French Polynesia '06: Rurutu in the Austral Islands
Rurutu in the Austral Islands
I made a trip to Rurutu in the Austral Islands to visit with a Baha’i there. She and I got together three times to speak about some basic aspects of the spiritual teaching of the Baha’i Faith. The Austral Islands are a small island chain in the Southern section of French Polynesia --- after that, it’s the Antarctica. The weather is much more temperate than the heat and humidity of other islands. Rurutu is known for being in the breeding ground of the humpback whales and for its hats made from dried pondanus plant.
The high point of my visit there was the opportunity to take a small fishing boat out to sea on a stormy morning and swim with two humpback whales, each measuring 15 meters in length! For two and half mostly stomach churning hours we went out in the rain and wind and fog crashing over three meter swells. 4 of the 7 passengers were leaning overboard heaving. The little girl was crying and no one had life jackets. We went back to the little port and dumped the sea sick people and headed back out into calmer northern waters.
After a while we saw two large tails. The driver cut the engines; we watched for twenty minutes as part of their bodies would come out of the water. They were a male and a female, each about 15 meters long! Whales have come to these waters to give birth and train their young before going to Antarctica. Whale hunting is no longer allowed. The last whale hunt on Rurutu was in 1957; one whale fed most of the island. The whale meat was wrapped in the fat that is just under the whale’s skin --- usually about 6 inches of it. The meat would keep this way for long periods of time.
After twenty minutes, it began to storm again and the whales disappeared. I told the driver over and over again “They’re gone, we can go back” and he kept smiling and nodding “No” and closing his eyes. A diver went into the sea to find the whales and see if they were asleep; from the water he gave the thumbs up. So, just as I was freezing and ready to go in, it looked like we were going into the water. I had never worn a wet suit so I was relieved to feel how warm it became when I had it on. I put on the flippers, the mask and slid into the water from the back of the boat after being told “Don’t make any sudden moves or splashes”. Well, above it was grey, rainy and windy, but below the surface it was a beautiful rich deep blue. I swam over the swells, trying to keep close to the other divers.
Swimming near two 15 meter long whales in the open ocean is pretty much a spiritual experience. They are huge but move very gracefully and swiftly. These two were sleeping near the ocean floor. It was hard to gauge the distance because of the optical illusion created by the water. Then they woke up and swam around each other, the male courting the female. At one point they passed right beneath us. I was a little panicky thinking that if they came up for air that would be it. As I was lying flat, I could really feel the size of the swells and I got that ole’ funky feeling. So I came up for air and, just as I did that, the female whale came completely out of the water vertically and then crashed down about thirty yards away with a big “Whomp!”
I stayed in the Temarama pension, a sort of bed and breakfast, which had lots of charm. There were French people who were moving to Rurutu and looking for places to live. The Chinese owner of the pension knew everyone on the island got everyone what they need including places to live etc.. We had dinner all together in the evenings. Many Chinese were brought to these islands by private companies to work the fields. Terenae’s mother is Chinese and several Baha’is on Huahine had Chinese grandfathers. The owner’s brother ran the main grocery store in the main town, his father owned the only large restaurant and the family had a house on the highest point on the island.
Rurutu from the plane --- a dark and stormy day
Just off the plane -- beautiful flowers crowns with 3 different scents, particular to the Australs
The coastline of Rurutu
The grave of a matriarch in a local graveyard --- see the necklaces of shells hanging? In Polynesia, it's flowers when you come and seashells when you go!
Inside one of the many caves in Rurutua looking out at the Pacific. I had a good long mediation and prayer time in there. Now I understand why Buddhist pilgrims made use of the transcendent atmosphere of a cave.
Main street
The 'pension' where I stayed, clean and pretty, $85 a night --- thank-you VISA!
Some of the guests chatting and smoking before dinner --- teachers, forestry inspectors, and the owner who is the Chinese gentleman.
As we were looking for the humpbacks we came across this fisherman who needed help with his large catch.
The back of the humpback whale --- about 15 meters!
Me with a wet suit -- they are very warm! It had been storming and cool.
