About the Cocos Keeling Islands

 

It's hard having a true appreciation for a place until you learn a little more about its history. I've pulled Joshua Slocum's well-used classic, Sailing Alone Around the World, off the bookshelf once again because we are now following in his wake across the Indian. His visit to the Cocos was a memorable one … “If there is a paradise on this earth, it is Keeling,” he wrote. He visited on July 17, 1897. His writing remains relevant and a most enjoyable read even 117 years later.

The Cocos Keeling Islands are comprised of two atolls and 27 coral islands. The islands have been an Australian territory since 1984.

The atoll was discovered in 1609 by Captain William Keeling (East India Company) and named by a British hydrographer in 1805. A Scottish trader, John Clunies-Ross, visited the islands in 1814 and returned with his family and eight “sailor-artisans” in 1825, dug wells and planted coconut palms. Alexander Hare had actually arrived just shortly before Ross with a harem of 40 Malay women, but the women sought Ross' protection and Hare was soon driven out. The Clunies-Ross imported more Malay workers, built up his coconut plantations for copra production and prospered. Queen Victoria granted the islands to the Clunies-Ross descendants in perpetuity until they were purchased from the family by Australia in 1978. The Cocos Keeling flag reflects its history and heritage … a coconut palm, the Australian southern cross plus one star and the Islamic crescent symbol of the Malay people on a field of green.

Interestingly, Charles Darwin developed his theory of atoll formation when he visited the Cocos aboard the HMS Beagle in 1836. His study of the coral reefs here, led to his theory of reef development and evolution as published in his 1842 scientific paper.

Only two of the islands, West Island and Home Island, are inhabited. A tiny, isolated society of about 500 Cocos Malay people live on Home Island, descendants of the original workers brought to the Cocos by Alexander Hare and John Clunies-Ross. The Cocos Malays also maintain weekend shacks, referred to as pondoks, on most of the larger islands. West Island is primarily inhabited by ex-pat Australians and is the location of a tiny airstrip (with weekly Virgin Australia service), administration, a supermarket, a golf course (which plays across the runway) and basic services (like intermittent internet). A ferry service operates six days a week between Home and West Island and twice a week between Direction and West Island.

There are reportedly over 1,500 species of marine life in the Cocos waters including the endemic Cocos pygmy angelfish. We've seen dolphins, but there are also turtles, rays and even a resident dugong (manatee), named Kat. Odd species like purple land crabs and horn-eyed ghost crabs are also critters for which we'll be on the lookout. There are several species of birds here, but only one endemic, the Cocos buff-banded rail. Several avian visitors stop here in their migratory flight and the area supports one of the world's largest and most significant breeding colonies for the red-footed booby. We've certainly seen lots of boobies flying around, but haven't had a chance to check out their feet. Much of the native flora was cleared for coconut palms and therefore, endemic plant life is nearly non-existent.

As you can see, we've got lots of exploring to do … if the wind ever lets up.

Check out the weather at Cocos Keeling Island and see how much wind we've got today.

Tahiti - A South Pacific Paradise

 

We arrived in Tahiti just in time for the Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendezvous in mid-June and never left until early August. We didn't expect to like Pape'ete and Tahiti as much as we did. We've read about its beauty and allure since we were kids, but we'd also heard many reports of how expensive and commercial it was, and how “it's not like it used to be”. Perhaps all those negatives are true, but Tahiti, in our estimation, was definitely a terrific place to visit and a welcome respite after the long passage across the Pacific to get there.

We berthed at the city marina in downtown Pape'ete and it's hard to describe the thrill of being there. I kept pinching myself to make sure this was real and every time I did, we were still in Pape'ete. We woke early each morning to the sounds of the market vendors setting out their wares and the chatter of early morning shoppers buying their fresh veggies and fruits. The delicious, inviting smell of freshly baked baguettes and croissants wafted along Boulevard Pomare and beckoned us to the market. This truly is the stuff dreams are made of!

Visually the marketplace was astounding...total sensory candy! A huge fresh veggies/fruit market, fresh bread and pastry stalls, fresh fish, butcher shops, a fresh flower market and a whole cadre of craftsmen selling everything from cheap souvenirs to well-crafted carvings, baskets, black pearls and island specialties. On the second level of the market, there was a perimeter of shops, boutiques and cafes...even a tattoo parlor...with bridges crossing from one side to the other affording wonderful views of the thriving market below.

Pape'ete is a “big” little city. We wandered the streets day and night, taking it all in. Street names like Rue Gaugin and place names like Parc Bougainville caught our attention. Sidewalk cafes enticed us in; musicians played on street corners. The people were warm and welcoming. We drank the local Hinano beer and tried poisson cru, raw, fresh fish marinated in lime and coconut milk … outstanding. We visited the Pearl Museum, innumerable crafts bazaars, watched dancing and singing demonstrations and competitions and even participated in some competitive Polynesian games.

One major attraction for us was the Carrefour Supermarche. Oh, my! After months trading for local fruits and only being able to purchase outdated, minimal supplies in tiny one-room, three-shelf “stores”, here in the middle of the South Pacific, was one of the best supermarkets we'd ever visited … bar none. Carrefour stocked everything in a modern, beautiful store … shelves filled with items, absolute luxuries, we hadn't seen in ages: fresh cheeses, breads, freshly prepared salads, a deli, mountains of fresh fruits and veggies, French wines. We came out with our overfilled shopping cart and smiling, happy faces.

We were soon to discover, however, that there's much more to Tahiti than just Pape'ete and we were keen to venture outside the city to explore a bit. Car rentals are not cheap...about $100 US/day plus the cost of gasoline (~$5/gallon). The bus system in-town Pape'ete (Le Truck) is quite good, but venturing outside of town is less convenient. We originally considered sharing a rental car with friends, but our stay in a boatyard over a weekend afforded us the unexpected bonus of having a free car at our disposal and we took advantage of it.

The map of Tahiti looks like a tilted figure eight. The island is actually separated into two parts connected by a narrow isthmus: Tahiti Nui being the larger, most developed and populated part and Tahiti Iti, the smaller, more rural area. The well-maintained coastal highway around Tahiti Nui is about 70 mi (114 km) and a trip around the island, including a side trip to Tahiti Iti, can easily be done in a day. We had collected several brochures from the Tourist Office in downtown Pape'ete, but Lonely Planet Tahiti was actually our guide of choice. We traveled clockwise around the island as suggested in the guide, stopping at scenic vistas and points of interest along the way.

Highlights of our little road trip included Point Venus, Cook's observatory set up to record the transit of Venus with an impressive lighthouse, park and upscale crafts market; the Faarumi Waterfalls, a quick 20-minute trek on a well-marked path through dense forest to three separate cascades.

In Taravao, the little town at the narrow isthmus separating Tahiti-Nui from Tahiti-Iti, we opted to take the northern route to visit Tautira, where we picnicked in a little park by a lovely beach. We climbed the steep, narrow, but well-maintained road to the Taravao Plateau for spectacular views of both sides of the isthmus below and caught sight of two Tahitian gray ducks in the lagoon there. On the southeast point of Tahiti-Iti, we sat through a downpour watching surfers at Teahupoo.

Back on the main road, we headed to Musée Gaugin and though they don't have any original Gaugins, the grounds were pretty and the displays interesting. There are several “marae” (sacred sites) marked along the way and we stopped at several to take a look. We ended the day at Musée de Tahiti et ses Îsles, an impressive collection of geological, historical and cultural displays of the French Polynesian islands.

We spent six weeks in Tahiti and nearby Moorea. It was a fairy tale of a visit with beautiful weather, warm temperatures, balmy breezes, outstanding scenery and delightful people. If you get a chance to visit, we'd highly recommend it, but take the time to venture off-the-beaten-path for a better look.

