Moorea, Tahiti, Huahine

On May 13th, in the early hours of the morning, we arrived in Moorea.

The shape of the island resembles a heart, with two bays that cut into it from north to south. Our first anchorage, recommended by our Danish friends, was in the northwest channel between the reef and the island. We were truly impressed by the clarity of the water and by how close we were to the so-called “Stingray City,” a shallow sandy area where it’s possible to observe — and even be approached by — numerous stingrays and small sharks.

This place is understandably a popular spot for speedboats and small boats, packed with tourists who are encouraged to feed the stingrays. On one hand, this makes the experience somewhat unnatural, as the presence and trust of these creatures is directly linked to the expectation of an effortless meal.

In the following days, we moved to Opunohu, the first of the two bays on the island, from where we reached the Criobe, the “Centre de recherches insulaires et observatoire de l’environnement,” a research institute focused on marine studies, particularly coral biology. The visit, guided by a young researcher, allowed us to learn more about coral life and the threats they face due to ocean warming.

After spending a couple of days in the eastern Moorea’s bay— named after its discoverer, Cook — we finally headed to Tahiti, where we docked at the marina in Papeete. There, we took care of various errands, not least a substantial restocking of provisions at the local Carrefour.

On May 21st, we set sails for Huahine, about 90 miles to the northwest, where we arrived at the first light of dawn. We entered Huahine’s inner channel using the eastern pass, in order to reach the mooring field in front of Motu Murimaora. For the first time in a month, we were completely alone, enjoying this paradise!

Having discovered that our friend Alex was on the opposite side of the island, we accepted his invitation to join him and his friend Tamara for a happy hour aboard their Amel. The following day, we continued exploring the island by mooring in Avea Bay, where at least ten mooring buoys are available—we managed to grab the last one.

In anticipation of the arrival of the spare parts at the shipyard in Raiatea, we set off again toward the island, determined to explore what we hadn’t yet seen before.