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Plying the Sea Lanes of French PolynesiaBy Belkis Kambach
Join NEMO Polynesia on a sailing charter to the fabled South Pacific isles of Paul Gauguin and Mutiny on the Bounty. French Polynesia offers the ultimate stress-free sailing vacations in some of the most beautiful settings for discerning sailors. Private yacht charters not only make an exceptional naturist vacation, they also bring you island treasures accessible only by boat. Catamaran yachting offers guests comfort, space, and at the same time the flexibility to discover French Polynesia intimately and at your own pace. It is also a great value for your money in these islands. This fresh approach to cruising makes a nice alternative for those looking for a new experience. Aren't these the elements of the perfect sailing vacation?
It had been a dream of ours to travel to French Polynesia. The turning point for us both was an IMAX film of Polynesia we saw at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii during our honeymoon last year. Ever since, we never stopped dreaming, but the distance, travel time and reputed expense and inter-island logistics were prohibitive. The main stumbling blocks for many would-be visitors.
If, like us, you find large cruise ships intimidating—too many people, too much glitz and too little sea air—and you prefer cruising on smaller vessels with real sails, Nemo Polynesia may be your best choice. These days the price is also right to visit Polynesia, which has long been a fairly exclusive, mostly European affair. Tourism to French Polynesia is now undergoing a sea of changes as the islands make a bid to lure more travelers who now hail from our shores. For those who consider Hawaii the epitome of paradise in the Pacific, Tahiti is a definite revelation. We embarked on a journey with an itinerary of seven nights at sea, with one hotel night at both ends and included a day at five ports of call: Tahiti, Huahine, Raiatea,Tahaa, and Bora-Bora. These are part of the Society Islands, which are one of five autonomous island groups that comprise the territory of French Polynesia (about the size of Europe), and the westernmost group of islands composed of 35 islands and 83 atolls totaling 1,550 square miles scattered over the Pacific. The islands have a population of less than a quarter million, with three-quarters being of pure Polynesian descent.
Finding a sailing heaven in Tahiti, Huahine, Tahaa, Raiatea and Bora BoraTahiti, "The Island of Love"Having flown eight hours from Los Angeles to Papeete with a two-hour (to the good) time difference, we landed at 5 p.m. on Tahiti, about halfway between Australia and LA. The island serves as the capital of French Polynesia and is the largest of the Society Islands. Here two flags hang -- the tricolor French and the Polynesian territorial flag, which is red and white with an outrigger canoe in the middle. We boarded a charter bus with six other sailors to the Tahiti Beachcomber Park Royal Hotel where sunset views of the jagged peaks of Moorea's ridge line (only 12 miles distant) were visible. We had just landed in paradise.
Tahiti is the most French-influenced of the islands. Here with morning comes the odor of freshly baked French baguettes and the roosters of the South Seas asserting themselves about 5 a.m., convinced that the sun is rising to hear them crow. From our balcony the island of Morea comes gradually into view. Suddenly the sun cuts itself on a jagged peak and bleeds into the valley, bathing land and sea in a light that would have intrigued Gauguin himself. At 6 a.m. all thoughts leave my head and is filled only with the beauty of these islands. Rather than board the ship right away with a severe case of jet lag, we decided on a "pre-sail" package. We had time to acclimatize to island life while slowing down our internal clocks on the hotel's fine beach and getting started on Rob's much-needed tan. While Tahiti is synonymous with unspoiled beauty, the island itself is a bustling capital. In fact, if not departing on a cruise, we suggest most visitors to use Tahiti as a springboard to the other nearby islands. The capital city, since the days of Captain Cook, has been the gateway to the South Pacific. All international flights land at the Faa'a (pronounced Fa ah ah) International Airport, and Tahiti is also the first island most visitors see. Huahine "The Secret Island"
