I woke around 5:30am before the alarm went off. Looking up through our hatch all I could see was stars so I knew then the hike was on. Shortly before 6am we were all up. We should have got everything ready the night before but we hadn’t so we had a bit of a rush getting hold of boots and socks for the climb.
By 7 we were ashore. John from Sea Mist was there just before us and we had to wait a little bit for Hannah from 
Wonderland. Soon we were off. Initially the path was gentle but before long we were in the canopy and fighting our way upwards over and under branches that stretch over the path. From time to time we would find a clearing providing stunning views of the reef and islands/motus around us.
It was tiring of course but our efforts were well rewarded. About an hour in Helen and I had to stop. We have not worn shoes for a long time and our boots have been tucked away for a long time. We were getting blisters on our heels which needed attention.
At times the ascent was too steep to climb and ropes had been placed to assist us. That meant our arms were getting a thorough work out too. Some of the ropes were in places where the consequences of a fall didn’t bear too much contemplation.
In under 2 hours we reach the first peak where we rested for a short while taking in 
the breathtaking views around us and the sight of the narrow ridge over to the next peak. Ben and Hannah left first and the rest of us soon followed. The ridge path was narrow and tricky. The drops either side looked sheer. The vegetation formed much of the path and certainly gave us some sort of safety net should we fall.
We had no mishaps and half an hour later we were at the highest point of our hike. We were hot, sweaty and exhausted but loving the view. The higher peak to our east is too crumbly to be climbable apparently. If it was I’m not sure we’d have had the energy or time to make it. 
We just contented ourselves with eating our snacks and taking in the views of Bora Bora and the other islands around us. Raiatea and Taha’a were easily visible as was Maupiti.
Soon it was time to make our way down. Not quite down as we had to traverse the ridge and ascend the first peak. After that it was truly down. The ropes we climbed on the way up we abseiled down (kind of). The pressure on our heels was eased as our boots took the pressure of our descent. Shortly after descending the lower peak I had a disastrous occurrence. The glue holding the soles of my boots on had given 
way sometime in the last year and the pressure of descent tore of my soles. I had to tie them back on with my laces which save my feet but made walking very difficult and resulted in many more slips and falls than I would have done. Where I could I used my arms on the way down to ease the pressure on my boots but I had to keep resetting them.
We all made it down in one piece though. We parted company with John at the bottom. Hannah and Ben, having made it down ahead of us older ones had already had slushies at the snack bar the bottom. Helen and I ordered one as well as plates of salty French Fries which tasted heavenly. We then took Hannah back to Dignity and motored round to the Bora Bora Yacht Club. We had heard that the boat Infinity was having yet another party that night and as they had younger folks aboard this would end Ben’s Birthday perfectly.
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Ben dinghied Hannah back to Wonderland once we’d arrived. We spent the rest of the afternoon recovering from our exertions. In the evening we dinghied back to town to the restaurant Saint James for dinner. Back on the boat Helen and I took an early night and left Ben the dinghy to go and enjoy the party. We understand he returned around 1:30.
