We arrived in Tahiti on June 14th around 9:30 PM and anchored at Point Venus in the dark. Fortunately, it went smoothly, and it helped that we were the only boat in the bay. In preparing for this trip, we talked to other cruisers and were told Point Venus has a sandy bottom without any bommies. That’s good news because they would be hard to see in the dark.
A little history on Point Venus: It’s located on the northern coast. On June 3rd, 1769, Captain James Cook, naturalist Joseph Banks and naturalist Daniel Solander recorded the transit of Venus from the island of Tahiti during Cook’s first voyage around the world. Transits of Venus occur in a pattern that repeats itself every 243 years, with two transits that are eight years apart, separated by breaks of 121.5 and 105.5 years. These men along with a crew of scientists, were commissioned by the Royal Society of London for the primary purpose of viewing the transit of Venus. Not only would their findings help expand scientific knowledge, but it would also help with navigation by accurately calculating the observer’s longitude. At this time, longitude was difficult to determine and not always precise.
Source: Wikipedia
We woke to a beautiful bay and sunshine. We headed over to Marina Taina where we had a slip reservation for 18 days! We decided to motor through the scenic pass going by the airport, resorts and other sites. It was a bit harrowing experience docking as Tracy had to back up down the fairway to get to our reserved dock. It was narrow and then we had to back into our ‘slip’ which was really on a quay where we tied up on one side. We also had a boat in front of us, another one alongside and the dock behind us. We made it without hitting anything and we both felt proud of that accomplishment. Tracy did the heavy lifting in the steering the boat. My job was to fend off other boats, or dock when we got to close. We settled in for a bit and then went to a late lunch to celebrate Father’s Day, June 15th, 2025.
The marina is great and reminds us of how easy it is to just step from your boat onto land. Taina Marina is one of 2 marinas in Tahiti, and it is the bigger of the two.
Details about Taina Marina:
Since 2012, the Taina marina has been awarded the “Blue Flag” ecolabel, which recognizes the efforts of municipalities and marinas to promote a quality environment. The marina can accommodate approximately 550 boats or pleasure craft at the quay, on the quay or in the dry port. It is equipped with a quay dedicated to large yachts, a fuel station, a pump for black water, a laundry, a harbour master’s office, sanitary facilities, three restaurants, technical workshops and access to the beach, WI FI Internet coverage and nearby shops.
Definition of quay: A concrete, stone, or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loadings and unloading ships.
We spent the first week taking care of the boat, doing laundry and stocking up on groceries. We took down the mainsail for repairs which was a big project for the 2 of us. The main sail measures about 408 square feet. Tracy removed it and then we both laid it out on the quay to fold up, so it fit in a sail bag. The sail repair service (Tristan) will come pick it up and take to the sail loft where they will make repairs as needed. We later decided to have the head sail services as well. The head sail is about 720 square feet. We may not have another chance to have this work done before New Zealand and the sails have been well used and it’s worth getting this done for safety reasons. Tracy serviced the genoa cars which control the sheeting angle of the genoa so the sail has a more efficient shape. He also purchased new sheets (lines) for the genoa. The existing sheets were a bit frayed in spots. We’re working to make sure everything is in good working order as we make our way to New Zealand. Last, he went up the mast to make sure everything is order. The top of the mast is 58 and 1/2 feet off the water and he uses his ‘mast mate’ canvas steps to climb up to the very top. Not an easy job!
We met up with cruising friends again and our happy hours continued. Kallisti, (New Zealand), Terrapin, (North Carolina) and Polaire Bear from Canada. We also met some new cruisers (Nimue) from the UK.
We enjoyed a shopping center called Carrefour that was within walking distance from the Marina. It reminded us of a Fred Meyer back home where they not only sell food, but also, electronics, tools, kitchen supplies, towels, etc. It felt a bit overwhelming at first because we had become used to the small magasin’s within French Polynesia. Within the shopping center, we were able to get our hair cut and pick up some basic needs from the pharmacy.
Interesting Facts about Tahiti
- Tahiti is made up of 118 islands and atolls spread out over five archipelagos. The whole archipelago spans 4.000.000 square km, which is the equivalent size of Europe.
