Polynesian Adventure, Days 12 & 13

 March 11 & 12, Monday & Tuesday - The usual weather, and still in the mid 80s temperature.

This is a two-day blog and I am hoping to get guest contributions for yesterday and today.  We are at sea today, cruising all the way back to near Bora Bora to the island of Taha'a and a private motu (a barrier islet on the reef surrounding the island).

Betsy's contribution:  After breakfast (and after the other ladies had departed for the island) we decorated Catherine's cabin with festive paper flowers brought from home, to start the birthday celebrations.  We then took the tender to the village of Rotoava and walked across the atoll to the outer coral beach and followed a back road parallel to the shore for another 1/2 mile, before completing the rectangle.  Phil used his Seek app to identify plants, including a poinsettia relative called Painted Leaf.  The village seemed tidier and more appealing than other hamlets we have seen so far.  There were cocoanut trees and wandering dogs, but buildings were clean and well-painted, with neat gardens.  We returned to the ship, and had an early lunch so we could head out for our afternoon snorkeling cruise.  

We took the dive boat off the back of the Paul Gauguin, along with 10 other folks, and rode for about 30 minutes southwest past the Gaurae Pass, stopping in the Green Lagoon (a shallow sandy bay where the water was a clear, greenish color.  We waded to shore, a narrow sandy isthmus covered with cocoanut trees and no signs of humanity except the cruise snack table.  On the far side was the Blue Lagoon, a shallow sheltered lagoon with very nice snorkeling.  We spent about 40 minutes in the water, seeing more of the usual fish, then spent some time exploring on foot (and trying not to fall in the sand crab holes).  After a snack, we waded back to the dive boat which drove 20 minutes back toward the Paul Gauguin, stopping at an area called the Pinnacles for a second snorkel opportunity.  At this point, I can account for seeing the following fish:  Sergeant Majors, various Tangs, Convict Tangs, Blue Parrot Fish (feeding at the Pinnacles), transparent Needle Fish, a yellow Trumpet Fish standing vertically by the reef, various Butterflys and Triggerfish, and Wrasses, Red Snappers, black tipped sharks, and sting rays.  We returned to the ship, hung out on the sundeck, and then dressed for dinner.

Painted Leaf shrub.

Elaine's contribution:  After a healthy breakfast of fruit, croissants and a latte, Catherine, Stephanie, Logan and I took an early tender to Fakarava.  We then took a local open air bus for a 15-minute ride to the cruise line private beach.  The sand was like silk and the water clear with little current;  perfect for swimming, with palm trees providing shade.  Snorkeling resulted in a few fish sightings.  Logan and I built a castle with a moat, including a flag pole and coral trees.  We spotted a shark, maybe a nurse shark,  swimming by very close to shore.  We saw 4 more sharks from the bus on the ride back to port.  

LS playing with a local

Brent's contribution:  a variety of underwater videos (screen shots) from his diving and snorkeling over the last few days.  He is letting the photos speak for him....

BS underwater

Some type of Wrassse

Puffer fish

Needlefish

Unknown

Trumpet fish

Butterfly fish.

SS underwater.

Former Lighthouse foundation.

A new coconut palm.

Our home from Fakarava.

The ship's tender, our mode to getting to land.

Ditto.

Ditto.

The Blue Lagoon, site of EP and PT snorkeling excursion.

The Green Lagoon.

LIzard

Curlew (from Alaska); will return northward in May.

A Black Tip Reef Shark I photographed while strolling through the lagoon in about 1 foot of water.

Hermit Crab.

Up close magic by Caroline - she flips over a pair of glasses.  LS not impressed.

Catherine's contribution:  Logan has been a huge hit with the crew and passengers.  We walk into a restaurant or cafe and all you hear is "hi Logan" or "here comes Logan."  He seems to take it in stride, but one crew member, Cesar gets a big hug whenever he sees him.

Today started for EP, ET, and PT with a 1-mile walk around the 9th deck.  Twenty laps equals a mile.  We had breakfast after.

Shortly after breakfast we cruised past Makatea, one of only two islands in Polynesian of a particular type, namely one without a lagoon.  The island, was an ancient atoll uplifted as most other islands sank.

Makatea Island.

The afternoon today was spent writing the blog, including getting photos uploaded.  Contributions were had from everyone, except SS, who said she would contribute in the next blog.  Otherwise, we lounged around both inside and on the swimming pool deck.  SS, EP and PT even participated in a water exercise session.

We cleaned up and had dinner.  ET had arranged the singing of happy birthday to CP by the house group.  But the version was Tahitian, so not the normal dirge.  ET also had lighted candle holders that spelled out "70" which Cesar, our table staff person, put on CP's dessert, along with a ship's "Happy Birthday" sticker.  And finally, ET presented EP and SS with a single flower for their hair or collar, and CP with a Mexican floral head band.