We had our first lunch onboard. Then a five-minute ride by dinghy took us to the dock. We went on a land tour into Huahine, from where we had a commanding view of the two bays and inlets that bite into the north half of the island. We bounced along in a "Le Truck," one of the hard-benched, open-sided vehicles that serve as the local transportation system. Our driver from Afo Safari, tank-topped, tattooed and sun-glassed, drove us around the island along with Moe-Moea, our transplanted French tour guide. Soon we were four-wheeling, bouncing uphill then whizing downhill to get to the interior through agricultural stretches of land. You really need a four-wheel-drive vehicle here. Our driver took a rain-gutted slope with one hand on the wheel and one eye on the road, so steep that the only thing visible through the windshield was the blue view of the bay and the islands beyond. Laid-back Huahine features palms bursting through the dense vegetation, and people here tend to stay put, pursuing traditional ways of life in quiet villages with unspoiled beaches. Near the principal town of Fare, we drove slowly past an Adventist church crammed with earnest worshippers, our stop made more memorable when a dozen of well-fed massive eels, well over five feet long, swam out of their cave in a Banyon tree and wriggled among us. Their giant mouths opened and shut to feed on a can of sardines our driver fed them as they surrounded our legs and nibbled our calves. Eels and remoras are considered sacred by the natives here. As the day drifted into night, millions of stars splashed the inky black sky. Nemo Polynesia indeed seemed like an island of serenity in this beautiful sea. In this floating Paradise, it is hard to decide which appeals more, the cat or shore? All night long I was vaguely aware of the lullaby of the waves surging onto the reef. We spent our first night anchored off Huahine, and none of us wanted to leave. Once or twice in the night, we stepped out to marvel at the stars and this beautiful island, with its deep bays, mountains and white-sand beaches, where waves rocked Nemo as gently as a water bed. The maramuu, or southeast trade wind, brought the heavy aroma of blossoms from shore. Tahaa, "The Vanilla Island"
Nemo glides effortlessly over the deep, light blue waters towards Tahaa (23 mi.), a salty mist lightly envelopes our senses. For lunch, the friendly crew, Fabienne the captain's wife and Tehahe (Jessy) our Tahitian hotesse, cooked mahi-mahi steaks while we swam in the immaculately clean, white sand-bottomed lagoon. A Robinson Crusoe setting. We had the island to ourselves and some curious stingrays. This especially sugary stretch of beach is an easy swim or snorkel to either of two motus off this point.
From here it was easy to understand why the first Europeans, including Captain Cook's expedition and the H.M.S. Bounty's mutineers, coined these islands "Paradise." By late afternoon, layers of clouds scattered in all directions, reflecting the ever-changing light show. We have witnessed magnificent sunsets in places as diverse as the Dominican Republic to Finnish Lapland, but we must declare the ones here are the very best. That evening the South Seas sunset glowed with colors of Gauguin's purples, oranges, pink and red in every direction. We watched this encore each evening. In Tahaa, both of us tired and Rob sunburned, we moored off this tranquil, off-the-beaten-path island sampling the local cuisine, at the Tahaa Yacht Club at marina Iti owned by a French-Swiss transplant who prepared us a seafood fondue feast featuring a variety of freshly caught fish, served with with rice, taro and nonstop Polynesian cocktails. His Polynesian friends entertained us with ukuleles and dances. Raiatea, "The Sacred Island"Every morning, as the sky turned to gold and sweet gusts of wind swelled the sails of the Nemo, Michele raised anchors to set off for another alluring adventure at sea. Up on deck we helped hoist anchor. The Dufour silently crept out of the harbor, and our last look at the island faded away behind us as we headed for Raiatea.