If you go …

At least in Pape'ete, you'll have all the modern conveniences. There are plenty of ATMs, plenty of internet kiosks and more restaurants, bars, clubs, souvenir shops and boutiques than you'll ever need. Most people speak English as well as French.

Visit the Tourist Info kiosk right downtown. The people are knowledgeable about what's going on. If there are any Polynesian dance/singing competitions, they'll have tickets available. You might want to plan your trip based on their celebrations calendar.

Definitely try the local beer, Hinano, and poisson cru as well as other local delights. Even if the idea of raw fish doesn't thrill you, poisson cru is an epicurean delight … really!

Visit the market … morning, noon and night. Things change constantly and there's lots to see and explore.

Consider visiting other French Polynesian islands. There are ferries and planes available to get you there and each island offers a different perspective of Polynesia. Moorea, for instance, is only 18 miles (29km) away.

Visit a pearl farm and buy some black pearls. They're the perfect souvenirs from French Polynesia. You can pick them up for as little as $3-4 each for lower grades at the market and make your own necklace. If you purchase from a jewelry store on the Boulevard Pomare, expect to pay top dollar. Other souvenirs to look for are wonderful, intricate shell and carved bone necklaces and collars and items made from nacre, the mother-of-pearl lining of the black pearl oyster shells.

Learn as much as you can about French Polynesia and Tahiti in advance and then learn more while you're there. Leave time to visit Point Venus and see what Captain Cook saw when he visited centuries ago. Visit the Pearl Museum (free), Gaugin Museum and especially Musee de Tahiti.

Drive around the island. Car rentals are expensive, but if you share a car or take a tour, it's a worthwhile venture to see how the “other half” lives outside the big smoke of Pape'ete. Check out the “maraes” (sacred places) and waterfalls and tiny villages that dot the island. Stand on the narrow isthmus that joins Tahiti-Nui to Tahiti-Iti, just for the heck of it.

The Friendly Isles of Tonga

Tonga is unique among Pacific nations. It never completely lost its indigenous governance. The island groups were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845, and became a constitutional monarchy in 1875. Though it was a British protectorate for 70 years, Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. Its culture very much intact, it's a fascinating place to visit. The International Dateline juts around this island kingdom making it one of the first countries in the world to see the sunrise of a new day.

The archipelago of Tonga, dubbed the “Friendly Islands” by Captain James Cook, consists of 169 islands, with only 36 inhabited. There are four main island groups including the mostly low-lying and southernmost Tongatapu group; the volcanic and coral Ha'apai group; the flat coral islands of the Vava'u group; and the volcanic Niuas group in the far north. We visited three of the four groups.

Did you ever watch the adventure series in the late 1950's created by James Michener entitled Adventures in Paradise? When we arrived in Neiafu, the largest town in the Vava'u group, that series that we'd watched as kids came to mind. Neiafu is a little South Pacific seaport, hustling and bustling with local commerce. We picked up a mooring in the well-protected little harbor and enjoyed its sights, smells and sounds for more than a week. The waterfront is primarily lined with restaurants, shops and yacht charter companies owned by ex-pats. There are lots of little hotels and a reasonable tourist infrastructure. It's easy to schedule dives, island tours and Tongan feasts.

The fresh market and crafts market are excellent here. Smiling, welcoming people pitched their fresh veggies and exotic fruits to us at bargain prices. The crafts market adjoining the fresh market was open daily and offered some of the most unique, high quality and inexpensive crafts we'd seen in the South Pacific, especially basketry, tapa, carvings and jewelry.

Though we enjoyed Neiafu, it was quite commercial. After over a week of “civilization”, we opted to head out in the Vava'u group and do a bit of exploring. We didn't get far before we found a place we liked … Matamaka ... and, as usual, we ended up staying longer than planned. The reason for staying was not the scenic vistas nor the snorkeling or diving … though all were great. We stayed because of the people and our ability to interact with them. We met Fa'aki, her husband, Ben and their six kids and we just bonded. Fa'aki's excellent English allowed us to learn more about the Tongan culture and their way of life.

