..
I am awake earlier than I had planned – 5:45 a.m. to be precise. I quickly showered and dressed and went out on deck with coffee and muffin. Rushing to see our approach into Raiatea, I even forget to put on make up! That never happens. Now, ordinarily I would reluctantly retrace my steps back to the cabin. But then this is no ordinary journey. I decide that I will greet Raiatea in my most natural state.
It was well worth my hurry as I was greeted by the chirping of exotic birds flitting through trees as we pulled into port. Lush hilltops lined with flat top acacia trees, lanky palms poking through the brush in a haphazard way. I settled on to a deck chair and was greeted by the new bosun, probably not really “new”, but since my favorite bosun and good buddy is no longer here, off sailing on the Queen Mary, everyone seems new to me. The new guy is not too bad, Vincenzo, from Italy, a cheerful and friendly disposition. We watched the roosters, the earliest risers on Raiatea here to greet us, cross the decorative stone sidewalks at the pier, a few of their distant relatives cackling on the hillsides in the distance. Little does Vincenzo know he will soon find me on the promenade deck more than himself, and will soon be addressing me as “Principessa”. I decide I’ll break him in slowly.
One by one, the blue boys emerge, big smiles. Why not? Raiatea is one of the few ports where we don’t tender, but instead pull up to the dock. Life is immensely easier for the blue boys today. In addition, Raiatea is also an overnight stay, so even though there is no real “action” in town after dark, save for one smoky bar, the blue boys have been known to drop off fishing lines from the side of the ship during the day and in the evening set up a makeshift grill on the barrier rocks on the outskirts of the port for a Philippine style bbq, the highlight being the freshest catch of the day. I remember fondly the one I was invited to attend on my last journey here, when we celebrated the promotion of the staff captain. A party for just the deckhands and the resident deck lounger! What fun!
It is quiet and very primitive looking here in the early morning. The only thing stirring right now are the palms swaying in the gentle breeze and the cawing and clicking and pitched sounds of the feathered residents. An occasional whistle to the left, and in the distance, a faint response. An orange and green bus meanders slowly down the one main road encircling the island, shuttling children off to school.
Whereas in the Caribbean, the locals depend heavily on tourism, there are no natives on the pier to greet us when we arrive in Raiatea. Just one or two teenage boys sitting leisurely under a large straw hut that doubles as a bandshell, drinking what appears to be the remnants of last night’s local brew. The stores at the port are shuttered closed, indifferent to our arrival. It is not so much that the people of Polynesia are indifferent to the tourist $ that we bring, or that they are perfectly self-sufficient people, but rather that the French government heavily subsidizes the islands to a point that no one really needs to work here to survive. They can be cheerful when they want to be, but never overbearing or laden with tourist trinkets to force on us. They are okay whether we come or don’t come.
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I am happy to report that I did receive a tour again! This time, a sunset sail on the lagoon. This works well for me, as I can relax on board today, and get some work done on deck in preparation for the upcoming new voyage. It is not so far away. Later this morning, I’ll walk into town and buy some flowers from the ladies who sit on benches by the stores with their babies in tow and weave headdresses and garlands. And, of course, some French wine! After all, Raiatea and Papeete (in Tahiti) are really the only two ports on this cruise with anything faintly resembling a grocery store.
The ship’s chimes sound and the captain’s voice is heard, advising passengers that they can now disembark for the day. It is already 30 degrees Celsius, 86 degrees Fahrenheit. A new day is underway in Polynesia.
Hugs,
Jeana
J
I am awake earlier than I had planned – 5:45 a.m. to be precise. I quickly showered and dressed and went out on deck with coffee and muffin. Rushing to see our approach into Raiatea, I even forget to put on make up! That never happens. Now, ordinarily I would reluctantly retrace my steps back to the cabin. But then this is no ordinary journey. I decide that I will greet Raiatea in my most natural state.It was well worth my hurry as I was greeted by the chirping of exotic birds flitting through trees as we pulled into port. Lush hilltops lined with flat top acacia trees, lanky palms poking through the brush in a haphazard way. I settled on to a deck chair and was greeted by the new bosun, probably not really “new”, but since my favorite bosun and good buddy is no longer here, off sailing on the Queen Mary, everyone seems new to me. The new guy is not too bad, Vincenzo, from Italy, a cheerful and friendly disposition. We watched the roosters, the earliest risers on Raiatea here to greet us, cross the decorative stone sidewalks at the pier, a few of their distant relatives cackling on the hillsides in the distance. Little does Vincenzo know he will soon find me on the promenade deck more than himself, and will soon be addressing me as “Principessa”. I decide I’ll break him in slowly.
One by one, the blue boys emerge, big smiles. Why not? Raiatea is one of the few ports where we don’t tender, but instead pull up to the dock. Life is immensely easier for the blue boys today. In addition, Raiatea is also an overnight stay, so even though there is no real “action” in town after dark, save for one smoky bar, the blue boys have been known to drop off fishing lines from the side of the ship during the day and in the evening set up a makeshift grill on the barrier rocks on the outskirts of the port for a Philippine style bbq, the highlight being the freshest catch of the day. I remember fondly the one I was invited to attend on my last journey here, when we celebrated the promotion of the staff captain. A party for just the deckhands and the resident deck lounger! What fun!
It is quiet and very primitive looking here in the early morning. The only thing stirring right now are the palms swaying in the gentle breeze and the cawing and clicking and pitched sounds of the feathered residents. An occasional whistle to the left, and in the distance, a faint response. An orange and green bus meanders slowly down the one main road encircling the island, shuttling children off to school.Whereas in the Caribbean, the locals depend heavily on tourism, there are no natives on the pier to greet us when we arrive in Raiatea. Just one or two teenage boys sitting leisurely under a large straw hut that doubles as a bandshell, drinking what appears to be the remnants of last night’s local brew. The stores at the port are shuttered closed, indifferent to our arrival. It is not so much that the people of Polynesia are indifferent to the tourist $ that we bring, or that they are perfectly self-sufficient people, but rather that the French government heavily subsidizes the islands to a point that no one really needs to work here to survive. They can be cheerful when they want to be, but never overbearing or laden with tourist trinkets to force on us. They are okay whether we come or don’t come.
c.jpg)
I am happy to report that I did receive a tour again! This time, a sunset sail on the lagoon. This works well for me, as I can relax on board today, and get some work done on deck in preparation for the upcoming new voyage. It is not so far away. Later this morning, I’ll walk into town and buy some flowers from the ladies who sit on benches by the stores with their babies in tow and weave headdresses and garlands. And, of course, some French wine! After all, Raiatea and Papeete (in Tahiti) are really the only two ports on this cruise with anything faintly resembling a grocery store.
The ship’s chimes sound and the captain’s voice is heard, advising passengers that they can now disembark for the day. It is already 30 degrees Celsius, 86 degrees Fahrenheit. A new day is underway in Polynesia.
Hugs,
Jeana
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