Toamotus

It is finally on Nuku Hiva island that we spend the 14th of July. It is a great opportunity for us to assist to the traditional filling of (adapted to the local ways...) and an extraodinary traditional dance show (see film). From the Taioahe bay we go hiking on the Tovii plateau, anciant volcano. It reminds us of Switzerland, with its cows and pin trees. From there, the view on the ocean and the tortured coastline of the western side of Nuku Hiva are splendid. We meet Christine and Anthony, two frenchs from New Caledonia on their honeymoon. They make us want to visit their country...

We then spend some days in La baie du controleur where we hike and meet again wonderful people. The valley is impressive: green and very humid.

The Anaho and Hatieu bays are our last anchorages in the Marquises. They are on the North side of the island and are well protected from the ocean swell. Cephee is finally calm and we make good nights. Last hikes, and temple visits and last Marquisians. The beauty of the landscapes and the kindness of the locals gives us the impression that these islands want to retain us a little longer. We pick up fruits in the village which we will distribute to the people in the Toamotus. They have less luck with nature and it is difficult for them to grow anything on the coral... The boat is full of lemon, grapefruits, bananas, goat, cakes, flowers that people gave us for our trip.

Now it is time we have to leave... We set of for the Tuamotus 550 miles ahead. We give a last look at the mountains and head for the horizon. We fish a big dorada, to help us forget that we are leaving: we have enough fish for four meals...

The wind pushes us very slowly and when we see the first coconut trees , 5 days later, it is time to arrive since all the banana are ready to be eaten! The contrast with the Marquises is amasing. It seems that we have crossed an ocean. One is green, high, surrounded by deep, dark waters, the other is dry, flat with a circle of light green, blue, transparent water. It is hard to believe that the Marquises will become one day, in millions of years, like these atolls... In the middle of the ocean a small circle of coral protect a sea with shallow, transparent waters, huge corals (alive!) and millions of multicolored fish. Sometimes inhabitated, these atolls are more developed than what we thought: small airport, cars, TV, speedboats, fruits and vegetables... People live of coprah culture, tourism, perl culture and of course French state money... Of course some atolls are more wild and modest, but generally, it is really rich despite the harshness of nature.

We land on Kauehi, where the first contact with locals confirms that the Polynesians are really welcoming people. Our bananas, lemons and grapefruits drive the locals crazy, especially the kids who swallow the bananas as if they were ice creams!

We stay a week in this charming atoll, which offers, appart from post card landscapes, nice clams fishing, diving with sharks -even Helene, not really reassured, dives between 5 different varieties of sharks-, perl farm visits -we learn how they produce these jewls- and unforgetable moments with Ririfatu and Johana who show us everything about their atoll. With them, we go hunting for coconut crabs and discover the delicate taste of this monster. We learn how to make plates, bags with coconut leaves and every evening we make a fire and eat together under the stars...

Bernick and Najelis arrive from the Marquises as well, and we move alltogether to Fakarava. Thomas and Jean wish to pass the level one certificate in scuba diving. They can do this on Fakarava in 4 unforgettable dives in the Northern pass of the atoll where they swim with sharks, dolphins, Napoleons, parrot fishs, grupas... and the first clown fish! Helene thinks she will do her first dive in the society islands and for now, contents swimming around the boat where thousands of colored fish circle her.

Time flyes and we only have 15 days before the parents arrive in Tahiti. We meet 2 boats with young couples (less than 40!) in less than 3 days (incredible!): Amorevida with Holger and Manuela, a German couple who bought their boat in Finkenwerder (In is where we were working in Hamburg, we could see the harbour from Helene's office), and Demelza, with Gary and Lorenn, Canadians from Vancouver, as well very nice. The weather is not really good and sometimes we have to wait in the boat for the sun (It doesn't seem so on the pictures!).

On the atoll of Toau, there is no village, but the landscapes are splendid. We live as Robinsons for a while and then we decide to go back to Fakarava : our time schedules do not seem to fit with reality and we have some difficulties in the pass with the currents. As for the wind, it is really against us and this gives us the "joy" to go upwind for 16 hours... It has been a long time and we appreciate even more our arrival in the South pass of Fakarava. Marvalous pink sand beaches, cristal waters, fish everywhere, corals of all colors and of course... very welcoming locals as usual. Jean and on Najelys and Gary and Lorenn on Demelza are already there. There we spend our last unforgettable days in the Toamotus thanks to Jean and Sylvana who take us everywhere since our dinghy engine is dead...

It is time to move on again... We head for civilisation and most of all the parents and Nico and Julien! It zill be great to see them again!

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Fifiris :

1 kg wheat flour, 1 cup 25 °C water, 2 tsp yeast (the one used for making bread), 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 grated coconut (about 100g), oil to fry.

Put the yeast in water with brown sugar and let 15 minutes. In a bowl, sift flour and salt. Knead with yeast and water to a dough. Knead while adding flour until you obtain a soft dough. Then, knead at least 10 minutes. Keep covered, in a warm place for 1 hour. Put on a table, add grated coconut and knead a second time. Keep in a warm place for another hour. Then, divide the dough into 10 to 15 equal parts. Roll each part to an oblong shape (20 cm long) and form the shape of a 0 and then a 8. Don´t hesitate to add flour if it sticks to zour fingers. Keep aside 10 minutes and deep fry in hot oil .