David's engineering background came in very handy. First, he fixed solar panels for the school teacher; then for the minister. Then there were generators and more solar panels to fix. Folks were coming by horseback from the other side of the island to enlist David's aid. Time to call in the troops! We contacted “Yohelah” and “Gannet”, good friends and fellow SSCA members, and invited them to come for a Tongan feast ... and oh, by the way, come prepared to help with the repairs.

The feast was held in honor of Roxanne's (Fa'aki's oldest daughter) graduation from elementary school and it was splendid. The men had been invited to a kava circle earlier in the morning and were definitely mellow when it was time to eat. We contributed some baked goods on request (no conventional ovens other than underground umus on the island) and were treated as honored guests. We were at a loss as to proper etiquette although no one seemed to mind. Sitting cross-legged the way the natives do was not physically possible for us. We sat on the ground mats and managed uncomfortably, listening to one speech after another. Finally, the feast … roast suckling pig, veggies, all sorts of local delicacies and Fanta orange soda.

Our men earned their feast! They spent two subsequent very full days ashore making repairs.  The final count: 30 solar panels, 4 generators, a telephone, a digital camera, 2 VCR's, 3 TVs, 1 DVD player, a weed whacker and who knows what else...we lost count. But it was truly a community affair. People were queued up. Everyone watched intently as “the doctors” diagnosed problems. If it was fixable, a collective sigh went up from the crowd with smiles and thumbs up signs. If not, “oh well” and they moved on to the next repair. We were paid in bananas, lettuce, coconuts and genuine smiles of thanks.

While the men worked, Fa'aki took the women on a village tour with stops to admire weaving, tapa-making, gardening and learn more about Tongan culture. It's a very small village and it was easy to keep track of the men's progress. If we didn't see them, we certainly heard where they were and what project they were currently working on. Without a doubt, the time spent in Matamaka was the highlight of our visit to Tonga.

We spent a few days in the Hapa'ai group on the way south, but could have spent a month. Anchorages here were empty. Most islands were uninhabited. We could walk the beaches for miles shell collecting, bird watching and enjoying the peace and quiet.

Tonga's “big smoke” is the capital city of Nuku'alofa in the Tongatapu group. After the pristine, secluded anchorages of Hapa'ai, we anchored with about 60 other boats off Big Mama's Bar & Restaurant at Pangaimotu. What a contrast! Though Big Mama caters to cruisers offering all the amenities a sailor could want, she also owns Pangaimotu Island Resorts with fales (traditional thatched-roof huts) for rent which we heard were great. Daily ferries run across the channel into the city or you can take your dinghy.

Nuku'alofa offers supermarkets and fresh markets and lots of small shops. You might not find everything in one place, but with enough searching around, you'll find most things you need for provisions. There are beaches, resorts and tourist attractions galore here. The blend of strong, traditional Tongan culture with the modern day world is very noticeable everywhere you go. Fakatonga is an important expression to learn...it means “the Tongan way” and for better or worse, it's how things are done in Tonga.

If you go:

Guides: Moorings Cruising Guide to Vava'u Tonga (free pdf download) and its associated numbered chart.

A Yachtsman's Guide to the Hapa'ai Group

Kingdom of Tonga by Phil Creegen

Sailingbird's Guide to the Kingdom of Tonga.

Our land guide was Lonely Planet Tonga.

To save money, Lonely Planet South Pacific might do just as well.

We highly recommend Making Sense of Tonga, by Mary McCoy and Drew Havea. It's an excellent introduction to Tongan culture and etiquette.

Charts: Navionics electronic charts were off by nearly ½ mile in some locations as were the paper charts we had. We recommend no navigation at night while in the island groups and a good watch while navigating during the day.

Currency: Tongan pa'anga (TOP) though the Tongans refer to them as dollars. TOP $1=US 0.48.

