Îles Sous-le-Vent

Today we started our Catamaran Cruise from Ra’iatea Uturoa Marina with 12 other guests. Our group is a mix between French (4), Czech (6) and German (us 2). We are in a sense all neighbours in Europe as we figured out. The boat is a very nice and spacious Lagoon 620 Catamaran called “Dream of Raiatea”. It has 4 superior cabins (one of which is ours…yesss!), 2 standard cabins which are a little bit smaller and 2 sleeping chambers for the crew at the very front of the boat that are only accessible through a hatch from the foredeck. Our skipper “Homai” (30) and our hostess “Ranihai” (29) are both locals from Tahiti.

They are both relatively young but very experienced already. Homai has been doing this job for 11 years straight and he knows the islands very well. We could tell that he’s made out of something different when we went for a snorkeling trip to the coral gardens of Motu Tautau. While everyone was struggling to walk over the sharp stones, shells and dead corals that had been washed ashore with their water shoes on- Homai was just going barefoot. I couldn’t even look at it. 😂

The snorkeling experience was absolutely breathtaking. Crystal clear waters with hundreds of different fish in all different colours around us that were curiously checking out what the clumsy human beings were trying to achieve in their backyards. And there were beautiful corals with anemone and their respective fish living together in symbiosis. We couldn’t oversee the fact that quite a lot of coral were struggling though. Many were dead or had lost their colors in the already too warm waters. The effects of global warming can literally be seen everywhere. 🥵

As soon as we get back on board Jan pulls out a bottle of Tahitian Rum and we all sit together to have a drink and watch the sun set. 🥃Dinner is served shortly after. Ranihai has prepared some breadfruit gratin with pork-pineapple-stew filled bell peppers. The food tastes delicious and goes well with the excellent local beer (Hinano blue). We have a good time together and are surrounded by friendly people. Life is good.Okumaya devam et