There are numerous French expatriate-run businesses owned by people who had traveled here only to find themselves still on the island 12 years later. Sailors also flock to these waters for its many picture postcard-like anchorages, and non-yacht owners can arrange barefoot charters. Even non-sailors can hire yachts ranging in size from 56 to 85 feet skipper and charter. A spectacular experience by the way. Small vessels bigger than kayaks but not megaships are popular throughout the islands. This 18-passenger Nemo Polynesia, from NEM-Raleigh Yachts, sails year-round in French Polynesia. Built in France by Dufour shipyard and designed by Jaques Pierrejean, Nemo's French designers envisioned a life of intimate island-hopping, giving the cat a shallow draft so that it could thread the lagoons formed by coral reefs and motus that surround many of the Polynesian islands. The result of the design is that you can anchor literally a stone's throw from paradise. We were lucky to have Captain Michelle, who felt as comfortable on the water as we felt on land. He has not been inland in 10 years, and this was his second journey in Polynesia with Nemo. None of us travelers had sailed French Polynesia before, so he maintained what he called an "open bridge policy," where we were all welcome to drop in and chat about charts and rigging whenever we wanted. This cat has all the latest radar, GPS, and other navigational systems. He had many tales to tell of his seagoing adventures. The crew is as crucial to successful sailing as the need of an experienced sailor at the helm. Our second favorite gathering place became the lounge with its full bar, binoculars, books, games, videos—enough to keep the party swinging high. Every day before breakfast, we joined a few other early birds on the trampoline stretched between two hulls at the bow, cooled by fresh breezes. We eagerly performed tasks: dropping anchor, hoisting the sails, with laissez-faire attitude. All eight of us had embarked on this sailing adventure, chartering the cat, which included the captain, a crew of three and provisions. We were part of an two-boat flotilla. We discovered there's no need to own a boat or be a nautical wizard to enjoy a charter sailboat cruise.
Bora-Bora, "The Island of Dreams"Our first glimpse of Bora Bora did nothing to dispute James Michener's opinion that this is the most beautiful island in the world.
We were ecstatic, and we weren't even in the water yet. Soon the green mountain's craggy features came clearly into view, becoming recognizable as Mt. Otemanu, a ragged remnant of a massive volcano that juts 2,400 feet out of the Pacific, dramatically defining the island of Bora-Bora. This island's stunning beauty resulted from an ancient volcanic erosion, resulting in shark's teeth ridges rising above a narrow lagoon. Several luxury resorts line these shores, many featuring over-the-water bungalows. More Polynesian than French, Bora Bora offers such dazzling scenery, both below the water and above, that it made this island the most enchanting of our seven-day sail. Although its name belies that French Polynesia is a territory of France, it is uniquely Polynesian, and once clear of Tahiti we were seemingly transported centuries back in time. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the outer islands is how famous they are, yet how little tourism infrastructure exists. A foaming reef encircles the 80 km. multi-colored lagoon, three times larger than its land mass with luminous blue-green water that varies with depth. Bora Bora is dotted with motus—tiny islets that look like cartoonists' stereotypical desert islands. In the middle, Nemo sits at anchor, stone-still in the bright sun. Dazzling French Polynesia ,Tahiti and neighboring isles truly exceed their fameAt 4:00 p.m., our time in paradise was running out, and a friendly French expatriate/guide from Bora-Bora Diving Center had set a final a afternoon dive and our first Aqua Safari. The experience was like jumping into a private aquarium where schools of tiny fish of every color and configuration were willing to snack on baguettes and let us touch them. Some, like the parrot fish, looked they'd flopped around for a time on Gauguin's wet palette, becoming underwater works of art. With 82-degree water and visibility of 70 feet, we weren't complaining. This was the perfect cap to an unforgettable week in French Polynesia. Reality unfortunately had to surface. Our flight home was up in an hour, and it was time to leave this insular paradise we had found. As our plane lifted into the heavens, Rob whispered to me, "This is my idea of sailing." And who could possibly argue? We watched Nemo Polynesia disappear, surrounded by aqua blue waters that are transparent even from the air. So ended for us a week in the unspoiled paradise that is French Polynesia—where coconut palms and pandanus still stand taller than hotels. There is something truly magical about sailing this secret pocket of the world. Sailing around this enchanting piece of the world
