A bottle with our message to the world.. and a reason 4 a reunion when it is found!! Shortly after we had the traditional swim and made our offering to Poseidon (some hair, toenail and rum) asking a save passage
Sunday 24 August 2008
Friday 22 August 2008
Bora Bora
Our offering to Poseidon while crossing the equator is paying off hansomely. The atols, coral barrier reefs that are formed around vulcano lava islands from which the island itself has to various degrees been eroded and into the Pacific, surrounded by crashing waves surrounding the lagunas showing off a palate of every color of blue imaginable. To this backdrop we enjoy our daily swim, snorkel and dive adventures and we get to know the Polynesians.
On Raitea I met with Mat, a local art teacher at the highschool and Joseph, descendant from a danish man , named Peder... who shipwrecked a little over a hundred years ago after working in the african goldmines. he used his saved pay, a golden bracelet, to set up shop and refused 'resque'. Today he has hundreds of familymembers named brotherson.
Cedric has followed into the foodsteps of a familymember, sir Alain Gerbaut, who was the first to circumnavigate the world solo between 1923 and 1929, stayed here afterwards.. and has the only commemerative headstone at the port of Bora Bora.
Last night, coming back to the ship with the dingy we encountered 5 mantarays of up to 4 meters dancing around the underwaterlights of the dock of this posh hotel. An incredible sight, more so when we got our snorkelgear and got into the act for some syncronised swimming. After only a few minutes one got so close coming up from the deep on a backward 360 flip that our faces almost touched, before we both spooked and upped to lift our faces from the water together; 'peter's manta kiss'....
On Raitea I met with Mat, a local art teacher at the highschool and Joseph, descendant from a danish man , named Peder... who shipwrecked a little over a hundred years ago after working in the african goldmines. he used his saved pay, a golden bracelet, to set up shop and refused 'resque'. Today he has hundreds of familymembers named brotherson.
Cedric has followed into the foodsteps of a familymember, sir Alain Gerbaut, who was the first to circumnavigate the world solo between 1923 and 1929, stayed here afterwards.. and has the only commemerative headstone at the port of Bora Bora.
Last night, coming back to the ship with the dingy we encountered 5 mantarays of up to 4 meters dancing around the underwaterlights of the dock of this posh hotel. An incredible sight, more so when we got our snorkelgear and got into the act for some syncronised swimming. After only a few minutes one got so close coming up from the deep on a backward 360 flip that our faces almost touched, before we both spooked and upped to lift our faces from the water together; 'peter's manta kiss'....
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Society Islands
We are travelling to and around the society islands, after Moorea, and Huanini, we are now in Raitea. Later I will clime the mountain and sleep over in my hammock to wake up to the popping open sound of the Raitea flower at sun-up, unique to the mountain of this island as it resists growing anywhere else.. as somany flowers (huaninis or girls) of these islands that are happy to stay and live here in true natural paradise with a touch of french culture and local finesse..
Next stop Bora bora, which should give us a dose of party culture.. not to be missed after 2 months being a nature boy.. they say the Club Med should provide for some fun and social diversion. This of course besides the daily reef snorkel, sailing and island discovery. Each island with its own culture, surprises and varied mix of locals and some other boaties thrown in.
The odd luxury hotel encountered on the way provide for the respite from basic ship amenities and the necessary, and mostly voluntary, replenishment or exchange of books.
Cedric's parents, a really friendly baquette loving french couple who have raised our standard of aperative and day to day cooking to new heights,will leave us in Bora Bora, where a new crew member should join us.. volunteers can apply and join us before 25 August for the trip to the Tonga islands via the Cook islands... etc.. etc.. the coconut milk run as it is known.
Next stop Bora bora, which should give us a dose of party culture.. not to be missed after 2 months being a nature boy.. they say the Club Med should provide for some fun and social diversion. This of course besides the daily reef snorkel, sailing and island discovery. Each island with its own culture, surprises and varied mix of locals and some other boaties thrown in.
The odd luxury hotel encountered on the way provide for the respite from basic ship amenities and the necessary, and mostly voluntary, replenishment or exchange of books.
Cedric's parents, a really friendly baquette loving french couple who have raised our standard of aperative and day to day cooking to new heights,will leave us in Bora Bora, where a new crew member should join us.. volunteers can apply and join us before 25 August for the trip to the Tonga islands via the Cook islands... etc.. etc.. the coconut milk run as it is known.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Tahiti
Land of legends, cliffs and lush forests. Papeete is the port town of Tahiti and the french influence is recognisable in the people and their culture. The innocence and friendlyness of the other islands negated but still.. on saterday night all the boaties together in the Cockpit of the Excaliber.. a nice group of about 8 guys crewing and or sailing on their own ship together with a group of locals before hitting the town disco..
Moorea is much nicer, tranquil and with beautiful bays, cliffs and reefs. We are mooring in a different bay every day, getting the best of the island. The parents of Cedric have joined us in Papeete for their holiday and immediately where thrown about at the mersey of poseidon with 16 feet swells. They are real troopers and after arrival were up and about to cook the best meal yet on the Thyra!!
Moorea is much nicer, tranquil and with beautiful bays, cliffs and reefs. We are mooring in a different bay every day, getting the best of the island. The parents of Cedric have joined us in Papeete for their holiday and immediately where thrown about at the mersey of poseidon with 16 feet swells. They are real troopers and after arrival were up and about to cook the best meal yet on the Thyra!!
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