{"id":535,"date":"2010-09-08T10:32:16","date_gmt":"2010-09-08T00:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceillustrated.com.au\/blog\/?p=535"},"modified":"2010-09-13T12:01:20","modified_gmt":"2010-09-13T02:01:20","slug":"majestic-marquesas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceillustrated.com.au\/blog\/culture\/majestic-marquesas\/","title":{"rendered":"Tahiti by boat: An aquatic journey through the majestic Marquesas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image: Andrew Bell<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Behind the rugged mountain walls of Tahiti’s outermost islands lies a vibrant community with an ancient culture. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The cargo-passenger ship Aranui voyages north from Tahiti every month on a fortnight’s odyssey to the six populated islands of the Marquesas Group. In doing so it allows adventurous travellers the romance of visiting a collection of outpost islands that is rich in travel lore. These are the islands of Gauguin’s last canvases, of Stevenson’s first South Sea stories and Melville’s fantasies. The Aranui carries up to two hundred passengers who are accommodated in a range of cabins from suites to budget, but it is the cargo in the ship’s hold and the tightly-stacked foredeck that is the lifeblood of the Marquesas. These are the goods necessary for the islanders’ sustenance and healthy development. It is for these that the Marquesans come down to the island docks, or paddle out to the idling ship’s side in whaleboats or pirogues.<\/p>\n

For the passengers, there is a reward not just from the adventure of travel or the pampering of the ship’s galley and attentive stewards. There is a great satisfaction that comes with being part of a marine service that is vital to the well-being of the islanders. Without the income provided by the passengers’ fares, the cargo service would scarcely be sustainable. Once the voyage is underway, the serrated peaks of Tahiti and Moorea sink into the horizon beyond the Aranui’s wake. A day and a night’s steaming across the ocean brings up the immense scattering of coral atolls known as the Tuamotu Group. The Aranui enters the lagoon of Fakarava atoll and passengers go for a snorkel or stroll the coral shore, while longboats offload cargo for the atoll-dwellers.<\/p>\n

Another day and night at sea, and the first of the islands of the Marquesas emerges in the dawn light. It is Ua Pou and the closer the Aranui gets, the more bizarre the island’s profile becomes “\u201c crazy basalt spires surround a central volcanic plug that rises 1200 metres into the morning sky. Two landings are made on Ua Pou, while passengers go ashore to explore waterfalls, village handicrafts and paepae (stone platforms), where evidence of ritualistic cannibalism in ancient times is seen in the placement of stone killing slabs.<\/p>\n

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Image: Andrew Bell<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Through the night the Aranui sails on to the big island Nuku Hiva, where Herman Melville tired of his whaling companions and jumped ship to cohabit with a cannibal tribe “\u201c all good material for his best-selling novel Typee<\/em>. Again the Aranui makes a night crossing, this time to Hiva Oa, where in the leafy village of Atuona the artist Paul Gauguin spent the last few years of his life. Here you may visit the artist’s recreated House of Pleasure and the grave that received him when his painting days were done.<\/p>\n

March to the tikis<\/strong>
\nOnward your ship sails to Fatu Hiva, the southernmost Marquesan island, one that would be seldom visited were it not for the Aranui. This geologically gothic outlier has a romantic tug all its own as the Aranui drops anchor before the unforgettable volcanic pinnacles lining the foreshore of the Bay of Virgins. The next day is spent along the north shore of Hiva Oa, going ashore in whaleboats to the villages of Puamau and Hanaiapa. This allows a pilgrimage to the ceremonial site of Iipona where amongst the ancient terraces, five great stone tikis squat with impassive power.<\/p>\n

The next island is gentle Tahuata, visited by the Spanish explorer Mendana as early as 1595. Brightly painted pirogues fill the island’s bay at Vaitahu village and dolphins escort Aranui down the coast to the hospitable hamlet of Hapatoni. Here young and old emerge from their dwellings to entertain the visitors with a feast of welcome and an enchanting display of dancing to drums.<\/p>\n

The last island, the arid island of wild horses and flocks of feral goats, is Ua Huka, home to a quaint museum and a lush botanical garden set below unforgiving hills. Then in the village of Hane is the restaurant of Celine Fournier, where you may enjoy
\nthe best of Marquesan cuisine.<\/p>\n

At dawn the Aranui turns for home, Tahiti-bound with stop-offs for more cargo from Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou and the giant Tuamotu atoll of Rangiroa. Final landfall is made at Papeete’s port, and only the many delights of Tahiti ashore can erase the tristesse of descending the Aranui’s gangplank for the last time.<\/p>\n

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