A view of Raiatea the earliest Polynesians might have enjoyed. Photo courtesy of TAHITI TWOSOME.
The waves break in a steady rhythm on the barrier reef along the southeast coast of Raiatea, in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Mt. Tefaatuaiti soars skyward to 3,400 feet, and opposite the Passe Irihu ou Maire, the fjord-like Faaroa Bay creates an anchorage protected from the easterly trade winds. A short distance away is Opoa Bay, the oldest settlement on Raiatea, possibly dating back to 100 A.D.
Charter sailors on crewed and bareboat yachts in these waters enjoy the sun, the scenery, and the spirited passages between Raiatea, Bora-Bora, Tahaa, and Huahine, known as the Tahitian Leeward Islands. Several charter companies have yacht bases there, making it easy to plan a sailing vacation to this tropical paradise. Faaroa Bay is a favored anchorage for charter boats and the archaeological site of Taputapuatea Marae at Opoa is a popular destination. Known as the Sacred Island, Raiatea was once the cultural and religious center of ancient Polynesia. Epic voyages began there.
But these Polynesian explorations from Raiatea were not the first. Sailors from Southeast Asia in dugout canoes equipped with outriggers set out into the Pacific as far back as 6,000 years ago, long before the ages of exploration began in the Middle East and Europe. The migration moved gradually from west to east to Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands, the Society Islands, the Tuamotus, and the Marquesas. Later voyages from Raiatea possibly included those to Hawaii and New Zealand, in that order.
In 1774, a traveler in the Society Islands named Andia y Varela respected the Polynesian sailors. He wrote: “There are many sailing masters among the people. They are competent to make long voyages.” And of their canoes he wrote that they were as “fine forward as the edge of a knife, so that they travel faster than the swiftest of our vessels; and they are marvelous, not only in this respect, but for their smartness in shifting from one tack to the other.”
The crystal blue water and unspoiled islands make French Polynesia ideal for cruising. Photo courtesy of TAHITI TWOSOME.
When European explorers first ventured into Polynesia during the 1500s, the presence of the people on far-flung islands perplexed them. How did they get there? The question also interested Captain James Cook, who made three voyages to the Polynesian islands. In 1778, he wrote in his journal: “How shall we account for this Nation spreading itself so far over this Vast ocean?”
To be sure, the Polynesian mastery of seamanship and navigation was well known. But Cook wondered how the Polynesians seemed to have explored from west to east, against the trade winds, as the oral histories indicated. The answer, he was told, proved quite simple: During November, December, and January the easterly trade winds often diminished and west winds were more frequent. Sailing upwind or to the east with the help of west winds meant that when supplies ran low, the sailors could always get home again. If they sailed downwind, they might never make it back.
Navigating by the stars, the direction of swells, the flight patterns of birds, the set of currents, the reflections of lagoons against clouds, cloud cover over high islands, and by dead reckoning, the Polynesians explored more than 10 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean. It was one of the greatest feats of sailing in human history.
Editor’s Note: David W. Shaw is the author of seven nonfiction books, including a historical account of Flying Cloud, America’s most famous clipper ship. For charter info in this area, view the South Pacific listings.
Tags: Faaroa Bay, French Polynesia, Raiatea, Society Islands