Rikitea, Mangareva 18 June 2010 23.1148S 134.9672W

This has definitely been worth the uncomfortable detour. The physical terrain of the Gambiers, is like a mix between the Marqueses and the Tuamotus. Here the outer reef is broken in more spots than most of the Tuamotus, and the inner islands have worn down more than the Marqueses (or sunk more?). So the “lagoon” here has multiple islands, and the reef’s motus have more water flowing between them. Most of the 10 or so boats we’ve seen here, come from Chile, Pitcairn and/or Easter Island (in September many boats jump from here to Chile). It’s not the ideal place to provision (no gas station, no bank), but the people are very friendly, the sights are spectacular and it just has a comfy, stay-awhile vibe.

We’re still on the main island of Mangareva, population around 1000 (according to one shop owner 300 employed, 60 retired, the rest children). Pearl farming started here, and spread to the rest of French Polynesia. They claim that the cooler water of this lagoon, makes for more colorful iridescent black pearls. But even if the pearl quality were identical, as the birth place, these farms are well established, and continue to be profitable (subsidies in the 90s created an overabundance of pearl farming and encouraged inexperienced individuals to try their hand at pearls – many of them have gone belly-up). Here they know what they are doing, and the community prospers. The architecture is unusual, thanks to a crazy priest back in the early 1800s who worked the locals to death (literally) tearing up the coral reefs to build an amazing quantity of buildings, walls, towers, churches and one huge cathedral. As a result, the lagoon fish are inedible from ciguatera, and there are more crumbling churches than such a small island can populate, run or maintain (coral and sea sand don’t make great building materials unless you can remove the salt), but it’s incredibly picturesque, with lots of large colorful fish in the lagoons, and bright white buildings with blue trim (colors of the Gambiers flag). Yards here are the pride and joy of their owners, with abundant tropical fruits and flowers. The well established pearl farms have equally picturesque over-water bungalows for working with the oysters (cleaning, greffing – seeding?, harvesting etc.). The lagoon is littered with pearl farm buoys, so navigating between islands is a fairweather journey – one we have not yet attempted given all there is to see and do here on Mangareva.

There are a number of well cleared, well marked trails, to the top of the two peaks, and trails traversing the island, as well as a quiet country road that circles the island; so we’ve worn ourselves out exploring. I thought all the hikes in the Marqueses would have prepared us, but a week at sea, and a week in the flat Tuamotus stole our hard earned stamina away, and it was like starting from scratch. The Mount Duff hike was particularly challenging (and slippery the day after a major rainfall), but the view was worth every step (and even every slip). I had a major case of vertigo at the top, the ridge trail is solid enough, but both sides are steep, and one side is literally a vertical drop of 100s of feet. Frank kept telling me to just focus on the trail, but how are you supposed to do that when you’re standing on top of the world with an amazing 360 degree aerial view of islands and coves and reefs and lagoon, with tropic birds overhead, and sheerwaters in courtship below you? You are compelled to look beyond the trail (then struggle to move the right leg that just unexpectedly locked up).

Today the kids and I visited a parochial 3 year trade school “Les Freres du Sacre Couer, Centre Educatif de Development” (sewing, woodworking, metalworking, cooking, jewelry, agriculture, beekeeping, and some technical drawing). We had a full tour of the “Nacre” studio where they’re learning to carve and sculpt the black pearl shells. Besides their own projects, students are refurbishing all the liturgical objects for the Cathedral here (also undergoing a full renovation). It was fun to see the kids at work and there was a surfeit of gorgeous eye-candy to feast on. Frank is anxious to see some of the other islands in the lagoon, but I’m hoping I can convince him to stay another day to see the end-of-year open house at the school, they’ll be displaying and selling all their wares. Maybe we’ll have to save the Australes for next year, and spend more time here. Once we head east, the winds won’t be at our back if we want to return here.

I would love to share some images of this oh so photogenic spot, but internet is worse than ever. I’ve barely been able to check email, and websurfing is pretty much impossible. I think it’s time we take one of the Ws off of “World Wide Web” It may be a wide web for you all, but “world” is still just wishful thinking.

On the homeschool front, Logan and Kennan finished their Algebra book! That’s a year’s worth of math in 6.5 months, and they’re getting it! The other subjects aren’t as easy for me to judge, but they’re reading profusely and we’re surrounded daily by history, geology, geography, science and PE. Writing more is our next big focus.

xoxomo