Gambiers! — Fit2Sail

Iles de Gambiers, the easternmost of the 5 archipelagos that make up the country of French Polynesia. We’d debated stopping on our way from Panama but opted instead to go to the Marquesas (a decision I’d make again for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the reprovisioning options after a month at sea), and then almost didn’t beat the 1000 miles back upwind from Tahiti.

*Approaching Mangareva after 5 days from Hao*

I’m so glad we did.

We spent 2 months exploring this spot, a whopping 10.7 square miles of territory (and yes, I think every single atoll we visited in the Tuamotus was larger than this) that has a few islands and numerous atolls within the fringing reef. Pearl farming is the main industry, as evidenced by the incredible numbers of pearl floats throughout the lagoon.

The Gambiers is like a combination of the Marquesas and its high, lush, volcanic mountain geography and the dry, low motus of the Tuamotus. Maybe it’s like Societies lite, as it were - same combination of vista, way fewer people.

The main town is Rikitea, with a deep anchorage that’s subject to swirling winds and interesting swings of boats. We talked to one boat that has been here on and off since Covid; they told us that there were more than 30 boats stuffed into that bay. There were 15 or so when we were there, and that felt tight given the depth (40-60 feet deep) and necessary scope.

*Rikitea anchorage, from the top of Mt Duff. Calypso is circled.*

The town is certainly more prosperous than many we saw in the Tuamotus. Lots of late-model trucks driving around, 4 or 5 different options for eating out, 3 or 4 grocery stores, though not as well-stocked as JoJos in Hao. Yard work was happening on a regular basis by what seemed to be hired companies, all dressed in semblance of uniforms as they wielded their gas-powered weed whackers. Still, the availability of fresh vegetables was highly dependent on the supply ship, though fruit was pretty easily found by talking with locals and establishing a source that way. There is apparently a hydroponic farm somewhere on Mangareva (the main island) that we never found; they’d sporadically deliver lettuce to the stores but not on any kind of regular schedule so that was very luck of the draw.

*You buy bananas by the stalk. Approximately 100 bananas. They all ripen at once.*

We were in town for the visit of the President. The President of French Polynesia, that is - and he’s in a little bit of hot water right now, it seems. He was welcomed with great fanfare.

Our first foray out of Rikitea was to Taravai, when we headed over to enjoy the earth oven BBQ at Hervé and Valerie’s, and from there we began our more systematic exploration. Around the back side of Taravai. Back to Rikitea to meet the ship and gather our packages, then off to Mekiro and Akamaru. Head out north to check out the airport anchorage, the false pass, the welcoming spot at Puamu. Anchor at Tauna, and Tekava. There was only one place we had really wanted to check out - Aukena - that we didn’t make it to.

*Our NFL track in the Gambiers. Lots of tacking!*

We sailed everywhere, tacking when we hit a line of pearl floats. Snorkeled. Jeremy hiked and foiled. We socialized a lot with friends new and old (my French continues to get a workout as patient people put up with my attempts) and generally were sad when it was time for us to head back east.

*Metani and Odine and Calypso, in our cockpit*

*Cistude, Calypso, and Shelter, north end of Gambiers*

*Jeremy had good hiking buddies in Metani!*

The highlights, as usual, were the people. We bought vegetables and fruit from a man named Henri (who is in our contacts as Henri Legume) after an afternoon spent laughing with him and his friends at a waterfront section associated with the grocery store/snack bar where we had lunch. We enjoyed time with Hervé and Valerie, and Hervé’s uncle Tony and his wife Nadia. Diana on Akamaru was overjoyed to show off her vanilla farm and had to be stopped before she loaded us down with a full stalk of bananas (our arms were already full of pamplemousse, avocados, limes, and mangoes). André who lives in the house next to the dump in Rikitea, who Jeremy always had a good time talking to and who always pressed fruit or veg on Jeremy to bring back. Bananas, avocados, passionfruit, arm-long green beans.