Terenae and I
Two women of Rurutu with the famous hats
I made a trip to Rurutu in the Austral Islands to visit with a Baha’i there. She and I got together three times to speak about some basic aspects of the spiritual teaching of the Baha’i Faith. The Austral Islands are a small island chain in the Southern section of French Polynesia --- after that, it’s the Antarctica. The weather is much more temperate than the heat and humidity of other islands. Rurutu is known for being in the breeding ground of the humpback whales and for its hats made from dried pondanus plant.
The high point of my visit there was the opportunity to take a small fishing boat out to sea on a stormy morning and swim with two humpback whales, each measuring 15 meters in length! For two and half mostly stomach churning hours we went out in the rain and wind and fog crashing over three meter swells. 4 of the 7 passengers were leaning overboard heaving. The little girl was crying and no one had life jackets. We went back to the little port and dumped the sea sick people and headed back out into calmer northern waters.
After a while we saw two large tails. The driver cut the engines; we watched for twenty minutes as part of their bodies would come out of the water. They were a male and a female, each about 15 meters long! Whales have come to these waters to give birth and train their young before going to Antarctica. Whale hunting is no longer allowed. The last whale hunt on Rurutu was in 1957; one whale fed most of the island. The whale meat was wrapped in the fat that is just under the whale’s skin --- usually about 6 inches of it. The meat would keep this way for long periods of time.
After twenty minutes, it began to storm again and the whales disappeared. I told the driver over and over again “They’re gone, we can go back” and he kept smiling and nodding “No” and closing his eyes. A diver went into the sea to find the whales and see if they were asleep; from the water he gave the thumbs up. So, just as I was freezing and ready to go in, it looked like we were going into the water. I had never worn a wet suit so I was relieved to feel how warm it became when I had it on. I put on the flippers, the mask and slid into the water from the back of the boat after being told “Don’t make any sudden moves or splashes”. Well, above it was grey, rainy and windy, but below the surface it was a beautiful rich deep blue. I swam over the swells, trying to keep close to the other divers.
Swimming near two 15 meter long whales in the open ocean is pretty much a spiritual experience. They are huge but move very gracefully and swiftly. These two were sleeping near the ocean floor. It was hard to gauge the distance because of the optical illusion created by the water. Then they woke up and swam around each other, the male courting the female. At one point they passed right beneath us. I was a little panicky thinking that if they came up for air that would be it. As I was lying flat, I could really feel the size of the swells and I got that ole’ funky feeling. So I came up for air and, just as I did that, the female whale came completely out of the water vertically and then crashed down about thirty yards away with a big “Whomp!”
I stayed in the Temarama pension, a sort of bed and breakfast, which had lots of charm. There were French people who were moving to Rurutu and looking for places to live. The Chinese owner of the pension knew everyone on the island got everyone what they need including places to live etc.. We had dinner all together in the evenings. Many Chinese were brought to these islands by private companies to work the fields. Terenae’s mother is Chinese and several Baha’is on Huahine had Chinese grandfathers. The owner’s brother ran the main grocery store in the main town, his father owned the only large restaurant and the family had a house on the highest point on the island.
Rurutu from the plane --- a dark and stormy day
Just off the plane -- beautiful flowers crowns with 3 different scents, particular to the Australs
The coastline of Rurutu
The grave of a matriarch in a local graveyard --- see the necklaces of shells hanging? In Polynesia, it's flowers when you come and seashells when you go!
Inside one of the many caves in Rurutua looking out at the Pacific. I had a good long mediation and prayer time in there. Now I understand why Buddhist pilgrims made use of the transcendent atmosphere of a cave.
Main street
The 'pension' where I stayed, clean and pretty, $85 a night --- thank-you VISA!
Some of the guests chatting and smoking before dinner --- teachers, forestry inspectors, and the owner who is the Chinese gentleman.
As we were looking for the humpbacks we came across this fisherman who needed help with his large catch.
The back of the humpback whale --- about 15 meters!
Me with a wet suit -- they are very warm! It had been storming and cool.
Terenae and I
Two women of Rurutu with the famous hats
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