MAGNIFICENT MARQUESAS
Part cruise ship, part freighter, Aranui 5 navigates paradise in French Polynesia
It was just after 6 a.m. and I was standing on the top deck of the Aranui 5 ship with a small group of early risers waiting to see what our French captain, Christophe Dupuy, called “la grande manoeuvre.” He was sailing the ship into an extremely narrow channel and then doing a 180-degree turn before mooring.
It’s the only way for ships to access Ua Huka, one of the most remote islands in the South Pacific.
Aranui 5 could easily be one of the most unique vessels in the world sailing one of the planet’s most exotic itineraries. The ship was custom-built to be both a freighter and a passenger ship and, at first glance, it’s a little ugly on the outside. It’s literally half cruise ship, half freighter and it operates as such — delivering freight and passengers to some of the most untouched islands in French Polynesia.
After the captain and crew had safely moored the vessel, I stayed on deck a little while longer watching the crew unload freight onto barges. At about 83 square kilometres, Ua Huka is the smallest of the northern Marquesas Islands and its approximately 600 inhabitants rely on barges to deliver goods to the island.
Polynesian legend has it that the gods created the Marquesas Islands to be the roof of French Polynesia and Ua Huka is known for its rocky cliffs, windswept hills, wild horses and goats, fruit trees and rare birds. It’s also known as the land of master wood carvers.
Once we got on shore, 4X4 vehicles with local drivers were waiting to transport us around the island. Our first stop was a
visit to an arboretum and botanical garden. While the other passengers closely followed the guide, my husband and I slipped away to the orchard hoping to snap a photo of some of the rare and endangered birds that Ua Huka is famous for.
Next, we headed to Te Tumu Cultural Centre to view exquisite wood carvings and replicas of Marquesan art. Situated on a hilltop with an amazing view, the site also has what locals say is the world’s largest breadfruit pounder. The idea of large items attracting tourists clearly spans cultures — like Sudbury, Ont.’s giant nickel or Drumheller, Alta.’s giant dinosaur.
After visits to several artisan shops and lunch at a local restaurant, we went on a short hike through the rainforest to a small archeological site with some ancient stone tikis on a ceremonial plateau.
Back on board that evening, it was Polynesian night. We dined under the stars and enjoyed live music and entertainment including a great Polynesian dance show. The food on Aranui 5 is excellent and wine is included with lunch and dinner (the ship sails under the French flag).
Each stop on the 4,000-kilometre journey was exciting and revealed the special culture of the Marquesas Islands and French Polynesia.
The 14-day voyage included visits to Fakarava and Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago, Bora Bora in the Society Islands, as well as Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva, Tahuata and Ua Huka in the Marquesas Islands. Along the way, we saw dramatic landscapes with waterfalls as tall as skyscrapers, hiked through extinct volcanoes and lush rainforests, explored ancient archeological sites, visited a pearl farm, watched artisans at work, relaxed on beaches, snorkelled and enjoyed unique cultural experiences and performances.
The final two days of our voyage featured the roughest seas Aranui 5 had ever seen. “I hope you’re feeling well after the special night we had,” Capt. Dupuy coyly announced as we arrived a little later than planned into Bora Bora.
Even though we had fourmetre swells from Tahiti’s mara’amu wind and six-metre swells from another system, I felt safe the entire time. It was comforting to know our captain had a few grand manoeuvres to fall back on.
We saw dramatic landscapes with waterfalls as tall as skyscrapers, hiked through extinct volcanoes and lush rainforests.