Jan 18, 2018 - Rainy Sea day – perfect for recovery from sharks and Stingrays

Back to wearing our sea bands. The swells are pretty big today and in and out of rain showers. Have to hold onto the hand rails or you can go flying 4-6 feet before you know it. Mel is off doing the 3 loads of laundry from 2 days of swim gear and sweaty tours. I spent the day on the journal and Facebook. It takes a long time because the internet is so slow or drops the line and you have to do it over again. Dinner is at Manfredi’s the Italian specialty restaurant. So far its been the best place to eat. They have their own kitchen separate...

Jan 17, 2018 - Bora Bora - Sharks and Stingrays

OMG! Bora Bora is drop dead gorgeous! Any travel poster is understated. The Islands are the greenest of greens and the water …. a hundred shades of blue. The area is actually a sunken volcano crater that forms a big lagoon which contains a larger island and several smaller ones. It was a US navy base during WWII as the reefs provide a natural barrier. The US Navy built several structures on the island including a couple of piers, the road that circles the main island and the airport which is on one of the smaller/flatter islands. The...

Jan 17, 2018 - Bora Bora

History first, Bora Bora was initially named Pora Pora but the illegals who came to the island couldn’t understand the islanders and it became Bora Bora. Society Island , Bora Bora is 4 miles by 2.5 miles. The waters put off countless shades of turquoise and emerald Mt Otemanu is the tallest point at 2,379 feet. Very interesting except for the international hotels most of the island in poverty. The beautiful clear water is exceptional but on the whole island there is only one sand beach. Still paradise.

Jan 15, 2018 - Tahiti - Snorkeling, City Tour

Arrived in Tahiti at 5 PM last night. It’s a much bigger than Nuku Hiva and a lot more lush. Nuku Hiva was pretty brown in some spots. Tahiti is a lot more built up. About 200,000 people and another 20,000 on Moorea island which is right across the channel. Could almost be Hawaii looking from the sea. We pulled up at the big dock. The captain spun the ship around on a dime to back into the space at the pier. A yacht transport ship is parked next to us. Yes, if you don’t want to spend 10 days sailing across the Pacific to get your yacht to...

Jan 15, 2018 - Tahiti (Papeete)

For those who have never traveled the equator there isn’t enough sun screen it is so intense. Tahiti drop dead mile upon mile of white sand beaches. It is the land that claims the invention of surfing. Water is so crystal blue, you get to see all the cute sharks. What is so neat, white sand along the southern shore and black lava beaches on the East coast. HMS mutiny on the bounty, “who ate the strawberries “. The last king was a lush and to satisfy his thrist he sold out to the French, it is what it is.

Jan 14, 2018 - Sea day with Football Playoffs

Left Nuku Hiva yesterday, 645 miles to Tahiti Back to being at sea all day as we sail to Tahiti. We will get there about 5 PM tomorrow. Also switched the clocks back 30 minutes to be on Tahiti time zone. Nuku Hiva Just wanted to be its own time zone. We had the NFL playoffs on today on the big screen by the pool screen. One whole wall of the pool area is a big screen where they show movies under the stars, videos and sports TV. For the past 10 days they have been showing cricket all day long, which nobody but a few of the crew understand....

Jan 13, 2018 - Nuku Hiva - furthest from any large land mass!

Land Ahoy! Taiohae, Nuku Hiva. This island is the furthest from any large landmass that you can be and our first of 3 stops in French Polynesia. The town of Taiohae is nestled in a deep bay and doesn’t have a large reef surrounding at least this side of the island. The ship took up a good portion of the bay while it was anchored. We tendered in on boats to an old concrete pier. Each tender boat holds about 50-75 people. On the pier, we were given a traditional Tahitian greeting group with flowers and chanting. The included tour was...

Jan 13, 2018 - Taiohae French Polynesia

After leaving Los Angeles we drifted aimlessly across the Pacific Ocean for seven days, no food or drink. We awoke today in the marquesas islands. This is the South Pacific tropics at their most pristine: towering cliffs bearded in green spill into turquoise waters and volcanic cones pierce the sky. Stone-carved Tikis dot the landscape next to lush groves of mangoes and oranges. Weather has been outstanding for the first 30 days. Tonight we head to Tahiti and then to Bora Bora

Oct 31, 2017 - Moorea to Tahiti (Intercontental transit for 3 hours and boarding Air Tahiti Nui bound for Los Angeles

As I was packing up the last few things in my suitcase, and getting ready to walk with Jacques and Marina to breakfast — there was a crab trying to get into my room! . Gee yesterday when I got up and opened the patio door, a cat ran in! This place definitely has a lot of loose animals just laying around in waiting. Once in the dining room we helped ourselves to what looked ok. . Jacques was going to leave Marina and I right after breakfast, and take the morning ferry from Moorea to Tahiti. Jacques has a friend, Bernard, who has lived in...

Oct 30, 2017 - Intercontinental Hotel, Tiahura, Moorea, French Polynesia (J/M#605, R#606) [day#2]

It is so neat to have Jacques and Marina as my nest door neighbors . Today we are going to walk to breakfast . I finally caught up with my two leaders, and we went into the breakfast buffet together. Looking around at the choices, the taste and quality of this buffet the three of us decided that it was just OK.... we have had a lot better.. Each of us left breakfast wanting of something else..... something that just wasn’t there. Once back in our rooms, Jacques and Marina “just hung out” and did nothing! This was a perfect day...

Oct 29, 2017 - Intercontinental Hotel, Tiahura, Moorea, French Polynesia (J/M#605, R#606)

We have been packing up our stuff, and almost ready to go. The staff of Tahiti yacht charters showed up a little after 8:00a.m., complete with diver, to check the underside of the boat, to make sure we did not come in contact with any coral. The staff then took over, and brought the Mareva #6 back into port. . As we were coming into the corner I noticed where we were just 2 short weeks ago — now we are being placed in a different row. . . . . ~ Tereze came to us with all the release paperwork, which we filled out and signed. Tereze is...

Oct 28, 2017 - Tahiti Yacht Charters, Uturoa, Raiatea, French Polynesia

Good Morning to all. It is a beautiful morning in Tahaa. I really do like this island, and plan to come back someday and explore this very natural, natively gorgeous island someday. This is our last day with Mareva. It has been a wonderful, extraordinarily magical piece of heaven., Each day unfolding its beauty to us in a totally different ways. Mareva has now become a truly good friend to us — working out all the idiocinracies..... thanks to Jacques and Marina. The fun we have had each day has been unreal — like each of us are living a a...