nature & wildlife
maupiti ~ final french polynesian days
August 23 – 27, 2013 Our final days in French Polynesia were spent in Maupiti. Since we were already fully provisioned, we were free to relax and explore the nearby village and mountain. Before doing any major land exploration though, we were eager to see if we could find more whales first. After our initial … Continue reading
bora bora to maupiti ~ humpback whales
August 22, 2013 Similar to the atolls of the Tuamotus, entrance through Maupiti’s only pass must be timed correctly with respect to weather, swell, and tidal current. This long and narrow pass can be completely inaccessible at certain times of the year, especially if the swell is southerly. If any south or southwest swell is … Continue reading
bora bora ~ beauty & a thief!
August 18 – 22, 2013 Before settling down for the night, Flour Girl gave us a call on the VHF to warn us that their solar powered mooring lights had been stolen off their stanchions while we’d all been snorkeling. We were shocked that anyone could have done that in broad daylight with lots of … Continue reading
bora bora ~ no eggs, wildlife & a toe
August 15 – 18, 2013 Our final days in French Polynesia had arrived. It was time to clear out, and time to say good-bye to friends we wouldn’t see for awhile. While still anchored near Mai Kai Marina, we spent time getting last minute provisions from town, and we finalized our clearance out of the … Continue reading
bora bora ~ mountain climbing
August 13 – 14, 2013 The Maramu winds finally relented, and we were able to come out from behind Toopua. We ventured around the corner to the main island, and anchored near Mai Kai Marina for easy access to internet and grocery shopping. For 7000 CFP (~$70 USD) for the week, moorings are available directly … Continue reading
video ~ sting rays & sharks
August 4, 2013 When we heard about the possibility of swimming with sting rays and sharks in Moorea, we had no idea what we were in for. After a 3-mile dinghy ride to a locally known spot, we fed sting rays as black tipped reef sharks circled us. Check out the video we took of … Continue reading
moorea ~ sharks & sting rays
August 3 – 5, 2013 Sailing from Tahiti to Opunohu Bay on the north side of Moorea was only a day’s sail. We had a nice wind, and only had to motor once we were in the lee of the island. Our plan was to stay for one night, and then take off for Raiatea … Continue reading
toau ~ snorkeling video
July 9 – 15, 2013 There was no rest for the wreary. We’d barely arrived in Toau, and tied up to the mooring, when the kids and I went off for a snorkel outside the pass with Sueño, Flour Girl, and MacPelican. Wil had just come off his watch, so he took the morning for … Continue reading
kauehi ~ beautifully wild & rugged
June 25, 2013 Of 76 coral atolls, Kauehi is one of 46 inhabited atolls within the 1000-mile long Tuamotus Archipelago chain. Like many of the coral atolls, the Kauehi atoll is a chain of coral islets (motus) with only one navigable pass into the center lagoon. In Kauehi, each motu ranges from about half of … Continue reading
work & play in hakatea bay
June 6 – 13, 2013 Hakatea Bay, Nuku Hiva, also known as Daniel’s Bay, is one of the few Marquesan anchorages that are quite protected from high winds and big swell. As we approached the anchorage, we couldn’t make out the entrance until we were nearly upon it. It looked as though we were going … Continue reading