Ready to sail
Getting thereAirlines serving Tahiti: more accessible than many Americans imagine. The flight from the West Coast takes just two hours longer than that to Honolulu. Staying thereWe suggest an overnight near LAX before continuing your travels: In French Polynesia offers the traveler a wide variety of hotel accommodations from full-service to first-class luxury resorts. No matter where you stay, you will be embraced by Polynesia's abundant natural beauty and genuine hospitality. There are more luxury hotels in Bora Bora than elsewhere in French Polynesia, and the luxury standards are a notch or two higher as well. We opted for the Beachcomber Parkroyal Hotel chain in each island, Polynesia's premier resort and member of the "Small Luxury Hotels of the World." In Tahiti, the Beachcomber Parkroyal Hotel, P.O. Box 6014, Faaa, Tahiti In Bora Bora, the Moana Beachcomber Parkroyal Fabrice Bohbote, Pointe Matira, PO Box 156, Bora Bora, 98730 In Morea the Beachcomber Parkroyal, PO Box 1019 Moorea, 98729, French Polynesia For a taste of paradiseFood on board Nemo: these yachts offer some of the best food in the world. and a preference sheet, filled out before guests leave for their adventure, allows the onboard chef to cater to the likes and dislikes of each person In Bora Bora: Noa Noa restaurant (604 900) Noa Noa's cuisine offers only the finest dishes, combining seafood subtlety with local island produce, to create an international and exotic cuisine featuring local entertainment. In Tahaa: Yacht-club Marina Iti: $38.50 Dinner Robert Antoine Local : (689)-65 69 27 – Fax: 65 63 87 E-mail: antoine@mail.pf Shore ExcursionsYou can literally design your own itinerary from an imaginative selection of energetic shore excursions ranging from para-sailing. Diving thereIs year-round, with water temperature averaging 82-84 degrees. For beginners, experienced instructors conduct PADI or NAUI introductory courses. Shop to your heart's content
Travel Tips
Bon Voyage ! Photos: Rob Kambach |
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Spend lazy days lounging on the deck, with the early morning smell of canvas and fresh coffee. Feel the warm breeze on your bare skin, the water breaking across the ship's bow. Savor exotic fruits, while your bare feet and hands rest on coiled hemp rope. Visiting an exotic port of call daily, and you have everything a sailing vacation is famous for—plus the added charm of deciding where to spend your day.
We believe the islands are best when approached from the sea, and there are compelling reasons why we chose to ply these crystal waters to see the far-flung islands of French Polynesia that lure so many travelers to the South Pacific. My husband Rob and I are island fanatics, and having visited more than 30 islands, we longed for another maritime adventure. 
We then discovered Nemo Polynesia and knew we had hit upon the right combination. We were told that aboard this cat you can actually feel the sea wind and hear the slapping of sails. Not even in our wildest dreams did we envision spending our first wedding anniversary in these islands, but here we were ready to sail the South Seas.
As the Air Tahiti Nui aircraft sang into the heavens, we got the first hint we were heading to a very special place. The first touch was the TV screen which doubled as a Gauguin painting. Later a beautiful, soft-spoken Tahitian flight attendant gave us two fresh white tiare (gardenia, the Tahitian national flower) to wear behind our left ear. She explained the custom is to wear it behind your right ear if you are available for dating and marriage or on your left ear if you're taken. After seeing the lovely flight attendant and nursing a bottle of Hinano, the local beer, the first thing this anniversary boy did was to change the tiare to his right ear.
During dinner, musicians played to the rhythm of Tahitian Teore and ukulele with a passionate beat and dancers began their percussive, unabashedly sensual dances. Stunning Tahitian women with their dark eyes and welcoming smiles undulate to the music, with brilliant red hibiscus in their hair and sarongs slung low around their hips. They performed brief dances throughout the dining room, while rubber-legged male dancers rapidly shifted their weight from one foot to the other. It doesn't surprise me that the missionaries banned these native dances.
