Avea Bay

We were reticent at first, with the shaky anchorage and overcast weather, but Huahine has managed to seduce us. We had comfortable, lightly cloudy skies yesterday, so Dominic and I and our pal Jan aboard Phoebe hiked the ridge behind our anchorage in Avea Bay. It was a short hike, about two and half hours total, but despite Wednesday’s rain the trail was dry and in good condition.

We could enjoy the different blues in the waters of Avea Bay, scouting our own boats and the sleepy resort on the shore, and see as far as Raiatea, our neighbor island, in the distance. We walked through ferns and conifers, saw inland views of verdant cliffs and valleys. We could see Parea, the village on the other side of the ridge, as well as the reef and motus circling the island. It was warm without being hot, and Jan brought a supply of chocolate to keep us energized throughout the day.

We spent the afternoon hanging out on the boat, hopping the water to cool off as needed. We relaxed: I read a novel, and Dominic scrubbed algae from hull. We watched the sun set behind palm trees in synchrony with the full moon rise in a lavender sky.

But we’re down to ten days left on our visas in French Polynesia, so our falling in love with Huahine coincides with our departure. We’re off to Tahaa today in overcast conditions, and looking forward to seeing Huahine’s silhouette on the horizon.