Ancient trails

Anne and Emily were met on the dock by Alex with three horses with wooden saddles and rope reins and girths. They set off up the steep climb over the pass to the next village in Anaho Bay. Justin and I made the same trek on foot.

The concrete road out of the village ended and an ancient trail led up hill it was lined with rounded stones and had been carefully paved in stone too, with diagonal culverts designed to divert the rain into the adjacent stream. The route was disintegrating as it led up through the massive remains of old paepaes on which houses were built. Eventually the old track had eroded so much that little was left of its structure and we were slipping and sliding up a muddy rivulet.

View from the pass down into Anaho Bay

Eventually we reached the saddle and had a spectacular view down into Anaho. I sat on a rock and sketched while the breeze cooled me down.

Emily and Anne in Anaho Bay

Justin however set off down the zigzag path down the precipitous hillside and found Anne and Emily enjoying gallops along the broad arc of sandy beach.

I eventually made my way down, meeting Justin struggling back up. I also met Raymond, carrying a guitar in a gunny sack, walking over the hill in search of a guitar string.

Raymond setting off from Anaho Bay in search of a guitar string

Down on the beach, the tide had ebbed showing the coral which looked very dead. It's rare in the Marquesas.

Robert Louis Stevenson had spent very happy times here with his family relaxing under the fringe of palm trees, and enjoying the hospitality of the community. It was here that his mother finally took off her petticoats and stockings! There is a little church and a school both seemingly deserted.

I set off up the hill again and, hearing the horses behind me, managed with a great effort to reach the crest before them.