Huahine to Raiatea
Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Tue 18 Jun 2013 21:05
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16:49.70S 151:21.34W Huahine to Raiatea We decided to stay a few extra days
in Raiatea, so that Gray Matter (Nordhavn 62) could catch up with us.
Mark's sister had flown over from California, and was bringing me a
spare camera I had bought for my underwater casing. Mike also wanted to help
Mark set up his new dinghy... Mr Fix-it strikes again!
Sunset happy hour at the dockside
restaurant proved to be very popular and we met up with other interesting
cruisers, including three solo sailors - Steve and Gerry from Canada and Isidro
all the way from the Canary Islands in a 31ft yacht! We also did a bit
more snorkeling, and I think we found Nemo!
  Beautiful Clown
fish Isidro
& Steve showing off their shell necklace gifts
From Huahine we took a quick 20nm hop over
to the south east side of Raiatea, through the Teavamoa pass, and found a
beautiful anchorage right on the reef. The water was transparent blue and we
were the only boat in the area. We took a ride around in our dingy and checked
out the local motu and also the famous ruins of Marea Taputapuatea (try saying
that after a G & T!) This is the biggest and most important of the
traditional Polynesia religious sites, which was visited by chiefs from all over
Polynesia. This Marea was inhabited until at
least the early 1800's when the missionaries began their very
efficient destruction of the culture. Only the bases and a few upright
stones of coral rock remain, as the other structures were wood. The upright
stones, which are remarkably straight, were apparently back-rests for the most
important chiefs and elders.
 One of the sites at Marea
Taputapuatea
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