Tahiti-Morea

The Pacific Puddle Jump Yacht Rally Rendezvous... that's a mouthful!!
What a great day!

Outrigger races - the "Lil' Savages" won all their heats!

The crowd were backing the kids team against the adults

Lil Savages racing ahead...

Overall, the kids came 2nd out of 16 teams

Celebrating with the dance troupe

Travis' new girlfriend - Miss Morea

Shake those hips...

Travis and Beau learning the moves!

Coconut husking and shaving competition

Stone lifting - this is the lady's stone!

The band

The coconut run - two coconuts on each end of the pole 

The Awards - Lil' Savages cleaned up!

Tuamotu Atolls

Some friends we met in Kauehi - check out their boat shed and bunkhouse!

Kara putting on a brave face after falling out of Travis' treehouse

Jol preparing a pit oven for our Mahi Mahi on the beach

Kicking back with a good book between two palm trees

Bike ride with Tashi Delek, Malua, and Sudueste yachts

Crystal clear water at a pearl farm in Fakarava

Another great boat shed

Pearls in a cage at Fakarava South

Kara's friends

Travis showing the sharks who is boss off the back of the yacht

Jol kite boarding

Travis teaching Archie (7) how to wake board

Polynesian culture

Polynesian culture is fascinating.  On our island hikes in the Marquesas, Tuomotos and Society Islands we have discovered ancient archeological ruins such as Marae's which are sacred sites for religious and ceremonial gatherings.  We have found stone walls, bridges, foundations, and platforms.  Some of the platforms were used for human sacrifices!  We have seen many flat stones that were used for grinding and sharpening tools.  The Tiki's are stone or wooden carvings of human-like gods with mythological significance. Their eyes are like aliens!

The Polynesians populated this part of the Pacific 1000-2000 years ago having sailed large outrigger canoes against the wind from Asia.  It's amazing how for centuries the Polynesians had the technology to sail into the wind considering European yacht design progressed to windward sailing in the 1800's!  Here are some pics showing what we have seen and done in French Polynesia...

A pit used for fermenting breadfruit

Alien Tiki

Cannibalism was practised - heads in a pot

Marquesan totem pole

Sonia with old grinding stones in the church wall

Turtle carving

A sacrificial altar

Traditional hut image carved into the end of a tree

Marquesan symbols

The Marquesas was rich in fruit - here we are celebrating with other kid boats

Laurie getting tattooed in Nuku Hiva

Paddling goddess on the wall of the local outrigger canoe club

Fishing outriggers covered with corrugated iron sheets

Laurie's reading material

3000 Nautical Miles to the Marquesas Islands

We left Galapagos with lots of great fruit from Ingrid's Uncle and Auntie's farm - enough for 3 weeks at sea

Fishing was high on the agenda each day.  It took us 2 weeks to catch our first fish (a short-billed spearfish) but it escaped from the gaff!

We had Easter at sea with hot crossed buns and and egg hunt, then followed up with celebrating Anzac Day

After losing a number of lures and lots of line Jol came up with a great home-made lure with lead from old dive belts and gift-wrap ribbon… these became very successful to the envy of our fellow cruisers

Sailing towards the sun we had to change our clocks back 3 and a half hours when we arrived in the Marquesas

We broke the drought with a 12kg wahoo, then caught a big yellow-fin followed by another wahoo!  Fish on the menu at last!

Music jamming session with Jol on guitalele.  Travis has come along with his guitalele and Beau likes figuring out written music on his keyboard

Arriving in the majestic Hanavave, Fatu Hiva anchorage after 18 days at sea -
taken from Harry, a single-handed Aussie yachtsman on Malua

Jol with our 2nd wahoo on arrival in Fatu Hiva, his lures were a hit…

Hanavave, Fatu Hiva is regarded as one of the most spectacular anchorages in the world

Sunset at Fatu Hiva.  We loved being on land so much that we walked and walked and walked!!

The local Polynesians playing soccer by the dock.  They put on a great dinner and dance to welcome us to French Polynesia

Travis and Jol returning from a spearing trip with a huge octopus -
made a yummy salad and stir-fry

Hollywood Pool on the island Hiva Oa with the New Zealand girls from Moxie

Beau is the master GoPro photographer - here he is using his creativity

Breakfast swim with huge manta rays on Tahuata Island -
Kara didn't have time to get out of her pyjamas!

Setting off for a mountain walk and mango collecting expedition

The locals travel between villages on horseback.  We saw wild horses on the plateaus

Polynesia - outrigger heaven!  Laurie gets to go paddling with David, the local junior champion.  The Tahitian OC1 outrigger design has no rudder and relies on good paddle skills to keep them going straight