Local Law

The Station operates under UC regulations and French Polynesia laws. In particular, we emphasize that the use and/or possession of illegal drugs is strictly forbidden. The Gump Station staff is obliged to report any breach of the laws on illegal drugs to local law enforcement, leading to immediate expulsion from the Station and potential criminal proceedings in local courts.

Other laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Wearing seat belts is compulsory (please report any problems with the belts in the cars to a member of staff)

2. Smoking is prohibited in Station buildings

3. Pets are not allowed at the Station, strays should not be “adopted”, and dogs are not allowed in buildings.

4. Vehicles or boats must not be used under the influence of alcohol.

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Shops and shopping

Markets tend to open at 6 am, close for lunch (from 12 to 2), then re-open till about 6 p.m.

Most markets are open on Sundays for only a short time in the morning.

There are good hardware stores on the island where most supplies can be purchased. For some items, it may be necessary to go to Tahiti (or order them from there).

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Ferries

There are 2 ferry lines serving Moorea – The Aremiti and the Terevau.

Tickets can be purchased at the kiosk prior to boarding. If you are a group or a regular, consider buying the pack of 10 tickets (carnet) for better price.

Getting from Tahiti to Moorea

NOTE: Getting from the Tahiti International Airport to Moorea will depend on your arrival time. Neither the ferries nor interisland flights go at night.

Interisland flights Tahiti  Moorea

Flights to Moorea leave from the interisland terminal at the Tahiti International Airport (FAA’A). When arriving on an international flight, turn left out of the international terminal and follow the signs to the smaller Air Moorea terminal about 0.5km away.

When purchasing your ticket, you can also purchase a ground transfer for the trip from the Moorea airport to the Gump Station. There are also taxis available out in front of the Moorea terminal.

Interisland ferries Tahiti  Moorea

Daytime arrivals:

• Arrange for land transfers and/or ferry tickets when you purchase your airline tickets. The tour busses parked in front of the terminal will take you to the ferry dock in Papeete.
• Take a taxi (about 2000cfp) from the stand in front of the airport.
• Take the bus, which stops on the road above the airport. You must walk through the parking lot and up the stairs to the road, then cross the road to wait for the bus to Papeete. The final destination is in the center of Papeete, not at the ferry dock. You will need to walk about 1 km.

Nighttime arrivals:

• There are no ferries at night, so you will need to spend the night on Tahiti.
• Check the ferry schedules for departure times.

Transfers: Ferry to/from Gump Station

Users should make arrangements with Gump staff prior to arrival if they require help with a transfer. The Vaiare ferry terminal on Moorea is about a 20-minute drive from the Gump Station. Most ferries are met by taxis and the municipal bus. The buses are inexpensive though may charge a little extra for big pieces of luggage. Get off at milestone mark: pk 11.5 km, just past the village of Paopao (powpow) on the west side of Cook’s Bay.

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Communications and IT

The Research Building serves as the heart of the IT infrastructure at the station.

The Gump Station has installed a comprehensive campus network with the support of NSF and following a plan developed in collaboration with the Network Resource Startup Center (NRSC, Oregon).  The Research Building serves as the heart of the IT infrastructure and is wired for Ethernet, providing several ports in each room, as well as wireless access. A full HD video-conferencing system is available in the main library.  Inter/intranet access is piped to the hillside residences and the Atitia Center via fiber optic cable and most of the property has WIFI coverage.

Internet access

On arrival, users are issued with a password to access the Station’s intranet and connect to the Internet. Internet is provided over submarine fiber optic cable from Hawaii through the French Polynesian telecommunications company (OPT) in collaboration with the six research organizations on Tahiti and Moorea – the Polynesian research and education network (PolyREN), the University of Hawaii, and France’s research and education network RENATER.

Phone

For local calls, phone cards (with a sim) can be purchased at Vini and Vodafone and recharges are available in grocery stores. The station phones are limited to local calls only and for emergency services.

Power

Primary wall outlet types: Type C (CEE 7/16 Europlug) and Type E (CEE 7/5 Schuko). Voltage: 220-240 volts AC @ 50 or 60 Hz.

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Banks and Money

The local currency is CFP (XPF / Pacific Francs) which is fixed to the EURO.  (€1 = 119 cfp)

• The local currency is CFP (XPF / Pacific Francs) which is fixed to the EURO.  (€1 = 119 cfp)
• There are cash distributors outside most banks, at the airports and at shopping centers. Most distributors accept debit or credit cards from major international banks (VISA, MASTERCARD). Most stores and restaurants accept credit cards.
• Banks are open on weekdays only; usually 8-12 and 1:30-4, except for the Banque de Polynesie is open Saturday mornings, and closed on Mondays.
• Banks exchange dollars for Pacific Francs, but charge a transaction fee.  You must present your passport when exchanging dollars. A US driver’s license is not accepted as valid identification.  Some banks only change money on certain days, so it is wise to use the distributors.

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Health

Emergency Services Numbers

15 – SAMU | 18 – Fire Station | 17 – Police

16 – Emergencies at sea (or 40.54.16.16)

French Polynesia is generally a very safe place to visit.  There is no malaria although dengue fever (also mosquito-borne) is a periodic problem.

Probably the most common problems are cuts and grazes that can quickly become infected in the tropical environment, and so they should be cleaned and treated immediately (even if apparently very minor).  Over-exposure to heat and sun should also be avoided.