Point Venus

Point Venus is the headland at Mahina where James Cook set up his observatory in 1769 to record the transit of Venus across the sun, the stated purpose of his first Pacific voyage, and the point has carried the name since. A lighthouse built in 1867, the oldest in French Polynesia, stands on it. The beach is black volcanic sand with a river mouth and ironwood trees, and it is a popular local swimming and picnic place.

History

A main aim of James Cook's first voyage, in the Endeavour, was to observe the 1769 transit of Venus from the South Pacific, and Tahiti, recently visited by Samuel Wallis in the Dolphin, was chosen for it. Cook anchored in Matavai Bay on 12 April 1769 and set up an observatory and a fortified camp called Fort Venus at Te Auroa, which they named Point Venus (Wikipedia, Point Venus).

The main sights

• The 1867 lighthouse - the oldest in French Polynesia, on the point.
• The Cook connection - the site of the 1769 transit observation.
• The black sand beach - the volcanic shore with ironwood trees behind.
• The river mouth - the stream reaching the sea at the point.

When to go

May to October is the dry season. Weekends bring local families to the beach. Mornings are quietest.

Before you go

Nothing survives of the observatory itself; the connection is commemorative. The beach is busy at weekends and litter can be a problem. The lighthouse is not open to visitors.

Nearby

Papeete is west, and Arahoho Blowhole is east.

Key facts