Day Trip to Aitutaki: Wednesday, May 24, 2017

We got up at 5:00 am and prepared for our day trip to Aitutaki. The sunrise is after 7:00 am and sets a little after 6:00 pm. Our flight was at 8:00 am and we had been told to be there an hour early. Knowing it took us about 53 minutes to ride the bikes from the airport to our villa, we figured we should start biking at 6:00 am. We used our headlamps to guide us around potholes and palm debris in the road. The gusts of wind were to our backs and from the side often times making us slow down so we would not be pushed over by the wind. The traffic was light the first half hour of the ride. At one point Ellen's hat was blown off her pack. Before I could turn my bike around and retrieve it, the wind had taken it down and off the pavement. Ellen eventually found it. 

It was fairly light by the time we arrived at the airport. We secured the bikes to bars in the parking lot in front of the departure entrance. Lights were off inside and no one was visible. We figured the tour was canceled due to the weather. Activity in the area began after 7:30 am. The plane was being fueled and more tourists appeared. We loaded the plane after 8:00 am and were soon flying north to the island at 13,000'. The small plane had one seat on aft side and two seats on port side. Seats 7D and 7F put Ellen and I together. We never did figure out the seating numbering. 

After a 40 minute flight we were greeted by our day tour guide who instructed us to board their "tour bus". The guide gave the usual talk about the landscape, plants, and history. The landscape was not what I had envisioned. It was hilly. The tour stopped at the only market on the island in order for us to leave our money by buying their goods. Our guide was 28 years old and seemed to understand the value of the tourists to his community. We surveyed the available goods for a future and longer stay on the island.

Ollie was an enthusiastic tour guide.

The buildings of the school were open air. Kids waived as we went by.

The tour bus drove up a hill to show us the island's only school. The classrooms seemed small with no more than 12-15 students in uniform reacting to their teacher and to us. Off we went to load us onto the tour boat. There were about 30 tourists on the day tour after we had picked up several from resorts along the way. The day consisted of three stops at three different small islands located in the huge lagoon. The snorkeling stop was actually away from land at the underwater preserve. I stepped off the boat and into chest high warm, crystal clear water. A huge fish (one of three swimming around the boat) came up to me and put its head out of the water to greet me. I reached out to pet its head. Just like the pups would request a pet. Amazing. 

The snorkeling was breathtaking. A large variety of fish and colorful coral complimented the unique and multiple blue colors of the water. Under water the sunlight brightened everything and danced as it sparkled on the sandy lagoon floor. The underwater world seemed so unearthly as we swam amongst the many different schools of colorful fish. We were gathered back on the boat for lunch and our last stop which was One Foot Island. Ellen and I snorkeled for a while but it was not as colorful as the last stop. We decided to hike around the island. The palms leaning out from the shoreline and over the blue water reminded me of Paul Guagin's 19th century South Pacific paintings. Beautiful. Breathtaking colors. The palms looked healthy with their vibrant green spreads with a splash of bright yellow mingled with the green. The dark blue sky was spotted with puffy white clouds and the water was a mix of dark blue, turquoise, and green. 

John chats with some tour mates on the beach of One Foot Island, located in the lagoon of Aitutaki.

We relaxed as we headed back to the airport, listening to our guide and boat hand sing and play the ukulele and bongos.

The tour ended late in the afternoon where it began earlier in the morning at the small airport. Forty minutes later we were back at the Rarotonga airport. We were at our bikes by 5:30 pm so we had about 45 minutes of daylight for the ride home. I looked at my front tire prior to unlocking it from the iron bar; it was flat. The bike shop was closed. Multiple options quickly ran through my head; do we take a taxi or a transfer back home? Ellen said, "Let's take the bus." Problem solved. 

We left the bikes and headed for the closest bus stop. At that time of day the buses only run clockwise around the 32 kilometer island. It was due at 6:45. We had time to waste so we had a cocktail and a local brew at the pub next to the bus stop. The bus arrived after 7:00 pm and we were the only passengers on the bus for most of the ride. We engaged the bus driver in a conversation to reduce his boredom and to increase our knowledge of the Cook Islands. He was delightful and helpful. Prior to our departure at Wigmore's store lightning brightened the night sky and the rain started falling lightly and then heavier. As we got off the bus the rain was a torrential downpour. Ellen went inside the store and bought more goods and then we walked the 1/4-1/2 mile to our accommodations. We didn't even try to stay dry. The air and rain felt warm and refreshing as it soaked every inch of us. As traffic approached us we would move off the pavement and away from the oncoming vehicles. We had to be hard to see through the rain and windshield. 

