Moorea

Basically today is our last play day, as tomorrow will be disembarking, transfer to the hotel we started at, and then flying home. Wahhhh!

We did a sail and snorkel today . . mostly motoring but it was uncrossed and pleasant. In the snorkeling photo, the tiny white dot furthest away would be Scott--yesterday he had food poisoning, today a bit weak but OK.

Then we did a road trip on the island to get a pearl set that we purchased at a pearl farm, with a stop at a dolphin exhibit. These are navy trained, and they keep the alive an extra twenty years by giving them daily oxygen--just like us in a nursing home.

Thanks to those who kept up with us in the blog. Probably no further postings, as they are closing out our Internet access.

Location:Socity Islands, French Polynesia

Huahine

Cruising to where we dropped anchor seemed a bit like navigating the waters of British Columbia, except the water is a lot warmer. Heavily forested, we chose to do a 90 minute horseback ride. We think we were set on a horse when we were kids, but that is about it. We rode along the ocean and later walked the horses through knee high water in a lake. Really fun experience! Hotter than blazes out!!

Later in the afternoon, we took a bridge tour . Always amazing to see what it takes to run a ship like this. Then Kathy took part in showing her work at an art show. She had been going to art classes all week.

Scott seems to have picked up a bug today . . Doc said his temp. was 102 . Staying quiet tonight.

Location:Society Islands, French Polynesia

Taha'a

Day two of snorkeling!! Saw this blowfish that Ivan our tour boat captain caught to show us!! He also picked up a sea urchin for us to see close up. The place he took us was all in shallow water so we could walk around. Mom walked, Dad swam--first one off the boat, last one back on.

Then we went to a private Motu (island) and the ship had a big BBQ and lots of food, drinks, activities etc. All afternoon. Dad stayed and snorkeled and kayaked, but Mom went back to the ship. Too much sun!!

Mom is off to art class, Dad is taking a nap!

Location:Society Islands, French Polynesia

Bora Bora Underwater Photos

Location:Society Islands, French Polynesia

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is like nothing either one of us have ever experienced. The unique geography produces a lagoon all around, with a single entrance for boats. We were on the water for more than 7 hours, with two different excursions--yes we both got sun burned despite extra extra precautions. With five different snorkeling stops--both stopped at what is known as the aquarium, the best photos are all underwater, which I can't share until we develop the disposable or a talk other passengers into letting me upload their SD cards. We floated over a school of 16 sting rays, and then played with 7 others, as that guide feeds them at the same spot each day. The rays would swim between us and bump into us and let us touch them. They are about 3' across. We also saw mountain ranges of beautiful coral and thousands of fish. Many times there would be 4 dozen fish within arm's reach and it was a bit weird to even move.

Over-water bungalows are big here as can be seen by one of the photos. Doesn't look like they have a Shoreline Management Act. Maybe Scott can get a job here as a consultant and help them out . . .

Location:Society Islands, French Polynesia

Hiva Oa

I (Scott) was fascinated to watch the crew anchor the ship this morning, as the bow was about 150' from the breaking waves of the shore, then they pivoted it in the entrance of the bay, ending up with half of ship's length on each end. The tour took us up the hills (1st photo) where you can see the ship "blocking" the harbor and the general terrain of the island. We used 9 jeeps to snake up a valley to see a village site that is from the 1500's. They terraced the land and laid stones as the floors and built their houses from there. The 2nd photo shows a floor terrace in the foreground and a sacrifice altar (note the small rectangular area without stones). A large dance area was just to the right.

Two days before we came, there was a "crazy man" that the gendarmes were chasing who proceeded to break off an ear of the major stone teki in the area. The 3rd photo shows the distraught anthropologist; the break is white spot on the upper right of the tiki.

The 4th photo shows a church built by the Catholics, using stones from the Marquesian's sacred sites.

The last photo is a local group that came on board just before departure. Their dance is a warrior dance meant to scare the enemy . . "hulk on steroids" comes to mind!

By the way, a couple of times per day we usually get a torrential down pour for 5 to 10 minutes . . But not on this island, as they've not had rain for 7 months. (Kristen K.--I've lost my rain making touch.)

