Bora Bora… Just the name conjures up dreams and fantasies of
white beaches, lush surroundings, a turquoise lagoon and tropical paradise. It
is called “The pearl of the South Seas” and “One of the prettiest islands in
the world”, and has turned into many couple’s honeymoon destination, or at
least an “I wish I could go to dream vacation”. Why then is Bora Bora one of
the least favorite islands of cruisers (just like Tahiti – another island
internationally rumored to be paradise, while it does not have much to offer
the tourist)? Are the luxury travel magazines exaggerating? Is the tourism
board of French Polynesia really doing such an awesome job of successfully promoting
this Leeward island in the Society group? Or, are the boaters generally
avoiding this place, because it is known to be touristy? And, are they
therefore not devoting enough time to this island on their way west?
Since Mark and I have decided to spend cyclone season (or until we
sell the boat) in the
Society Archipelago of French Polynesia, we have some time to explore its islands,
combining the necessary (work, daily chores, boat projects) with the enjoyable
(sightseeing, snorkeling, relaxing). Initially hoping to join the 80
+
va’a (outrigger canoes) to Bora Bora during the annual
Hawaiki Nui canoe race
earlier in November, we gave up on that plan when the final day of the race
brought yet more rain. By afternoon, it had cleared up beautifully and
surprisingly, but by then, we wouldn’t have been able to make it before dark. We
sailed Irie to our destination the following day, under blue skies and with
winds ranging from over 20 knots when we left to about 5 knots by the time we
arrived! Sail changes were required and the spinnaker took center stage.
During a big chunk of our first week in Bora Bora, Mark and
I paid for a mooring ball (5000 francs, or $55, per week) at the
Mai Kai restaurant and marina on the west side of the island. In return, we received “free”
internet (which didn’t work as well as expected), easy shore access, use of
their pool, and a reliable mooring in 99 feet of water. Our first impressions
of Bora Bora? An average view, traffic noise, lots of wake – the boat didn’t
stop moving the whole time we were there - from local fishing boats, tour
boats, heavy dive boats and airport ferries, and the penetrating smell of burnt
garbage and compost first thing in the morning and last breath at night. We
even found ashes inside the boat once. But, we were here for the internet and
to work, so we tried to ignore these annoyances, now that our internet
frustration from other anchorages was temporarily diminished.
Twice, we took the dinghy ashore to do some sightseeing.
Keeping our expenses to a minimum, we opted to explore the island by foot,
instead of renting bikes (the best way to see and circumnavigate the island),
and hitching rides along the less interesting parts. We had a pleasant walk to
Faanui Bay, from where we turned inland at the church and climbed the pass for
a nice view over the motus, the many high end resorts, Taha’a and Raiatea. Down
we went on the other side, where we reached Fitiiu Point, and with some
difficulty, two of the handful of canons the Americans left behind after WWII.
At this pretty spot, we had a snack and cooled off a bit in the shade. It was
extremely hot, but the weather was perfect for reaching viewpoints and taking
pictures!
Back down, we walked a bit further to find a little grocery
store with sandwiches – these “casse croutes” are the only affordable food in
French Polynesia - and then the long wait for a ride back around the north side
of the island started. On Bora Bora, hitching rides takes much longer than on
any of the other FP islands and we have to agree that the people appear to be
less friendly here as well. Another drawback of tourism, we feel. But, we made
it to the other side, hiked up another steep hill to a third rusty canon,
walked along the busy road to a small and unimpressive marae, made our own pareo (sarong) with tie dye (batik) at a roadside store, and hitched a last
ride back to return to the Mai Kai.
On day two, we started with a walk again, this time towards
the south and through the capital of Vaitape. In steady traffic, we needed to
wait a half an hour or so before someone picked us up and dropped us at Matira
Beach, which was more impressive than we thought. The sand is white and the
lagoon shallow and lukewarm, with only a handful of tourists wading out waist
deep to cool off. The area was relatively quiet and people enjoyed themselves
on the beach and the water. At this end of the island, a lot of resorts are
located and a vacation atmosphere is present. Mark and I pressed on, in search
of the Belvedere (viewpoint) and a sandwich, which we found in the lesser
healthy version of meat and French fries – yes, all inside the baguette! The
Belvedere eluded us, but instead, we managed to climb over the island again via
a steep dirt road, and once on the other side, the ride back to Vaitape was a
short one.
A few days ago, we motored Irie to the east side of the
lagoon, where the scenery improved, and the colors of the lagoon beckoned. This
pretty area also attracted a lot of over-the-water-bungalow resorts, so the
traffic was still pretty much non-stop and the boat was seldom stable. The
smell of burnt trash from local houses was still part of our mornings and
evenings. Upon our dinghy explorations towards the motus, “tabu” signs screamed
at us to not set foot on the sandy beaches ashore. “Tabu” means “prohibited” or
the equivalent of “private”, even though - as far as our understanding goes -
beaches in French Polynesia are public. We were not going to risk it; some of
these places have hordes of vicious dogs to keep visitors out. Instead, we went
for a swim in the light blue shallows, where the water was pleasantly warm and
the perfect depth to sit down and enjoy the scenery, with our heads just above
the water surface.
We moved further to the southeast area of the lagoon; a
truly beautiful place. We haven’t dared to check out the palm fringed beaches
yet, but the resorts are located at a safe distance away, it is more peaceful
here and the colors of the majestic lagoon range from aquamarine to cobalt
blue. The weather has been gorgeous for a while, making us suspicious; we
haven’t had this incredible weather for so many days in a row, since the
Caribbean! Nevertheless, we’ll take it… We checked out the coral garden, which
was less impressive than the one in Taha’a and, of course, very touristy, but
it was a nice destination for a snorkel, and especially that day, the water was
crystal clear, the only time since we have been here. Usually, the visibility
in the lagoon water has been poor.