At one point a small car approached us slowly and seemed to want off the road. Even though I was a safe distance from the pavement the car came right at me and at the last moment stopped in front of me. I think the driver was trying to get off the road in order to wait out the downpour and had no idea we were there. We walked around the car and I took a deep breath. That was a close call. We finally made it home soaked but safe. We showered, had dinner and watch the southern night sky as more and more stars appeared. I never did find the Southern Cross. No wind, just the sound of the surf breaking on the outer reef. We slept well. 

John

We arose at 5:00 to shower and eat breakfast. We started our hour ride to the airport at 6:00. There was no one at the airport until about 7:45 when we checked in for our flight to Aitutaki. We flew out of the clouds and into beautiful sunshine and caught our first glimpse of what is considered one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. It delivered. Right after landing, we boarded an open air bus and began our  tour. Our tour guide, Ali or Ollie, told a little of the island's history as we traveled along. A hurricane in 2010 destroyed 70% of the island so many homes are abandoned. There is little work for locals so many of them moved to New Zealand. Ali is lucky, as he says, to be able to make a living on the island. Hard working is more like it. He's a tour guide, boat captain, fire dancer, and licensed electrician. He was quite entertaining, friendly, and passionate about his home.

After seeing the local school and picking up some other passengers, we made our way to the end of the airstrip where we boarded our tour boat, the very same boat used in filming Survivor. In fact, the series was filmed there and the first island we visited out in the lagoon was one of the tribes' islands. Cool if you are a fan. I'm not.

We explored the beach at Akatami, the island where Survivor was filmed. They also used our tour boat to deliver the contestants to the island.

Remember the hermit crab craze in the late 70s or early 80s? I had a couple as pets. They were all over the beaches.

John examines a mahogany tree that had fallen.

After two Islands stops, one with a nature walk where we learned about mahogany trees, palm trees, and hibiscus, we anchored in the lagoon for snorkeling. I couldn't wait to get out there. Upon entering the water we were greeted by GTs (giant trevally). They were about four feet long and friendly. One came right up to John and hovered with it's head out of the water and just looked at him. I think it thought his cell phone around his neck was food, which is what Ali said might happen.

John's phone died so we can't get his photos of the GTs and all the snorkelling videos, so I found this image on the internet.

And then we were off for a large coral formation in a deeper area where only a few others on the tour ventured. So many fish! And beautiful coral. It was amazing. As I was swimming around, I couldn't believe where I was, the experience I was having, and the beauty of it. I dived down a few times to get a closer look at some periwinkle blue coral. I saw angel fish that were bright yellow, all kinds of neon fish, and many white ones with pointed long snouts near the surface. We snorkeled for about an hour and reluctantly got back in the boat. I could snorkel forever.

We had lunch next while the boat made its way to One Foot Island. Our lunch was grilled yellow tuna, which we ate even though we're vegan, along with local fruits and vegetables. There were potato type salads made from papaya, one from taro, and one from bread fruit. There was guava, star fruit, coconut, watermelon and local bread. Oh, and grilled bananas right in the skin, which you also eat. It was wonderful and healthy.

Lunch!

Once on One Foot, we snorkeled again, though there wasn't much to see. We walked the circumference of the island and sat in the sun. It was hit! Finally! Then it was back on the boat for more Ali entertainment of singing and ukulele with bongos, as well as various ways for women and men to tie a sarong. We relaxed and took in the beauty of the 30-minute ride back to the airport. We were sad to leave.

One Foot Island

It took us about 15 minutes to walk around One Foot Island.

I've never seen a blue starfish!

While there, I did some research for next time: I took pictures of the available food at the market which had jut been stocked which happens every few months. Slim pickings.

Aitutaki only gets food restocked about once every three months. This was the fruit and vegetable selection at the only market. I think they mostly grow their own. Tough for a tourist, though.

Back in Rarotonga we discovered a flat tire on John's bike. We took the bus instead. The bus stop was  at a bar, so we had a margarita, a local beer, and some "chips" while we waited. The bus only runs clockwise at night so we rode almost all the way around the island to get off at Wigmores to get some wine and snacks. It began to pour in sheets when we got off. We had to walk the half mile or so back in warm but heavy rain. Every item of our clothing was soaked when we finally arrived at our villa. I made a simple dinner of whole wheat spaghetti with red onion, canned green chiles, lime, tomatoes, and olive oil. We had some wine and watched the stars from the porch. We could finally see them.

Ellen