The next day, we flew Air Tahiti 45 minutes on a 80-passenger prop jet to the picturesque lush green island of Huahine. The plane landed on a small airstrip, and Michele Jordan, our French captain, was already waiting for us. We boarded the gracious 82-foot catamaran Nemo Polynesia, anchored near Huahine's main village of Fare (pronounced FAR-ay) meaning house in Tahitian. Our group, three couples and two solo travelers, were a well-seasoned bunch, most ranging in age from 20 to 50. Everyone knew at least one other person on the boat before the trip. Most were avid sailors who enjoyed the intricacies of sailing a cat. Some had even worked as crew before.
Mornings, some people headed for the fore deck, the perfect spot for stretching at sunrise, while most of us began with a quick snorkel. I sat every morning on the stern swim—step to watch quietly the remoras feed on mahi-mahi bits I gave them. The waters around Huahine serve up incredible snorkeling, with namesake creatures and coral in blues, violets and greens. We encountered sharks, barracuda, remoras, and today a pod of dolphins danced and chased us. Rob and I are confirmed island-hoppers but even so, every morning for the past few days, we have had to mentally pinch ourselves. Yes, here we are, about to anchor off the coast of one of the world's most legendary islands.
We sailed to a Motu ( the word for the tiny, palm-studded islands that dot the region), just off of Tahaa, and snorkeled around various clusters of coral, searching for underwater delights. The dinghy kicked up a salt spray, and we sat back and let it cool us. The dinghy provided access to an hour-long snorkel where we encountered literally hundreds of coral and an array of colorful fish that seemed the least disturbed by our presence. We walked through the palms to the shore and enjoyed another great snorkeling day before catching the lively winds back to Tahaa. Each of the densely vegetated, mountainous isles is fully ringed by a barrier reef and dazzling tropical blue lagoons. Fortunately, each has a narrow deep water passage enabling ship access. We later beached at a smaller motu where we enjoyed the most colorful snorkeling we'd experienced along coral beds that stretched downwards into the deep lagoon—just another day in paradise.
This island is the most popular yachting base in French Polynesia as the stretch of lagoon between Raiatea's port and the nearby twin island of Tahaa provides some of the best sailing here. For lunch today we had tasty Tahitian poisson cru (raw marinated fish), the national dish, and a delicious experience. 
Aboard Nemo Polynesia, we ate marvelously thanks to Fabienne, who is a creative, self-made French chef and a wine connoisseur. Breakfasts were eclectic and alfresco, and most mornings we could choose from scrambled eggs, cold cereal, French baguettes, yogurt, fresh fruit and coffee. Lunches were creative: crusty French baguettes and mahi-mahi burgers, and among our dinner choices were grilled tuna steaks sautéed with seared onions. Travelers we met groaned about the restaurant prices, but when we compared notes, we learned that we had escaped with a tiny tab since in the cat, we had a hotel and restaurant in one. After lunch we continued on to Bora-Bora, a four-hour sail in gentle winds.
Bora-Bora's exotic name alone makes the journey here worthwhile. It's unique geography lives on in the minds of anyone who has visited. Mount Otemanu sits at the center of the island like a giant tombstone in the sky overlooking its main feature: the world-famous, turquoise blue—multihued lagoon that shimmers radiantly. Huge reef and a protective strand of offshore motus ring the entire lagoon scattered along large corals, making it easy for couples to lay claim to a private islet for a day. Bora Bora's palm-lined white sand beaches offer a vacation setting that is hard to top anywhere on earth.
Yacht charters not only make for an exceptional vacation, they also bring you island treasures accessible only by boat. Catamaran yachting offers guests comfort, space, and at the same time the flexibility to discover French Polynesia intimately and at their own pace. It is also a great value for your money in these islands. You can select either Monohull, Power or Catamaran available for charter by the leaders in crewed yacht chartering, offering over 500 yachts worldwide in the most exotic destinations. Yachts ranging in size from 56 feet to 85 feet and their crews are dedicated to serving the luxury crewed charter market, offering unparalleled cuisine, water sports equipment, and amenities. This fresh approach to cruising as a vacation option makes a nice alternative for those who have already tried the cruise line experience.