Day 24 – January 28th – Bora Bora

As some of you may have noticed I’ve gotten my days mixed up, this is what happens at sea.  You’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached to you.  Anyway, here we go again another wonderful day in Bora Bora and what a day it was.  I get all dreamy just recalling it all.  I truly hated leaving this “Pearl of the South Seas”.

It’s really something to look out your Port window in the early morning and see the volcanic landscape of Bora Bora, who could be grumpy with that in front of you.

I was on my own today so I took the island shuttle to Matira Beach and then walked down to the Kayak rental place.  Coco and his dog assisted me with the Kayak and then gave me directions as to where to go. 

The wind was strong and I don’t think I quite understood his directions because I found myself fighting pretty strong waves.  I had a blast and didn’t feel any fear since I was mesmerized by the scenery; the white sanded islets that were surrounding me and watching the shades of the lagoon waters as they go from turquoise to deep blue to light green. 

After my adventure  I rested at a Hotel’s beach and had my simple cheese sandwich that I brought from the ship. 

I paddled on, passed the beach that we had lunch at the day before and then further to another charming little beach, where I snorkeled and swam some more.  I’m reading “Men Against the Sea” by Nordhoff and Hall, the same authors who wrote “Mutiny on the Bounty”.  It is a pure pleasure to be reading about this area as I am sitting on a tropical beach under a palm tree with a coconut shell and a breadfruit in front of me.  Does life get any better than this??? 

But not all is well in paradise because a few minutes later as I was taking a walk up the shore, I was very nicely told to move on since I was on a private beach, oh well.  As I paddled back to return the kayak a huge sea turtle swam right in front of me, it was quite marvelous to watch as she brought her head up for air.  A truly AMAZING day.

Below are pictures of the local out-rigger canoeists as they rode the wake of our tender (the boat that brings us into the port)