ADIEU HUAHINÉ
April 11, 2015 - Motu Murimahora, Huahiné
This is where our love cruising was born, 20 years ago: Huahiné. At the time, we anchored our chartered Jeanneau 42’ in the 30-meter deep Port Bourayne (probably using just 40 meters of chain, inexperienced as we were) and we just fell in love with everything: the view, the peace, the lifestyle, the isolation, the water, the people. Things have changed in Huahiné, some for the better, some not, but it remains our favorite of the Society Islands. And since I haven’t written about it yet, I’ll indulge in a lengthy report.
NAVIGATION NOTE - Be super extra careful at the south end of Huhine ... The reef extends farther than on th charts. One of our friends lost his Oceanis 43 on the reef a month ago. Last week a chartered catamaran was destroyed on that reef... Watch out!!!!
 |
| Be careful at the southern point!!! The reef extends way out. Keep an eye on the Western end as well!!!! |
 |
| 2 mooring fields: in front of the village of Fare and between the 2 passes |
FARÉ– 5 moorings in town; 5 moorings between the 2 passes.
Dinghy dock in front of the Huahiné Yacht Club.
We are not surfers, but if we were, that’s where we’d hang out. There is always some good surfing around here, according to American Surf Gypsy Liz Clark who is moored behind us. She’s been here several months and plans on staying as long as she can!
We came to town not only to provision at the Super-U, famed to be the best provisioning spot in the islands (we agree, except for the eggs) and to visit our friends Robert & Valerie. Many years ago, JP spent a week vacation at their home; this time, they enjoyed a bit of cruising on DOMINO.
 |
| Lagoon fish grow on trees! |
What else goes on in Faré? Friday night Happy Hour at the Yacht Club, bare feet in the sand; Saturday morning garage sale: lighten up your load and make a few bucks; Sunday morning town market along the waterfront: fri-fri (beignets), poiroti(roasted pig), nêmes (spring rolls), fresh fruits and vegetables, and the obligatory lagoon fish hanging from the tree. Of course, on any afternoon, you can look out for a poti mara (local fishing boat) unloading at the town dock and ask for fish: Mahi mahi or tuna.
PORT BOURAYNE - 16°46.95S - 151°01.700W
3 mooring balls SE of Motu Vaiorea (Beach)
 |
| The beach at the entrance of Port Bourayne... possibly my favorite snorkeling spot in all of FP |
This, of course, is my favorite spot in all of French Polynesia. There is so much to see and do from here. There used to be an American hotel in that spot, but it closed some 15 years ago and the structures got wiped out by Hurricane Ollie. All that’s left is the beach and SIKI, the beach caretaker. Great guy! He’ll cure your marriage, your cancer, your hunger with whatever Juju and power he’s got. If you don’t need his help, he’ll try to sell you shell necklaces (cheap and better-looking than at the Papeete Market.) He’s always got fresh coconuts and will gladly bake an uru(bread fruit) for you on the fire. You can even camp on the beach. This is really a fun place.
Snorkeling here is also one of my favorites. There are 2 distinct areas:
- the grass bed between the mooring balls and the beach where you’ll find all sorts of juveniles, gobies and blennies; and
- Motu Vaiorea (southeast end) where the fish population is incredibly varied and plentiful. This is what the Society Islands used to be like, and unfortunately no longer is.
 |
| Motu Vaiorea, at the entrance of Port Bourayne. Spendid snorkeling, tons and tons of fish |
You might even spot a cowrie: just look!
But Robert & JP preferred going hunting. Just a quick dinghy ride to the outer reef and they came back with 2 nice jacks. Yes, there is fish along the reef… and sharks too, so DO take a buddy with you and don’t stray far from your dink when you hunt.
 |
| The frisky lives of nematodes! |
For a morning outing, we took Do-mini for a mini-cruise.
 |
| Inside Port Bourayne, Motu Vaiorea closes this hurricane hole |
Once across the circular hurricane hole of Port Bourayne, we just followed the Passage Honoava, under the bridge, and entered Maroe Bay. This is the large, deep bay where all the cruise ship drop anchor. You just don’t want to be there on those days, since the bay is marred with spewing jetskis and annoying ship tenders. (In doubt, ask Siki: he knows the ships’ schedules.) But this was a quiet day and we anchored “Little D” on the sand shelf.
 |
| Yellow goatfish |
We were curious about the 2”-wide round holes in the muddy sand and about the girl sitting in the sand, waist-deep in the water, keeping an eye on a makeshift fishing pole. “Fishing the varo,” she said.
 |
| Fishing for Varo |
A cross between a shrimp and a big caterpillar, with a bit of lobster in it, the varo –or “ski”– (Lysioquilina Maculata) is a prized food. At $10 apiece on the market (you can bargain...,) it’s a delicacy. But don’t venture to capture it yourself; its front legs are razor-sharp and many a fisherman have suffered deep slices into their fingers. The tail peduncles are pretty sharp and nasty as well. Just buy them and make the locals happy! Varos are excellent simmered in butter (garlic and Pastis if you like, too!) –
 |
| Lunch is served! |
For a different snorkeling experience we dove the wall along the sand shelf, between the 2 red marks. Although the water is not very clear, the drop is interesting and the fish population plentiful: royal angelfish galore!
