Day Six: Moorea
Trip Start
Feb 18, 2011
1
9
11
Trip End
Mar 01, 2011
Where I stayed
Day Six: Moorea is Marvelous
Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Thursday, February 24, 2011
One would think that after a while all islands start to look the same. Here in Tahiti that is just not so. As we entered the harbor at Moorea we were impressed by her dark blue waters, sophisticated homes, and mature farms on the hillsides. And, no Tahitian island would be complete without an awe inspiring volcanic mountain. Today was "Lagoon Discovery Adventure" Day. Up bright and early, our small boat transported us around two bays, including the bay discovered by Captain Cook (appropriately named, Cook's Bay). Our guide shared local legends with us and had us hunt for the "Gorilla Playing the Piano up in the Mountain". It only took me a day and a half to finally see what he was patiently trying to point out. Well, at least I think this is what he meant. Take a look and this landscape and tell me if you can see that darn gorilla.
After about 45 minutes, we stopped smack dab right in the middle of the ocean and spent some time swimming with the sharks, playing with stingrays, and looking for Mori eels. It was quite obvious to us that we had come a long way in a short time. I would have never imagined that we'd feel so comfortable swimming in the open Pacific looking for sharks.
A picnic lunch on a small island and some adventurous snorkeling in strong currents filled our afternoon. Just before departing, our guide showed us how to peel the outer shell of a coconut, crack the nut, and shave the coconut meat, island-style. Good stuff to know if I'm ever shipwrecked on a desert island.
That evening, we had a closing ceremony for our company-sponsored Circle of Excellence excursion. I know that each and every one of the participants felt that this was truly a trip of a lifetime.
