Logbook: Hanamoenoa & Vaitahu

The island of Tahuata has a number of gorgeous anchorages. We only visited two: one for the natural beauty and one for a tattoo.

Hanamoena looks like a movie set. Or rather, movie sets try to look like Hanamoena. Beautiful sand beach, a backdrop of cliffs, waves crashing on shore and on the black volcanic rocks on either side of the bay, lush green tropical forest with coconut trees wafting in the breeze.

We went into the forest and collected a bag of limes, some grapefruit and hacked open our first coconut. We spent a morning snorkeling on the south side of the bay from our kayak.

Vaitahu on the other hand is quite a different place. The bay is less interesting but the town was cute and most importantly had the famous tattooist – Fati – known for his Marquesan designs, his inspiration and creativity, and the fact that he turns some people away because he doesn’t like their vibe which, of course, makes you feel special when he decides to tattoo you.

Carol got a tattoo but I’m going to show you that in a different post…sorry.

 

While in Vaitahu we visited the inside of the church which is made from a lot of local wood and is quite beautiful inside. The stones are discarded ballast from old trading ships and the Mary-Jesus combo inside is refreshingly brown.

I also love how everything – churches, houses - is open to the outside. There is a roof for the rain, and walls, but not all of the walls are designed to go all of the way to the roof.