Daniel, Emily, and Amanda in Daniel's bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia

With Daniel at Daniel's Bay, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

 

 

Emily and Amanda in front of Vaipo Waterfall, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

The Vaipo Waterfall, around the two-hundredth tallest in the world, in Daniel's Bay, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

The Gregg A Granger

Family Adventure
   French Polynesia
 

 
 Pushing a damaged Faith off the reef in Tahiti
 
Pushing Faith off reef in French Polynesia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily, Amanda, and GreggII in Moorea

Emily, Amanda, and Gregg II in Moorea


 

The Marquesas

Ua Pou is a postcard. Massive rock spires splashed with tropical green jut heavenward. (page 45)



  

 

Oua Po, Tuamotus, French Polynesia and her beautiful rock spires

The beautiful rock spires of Oua Po, Marquesas, French Polynesia

  

 

The Tuamotus

We leave Apataki for our best experience of the Pacific. Planning to stay in Anse Amyot two days before continuing to Tahiti, we’re charmed into two weeks.

Valentine is the matriarch of Anse Amyot; her husband, Gaston, is the only Frenchman—half French at that. The houses are painted white or not at all, constructed of wood, with tin roofs that are painted as protection from the salt air. Valentine’s nephews, Jean-Paul and Mana, live next door near the boat house. Grandpa and Valentine’s ex-in-laws live on the other side of Valentine’s house, toward the lagoon. Behind is the copra shed, and between Valentine’s house and the boat house is a solar-powered telephone booth that was installed just last month. The smells of fresh and less-than-fresh fish blend with the copra and the sea air, which become more pleasing when Valentine bakes coconut bread in the coconut-husk-fired oven. (page 50)

  

 

 

 

 

Emily, Amanda, and Gregg II, with Davina and bird in Toau, Tuamotus, French Polynesia

With Davina, at Toau, Tuamotus, French Polynesia

 

  

 

Society Islands

We go to church in Pape’ete. The women are clad in white dresses, wearing broad-brimmed, white straw hats decorated with big flowers, peacock feathers, stars, foil-paper, and pipe cleaners. Church lasts two hours and a half, with five baptisms, a half-hour of announcements, and Communion. It’s in French, so we don’t follow too well, but the singing makes it all worthwhile. A song starts with an old woman sitting somewhere in the congregation, wailing a sound like fingernails on a chalkboard before being joined by other men and women scattered throughout the congregation in beautiful harmony. Then, a wail from a different location and another song begins. (page 55)

  

 

 

 

The women at church in Tahiti, with their fancy hats.

At church in Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia