Papeari

We waited until 10am before moving the boat east. Although the channel was clearly marked we felt better waiting until the sun was high so we could see the reef hazards. We wanted to consider the possibility of anchoring out on the reef so we plotted a course to where the deeper (80-100ft) water became shallow. Around where we planned to go we discovered the drop off was quite steep and close to the rocky shallows. This did not make for a good anchorage so we instead headed towards the point on which the Gaugin Museum and some botanical gardens are located. We found an anchorage right by the point in water that appeared more like a lake than the sea. We were sheltered from the wind and the water was still. The were no nearby passes to inject any motion into the water at all. From my charts we are close to the town of Papeari.

The only downside, for a short while, was that ashore, amongst some manicured gardens, appeared to be some sort of political or religious function with people milling around and a long speech emitting from speakers. It may perhaps have been a wedding reception with a very long giving away speech.

In the afternoon we dinghied around the point to find somewhere to go ashore. A security guard from the function area indicated we had to move further along. We passed a restaurant before coming ashore by a car park. We hauled the dinghy up a short beach before chaining it to a tree. The Gaugin Museum was here so we paid to go in. It comprised three buildings set amongst some tranquil gardens. Each building presented a different aspect of his life. The first gave the history of his life, the second more about his time in Polynesia and the last focused on his art although the first two had plenty of that too. Around the gardens were three stone Tikis standing in Tiki Huts – one of which, I understand, is the largest in French Polynesia.

After the museum we walked up to the main road past the botanical gardens leaving them for Sunday. We walked along the main road for a while before finding a store where we bought a baguette for dinner. When we returned to the boat we discovered Sea Mist had arrived at the same anchorage. We went over to say hello and to let them know what we’d learned. They invited us over for sun downers Sunday evening.

As hinted before we’ll go to the botanical gardens later today. Right now we’re doing three washes while equalizing the house batteries following the recent addition of distilled water. I tend to bring them up above 14V fairly regularly so the principal aim of equalization right now is to stir up the acid/water with the bubbling to make the solution even.