Traveling to Takaroa
Takaroa is a small atoll in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, about 370 miles from the main island of Tahiti. With a population of around 500, it isn’t typically a tourist destination. But this tiny atoll happens to have the perfect ecosystem for growing Tahitian Black Pearls—and it’s where Anuna Pearl calls home.
Getting to Takaroa requires first flying to Papeete, Tahiti. From there, there is only one flight a week in February to Takaroa. We typically arrive in Tahiti at least two days early, just in case something goes wrong. Missing the flight to Takaroa can mean waiting several days for the next one.
This time, something did go wrong.
A few days before we left Idaho, our flight to Takaroa was cancelled. The reason? The firetruck on the atoll wasn’t working properly. With only one firetruck and limited resources, planes couldn’t safely land in the event of a fire emergency.
Knowing it wouldn’t be fixed in just a few days, we had to either reroute or cancel our trip. That’s when Taumata, the co-owner of Anuna Pearl and our family friend, called with another option: fly to Takopoto, Takaroa’s sister atoll, about 13 miles away. He would meet us there by boat.
It sounded simple enough, but there was one big catch: the 13 miles between the islands is open South Pacific Ocean. In anything less than ideal weather, the trip can be risky. Depending on the conditions, the boat ride can take anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours.
We landed in Takopoto in the middle of the day, and it was pouring rain. I was convinced our trip was going to be delayed another day, and we’d have to find somewhere to stay on the island.
Thankfully, Taumata was waiting for us at the quay and was ready to go. We loaded our oversized suitcases onto his 25-foot boat, wrapped everything in a large tarp, tied it all down, and headed out.
I sat next to my mom directly in front of where Taumata was driving. It’s probably the best spot on the boat if you don’t want to catch too much air—but definitely not the best if you want to stay dry. And then there was the sun.
My ginger skin is never prepared to meet the sun, but the French Polynesian sun is on another level. There was absolutely no hiding from it on that boat.
Taumata has spent years navigating these waters and is an expert boat driver. He knows how to work with the swells and make the ride as smooth as possible, but there’s only so much you can do in the open ocean. There were plenty of stomach drops, huge splashes of water to the face, and the occasional lift off our seats.
But somehow, those parts of the trip aren’t what I remember most. I remember the views. The flying fish that seemed to follow us all the way to Takaroa. And, most of all, my mom’s worried expression for the entire 6-mile journey.
Looking back, it definitely was not the most convenient way to get to Takaroa, but it has been the most memorable.