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Society Islands
TAHITI
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The Pacific Ocean covers 1/3 of the earth’s surface. It is the
world’s single biggest feature. The Society Islands are in the middle,
half way between the USA and Australia. There are 115 islands that make
up the five archipelagoes which form French Polynesia. These are
composed of the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Gambiers, Australs and the Society
Islands. Tahiti is the largest island (1,042 sq. km) and belongs to the
Society Islands (windward & leeward). Tahiti and Moorea are considered
the Windward Islands. The Leeward Islands are Huahine, Tahaa, Riatea,
Bora Bora and Maupiti and Mopelia.
July 10, 2002
LAND HO!!!! WE MADE IT!!! After 290 nautical miles from the Tuamotus
Islands, Ariel arrives in Papeete Tahiti.
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Looking toward Moorea from Point Venus Tahiti where Capt. Cook landed in
1769
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Around 3,000 years ago, seafaring people, probably from SE Asia,
began to move eastward across the Pacific. They took their languages,
cultures, animals and plants with them and eventually settled almost
every habitable island in this vast ocean. From those closely related
peoples developed the many diverse societies that live in the pacific
today. Early inhabitants of the Pacific left big clews to their origins.
Some are found in the arts, oral histories, languages and genes of
today’s Pacific people.
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Pacific Island natives of Tahiti depicting their culture in song and
dance
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Our time on the island of Tahiti was full of cultural and
environment events
and meeting up with other cruisers like this pot luck on Maeva Beach the
day we arrived. |
Music and fun cruiser style 
Matt s/v Pale Fire, Neil s/v Active Light & Philo
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A tour of
Tahiti atop Tahiti Iti with s/v Odyssey of Canana,Vision,Scott Free &
Zarafet |
Grotto’s, bamboo forests and waterfalls
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And a beautiful anchorage to come home to at the end of the day
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We preferred the anchorage at Maeva Beach as opposed to the wall in
downtown Papeete. We did not mind the 10 min. bus ride on ‘le truck’ to
provision at the local market but found the Carefour Market in Mavea
beach well stocked.
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Yachts along the sea wall downtown Papeete
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Papeete has an abundance of fresh fruits and
vegetable in the local market.
We could not get enough of the ‘green stuff’ !!!!!
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| Steve takes time to rebuild s/v Pariah’s computer and we make a
couple new friends from Australia, James and Simone seen here in their
dinghy. Their computer gets a 500nm warrantee !!! |