It feels as if Mark and I are living in Fare, Huahine, these
days. We have become used to the island pace and the Polynesian way of life. We
go to the hardware store on a Saturday morning and are not surprised to find it
closed. We take our jerry cans to the fuel station, never expecting to be
helped the first time around. Once, they were out of gasoline on day one, and a
month later, the station was already closed at 11am. A second attempt, usually
has us carry full jugs home. As Mark states: “Whatever we want to do, count on
about 50% of it working out.” And, he is right when it comes to local matters,
like a store or food van being open, fresh fish being for sale, coco glacé
(coconuts on ice to drink the deliciously refreshing coco water inside - $1 a
piece!) vendors being present, a planned event, a given direction, a previously
reliable internet connection actually working, and so on. When it comes to boat
parts or other pieces we need, to fix or maintain the boat, the percentage of
finding something on tiny Huahine drops to zero.
 |
| Eggplant gnocchi with boat grown spinach |
Every day, fresh baguettes await in the one grocery store,
where a variety of produce is sadly lacking. We have the habit of walking the
refrigeration aisle, just in case there is more to be found than the usual eggplants,
cabbage and carrots. So far, we have no luck. We haven’t eaten a tomato or
lettuce in weeks, or other dinner veggies in months, and even cucumbers are
becoming sparse. We manage OK, though, and our creativity with meals is still
existent. Having a constant supply of basil and sprouts helps. One thing we (I)
can’t get used to in French Polynesia is the early time everyone rises. People
get out of bed around 4am and start the day before 5! Most stores open at
6:30am. It makes sense, since the early hours are the coolest. Mark is also most
productive before 7am, but I still have a hard time waking up with the sun.
On Irie, we have the unwritten rule that whatever we haven’t
used for a year (or two) – except for parts and tools – needs to get off the
boat. Having quite a few things that belong in this category, we looked forward
to a planned flea market in Fare last week. When the event was canceled, we
decided to take a tub of stuff to shore anyway and set up shop next to the
vegetable sellers. As “new providers” we were the hit of town, and gear
unavailable on the island went quick. Mark and I made enough money for lunch at
a
roulotte and happy hour that day,
and for a Valentine’s dinner at the Yacht Club on Saturday!
As we set about our daily routines, we enjoy being
comfortable on one of the free mooring balls in Fare’s multi-hued lagoon. The
view of the surrounding reefs, islands, beach and water is pretty and the wind
has recently been helping us out with electricity and keeping the temperature
bearable. Thanks to our friends Rachelle and Patrick on SV Namaste (now in the
Marquesas), who told us where to find abandoned fruit trees, we go “shopping”
in nature for avocados, grapefruit, limes and bananas. The gusty wind had
knocked over some plants and branches to make the pickings easy!
Since the sun gave us a break yesterday, we braved the 120%
humidity and swarms of mosquitoes to go on a walk in the jungle. Besides
getting some exercise and feeling as if we were the only people on the island,
we enjoyed exploring the remote interior to the sounds of birds and a rushing
river. The lush foliage of the tropics and the beautiful flowers of Polynesia
never cease to impress me. We even found some hot pepper bushes to spice up our
meals. Huahine, as most of the fertile islands of French Polynesia, truly is a
piece of paradise to visit or live in and its abundance of natural wealth and
beauty is a fact. The locals realize this and love their island. And we do,
too!
 |
| Leaving civilization to head into Huahine's interior |
 |
| Little waterfall along the river |
 |
| Following the river into the jungle |
|
|
 |
| Narrow trail into the foliage |
 |
| Colorful flowers along the way |
 |
| Easy avocado pickings |
 |
| Tiare flower bush |
 |
| Tiare Tahiti |
 |
| Valentine's dinner: tuna carpaccio for me and fish burger for Mark |
Mark and I are a bit sad, but mostly happy that she will be
sailing again and that the burden of owning a sailboat on the other side of the
world is lifted. Of course, we will miss Irie;
she meant everything to us and was our home for eight years. She brought us all
the way from Annapolis, MD on the east coast of the United States, via the
Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean, to the northern regions of South America.
Then, she safely sailed us to our all-time favorite, the San Blas Islands in
Panama, before transiting the famous Canal, and entering the Pacific Ocean on
the other side. Before we decided to put Irie
up for sale, because other priorities arose, we had a great time in the
Galapagos Islands and lived two interesting and diverse years afloat in French
Polynesia.
We loved the cruising lifestyle and will always have fond
memories of Irie, our watery
surroundings – the beautiful beaches, the clear water, the amazing wildlife,
the colorful and peaceful snorkeling, the people we met (locals and cruisers alike) -
the intriguing sites and pulsating cultures, and especially, the peace and
solitude of exquisite anchorages. And we will definitely miss the tropical climate! 
While we totally enjoyed being one with
nature for so many years, appreciating what she had to offer and living a
pretty basic life, we are currently content with the quirks of “modern” living.
We indulge in daily hot showers, are aware of conveniences like unlimited
internet and electricity, and embrace the fact that we can just take the car somewhere or go for a walk. We are ready for some comfort and landlubber
“delights”!
