Tag Archives: mangareva

Tauna, Gambier

Gambier Showcase With Wayne Part I

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We are so blessed that our good friend Wayne comes to visit so often.  He has visited us four times in French Polynesia, but this is his first time in Gambier.  We plan to show him all of our favorite places!

One of the supply ships arrived the day before Wayne.  We had hoped it would be the Taporo VIII but it was the Taporo VI (the VIII was being repaired).  The unfortunate thing for us was that it did not have our fuel order (diesel or gasoline) and it did not bring very much fresh produce.  We have not seen a supply ship in over a month so fresh goods are super slim which is unfortunate.  Oh well, the next ship comes in 3 weeks.

Supply Ship Taporo VI

Supply Ship Taporo VI

The next day, we headed to Totegegie which is where the airport is located.  We anchored right by the airport and picked up Wayne with his loads of goodies for us.

Poor Wayne had a huge supply of goodies to haul to French Polynesia.  We had several key elements fail on Sugar Shack that needed new parts (washing machine, watermaker, windlass) and he brought an array of other boat paraphernalia.   It filled 1.5 suitcases!!!  Thanx Wayne!

Totegegie (airport and false pass)

We stayed one night at the airport anchorage and enjoyed the solitude of this pretty spot.  We walked around to the windward side of the island, up along side the airport runway, and back over the leeward side of the island.  Many beautiful sunsets over Mangareva.

Puamu Paradise

We took Wayne to the furthest North motu called Puamu.  This is one of our favorite spots because very few boats make it this far north.  The motu is privately owned and the locals only come out on holiday weekends.  So, we usually have this slice of paradise to ourselves.  We anchor in 2 meters of water and enjoy snorkeling and walking around the motu.

Taravai

We had a beautiful downwind run from the east side of Gambier to the west side.  We put up the parasail and enjoyed a leisurely sail.

Wayne arrived just in time to enjoy an authentic Sunday Funday BBQ.  This day is extra special as we celebrate Alan who is leaving to join the French military.  22 boats and over 65 people come to wish him well.  Photo is only of the small group of people we know well 🙂

Tauna

Tauna is a really small motu on Gambier’s outer reef.  The motu itself is a bird refuge and has become the home of many species and their nests.  The long sandy spits make it a perfect launching pad for kite surfers.  We tend to come here on calm days so that it is less crowded.

Tauna

Tauna

Perfect sunset shots looking back into the lagoon.

Akamaru

We spend a few days at the little island called Akamaru (also known as Remy’s Island).  The waters are simply gorgeous, clear, and turquoise.  We spend several hours just hanging out in the water.

We take Sweetie out to explore the reefs and shallow bommies.  All three of these photos were taken from the dinghy – that’s how clear the water is.

The village of Akamaru consists of a church and maybe 8 or 9 houses.  It is very isolated and remote.  The people who live here grow lots of fruits and vegetables as well as vanilla.

Akamaru Village

Akamaru Village

And then there are the spectacular sunsets.  This top photo is one of my favorites

Big birthday celebrations in our last blog. Events from this blog post occurred beginning of February.  Stay tuned for part II of Gambier Showcase with Wayne – coming up next!  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind our adventures.

Meteo Weather Balloon

Up, Up, and Away: Weather Balloon

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Meteo France has a weather station on Mangareva and I’ve always wanted to go to see the process.  It was a little anticlimactic, but cool none the less.  Every day at 1400 they release a weather balloon in 4 weather stations.  Gambier, Marquesas, Australs, and Tahiti.  They also have stationary, automatic weather sites but they are not truly weather stations as there are no people.

One employee puts out the modem box which has all the sensors (temperature, wind, barometric pressure, GPS, etc…) about 20 minutes before the weather balloon launch.  We could not go into the area where he inflates the balloon but assume its like any other inflation (smiley face).

The employee attaches the balloon to the modem box and unceremoniously lets it go.  No big aha moment or “ta da” or anything.

It was a slightly windy day so the weather balloon took off rather quickly.

Weather Balloon

The weather balloon is about 1 meter in diameter when it is launched and expands to become larger than a house.  It will continue to slowly expand as it climbs up, up, into the sky.  It will continue to ascend until 30 kilometers (21 miles) before it explodes. 

The temperature was -11 at 6 kilometers!  Man, that is cold!