Time: GMT +13; one of the first countries in the world to greet each new day.

Neiafu, Vava'u 18S39.85 / 173W58.92 (Mooring in Neiafu Harbor)

Anchorage/Moorings: Moorings are available at TOP $15/night no matter what company owns them. Pink moorings belong to The Moorings and are reserved for their charter customers, otherwise any free mooring with a number can be picked up and used. Call the “owner” on the VHF channel marked on the mooring ball and pay them when you're leaving. It's a pretty informal system.

Port Guide: In Neiafu, pick up a current, free copy of Vava'u Marine Guide from Tropical Tease or Tropicana as soon as you arrive. This guide contains all the information you'll need for getting around Neiafu and finding needed supplies and services including fuel, propane, laundry, restaurants, sightseeing, etc.

Dinghy dock: Tie up at Aquarium or the public dinghy dock behind the little breakwater near the Custom's Dock.

Tourist Info Center on the main street provides some basic brochures and has a crafts center which offered some different products than those seen in the public market. The prices were quite reasonable.

What to do do/see:

Whale watching in season (Aug/Sept especially)

Fishing

Snorkeling/diving

Cruising at its best in paradise.

Inland hiking, bicycle, car & motorcycle hire available

Tongan feasts

PIG 89.3 FM – the local “ex-pat” radio station with easy-listening music

Cruiser's Morning Info Net – 0830 daily on Channel 26 VHF; weather/tides, general information, local happenings

Internet – While we were in Neiafu, we had free wifi on the boat compliments of Aquarium. Otherwise, there is internet available at Aquarium and Tropicana restaurants.

ATMs – Yup...two of them. ANZ and Westpac Banks. Both are on the main street and they usually dispense money. (This is Tonga, remember. Not everything works all the time!)

Matamaka 18S42.46 / 174W07.75 – 45' (good holding in sand)

Services – None; you can probably pick up some fresh lettuce, kumara (sweet potato),coconuts, fish/lobster from the villagers for purchase or trade. There is an old, dilapidated wharf, but it's easier to beach your dinghy ashore.

Fa'aki's house is near the wharf. If she's there, ask her for a village tour. She speaks excellent English.

Hunga – 18S41.56 / 174W07.75 – 70' (good holding in sand)

There's a small village here. Check in with them as a courtesy if you plan to stay. The narrow entrance to Hunga is daunting...the proverbial “between a rock and a hard place”. We'd suggest checking out the Moorings guide or getting local knowledge before entering.

Pretty little beaches here and lovely scenery.

Blue Lagoon – 18S42.72 / 174W08.38

Gorgeous anchorage - entrance through the reef can be tricky, but it's pretty straightforward with good visibility. No services. We used it as a jump-off point for heading to Hapa'ai.

Ha'apai Group

Nukunamo Island - 19S42.71 / 174W17.01 – (43' good holding, sand)

Services – None; this is just a small, uninhabited island. Good shelling and beachcombing. We learned in Nuku'alofa that there were plans to develop this island into a resort. See it while it's still pristine!

Tofanga – 19S57.45 / 174W28.35

Services – None; this is just a small, uninhabited island. Good shelling and beachcombing

Tongatapu Pangaimotu- 21S07.51 / 175.09.82 – (75' good holding)

Anchorage off Big Mama's. Big Mama's Bar and Restaurant – everything you'd expect in a South Sea's island bar/restaurant...sand floors, cold beer, friendly people, good food. You can also tie up med-moor style at the inner harbor in Nuka'alofa. Fees apply.

Supermarkets/provisioning - The Talamahu Market is a huge fresh/crafts market; other smaller supermarkets are available with varied offerings. Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed.

ATMs – Westpac and ANZ both available on Taufa'ahau

What to do do/see

Walking tour of the town

Archeological sites

Never ending offerings of cultural shows, feasts & dancing

Snorkeling, diving

Good collectible stamps from the post office.