 |
| Boxfish on the prowl |
I could have stayed at this mooring forever, but nasty weather was upon us and we had to seek shelter. Inside Port Bourayne would have been good (though 30-meter deep,) but we heard of new mooring balls in Haapu Bay, another hurricane hole.
 |
| Baby lionfish will grow and be nasty! |
 |
| Yellow-banded pipefish |
HAAPU BAY - 16°47.461S - 151°00.502W
 |
| The Beach at Port Bourayne, and the deep Haapu Bay |
3 mooring balls
We entered Haapu in whiteout conditions, 35 knots of wind, a deluge of rain and no visibility. But the channel into the bay is well marked and our Furuno radar picked up every mark, so we made it carefully and safely into the bay. What a lovely spot, like no other we’d seen so far.
The village of Haapu is very small and, of course, fishermen wanted to befriend us first, take us to the store to find fresh baguettes and eggs next, and sell us some varo last. We were only too happy to indulge them, making friends in the process.
We spent a few days there, not just to wait-out the storm, but to finally repaint the aft deck. The waters in Haapu are so protected and flat that it’s the perfect spot to work on the boat, especially to paint. We finally have a no-skid, clean-white aft deck. (Awlgrip Matterhorn White + Griptex coarse/fine + Accelerator X98, rolled.)
 |
| Upside-down Manta ray, feeding!!!! |
AVEA BAY - 16°48.606 S - 150°59.777W
 |
| Avea Bay has no mooring balls, but a very large sandshelf. |
No moorings
Although we prefer to anchor in deep waters (13 meters in Avea) most yachts anchor on the sand shelf in 2 meters of water, in front of the restaurant Chez Tara. That’s where we rejoined Irie for Mark’s birthday.
 |
| Happy Birthday Mark! |
We had just tied Do-mini to Irie for a visit when we noticed a large white disk cruising along the drop just a few yards from us.
 |
| This Manta surprised JP |
MANTA RAY!!! Pronto, mask, fins, cameras and hop in the water. What a treat!!! The rays kept cruising back and forth along the drop, doing back flips and coming so close to us we could have touched them (never touch a ray: your touch can remove their protective mucus and leave the ray open to skin infection and disease.)
 |
| This one surprised me! |
The deeper part of the channel is home of enormous anemones and a good population of clown fish. It’s a bit deep (5-6 meters) but well worth the free-diving effort!
And check the sand shelf too! Thousands of Rori (sea cucumbers) lay around, and it’s only when you take a much closer look that you notice the tiny snake-eels the roris feed on.
On Sundays, Chez Tara offers a traditional Ma’a Tahiti cooked in the traditional Ari Ma’a. For about $30/person, you’ll enjoy a feast: Poisson cru (raw fish in coconut milk), Pahua (giant clams in curry sauce), roasted pig and veal, and the obligatory taro, Fafa (spinach), Uru(breadfruit), fei (banana) and all types of Poe desserts (tapioca-flour cooked with fruit pulp: banana, papaya, mango, passion fruit, coco…)
 |
| Traditional Sunday fare |
Oh, were we ever full!!! But totally happy, while Mama Tara crowned us with Tiaré necklaces (they don’t call them Leihere, but Couronne) and a duo of old guys kept pounding on their Ukuleles, singing traditional Tahitian tunes.
 |
| Avea Bay, Huahine |
What better way to celebrate Mark’s birthday?
 |
| Tahitian oven |
MOTU MURIMAHORA - 16°45.72 S - 150°57.732 W
On the east side of Huahine, at the entrance of Maroe Bay (that’s the bay where all the cruise ships go), you can find secluded anchorage behind Motu Murimahora in 3 to 5 meter of sand. The channel is well marked and you can drop anchor about half way down the motu. We only had one night to spend, so we didn’t do much else than snorkel around. But there is plenty to do.
 |
| Can you say, BLUE ??? |
- Paul, the local deaf-mute guide, is sure to approach you on his yellow Va’a and at least have you sign his guest book, if not selling you a tour. And he’ll leave you with a fresh coconut, peeled and ready to drink! Nice guy.
- The locals on the motu are friendly and enjoy company… see if they’ll invite you over.
- Dingy along the mark channel (black/white posts) and you can reach Parea Village. We snorkeled the area off Passe Araara and found notably a few sea anemones and their symbiotic clown fish!
 |
| There is nothing like being able to see where you frop your anchor. |
There are trails too, but I’m not much of a walker and usually abstain from trekking… much happier in the water!
We just love Huahiné, its variety of snorkeling experiences, its hurricane holes and, of course, its new mooring balls!!!
 |
| Nana, Robert & Valerie |
Now, it’s time to continue our farewell tour. Next stop: Tahaa.
Until then…
dominomarie