Location:Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Fatu Hiva

Today we visited a small island with less than 500 people. The 1st photo is as we are still coming in to the harbor. After tendering in, we went on a walk-about with the ship's anthropologist. After walking on a road supervised by French missionaries made of stones, we saw (2nd photo) a museum with some artifacts from 1890. We then walked into a valley (behind a person's house who the guide received special permission to take groups) up a very steep valley, to where some petroglyphs were carved--the 3rd photo showing an Orca giving birth.

This afternoon, the ship went slowly up the coast, finally viewing a very majestic bay (last photo). We will see three more islands in the Marquesas before heading south to the more well known, and populated, Society Islands.

Location:Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Leaving Fakarava, Day at Sea

As we left the lagoon last night, the sun was setting and of course, we were on deck. The photo shows how narrow the coral reefs are that have remained after the volcano has eroded away. About every 15 years, a storm will wash over the entire atoll.

Today is at sea, giving time to attend more lectures, read, art projects, cooking demo, and looking over the side seeing the beautiful patterns & colors (photo) that the boat makes as we cruise along. We also took a tour of the galley operation; photo is one of the head chiefs showing off some of the exotic fish that they get to work with in this region.

Location:South Pacific

Le Truck, Ankle Dip, and Pearl Farm

In the first photo, Kathy is sitting in a chair that is in the lagoon of Fakarava, cooling down. We had just been bumping around a coral road with four dozen people in Le Truck, a cattle car for people. The on-board naturalist and the anthropologist gave us a flavor of life for the people who settled here in about 1200 AD and the 500 or so that continue today. This is the most undeveloped of the stops that we will make.

After walking about for a while, we took a drive to one of the pearl farms on the island. A very small operation with just a few people working, they only have a couple of hours to take the oyster out of the water, carefully pry it open, surgically implant a round core (from a Mississippi oyster!), and get it back in to the water. Instead of waiting two years to see what the ones we were watching might produce, we bought one (Kathy & the owner are pictured).

Lectures, art projects, piano bar sing-alongs with Paul and the food is wonderful. We have met many wonderful people-Nana, the Boston six, Bob, Cary and Jo, and Steve and Fenner from Oahu who we will do a private snorkeling trip with in Bora Bora.

Location:Fakarava, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynessia

Run to North & first stop

We watched from our balcony as the finally few people boarded just before the gangplank was pulled away at 11:30 PM. What stress these folks were clearly under as their plane must have been late. We then enjoyed seeing the boat undock & pull out to sea.

We cruised all night, arriving at our first destination 5 PM. They announced that the winds had reached 45 knots; combined with the boat speed of another 15 made it a wild ride. Kathy went around singing "what will we do with a drunken sailor . . " as everyone staggered about. We thoroughly enjoyed it with the wind and spray and all.

One of the cooks was cleaning a Moon fish (see photo) to be served this evening. Reading, napping, treadmill, eating, lectures, classes, walking, . . nice day at sea.

We've pulled in to the lagoon of Fakarava and will do two excursions tomorrow. The first stops are very remote--the town can be seen over our shoulders in the photo.










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Location:Fakarava, Tuamotus, French Polynesia

Transition

After our long journey yesterday, we settled down to a nice room, listening to the pounding surf . . Very nice.

Before we leave on the ship, we had to kill the morning, so we are poolside and ocean side. It's Pina Colada time at the Radisson!


The ship, the Paul Gauguin, is smaller than most with the capacity of 300+ passengers. This trip it is just over 50% full, so we are getting a lot of attention from the staff. We had a wonderful supper with a couple from New Zealand and three retired teachers from the New England. There is another group from Sacramento ("Sacto 6") that have been a real treat. Then there is the Fairbanks Research administrator and his Philippino wife . . . You get the drift.

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Location:Radisson and the Ms Paul Gauguin, Papette, Tahiti

Kathy & Scott are flying out Friday morning, 12/3 to Tahiti. We will then cruise for 14 days on the Paul Gauguin through the South Pacific, visiting the Tuamotus, Marquesas, and Society Islands. Our hope is to give updates on our blog feed to Facebook--stay tuned. Big thanks to Scott's brothers who are making this possible as an appreciation to us for caring for our dad over the past several years