The North Coast

Tahiti Driving Tour-15


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Between stops, we drove furiously to make the complete circuit of Tahiti in one day. By late afternoon we could again see the North Shore, and we were nearing Papeete.

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Chapel

Tahiti Driving Tour-14


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Again in Tahiti, as in the Marquesas, we saw scenes like this, which looked more like Switzerland than the South Pacific.

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Boatyard on Tahiti

Tahiti Driving Tour-13


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We didn't have time to drive out to Tahiti Iti, a smaller island on the Southwest corner of Tahiti, but near the turnoff we found this boatyard. The boats parked here are typical of French cruising boats, with sleek hulls and retractable centerboards.

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Galapagos Turtle

Tahiti Driving Tour-12


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Jim introduces himself the the Galapagos Tortoise living in the botanical garden. This tortoise was brought to Tahiti from the Galapagos Islands on a sailing ship over 100 years before, and is still here, munching plants and still growing.

The tortoise seemed mildly interested in Jim, even though he has probably been seeing visitors to his spot for a long time.

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Botanical Garden

Tahiti Driving Tour-11


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We turned into the botanical garden parking lot, and went for another walk; this time among the trees in this well tended and groomed park. This is a neat botanical garden with many plants and trees which were new to us. Carol inspected the Banyan trees.

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Tahiti

Tahiti Driving Tour-10


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The views were beautiful, but we saw few people, but then, it was a weekday; maybe they were all off to Papeete at work.

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Gauguin Museum

Tahiti Driving Tour-9


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Next stop, the Paul Gauguin Museum. People in French Polynesia are immensly proud of Paul Gauguin, the french painter who repeately travelled here to paint. Though he had a wife and family in back France, he spent many years here, and eventually died here. His paintings were sent back to France and sold, and few of Gauguin's works remain in French Polynesia. What there are, are displayed here in this quiet roadside museum. We read of his life and work, and saw some of his paintings, and reproductions of others, and were glad we stopped.

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Walking into the jungle.

Tahiti Driving Tour-8


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We parked the car and headed up this trail, hoping to find a waterfall, but instead, at the end of the trail, found impenetrable jungle.

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Stream Flowing on Island Time

Tahiti Driving Tour-7


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In places where the coastal plain is wider, Tahitian streams, like this one, flow more slowly and then, as part of an endless cycle in which the water from the sea evaporates and rises to the sky to form clouds, falls on land as rain and then flows to rejoin the sea, again part of the vast ocean.

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Stream Flowing from Tahitian Mountains

Tahiti Driving Tour-6


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Tahiti is a large island with a mountianous interior, where rain is nearly constant. Out of this rainy mountainous center of the island of Tahiti flow many small rivers, and we were constantly crossing them as we drove along the coastline.


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Colorful Church

Tahiti Driving Tour-5


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Churches are pretty gaudy in the South Pacific. We passed several on our trip around Tahiti

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Inside the Coral Reef

Tahiti Driving Tour-4


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Inside the coral reef which surrounds the island of Tahiti there are many smaller islands. In many places there are also navigable channels inside the reef, so a adventurous cruiser could motor to some of these exotic looking places. We limited our exploration to a stop along the road where we could snap this photo.

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Le Car

Tahiti Driving Tour-3


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This little econo-box wasn't cheap, but it was shared by four couples, and we rented it for two days. We drove it completely around the island of Tahiti twice.

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Jim & Carol-Yacht Joyous

Tahiti Driving Tour-2



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In the cruiser community we all have shared similar experiences crossing oceans and facing nature, as well as the excitement of exploring new places.

Friends are made quickly.

In Tahiti we teamed up with Jim and Carol, of the yacht Joyous, and some other couples, to rent a car in which we could take turns in to go sight seeing.

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Fred & Judy, Tahiti-1998

Tahiti Driving Tour-1


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We're happy that we can take a driving tour around the Island of Tahiti

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Afternoon Shadows

In the afternoon's deepening shadows, the Autonomy Day Parade drew to a close with the passing of the Princess.
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Seeing Over The Crowd

If you can't see over the crowd, why, just stand on the fence!
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Parade Oranges

This farmer brought produce to the parade.
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Parade Red

With a flash of color, a wave of a sword, and an exotic swivel of hips, these villagers acted out events from their past.
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Polynesian Warriors

Polynesian history is not just beautiful maidens doing the Tahitian dance; there is a warrior culture too, as these men demonstrate in the Autonomy Day Parade
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Parade Yellow

Polynesian's from many islands came to Tahiti to march in the Autonomy Day Parade.
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Flags and Banners

To help celebrate Fete, we hoisted every flag and banner we had on board. All fluttering in the SE Trades, and with those of our neighbors, it was a glorious sight.
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Le Truck

To beat Tahiti's expensive restraunt prices, we often ate at Le Truck's, a waterfront gathering place with a great selection of trucks converted into meals on wheels. Each evening they would arrive and set up shop. Meals were tasty and cheap by Papeete standards.
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Neon Tahiti

Tahiti has a seedy side, and here the night life is in full swing, with drinking and music, but crime is more prevalent here too. Bashings, muggings, and other scary stuff occured while were were in this town, and we ventured here only rarely.
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Canoe Racing

The start! In Papeete Harbor the racers are off, paddling for the first prize and glory for thier village, island or racing club.
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Behind The Scenes

Behind the scenes, canoe racing competitors and spectators waited for their heats to begin.
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Canoes on Beach

Part of the Fete was a major canoe racing regatta. Dozens of beautifully crafted, but definately high tech, carbon fiber and titanium, racing canoes were on racks on the beach waiting for the racing to begin.
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Pacific Island Produce

First stop was the Papeete Market, and we found a basket full of south seas fruits and vegitables.
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Papeete Quay

Each year 200-400 cruising yachts cross the Pacific, and most of them stop in Papeete, so the quay can get crowded, but we found a spot, right in the middle, surrounded by the pedestrians and traffic noise typical of a city.
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Papeete

Papeete, Tahiti. Quite a change from the remote and undeveloped Marquesas Islands and Tuomotus, we were so awe struck at finding a city in the Pacific, we almost ran aground just looking at it during our approach.
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Tahitian Girl, Autonomy Day Parade-1998

Tahitian girl in the Autonomy Day parade, part of Fete, July 15, 1998
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