- The Tahitian alphabet is made up of 13 letters; the vowels a, e, i, o, u and the consonants f, h, m, n, p, r, t and v. Noticed that there is no b? That’s why Bora Bora is actually pronounced “Pora Pora”. It means “first-born”, but early visitors heard it as Bora Bora.
- A typical Las Vegas hotel has more rooms than on all 118 islands of French Polynesia.
- The shopping and retail on the island is monopolized by the Chinese population. When you hear Tahitians talk about going shopping, they say they are going to “la Chine” or to the Chinese.
- In ancient Tahiti, archery was considered to be a sacred sport, and only people of high rank could participate. And while they were expert marksmen, bows and arrows were never used as weapons of war.
- There are no poisonous snakes or insects in French Polynesia.Tahitians are considered to be the most genuinely friendly people in the world.
- The official languages of the islands are Tahitian and French, however, English is widely spoken on most of the islands.
- The word tattoo originated in French Polynesia. Tattoos have long been considered signs of beauty in Polynesian culture, and in ancient times were ceremoniously applied to the body when reaching adolescence. The English word ‘tattoo’ comes from the Tahitian word ‘tatau’.
- Hawaii receives more tourists in a day than Tahiti does in a year. Tahiti is therefore one of the most exclusive destinations in the world.
- Tahiti” or “The Islands of Tahiti” is technically an ‘Overseas Country of France’, though it has it’s own government which makes all international decisions on behalf of French Polynesia.More than half of the population of Tahiti is under the age of 20 years old.
- The overwater bungalow was invented in Tahiti in the 1960’s on the island of Moorea.
- If you were new to the island, you would think the boxes outside the homes of Tahitian residents were for mail. They are actually for French bread delivery. Residents get a fresh loaf dropped off twice a day.
- The Tiare flower is the national symbol of Tahiti. Both men and women wear these flower, either as a necklace, crown or behind the ear. You wear a Tiare flower on your left ear if you’re taken, on your right ear to indicate you’re available.
Our pace picked up when Tracy’s kids (Lucas & Marina) and their significant others (Annika & Dakota) arrived. Their visit started on Monday, June 23rd and they booked an Airbnb about a 12-minute drive from us. We rented a car for most of their stay so we could get back and forth easily.
Marina and Dakota were the first to arrive and landed about 5:30 AM. They picked up their rental car and came right to the boat since they couldn’t check into their Airbnb. We went to the Tahiti Market which is a bustling marketplace where locals and tourists alike can find items like hand-woven hats, bags, jewelry, wood carvings, Tahitian pearls, and local textiles. You can also find fresh flowers, fruits, vegetables, and ingredients for traditional Tahitian dishes like raw fish in coconut milk.
We found a place to have lunch and then drove to Point Venus to check out our first anchorage from land. It’s a nice park, with black sand beach and is a great area for swimming, sunbathing and walking around. Point Venus lighthouse marks the north of the island and marks the bay of Matavai. It was the first lighthouse in the South Pacific, and remains the only lighthouse in Tahiti.
We decided to explore Tahiti by car and drive around the Island. Unfortunately the forecast is rain for most of the day. There is one main road, and the entire loop is approximately 72 miles. Our first stop was Grotte De Mara’s where the site is composed of three natural caves hollowed out of the rock. The permanent trickle has formed pools of cool clear water and the ceilings of the caves are covered with ferns and moss. An optical illusion gives the impression that its arched ceiling stoops down at the edges making it seem much smaller than it is.
Next, we stopped at Vaiphai Water Gardens, a little haven of peace and beauty with waterfalls and pools that make it a refreshing break. The gardens are built on the site of an ancient marae. Marae are portals between Po, the world of the gods and darkness, and the Ao, the everyday world of people and light, so that people could communicate with their ancestors.
We found a nice place to have lunch inside (still raining) but with view of the bay. We enjoyed great seafood dishes and drinks before heading out to the Peninsula west coast of Tahiti, referred to as Tahiti Iti. The peninsula is known worldwide because of the legendary wave at Teahupoo. It is one of the best and heaviest left-breaking waves in the world and is only suitable for the very best surfers. Each year it is home to an international surfing competition.