The data collected by the weather balloon is transmitted by satellite to the local weather station, then transmitted to Papeete (where all the weather is collected and centralized) and then sent to Paris – Meteo France (weather).

Each modem costs approximately 18000xpf (pacific francs) which is about $180.00.

Views from the weather station which is situated about 1/4 of the way up a mountain.

On the way back to town, I captured the view of the Rikitea Anchorage (at Mangareva).  Can you find Sugar Shack?

In our last blog post, we bring you into our many boat projects..  Events from this blog post occurred in January.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind our adventures.

One way to move a banana tree

Hiking Across Mangareva

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Mangareva, the largest and main island in the Gambiers has wonderful mountains, ridges, trails and paths to explore.  So, we spend a few days hiking across Magareva.

Pt. Mataiutea Hike

The first “hike” for the new year was actually a very gentle 7.2 mile walk along a road.  Good for me as I had not exercised in a long time and needed to ease into it again.  Even though it was long, it was mostly flat and very easy.  We walked along the main road which turned into a dirt road which hugged the coast line along the water’s edge.  It was super pretty, a little breezy, and just what I needed to start the new year.

7.2 mile hike across Mangareva

7.2 mile hike across Mangareva

7-Miles Across 3 Trails

We took Kirimiro to Taku (Pt Teauorogo) to Chemin Ramapiko.  We decided to tackle the hardest incline first so we started on Chemin Kirimiro (which is across the street from the best magasin on the island, JoJo’s).  It is a steep and consistent incline that leads you to Arc de Triomphe de Kirimiro.  Half way up the first part of the hike we had a beautiful view of the Rikitea anchorage.

Rikitea Anchorage-Half way up the hike

Rikitea Anchorage-Half way up the hike

Fun photo of the Arc where we have had the pleasure of visiting before. 

Matt showing off under the arc

Matt showing off under the arc

From here you can walk the ridge to the left or right.  You can also go under and through the arc and continue down to the small village of Kirimiro which is what we did.  Once we got to Kirimiro, we turned right and walked along the road for 2.1 miles until we got to another small village (meaning 3 houses) called Apeakava.  On the road we came across this local transporting a banana tree on a moped!

One way to move a banana tree

One way to move a banana tree

Further down the road, we came across a rocky cliff.  Matt discovered a hidden gem inside the rock’s ledge.  A baby boobie.

Baby Boobie nested in the rocks

Baby Boobie nested in the rocks

We passed several old ruins that were once mighty and majestic.

Old ruins around Mangareva

Old ruins around Mangareva

From here we hiked up and down the Chemin Taku trail which connects with Chemin Ramapiko and leads you back to another road.  From there is was a short 1.2 mile walk back to the dinghy dock.

Mangareva Hikes

Mangareva Hikes

Looking at the map below, we stared just below the little below the small, blue image of a ship, then walked up to Arc de Triomphe de Kirimiro, down the dotted trail to the white road.  Followed the white road to Apeakava (where the dots are), across the trail to the gold star and then back down to the blue image ship.

Hiking Across Mangareva

Hiking Across Mangareva

The French Navy Arrives

The Bouganville is a French Navy war ship that travels around French Polynesia ensuring the waters are safe for travel.  We had the pleasure of touring this fascinating vessel in Makemo (click here to read about the tour).  Our friend Stephan had alerted us of the Navy ships arrival and asked us to clear the channel of all cruising boats.  We did, but that was 3 days before they arrived.  The day before the ship’s arrival, two French cruising boats anchored right in the channel.  The French will do what the French will do.  The ship had to maneuver around them to get to the dock.  But with massive bow thrusters and fancy engineering they made it without incident.

The ship was only here for 1 day and did not allow for any tours.  Must have been a shore break for the crew.

French Navy Arrives to Mangareva

French Navy Arrives to Mangareva

Taravai Bound

We left Rikitea and headed toward Taravai to prepare for my birthday party!  It is always a serene and stunning anchorage.  We visited Valerie, Herve, Alan, and Ariki and procured lots of fresh produce.  Herve was being silly and strategically placed a rather large cucumber…. And we came across a humongous pig.

We were blessed with sunset that streaked across the sky.

Taravai Sunset

Taravai Sunset

Events from this blog post occurred in January 2021.  Our blog posts run 8 weeks behind our adventures.