The Anaho goat hunting

We spend two weeks of "vacation" in the Bay of Anaho where we sympathize with Laura and Pakau living there. Pakau offers to take hunting to the goat Philippe...

Tuesday 5 September - Anaho

Tao is wet quietly in the bottom of the Bay. Manta rays and turtles visit us every morning. Every day, After a bath along the coast in search of colorful fish and other sea creatures we go ashore to spend time with Laura and Pakau. They seem as thrilled as we are to have company.

Laura takes care of plantations in the "50 steps of the King" (the public area along the coastline - the King had to make great strides as it is a band of 81 meters wide all around the Bay of Anaho). Laura and Pakau join us on the boat for lunch, This is an opportunity to make them taste the Nathalie chocolate banana cake!

Pakau's copra, fishing and hunting. Both make us discover their way of life and we enjoy to accompany them on the reef to flush out the octopuses from their holes.

One morning at dawn, We hear someone whistling on the beach. It is Pakau with a second horse in tow. He's expecting me to go hunting the goat on the mountain. In a few minutes I am ready and join him... The horse is docile and seems to follow, Although I don't talk in Marquesan.

After a pretty good path, We turn to drive us into the dense tropical forest mountain flan. We must get off horse for a little steep passages or with too low to get under branches. While I'm enjoying the ride, Pakau beckons me to stop and dismount from the horse quietly. He spotted a herd of goats. A few shots later, two goats will not meet to...

For butchering my role is to hunt flies while watching Pakau prepare carcasses. His knife is like a razor and he works with precision, taking care to not touch the meat with your hands. Once dry carcasses, they are cut in neighbourhood and packed for the return at home. We are just before the sunset and I'm exhausted after a day horseback.

We are all alone at anchor, 3 boats , the pavilions Australians and New Zealanders, are their anchor close to Tao: "Southern Comfort", "Off2C" and "Gone with the Wind". We sympathize quickly on the occasion of a few appetizers and work for mutual assistance.

There is no road to get to the village of Hatieu is a trail that climbs strongly and sinking in the forest. Hatieu is the only place where there is internet access in front of the station, a grocery store and a restaurant. We decide to all go there, We at feet while the others on horseback with a guide. The beginning of the trail is steep but very quickly the path becomes less rugged and winding.

Happy to have made the most difficult, a photo memories is necessary! Yet 30 minute walk in a gentle slope among the mango trees in bloom.

Here we are at Hatieu at Yvonne, Deputy Mayor and owner of the only restaurant / the village shop. Yvonne is deep in conversation with Philip, She explains her efforts to keep the wild place and authentic protecting real estate developers. Philippe wrote its recipe of sauce for the fish... maybe soon there will be tuna "sauce Tao" on the menu!

The breakfast is excellent in the restaurant open between sea, River and mountain.

Return to Anaho, We expect that the sea goes back so that the annexes float.

Friday 15 September

Tomorrow everyone will continue its road and it is an opportunity, Once again, to come together to share a meal together. Our roads will still probably cross in New Zealand, Australia or Papua New Guinea...

Next step for us the island of Ua-Huka or "island of horses". We promised to Laura and Pakau to come back together to go fishing...