Bastille Day - Island of Taha'a
Quartermoon
Mike Share & Sammy Byron
Fri 16 Jul 2010 05:59
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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...
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