Raiatea and Tahaa
Nowornot Web Diary
Robert (Bob) Parry and Ann Parry
Wed 21 Sep 2011 22:42
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As we approached the pass into the lagoon at
Raiatea, the wind piped up and the rain came in. The main town of Uturoa faces
the direction of the trade winds and has very deep and dodgy anchorages. There
is a town quay where you can tie up for free but the wind was blowing straight
on to it and waves were breaking on it so we went to Faaroa Bay.
This was another "Lord of the Rings" place with
mountains shrouded in cloud on each side of the long bay. We anchored in a very
peaceful spot in 15m over mud. This bay is unusual in French Polynesia as there
is an alluvial plain at the head of the bay. The Apo'o Ma'u river is the only
one in French Polynesia that can be navigated by outriggers and small motor
boats. It is really overkill to call it a river and the tourist brochures tout
it as like being in the Amazon without the alligators.
Next day, we motored up in the dinghy as far as we
could go. The "Amazon" gives way to plantations of bananas, pawpaws and other
fruit. There is a botanical gardens that we managed to find with the help of a
local in a small outrigger.
    The "Amazon" begins to give way to cultivated
land.
 Banana plantation.
 Pawpaws in abundance. We wanted to buy fruit but
there was nobody about.
 Master and Commander.
Our 12V alternator had been playing up on the way
from Huahine so Bob emailed a Canadian man who came recommended by other
cruisers. He emailed back to suggest that we call him on the VHF radio. We had
managed to tie up to a vacant spot on the town quay (the wind had dropped) but
he thought that we would be better off on the end of the commercial wharf where
there were security guards and also less chance of being pinned to the dock if
the wind came up again.
In the end, he took away both our 12V and 24V
alternators and also checked our autopilot and steering. We have a rotary drive
autopilot that steers the wheel rather than the quadrant. On the way to Nuku
Hiva, in the big quartering seas, the chain would stop moving and then there
would be a most alarming bang inside the area behind the wheel. The wheel had
actually changed its orientation through about 120 degrees. He found a loose
bolt inside but otherwise, there was no wear on the cogs which are spring
loaded. It was good to see what was actually inside there and to see what a
simple, robust steering system we have. It was all greased and reassembled and
the chain was tightened and the wheel realigned. It now runs much more smoothly
and should be good for the rest of the trip home.
 "Nowornot" on the end of the commercial
wharf.
 The granite for this pier and surrounding area came
from Europe. The whole design is European and it is obvious that the local
workers have no idea how to repair cobble stones.
 Small harbour for ferries and local boats. People
come from Tahaa and other parts of Raiatea in small boats to shop in the
supermarkets and fruit/vege market near the waterfront.
 Behind the wharf area. The cruise ship "Paul
Gauguin" calls in to Uturoa every Sunday when the shops are shut. They have
found that it is not worth opening for the small amount of trade that they might
do. Many of the shops in the complex are empty.
 Emergency exit on the local bus. Very easy to
operate.
   The bus station is an open area of dirt behind the
wharf.
 Food vans called roulottes are very popular in
French Polynesia.
The wind returned on Friday and we were glad that
we were not on the quay. We left Uturoa and headed towards Tahaa in search of
the coral gardens. They lie between two islands on the western side of Tahaa. It
would require anchoring on the sand at the edge of the shallow water and the
wind was now 20kn and blowing towards the reef. We anchored in a bay opposite
and next morning, we took the dinghy across but it was even more windy than the
day before. After a bumpy, wet ride back to the boat, we decided to leave for
Bora Bora.
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