It’s still dark o’clock as we get up early to await our shuttle to the airport. We are off to Aitutaki for the day! Excited much.
Shuttle arrives and we are pretty swiftly met and on the little plane that takes 20 or so of us on a 40 minute flight to the atoll. Everyone is pretty pumped up, Tom loves plane trips (well, the taking off part) and the boys are excited to go somewhere new not on a bike. As we land we get an incredible view of the atoll, it is genuinely one of those postcard picture places. Amazing deep blue water surrounded by islands covered in palm and coconut trees. Like something out of a classic novel.
Once landed it’s on to a rickety bus for an hour tour of the main island at Aitutaki. The tour is classic islands, haphazard and the main thing I learned is that there is not a lot to see on the main island of Aitutaki. A lot of talk about land crabs, no crabs seen. A lot of talk about fruit trees, a lot of fruit trees seen for sure. We stop at a local shop for some food, ours arrives right as we need to get back on board the bus. Tom devours his chicken and mushroom roll with extreme aggression, its like being in the front row at a shark attack. We are both covered in creamy chicken at the end of it. Vegan options are nowhere to be seen.
At the end of the tour we are at our main feature of the day, a cruise through the lagoon on a huge vaka. Same again, it’s pretty classic island stuff, super straightforward and off we go. First stop is at Akaiami Island where the old TEAL seaplanes used to stop as they worked their way across the Pacific. It’s a perfect south seas island with white coral sand and clear, turquoise water. Robinson Crusoe couldn’t have asked for more. Tom discovers the islands high hermit crab population, Nate and Max generally goof. Alissa and I sort of stand around and be generally blown away with the place. It’s unbelievable. I manage to convince Tom to release the 8 crabs he has taken captive and we are off again.
Next stop is at a snorkel area for the boat, there are at least 6 Giant Trevallys that have joined the cruise. After some careful warnings about even pretending to feed them, into the water we go. It’s around 4 metres deep and there are a few fish here and there, pretty stuff. The highlight is some giant clams that are here, around a metre across. Fantastic to dive down to. As you head back to the rear of the boat you pass through the school of GTs and they are monstrous. Around a metre long and searching for anything to get a snack on. So cool to see. Off we go deeper in to the lagoon.
Last stop is at One Foot Island or Tapuetai. Some more of the same, it’s that idyllic, impossibly perfect Pacific Island. Beautiful clear water, swaying palm trees, a million miles from anywhere. I cant think of anywhere I’d rather be stranded for two weeks. Alissa, Tom and I take a walk out to a sandbank about 300m offshore while Max and Nate busy themselves on the islands with coconuts. While we’re gone, the tour guide notices their poor efforts and decides to get them up on stage later to show everyone how it’s really done.
The boys put on a great show, willing participants, they are starting to get past some of their self consciousness which is nice to see. They both split open their coconuts (with Paul the tour guide’s instruction) with ease. Husking and opening coconuts is fast becoming their main pastime. Then just like that our day in paradise is over.
A day was nowhere near long enough. A tour was fun for the kids but definitely we’re coming back to maroon ourselves on one foot island (there’s some basic accommodation you can book). We’ve seen some pretty pacific islands in our time and this is up there. We so weren’t ready to leave.