Last Tender Ride in French Polynesia – Mar 14, 2008
As our departure was timed for late afternoon, several of us, though still in the grip of the miseries, took the tender and went exploring the circumference of Huahine Iti, the small southern end of the island (and, yes, it means small pussy in Tahitian lingo, and the larger northern end, Huahine Nui, means…).
Along the shore of an off lying motu, we found a wonderful pre-made beachfront camp site complete with thatch roofed, open walled hut. There we set up the essential beer cooler (no more rum punches, thank you) and sat down to watch the sun set. Promptly somebody discovered that we were sitting in the shade of a kava tree, whose fruit provides the operative ingredient in the local home brew. Unable to resist, we picked a handful of the fruit resolving to give it a try when we got back to the boat.
We also spotted a tree of some unknown (to us) species that was covered in plum-sized white snails that had climbed its trunk to a height of ten feet or so. In crevasses of the tree, many of the snails had congregated sardine-like. Adjacent to the camp site was what appeared to be a plantation of the noni plant, all bearing its fruit used in making various concoctions for the skin. When split open, the things smell of rancid blue cheese. Just why this should be good for the skin I’m unsure.
Following a relaxing and therapeutic afternoon, we returned from our last tender ride in French Polynesia fully prepared for the three-day voyage to the Cook Islands that lay ahead.