Hawai'iki Nui Vaa 2010 (Not Dial Up Friendly)

[maheanuu]

Every year in the first part of November we have the worlds longest outrigger canoe race. It always starts on a Wednesday morning on the island of Huahine and the canoes are paddled 47 kilometers from Fare Huahine to the Port of Uturoa on Raiatea. Depending on the seas and the weather the canoes start to arrive around 11:00 to Noon in the pass. They cross the finish line to complete the first leg of a 3 day ordeal. Tomorrow they will leave Uturoa and continue on to Patio, Tahaa which will take them around the north side of Raiatea and staying inside the lagoon they will continue up the west coast of Tahaa around the northern end of the island and into the port of Patio for a 22 kilometer trip inside our lagoon that is a real test of ones mettle. The lagoon is fairly placid for the most part and the trip is quick but the paddlers really get a work out as there is no breaks. I didn't mention before, but there is no change of crews like the Hawaiian Paddlers do on their long paddles. You depart and you are in the canoe until you cross the finish line... There is no respite.... On Friday Morning the Canoes will leave the north east side of Tahaa on the final leg of the race and a 50 kilometer voyage returning back down the west side to the pass out of the lagoon named Tiva Pass. They will then head west north west to run down the east side of Bora Bora and up the south side on to the west and enter the Teavanui Pass north of the town of Vaitape. They will then paddle south down to Matira Point where the race will end and the festivities will begin that will last the weekend.. To us it is sort of our National day, although we do celebrate Bastille day but for the Canoe Races it is very special to the Tahitians after all they were sailing their canoes all around the Pacific for over a thousand years.

Today I shot over 500 photos, all with a 300mm zoom lens with a 2x multiplier added to get me some range. I have only started the triage, and will probably be working on this for at least a month, but I thought that I would put up a few including the winner of the first leg which was the Team 1 of Shell Va'a Tahiti. There were over a hundred outriggers competing and all will continue all the way through to the end.

I hope that you all enjoy the photos, and I will try to add more to the mix tomorrow when they break the start headed for Tahaa on the 2nd Leg of the Journey...

Gendarme Marine de Raiatea Safety and Security


Three of Raiatea's Finest If I have a problem I can always trust a Gendarme!


Flying Our Flag


Forty Six Kilometers Down, One To Go Team 1 Shell Va'a the current world champions and the leader of the first leg


Another Shot Of The Winning Team


It Don't Mean A Thing, If You Don't Have That Swing


EDT Canoe Entry EDT is Electricitie de Tahiti, our version of Pacific Power and Light.


Get Outta Da Way, I Diggin' For Home!



This is the first of several hundred that I now have to sort through and put into some sort of order... The locals worked really hard to give us pleasure today, I feel that I owe them something for their efforts....

[Mz Pip]

1. Spectacular

those are great shots! So much training is involved in that sport.

My bro-in-law does paddling in Hawaii. Does the Oahu-Molokai run every year. Talk about having to be in shape!!!

Other than that....

I. Want. To. Go. to. Tahiti.

[maheanuu]

2. Cumon Down!!!

If you ever decide to visit, I know a little place on the northwest corner of Raiatea that is the cat's meow... Bungalows are really nice, gardens exquisite and the view of Bora Bora is knock out, knock yer socks off beautiful... Besides we're only a couple of hours by boat and about 5 minutes by air from there ...

Way back when, I was a DJ at the worlds only Hawaiian Radio station.. That is how I ended up here in Tahiti, but that is another story boyz and gurlz

[Mz Pip]

3. ;-)

Sounds perfect. I've wanted to visit Tahiti since I read Mitchner's Adventures in Paradise and the Bounty trilogy. I was 12 at the time but it's stayed with me all these years.

One of these days...