society's) and it is beautiful. Taha'a is famous for its Vanilla production which is exported all over the world but mainly to European and US restaurants, as it's exceptionally high quality. $250USD/kg Vanilla pods!.. (We went to a local farm yesterday so I am full of Vanilla growing facts.. never knew it was so complex and time intensive seeing as you can get it in McDonald's sundaes).
 
           
 
We are on a mooring buoy at the Tavarana Yacht club. It is stunning yet very low key - right up our street. (In fact it's not a yacht club at all, just a laid back bar/restaurant on the beach with a few moorings). Unfortunately on arrival we couldn't pick up one of the mooring balls as they were all reserved so our only choice was to anchor. Not great when it's 30 metres, blowing 25 knots+ and surrounded by reef! We only have 50m of chain plus the same of rope so we weren't overly happy with this alternative (We should have had 150m at least in that depth). Luckily, some Dutch guys we met in Tahiti had a mooring ball and they came over and invited us to tie up alongside - which was much less stressful and nearer the bar (and also very kind of course).
 
The Yacht Club..very chilled
      
 
We all headed ashore for the Bastille night celebrations which included a great buffet including tuna sashimi and poisson cru (cured fish in coconut milk), too many rum punches and Polynesian dancing and fire spinning on the beach. Very cool especially when a small 10 year old boy was part of the fire spinning ...crazy but brilliant. (Mike was green with envy as he gets nagged when he plays with petrol.....) A real stroke of luck to find such a wicked little place.
 
We have decided to chill here a few days and explore the island. There is a small dive centre which has only been open 2 months so we hooked up with them and went diving today. Just us and the owners - a lovely French couple and their 5 yr old son. We dived the Nordby wreck off Raiatea and also the outside reef. More Black tip sharks which seem to really like me for some reason...
An awesome day and probably one of the best dive centre's we have dived with. It was more like being out with friends as we saw a lot of the neighbouring island (including a quick trip into town) and they kept plying us with food and drink! Tomorrow we plan to explore the sandy Motu's off this island and then in a day or two finally head to Bora Bora. However it is pissing with rain and pretty grim outside so we may stay in and watch films and eat foie gras instead!
 
 
Boat house on the island....                                                                 Baguette delivery box ( Each house has one..Brilliant idea)
           
 
 
Dive Trip.. homemade cake and Pamplemousse at half time                Our 5 year old Captain at 20 knots!.. Very cute...