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Tapu'amu Scenes

We've been here for three days, now, awaiting weather to clear. We've walked a lot around the area, and motored in the dinghy several times, so know the place a bit. Here are some scenes from the past few day's walks.

This green thing is the storm that's keeping us here. The tiny circle at 11:30 is our location, or near enough. That's a BIG storm! The image is from Null Earth, a weather site.

I realize that this should, rightly, have gone in the previous post, but Conni just got it to me. This is a vanilla vine growing on a small tree. There are even some growing pods visible. Vanilla is a vine and needs some kind of support to grow well, so sticks and dead trees are used.

Lots of pods!

These pods are being sized for sale. Longer ones command higher prices, we were told.

Cocktail hour aboard Wings. Conni prepares something like this each evening: cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

Taporo VII, a supply boat that arrives at this largest port on Taha'a. They come in at least twice a week. She's almost empty as shown by her bow bulb being exposed.

Roger, the Australian owner of a nearby cruising boat, jetted to the tiny store this morning and bought a half-dozen baguettes. He then motored around the mooring field delivering fresh baguettes to all of us. Was that nice?

This is the tiny Tapu'amu harbor. Our dinghy is at right and the Total station across the water is the site for gas, oil, and water.

These tanks of propane are carried to various propane stations and then used to refill local's tanks.

 

Beer is bound for many different locations, as shown by the case labeled, "Snack Ceuna", an unknown small restaurant.

An air compressor labeled for a recipient somewhere on Taha'a awaits transportation. Imagine that.

I cannot imagine the premium placed on concrete block if it's delivered on palates like this.

These are the huge and very strong bags in which we've seen recycled material stored for shipment. Strong bags if they can hold this much concrete aggregate.

This is lubricating oil destined for the electrical generation facility on Taha'a.

Diesel is also transported in these larger tanks. I had assumed that diesel was pumped from tanks aboard ships, but these tell a different story.

The storage shed reeked of the sweet smell of fermented copra so we knew what these bags contained. They're bound for Tahiti for processing.

The label tells its destination: a coconut oil refinery in Tahiti.

She could be anywhere, but she's the register lady at the only store in the village. When things get slow, she's on her phone. That's my Orangina there, too!

Neither Conni nor I understand whey they grow so many plants in pots unless it's to keep them from spreading.

Drasina, or Mother-in-Law's tongue, is a house plant in Alaska, but here it's an outside plant and grows well.

Neither of us has a clue what it is, but it's beautiful and colorful.

School in Tapu'amu.

We returned to the harbor to fetch our dinghy and this odd barge was nearby. They load it with the stuff from the supply boat and haul it to the owners.

 

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