Is Hanatekuua Bay Paradise?

 We took a day trip to Hanatekuua Bay. This little bay was only a 20 minute motor from our current location at Hanaiapa Bay. It was the most beautiful white sand beach to one side with a shoal on the South side of the bay. There was no other sailboat in this tiny little harbor but with it sandy beach lined with palm trees it was like a little spot of paradise. The kids were in awe as we pulled into this sheltered little bay on the North side of Hiva Oa with our friend Pifa. He was the reason we came here as he suggested it for a place to take the boys spear fishing. The only way to get to this little piece of paradise is by walking two hours on a long trail or by boat.

After anchoring in about 10 feet of water in the sand bottomed bay, we motored the kids to shore. Once the dingy was far enough up the beach where we were not worried that a wave would carry it back into the ocean once out of our view, we wandered up to a little covered picnic table on the beach.

I walked with Pifa and some of the kids up a short little trail to the home of his in-laws. The path wove its way through the palm trees further away from the beach to a little metal roofed structure that was their home. It was a simple dirt floored open air structure with a covered eating area and separate sleeping and storage areas. It reminded me of how simple a home can really be and how much we sometimes complicate our lives and homes with all sorts of “necessities” which we don’t need.

Scattered around the property were a number of horses that are used to help carry the copra. On this occasion however, Eli and Teyauna were privileged to benefit from a horse ride through the plantation and along the beach. They were both excited to have a horse ride around the property and ended their meander when the horse stopped for a drink by the little creek that flushed itself out into the ocean.

The fresh water in this little spot of paradise came from a spring that fed the creek. The water tasted absolutely incredible and was very refreshing. At the building on the beach, there was a nice faucet that doubled as a drinking source and a shower to clean off the salt water and sand.

After stopping for a bite to eat, Jaeden and Dailin went with me, Pifa, his cousin and one other relative to go spear fishing along the rocks that lined the East shore. Both Jaeden and Dailin spent a few hours in the water with the spear gun a friend at home had given us, to try to spear a fish.  They didn’t have any luck at all, but did manage to practice how to properly operate the spear gun. Pifa’s relatives on the other hand in the same amount of time, managed to catch a few dozen fish for dinner. Not only were they so accustomed to fishing but they could dive for much longer and much deeper than we could. It was incredible to watch them at work.