November 8, 2007
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
Aitutaki, is often called the Bora Bora of the Cook Islands. Phoo! Aitutaki is Aitutaki, the gem of the Pacific. If you need to be entertained, this island is not for you. However, if you love striking quiet surrounded by a pale turquoise lagoon, light winds and the bounty of the seas, warm people with a care for sharing, you will enjoy Aitutaki.
There is only one pass through the reef to the harbor, and the pass and lagoon are very shallow. For this disembarkation, the Paul Gauguin anchors just outside the entrance, and we lighter in on LST’s, complete with a drop-down ramp. This isn’t a wet landing as we experienced from zodiacs in the Bering sea. Nor is it the hold your breath, wait for the swell, jump to the wharf and pray landing as in the Marquesses.
Aitutaka is provisioned by freighter from New Zealand. The freighter cannot enter the narrow shallow pass. While we were at anchor, we watched three barges service the freighter, which offloaded its cargo, and the barges transferred it to shore.
The economy of the island is based on the sea and on plantations of coconut, pineapple, banana and tapioca.
The first European to visit Aitutaki was Captain William Bligh some seventeen days before the mutiny of the H.M.S. Bounty in Tonga.
Tomorrow, we sail to Rarotonga, the capital of the Cook Islands.
Kia Orano