Haka Hetau, Ua Pou, Īles Marquises

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Just passing through

Anne & Ang stopping for water on the hike

Crossing a bridge over a ravine

Spires of Ua Pou

While waiting for a weather window to head to the Tuamotus, we ventured back south to the other side of Ua Pou. In the 200-person village of Haka Hetau, we met some wonderful people.

A man named Pascal,

Our guide Teve

whom we had met while in Haka Hau, lived there. He was in the process of working with about six men who were training to be first aid certified (there is no hospital/Dr's office there) and to be tour guides to lead people for hikes and other excursions around the island. They needed English-speaking volunteers to go along on the training tours so that the guides could practice guiding and speaking English - another thing they were working on.

We thought that it sounded like a lot of fun, so we went with Anne and Tomos from Merlin's Magic

Us at eye level with the spires

Waterfall near Haka Hetau

on one of their tours. They met us at the dinghy dock and took us in a jeep around the shoreline on a VERY rickety road 19 kilometers to Haka Hetau, where we first anchored in Ua Pou on the other side of the island. From there, we hiked with the guides the 10 miles back to Haka Hetau across the middle of the island, near the spires that we are always admiring from afar.

Ang et al in front of the falls

On the way, they spoke of the history of the island, relayed information about the local vegetation

Kids from the village enjoying time at the falls

Pascal & his wife by the potluck spread

and even gave us samples of pamplemouse, coconuts and other goods grown or produced locally. They brought out the pamplemouse and coconuts well into the trip after carrying them the whole way in their backpacks! We couldn't believe it!

The next day, Eric and I went on another hike with them past an archeological site and to a beautiful waterfall. Most of the kids from the village were there playing in the pool at the falls base. It was so fun! We all had brought food for a potluck at the waterfall. We made an Asian cabbage salad that the kids really enjoyed. They were scraping the salad dressing off the bowl with their fingers once it was gone.

They did not expect or want money for the trips as they felt that we were helping them. We got together with Anne and put together a pretty nice First Aid kit from the items we have on board. Since we both have pretty serious medical kits aboard, we think we did okay. Now they will have supplies to carry with them to use in an emergency while hiking.

Anchorage
Haka Hetau, Ua Pou
09^o21.45' S
140^o06.30' W

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