Extra Info about Huahine - A High Island, Coral Reefs, Few Cars
Two More Very Different Worlds
Those who are following my travels in this blog will recall that I identified the island of Kauai (Hawaii) as a different world from Honolulu. Well, the same difference exists, in even more dramatic fashion, between Tahiti and the outlying islands of French Polynesia.
Overnight, we sailed from the bustling metropolis of Papeete to the quiet, placid Maroe Bay in between the two halves of the island of Huahine: Huahine Nui (Big) and Huahine Iti (little).
The ship anchored there for the day, and passengers had a choice of numerous different shore-side excursions. The one I chose was interesting and unusual: a boat cruise into the lagoon, a lunch eaten while seated in the lagoon, a program of music and dancing (also taking place in the lagoon), and a beach excursion with swimming and snorkeling. All this was taking place on amotu, one of the sand islets that grow up in the shelter of the encircling reefs. I can truthfully say that this was the coolest lunch I’d had since leaving Woodstock, because the water was so refreshing compared to the hot, humid air!
Like Tahiti, Huahine is classified as a “high island”. It consists of tall, rugged mountains which are the worn-down remains of an ancient volcano. On these mountains you see an extraordinary cover of tropical trees in many different shades of green.
The coral reefs form on the rim of the island wherever conditions are favourable. As the high island slowly sinks, a larger lagoon grows around a smaller island and conditions then allow for the formation of the chain of motus. Eventually, the central island will disappear altogether and what will remain is a collection of motus inside a completely encircling reef, which is then called an atoll.
At the beach, I kicked myself for forgetting my underwater camera! I had to settle for my regular SLR and in the process I either invented or discovered a new art form by photographing corals through the heaving, wind-blown water surface.
The most remarkable difference you notice on arriving in Huahine is the quiet. There are some cars, but not many places to drive them, so there is little traffic. You actually notice when a single car passes along the shoreline on the road! There are scattered houses here and there along the shore, and a small village clusters around the boat dock, but there’s no heavy-duty construction up into the hills as in Tahiti. Life here is very laid back, relaxed, easy-going.
One striking thing I realized, as we all compared notes back on the ship over dinner – although the people at my table had been on three different tours, not one of us had seen a souvenir store, or even a grocery store! We knew there was a grocery store because we were told that. But the people of Huahine live close to the land and sea. They grow a great deal of food for themselves, and catch fish enough for their needs. As far as selling souvenirs like pareos and black pearls, the enterprising sellers set up shop at key tour stops and at the boat dock. So, on my tour, the family that hosted us were doing a lively business in selling hand-painted pareos and the like right outside their home as well as the lunch and dancing and boat ride! Under these conditions, an actual brick-and-mortar store isn’t really necessary.
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