Surfing at the 2024 Summer Olympics took place 27 July – 5 August 2024 in Teahupo’o reef pass, breaking the record for the farthest away a medal competition has been staged from the host city. A total of 48 surfers (24 for the men’s and women’s competitions each) competed in the shortboard events, eight more than in Tokyo 2020. Source: Wickipedia
Dakota found a waterfall off the beaten path, and we headed their next. It felt like we were miles into the jungle but it was 10 minutes off the main highway with a parking lot for visitors. Below are some photos:
We spent several days hanging out at the Airbnb with the kids, snorkeling, swimming, playing games and catching up. Dakota purchased a spear gun at Carrefour and he speared a parrot fish, squirrel fish and a white banded goat fish. He cleaned them and prepared them for us so we could try a bite. They were small and didn’t provide a meal for all of us but tasted pretty good.
Tracy is writing the next 2 posts because I missed the trip to Moorea and the 4X4 tour of the Island. I wasn’t feeling well. Bummer!
June 29th we took the ferry from Tahiti to Moorea to explore Moorea. Moorea is a small island just NW of Tahiti, about a 45 minute ferry ride. Our plan in Moorea was to circumnavigate the island, do some snorkeling, and check out Belvédère Lookout. We walked of the ferry and rented a car directly across from the ferry landing. Then we were off! Our first stop on our trip was a public beach called Plage de Ta’ahiamanu It was a lovely beach with quite a few sailboats anchored just off the beach. We thought that maybe we would come back later to swim.
Our next stop was Belvédère Lookout. Belvédère Lookout is at about 240M elevation and overlooks Mount Rotui, Cook Bay and Opunohu Bay.
After Belvédère Lookout, we went to find a beach or snorkeling spot. We talked to some locals and looked on No Foreign Land and decided to head for Plage de Tiahura to snorkel and grab lunch. Apparently, there are an abundance of sea anemones at this plage (beach). We had a nice lunch at Restaurant le Sunset and then Lucas, Annika, Marina, and Dakota went snorkeling. As I had decided not to bring my snorkeling gear, I hung out at Restaurant le Sunset and had a beer while they snorkeled. After snorkeling, we continued around the island heading back to the ferry landing. We then dropped the car off, boarded the ferry, and headed back to Tahiti. It was a nice day on Moorea.
June 30th we took a 4X4 tour across the island of Tahiti. There is a road that crosses the island that is only passable with high clearance vehicles. Our guide was Noa and he was of Marquesian and Tahitian descent but had spent a lot of time in the US. His English and grasp of American Music was fantastic and he blared songs from the 60’s and 70’s that were appropriate for particular parts of the road. Here’s a shot of us in the back of the 4X4. It’s a Toyota pickup with benches and rails in the bed.
Noa educated us on a lot of the plants on the island and we sampled a lot of the fruit. We stopped at so many beautiful viewpoints. There were numerous waterfalls across the interior of the island along with some small rivers and lakes. There were a few dams as these small rivers are a source of hydroelectric power for the island. Here are some pictures from the center of the island.
For Lucas, his trip to Tahiti included bigger plans than just a vacation. He planned to propose to his girlfriend Annika. It was surprise for Annika but everyone else knew and of course we couldn’t talk about it. We were getting a bit nervous as the days went by and no proposal! In his defense, he wanted to propose on the beach at sunset, and we had quite a few rainy days during their visit. But in the end, he found the right day and place. On July 1st, he proposed, and Annika said yes! It was wonderful to be part of the event and share in the celebration. Afterwards we went to dinner and continued to celebrate.
Now both Marina and Lucas are engaged to be married. We were excited to hear the news of Dakota and Marina’s engagement in March and we are very happy for them.
Wednesday, July 2nd
Our last Day in Tahiti for all of us. We spent a good part of the day getting the boat ready for our departure on Thursday morning. This includes things like bringing the dinghy up to the bow of the boat and tying it down. Tracy had to put the repaired main and head sails back on. We went shopping for final provisions as this will be our last big store until we get to Bora Bora. I also did a couple loads of laundry because who knows when will have laundry service again. It will be back to washing a few things in the sink and hanging them out to dry.
We had dinner with the kids on our last night together and took a few more pictures. Is it OK to call them kids when they are in their 20’s and early 30’s? Some things never change. We really enjoyed having them here and appreciate the effort they made to come see us. Part of this incredible journey is making great memories with family and friends.
Until next time, I hope you all are well and enjoying your summer.
SV Quid Sea - Sailing with Tracy and Cindy 