Raiatea

Arrival shots of the island of Raiatea,  We were here in March, 2022 and it was nice to revisit as we really enjoy this island!  Raiatea is the largest island of the Society Islands in French Polynesia.  Uturoa is situated in between the adminstrative subdivison of the Leeward Islands and the the main port of Raiatea.













We arrived in Uturoa, Raiatea, and were greeted by the customary group on the pier!  


The one thing we wanted to do was to visit the pearl farm and this time we were able to secure a spot of the tour.  The tour is limited to only 16 people and we booked early to get a spot!!  And was it worth it!!!

After a shuttle van ride from the pier to the west side of the island, we boarded a skiff for a 5-minute boat ride to the farm.










The company, Anapa Perle, has a government lease for 4 acres surrounding their building.  They start by harvesting small baby oysters from nearby uninhabited islands and hook them on nylon braided strands.  It is really a science to the process and what they do to get the end result.


It can take 14 months or more for the oyster to mature and produce.  Every day they harvest upwards of 200 and check them for potential color and product.  Using forceps and dental mirror they open the oyster very slightly to check for indicators.  Depending of the color of the nacre they see inside they can artificial inseminate to try and produce a pearl of a specific color.  We also saw a pearl harvested.  

Everything is done very precisely and very quickly, as the oyster can only be out of the habitat for a very short time.  For every 100 only a percentage will reproduce a second time and then diminsh again the 3rd and 4th time. 


Artificail Insemination of Oyster

Pearl found in oyster

Below are some pics of the coral reefs nearby











Underwater pics from Anapa Perle Farm

Underwater pics from Anapa Perle Farm











We returned to the center of town where we were able to reunite with Celina, the artisan, that made the necklace of pearls for Robbi in March, 2022.  What a pleasant surprise meeting!!!!


A final ceremony was held in the large gazebo on the pier where Captain Paul Adams and the mayor of Uturoa exchanged plaques

Comments

  1. ReneeNovember 27, 2023 at 5:00 PM

    That is fascinating about how the pearls are harvested. Love the photos and your explanation!

    ReplyDelete

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