To round off our stay in Tahiti, a group of us hired cars for a trip around the main part of Tahiti Nui, the larger section as well as Tahiti Iti, the smaller part, taking in a lunch stop at a world famous surfing spot where huge rollers form over the reef. Definitely not for beginners. Moorea, only 20 miles away, was our next stop where we anchored in Opunohu Bay on the northern side. This is the magnificent setting used as the backdrop for the film version of "South Pacific".We had read about the fabulous diving near the pass into the reef so donned our scuba gear to see for ourselves. It was, sadly, a huge disappointment as all the coral was broken and gray with very little fish life. We heard later that a massive cyclone had hit Moorea a couple of years earlier and devastated the reef. However, we did see a few very large sharks as soon as we reached the bottom which was, initially, a little scary but they checked us out and obviously weren't that interested, thank goodness.
A very rough and blustery overnight trip took us to Raiatea next, not a nice passage at all. When we got inside the reef the next morning, we discovered that the anchorages were far too deep for us so had to backtrack a bit to find a shallower spot. It was something we realised we were going to be subjected to quite a bit around both Raiatea and its neighbouring island of Tahaa so we dug out our spare 30 metres of chain to add to the existing one. This causes a bit of a problem as our anchor locker is really not large enough to accommodate that amount of chain without some serious juggling but we'll have to make a plan as we've heard that there are many more very deep anchorages en route to Tonga.
Vagabond organized a tour of a pearl farm a few days later so we headed further down the west coast inside the reef where we were able to pick up a mooring buoy. We were collected early the next morning and snorkelled where they were diving to collect the ropes of oysters. The friendly owner, Philippe, has built a little hut on stilts right out on the reef where his entire operation takes place. Quite amazing as inside he keeps hundreds, maybe thousands, of pearls with little more than a light net across the windows as security. Crime is obviously not an issue here.
We were shown how the oysters are partially opened to extract the pearls and how the grafting takes place. They choose the most colourful oysters from which the graft tissue is taken and this will determine the colour of the future pearls. It is quite a delicate procedure but an oyster which produces a good colour and quality can be used several times. One that produces good quality can have the colour enhanced by grafting tissue from another oyster. The colours vary greatly but all are beautiful and I'm now the proud owner of a silvery blue single pearl on a double silver strand.
The island of Tahaa lies within the same coral atoll as Raiatea and has a few pretty anchorages so that became our next stop. However, we discovered that our engine start battery had suddenly died completely so Paul had to return to Raiatea in the dinghy to find another. We can't complain, it was seven years old and served us very well but would have been kinder had it just lasted until we got to New Zealand where there would have been more choice and, I'm sure, better prices.
A spectacular days sailing took us over to Bora Bora where we were finally able to meet up with Jamie and Lucy aboard Bamboozle who we hadn't seen since we all left Las Perlas for the Galapagos Islands back in April. Another magnificent setting with a mountain nestled inside a reef of turquoise clear waters. Bora Bora is probably the most commercial of the Society Islands in terms of tourism but it is all very tastefully achieved with thatched over-the-water bungalows built on the outer reef. Fortunately, no high, monstrous hotels mar the scenery.
We all hired bikes for a day and proceeded to circumnavigate the island. Apart from a couple of hills, it was all very flat pedaling but we still certainly got our exercise, 32km of it. The buttocks definitely felt a tad tender the next day.
So far, we really haven't found much in the way of snorkelling aside from tiny reef close by where we have been able to enjoy feeding the reef fish. They make an incredible display as they scurry around vying for a morsel right out of our hands. Spotted eagle rays abound as do sting rays but, sadly, we have yet to see a manta ray.
I'm sitting in some of the most beautiful tropical islands in the entire world and guess what happens? My camera has played a cruel trick on me again. First the shutter wouldn't open completely but I managed to overcome that problem. Next it intermittently chose not to come on but still I could take a photo now and then. Then it decided that working intermittently was too often so ceased to work at all! This is supposed to be a heavy-duty camera that can go 10 metres underwater and be dropped from 3,5 metres. It has neither been dropped even an inch or been taken anywhere near underwater (I learned the hard way a couple of years ago) but still it has simply died. I'm sorry, but if any of you have any connection with Olympus, I will never purchase another. This is the fourth replacement in as many years. Maybe they are designed to go under the water or to be dropped, but they are not designed to take photos for long. Here's hoping I can find a reasonable replacement soon.
PHOTO GALLERY: (thanks to borrowed camera and borrowed photos)
