Mo'orea, one jump from Tahiti...

Now in the Windward Islands, Mo'orea is another iconic destination in the South Pacific. Frommer's travel guide described Mo'orea as "the most beautiful island in the world". Like Bora Bora, the first thing that strikes you is the startling skyline of the island. The highest point is Mont Tohive'a at 1207m. Moorea is a volcanic island (2M years ago), only 17km from Tahiti. Mo'orea, and the Society Islands generally, was first settled by migration from Samoa and Tonga around 200AD. The early settlers separated into tribes or clans divided by the various enclosed valleys of the island. Alliances developed, including with nearby Tahiti, but there were bloody conflicts too. Current population on Mo'orea is 18,000. Most access to Mo'orea is by regular ferry - it's only a 5 minute flight from Tahiti.

The setting sun shines on the NatGeo Orion at anchore in Opunohu Bay on Mo'orea. [1062]

Mo'orea's most impressive Mt Tohive'a has jagged a cloud, early in the morning. [5907]

Mo'orea is triangular shaped, each side being scarcely more than 10km. As our Lightroom photo-map shows, Moorea is surrounded by a fringing reef, enclosing a shallow but narrow lagoon, with numerous entrances. Wikipedia says that "Charles Darwin found inspiration for his theory regarding the formation of coral atolls when looking down upon Mo'orea while standing on a peak on Tahiti. He described it as a "picture in a frame", referring to the barrier reef encircling the island."

The NatGeo Orion anchored in beautifulOpunohu Bay and we Zodiac'ed about 2km to the village of Papeto'ai, the birthplace and childhood home of our cultural specialist Matahir. He was visibly happy to be here. We explored the northern part of the lagoon, and were able to bus into the highlands at the centre of the island. The map shows a road right around the island, and it's plain that there will much more beauty on Moorea than our brief visit exposed.

Captained by an able seaman, a Zodiac makes its way to Papeto'ai. [5913]

One with a wind-turbine, two waterfront houses in Opunohu Bay. [5906]

Selfie, a reflection in the sunnies of a willing guest. [5917]

We made landfall on Mo'orea in the village of Papeto'ai. [5923]

A welcome reception for us at Papeto'ai. [5924]

Mahati, the NatGeo Orion's cultural specialist feeling at home here, having been born and bred in Moorea. [5777]

Once the site of a marae founded with a stone from the most sacred one in Ra'iatea, Protestant missionaries established a home here in 1808. [6005]

The bus from Papeto'ai climbed into the hills behind Tohive'a affording a spectacular view. We called in at a local school, the Lycee Agricole but the main reason for this stop was to visit the bathroom and buy ice-cream! It was hot, so hopefully the school raised some needed funds. The bus tour included a flying stop at what the guide said was the "most beautiful view of Mo'orea". It was indeed breathtaking, a great view of the reef, the lagoon and the Sofitel Hotel's overwater bungalows.

Mont Tohive'a as seen from Belvedere de Opunohu on Moorea. [5932]

View of the Agricultural School on Mo'orea. [5974]

Supposedly Mo'orea's best view with the Sofitel's over-lagoon bungalows. [5987]

Our physical activity for the day was to "swim with stingrays" near a sandbar at the northwest corner of the lagoon. This was certainly a different experience! We were ferried to the location by catamaran and were instructed to don snorkel and facemask but no flippers. The water was chest deep, so we stood on the bottom but there was a ferocious tidal flow which seemed somewhat dangerous. (Mahati told me he had to rescue someone here on a previous visit.) In the water, the guides somehow attracted the stringrays (food in their pockets?) which swam all around us, so close we were able to pat them (watch out for the barb!), but it was hard to get far enough away to take good photographs. We managed not to lose anyone either due to sweep-away or sting.

Crowded in the water where we tried to resist a tidal current and look at the stingrays. [1037]

Pair of stingrays in the shallow waters of the Mo'orea lagoon. [1034]

Just how does that guide attract the stingrays? [1043]

What's in that pocket that makes the stingrays so interested? [1025]

After all that excitement, we adjourned to a private motu for a cocktail party. There was good shade, fortunately, and the water was so inviting that no-one could resist a swim in the turquoise water. It got a little crowded in the obvious spot, so we found a secluded place around the corner where we could enjoy the peace and quiet and have a nice chat in the water with Jill Hilty, the ship's doctor from Colorado, a professor of medicine and a volunteer in third-world situations, and her buddy, another, Jill. Jill, the doctor, was very conscientious on this expedition, never losing touch with her radio, but we don't think she had that much work to do on the NatGeo Orion.

The Papeto'ai welcoming committee transformed to live entertainment at our cocktail party. [1058]

A boat parked in the pristine waters next to the motu where we enjoyed a NatGeo Orion cocktail party. [1055]

Lightroom map of Mo'orea showing where photos were taken.

In the sun at Cayo Largo...

Towards the end of our stay in Cuba, and possibly recognising that the passengers on board the Pano Rama II may have been exhausted by the people to people learning, we were treated to a relaxing day on Cayo Largo, Long Island, a small limestone sand-spit well east of but administratively part of the Isla de la Juventud. There must be many Cayo Largos in the Spanish speaking world!

It was a tricky arrival an anchoring spot in these shallow waters, and there were two other fine yachts anchored nearby, and a pilot to guide us. We were then picked up by a tender which ferried us to Playa Sirena, a popular beach resort where we had to wait a while for lounge chairs to be allocated.

We nose into the tiny marina at Cayo Largo

Unfortunately, two dolphins were caged in the lagoon for the entertainment of visitors.

Once settled, and with waiters scurrying around offering mohitos and pina coladas, we relaxed under thatched umbrellas and enjoyed the sun, sand and Caribbean blue water. It was a nice day off, topped off by a buffet lunch at the resort.

We had seafood at a beach restaurant, accompanied by a band and dancers.

The beach itself seemed to be organised on a European resort model. Shade and lounges which had to be rented, hobie cats (which came complete with crew) and kayaks to hire, and organised activities, including intriguingly, a darts competition.

Just another idyllic Caribbean beach! Pelicans and catamarans.

Hobie cats could be rented, complete with a helpful skipper.

The leader loudly called the score in this beach darts competition.

The long spit invited walking. Small pleasure craft were anchored offshore, pelicans fished and flaoted lazily, and you didn't have to walk far before swimming costumes became optional.

Walking is good exercise along this spit.

Some of us took the tender out for snorkelling on a nearby reef. Depth was maybe 5m and the bottom was sandy, very little coral formations. But there were some nice fish to see, no stingers to bother you, and the water was warm. Our underwater camera, which had given us a scare at Berrara Beach, seemed to handle the conditions quite well, having been freshly sealed up. A nice relaxing afternoon.

The crew of our snorkelling boat.

Many fish gathered to sample the delicacies attached to the keel of our boat.

Sandy bottom and not much coral, but we saw a good variety of fish.

This stingray slithered along the sandy bottom.

Megan, Mike's dive buddy at the reef.

This barracuda was almost invisible.

But Cindy, a good diver, goes after him with her GoPro.

Literally sailing into the sunset.