In 1867, Captain Wallis arrived in Tahiti aboard the " Dolphin" and landed in " Matavai " Bay after sailing for more than five months across the Pacific. During his voyage off Tahiti, Captain Samuel Wallis had tried to dock in many bays: he had first opted for Mataiea , Papeari and Taravao, south of the island, before turning to the East , on the side of Mahaena.
Hundreds of outrigger canoes have set off from the shore to meet the Dolphin . Captain Wallis preferred to take no chances, and so he did not come close to these hostile demonstrations. Nevertheless, the exhausted crew ran out of water and food, so they decided to anchor, whatever happened.
They opted for Matavai Bay, which was undeniably one of the most attractive. Unfortunately, as they made their way to this famous bay , Captain Wallis' ship hit a rock and the ship was immobilized for over an hour. very quickly, dozens of pirogues flocked to sack the ship. Fortunately for the captain, a fortuitous wind blew off the Dolphin, which had to retreat in search of another anchorage. Since then, this coral reef is called the " Dolphin Bench", in memory of the stranding of the ship .
This Pointe Venus lighthouse remains Tahiti's only lighthouse, better known as "Teara o Tahiti" in Tahitian. This 8-storey, 25-meter-high square tower was built of rubble and coral by Thomas Stevenson, assisted by Masons from Mangareva.
For the little anecdote, during the Second World War, the inhabitants of the municipality of Mahina (city where the lighthouse is located) had painted coconut trees on the lighthouse in order to camouflage it and remove any reference point to the Japanese fleet that was risking to land. This building, built in the middle of a coconut grove, became invisible.
The lighthouse was so well hidden that it even happened to the guardian not to find him the night he drank. He was then climbing a coconut tree, thinking to climb the stairs of the lighthouse. After being abandoned after 50 years for the benefit of the port of Papeete, Pointe Venus is now popular with foreigners and attracts more and more tourists each year.
Pointe Venus beach stands out for both its natural charm and its historical interest. Bordering Matavai Bay, northwest of Tahiti, this vast expanse of black sand saw the Endeavor landing at the end of the 18th century, the explorer James Cook's ship that discovered the island. Pointe Venus, one of the few public beaches in Tahiti, is very popular with locals who like to meet family or friends and relax.
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