Raivavae

Raivavae

Day 1, 15 Oct 2008

We dropped anchor at 1.30 PM and decided to stay on the boat until the next day. We had our Fr Polynesia courtesy flag and the “Q” quarantine flags off our starboad spreader. The Australian flag was off a flag pole at the stern. As I state elsewhere we got a brief visit from Noel, off a French yacht bound for Chile, and later that night a steel schooner came in. Otherwise we were contented to sort ourselves out, celebrate a little, and go to bed.

Day 2, 16 October

Breaking strict protocol the three of us fronted up to the gendarmerie in the morning. The two officials could not have been more courteous and helpful. Brenda was a great asset with her use of what French she knew, which I am sure was appreciated by the officials. As I expected there was confusion about two passports that appeared to represent the same person. The fellow came back somewhat perplexed but Brenda was prepared with the French phrase for “They are twins”. The senior gendarme gave us a coconut that had dropped down that morning, took our garbage bag, and spent a lot of time to produce an air pump that might work on our Zodiac.

The air pump was a little side drama on Pachuca. We turned the boat over and could not find it. Finally we managed to use the air pump from our Bombard inflatable to get enough air pressure into the dinghy to get us ashore. Later, when we were back on the boat I looked under the starboard bunk and found it. That is the most inaccessible storage area in the boat and we have no idea of why we put the pump there.

The island is a mixture of traditional and modern living. The people look relaxed and happy and are very friendly. The housing that we have seen is simple but modern. There is a mobile telephone network on the island and a big telecommunications dish that provides internet and other services. There is a mixture of modern cars and bicycles for transportation, and traditional outrigger canoes coexist with a few modern boats of various types.

However, the island is not geared for tourism and certain vital services are missing. Exchanging money was a big problem. There is no banking, ATM, or fpos system on the island. Fortunately we had about $120 in US currency and Arnold and Brenda were able to make the 6 km walk to this private business where they exchanged the money for Pacific francs. Australian and New Zealand currency was of no use. Had we not been able to execute that exchange we would not have been able to purchase anything on this island. The currency situation is a lose-lose one. We the tourists lose because we are not able to fully partake of what the island has to offer. The island loses because we have a shorter stay and spend much less money. So our advice to prospective visitors is to arrive with enough Pacific francs for your needs.

There is a small store with basic necessities. We are told that there is a “bread shop” that is actually a private house. There is a modern post office but the young well-groomed lady behind the counter was most unhelpful. Brenda learned elsewhere that she treats customers according to her mood. We were disappointed that there is no produce market. However, there is a fisherman that brings in his catch at about 11 AM each day and we hope to purchase fresh fish. The reef has plenty of fish but they carry the ciguatera toxin that will attack the nervous system and can be fatal in extreme cases.

We were fortunate because this was the day of the monthly visit by the supply ship. At about 3 PM I spotted a white ship on the horizon. A hour later the ship was docked and we were able to witness one of the great commercial/social events of the island because the place seemed to come alive with people and cars. The ship looked like a coastal freighter out of the 1960's. It had a crane forward and a roll on roll off ramp at the stern. The ramp came down and two fork lifts came out with pallets of goods. They did their work while the crane up front did its work. We saw food, building materials,fuel, and private luggage come off.

Day 3, 17 October

We got a fright over water. The gendarme had said that we could purchase water at the store. Fortunately I spotted a water tap next to an old building next to the church. The building looks like it may have once been a school house (it was opposite the school) or a meeting hall of some sort. The water tasted OK so today we returned armed with our two plastic 10l containers, our portable washing machine, and two bags of dirty laundry. We filled our containers and started washing clothes quite openly, ready to address any complaints about using the water. Instead of complaints we got kindness. The lady from the house across the road next to the school came across and gave Brenda a small wash tub that was larger than ours. She looked approvingly at the clothes line that I was stringing up with my spinnaker sheet. Thirty minutes later she returned with a second container. Then while Brenda was away shopping she brought over a bunch of fresh bananas.

Day 4, 18 October

Brenda spotted the returning fishing boat much earlier than we had expected. The three of us made a hasty exit from Pachuca and I took a chance and took the Zodiac over the reef directly to the fishing boat to same time. We were offered a big yellow fin tuna of 27 kg and we would have purchased it but we didn't have enough Pacific francs. The fisherman's wife has been a delight to deal with. She used her pretty good English to give us all sorts of advice assistance. She returned an hour later with some nice fillets of two different kinds of fish and a gift of a bunch of bananas freshly hacked off a tree. Her husband, by the way, is a big strong and good looking man who certainly knows what he is doing. He goes out early in the morning in a fast fiberglass boat and fishes 10 miles out to sea. He returns at 11 AM with whatever catch he thinks is required by the locals. By 11.30 AM his day is done. I wonder what retirement dreams a man with this life could have.

Today I got a lesson on language sensibilities. I said “Bon Jour” to two native women working a garden. They replied with a lesson on how to say it in their language. So we are coping it from two sides: language sensitivities from both the French and the indigenous people. Were I to live here I would learn both languages fast.

Arnold spent the bulk of the day washing his clothes and we managed to plunder another 40 l of water for the boat. During the afternoon we took the Zodiac to a small island on the fringe reef about half a mile from Pachuca. Arnold reported that the water was murky and there were no fish. Brenda and I trekked across the island where I managed to collect three coconuts before being warned off by a coconut crab all 300 mm in span.

Day 5, 19 October

This was Sunday so we got to see this facet of island life. We started the day by walking to the private house that produces the island's bread. The man was very nice and across the language barrier we put in an order for 5 loaves of bread. At 7 AM tomorrow he will do his round around the island and will deliver our loaves at the wharf.

Arnold then went back to the boat and Brenda and I did the same long walk that Arnold had done earlier. We took a road up across the middle of the island to the other side. Before we made our turn into the road across the island two young men in bicycles struck up a conversation. One was very curious about our trip: were there any storms, did we get sea sick, etc. He was on missionary work from his home island near Tahiti, the Jehova's Witnesses doing the rounds. The road across the island gave us a very good insight into the island's flora, fauna, and geology. There were banana and coconut trees everywhere but the bananas were green and the coconuts were high. At the highest point of the road we looked back and saw Pachuca and her two companion boats at anchor in the bay. We then descended to the other side into a small settlement with a beautiful church that was pealing its bell for the faithful. They streamed forth from their homes wearing their Sunday best. We then walked along the perimeter road around the west end of the island back to the wharf. Along the way we visited the very good and modern airport. The terminal was new and the runway was long, wide, with a bitumen surface built on a reef.