As a summary so far, I could see why people come here on
vacation, but you’d have to stay in one of the expensive resorts – on a motu if
you like privacy, exclusivity and romance - to make it your worthwhile and to
fully enjoy the scenery and water activities. As for a cruiser, the SE of Bora
Bora is definitely the place to be, but only catamarans seem to make it “all the
way” out here, and I am sure that it is possible to find a similar spot as the
one we have found right now in some of the other Societies. We might be
spoiled. A daytrip to explore the mainland is also worthwhile; as the following photos will prove. For me, the
dazzling colors of the surrounding lagoon on a sunny day and the majestic peaks
of Bora Bora’s mountain can keep me entertained and enthralled, as long as it
is peaceful around us and the smell of garbage burning is absent. Unfortunately, the internet in our most recently found Shangri-La is
insufficient and frustratingly intermittent, so we will soon have to move
again!
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| Approaching Bora Bora and its surrounding lagoon with Irie |
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| Va'a rower "taking" Irie's wake to help his progress in the lagoon |
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| Church of Vaitape with Bora's iconic mountain (Mt. Otemanu) behind |
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| Sunset on the west side of Bora Bora, with motu Tapu |
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| Va'a in the lagoon with motu Tapu in the background |
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| Most local boats on Bora have their own lift system |
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| Mt. Otemanu seen from a different angle, while hiking |
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| One of the American canons left behind after WWII; Taha'a and Raiatea are seen in the background |
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| One of the views the US soldiers had from their bunker on the hill |
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| Site of the canons on the peninsula, with a view over the lagoon and - since after WWII :-) - its fancy resorts, with Taha'a on the horizon |
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| Creating our own sarong with linoleum prints |
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| Va'a paddlers in the shallow lagoon at Matira Beach |
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| One of the many over-the-water-bungalow resorts - this one is the Intercontinental on the mainland |
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| Unhealthy lunch: French fries on French bread! Where are the veggies?? |
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| Making (lunch) friends on the beach |
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| The colors of Bora Bora lagoon, with Taha'a in the background |
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| Walking back across and over the hill with full bellies |
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| Tourist sailboat in front of the St. Regis resort, on the east side of the lagoon |
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| Forget about stepping foot on one of these motus... |
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| I don't think anyone will chase us off here on these pointy rocks! |
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| Don't worry, pups, we are leaving! |
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| Bora Bora in the early morning light (east side) |
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| Sunset from Irie in the southeast corner of the lagoon |
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| SE side of the lagoon by - very clear! - day |
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| Approaching the coral garden and its tourists - the water was unbelievably clear that day! |
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| This is what happens when fish are fed... they multiply! :-) |
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| Kind of trigger fish I cannot identify |
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| Sofitel motu with over-the-water bungalows |
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| Irie in the SE lagoon anchorage on a very pretty day - who would not want to buy her and spend some time here? :-) |
“Sailing means freedom” is a misconception that Mark and I
have realized over the years. Don’t get me wrong, you have a lot of freedom
when you live on a boat and cruise the world; you just don’t have the freedom
to choose when to leave, where to go, how long to stay or when to arrive. The
comfort of an anchorage is also not to be taken for granted. All this is
determined by the main domination in a sailor’s life: the weather.
Even when keeping a close eye on the forecasts, here in the
Pacific, doesn’t necessarily mean that you “get what you ordered”, like during
our trip from delightful Huahine to the metropolis of Tahiti. In between
bouncing at anchor and being suffocated by poisonous smoke (which appeared to
have been from an accidental fire in the recycling plant of Punaauia) in the
Taina Marina area, we dealt with some errands on shore and ran from one doctor
to another, and from one lab to the next, not forgetting about our initial appointment at the hospital. Without finding an answer to one of our health
issues and having to decline a birthday drink invitation, both because of
another unfavorable weather forecast, we crossed the channel to Moorea – under
motor – to hide for the predicted 30-40 knot NW winds.
The anchorage areas on the east side of Moorea, near Vaiare,
were new to us and – based on reviews of friends - we had been looking forward
to spending some time on the eastern faced reef anchorages, in shallow, clear
water over a sandy bottom. Facing outward, meant no mosquitoes, no smoke and a
refreshing breeze. The current, however, is very strong here and from the
moment we arrived, Irie didn’t stop moving about, the water rushing along the
hulls as if we were underway. But, we did find a big spot for ourselves, with
plenty of swinging room and none of the other boats close by, to sit out the
inclement weather. 
The storm from last weekend, albeit short in duration – just
one night – would become the strongest one we have experienced in eight years
of cruising. The wind gusts made the seawater airborne, and topped at over 50
knots. The lagoon was filled with white caps and all the anchored boats
resembled hobby horses. Irie behaved splendidly, however, and was not one of
the four cruising boats that dragged that dreadful night. The holding was great,
we had 10:1 scope out in 7ft of water, and our Manson Supreme anchor, once again,
performed perfectly.
The following afternoon, the sun stood bright in the sky as
if nothing had happened. Life returned to its usual business, and taking a
shower in the ocean was preceded by a snorkel with stingrays and colorful fish
and coral in the clear waters of the lagoon. Another depression was looming on
the weather charts. A day before it was predicted to hit us, we moved to the
northern reef anchorage of Vaiare. And, good we did, since the nasty weather
system arrived a day earlier than planned (always at night), having us pinned
down on the boat again. 
