Moorea

Karinya
Tim And Vicki Schofield, Captain Cal 7 and Jess 4
Fri 29 Jul 2011 08:08
Moorea, ah, such a beautiful place.  Really crystal waters, anchored in only 2 metres, could this really be paradise......again!!
We had lots of fun here.  Climbed uphill to the Belvedere - a lookout point, 10km in total, and the children hiked too.  Not bad really.  From here you could see both the anchorages that we dropped anchor in; Cooks Bay - surprisingly where Captain Cook first pulled into, and then Oponohu Bay.  We managed to catch up with people here,and spent a couple of days with Bonaire.  They have 2 boys aged 8 and 6.  The 4 kids had great fun boarding (see photos).  I didn't want to leave, but we have to keep moving.
One major attraction was swimming with the Stingrays and Black tip reef sharks.  This is not as scary as it sounds.  Tourist boats visit here with a guide who feeds them, so they come up and brush against you.  They feel like slimy silk.  They are not harmless unless you step on them.  this is quite tricky not to do as there must have been about 25 at one point.  The sharks are harmless, and are only interested in the fish the guide is throwing.  All great fun.  Jess was scared at first but then, warmed to them in my arms.
We are now in Raiatea, which was an overnight sail (photos to follow) and will arrive in Bora Bora in bout 4 days.  We don't have such good expectations of the place, as apparently it is very Americanized now and much spoilt with hotels, many of which are derelict.  We shall see and report back.
 
wonderful thatched huts as part of a hotel chain.
 
Kite surfing is harder than you think!!
 
Jess is the big sea with current - her confidence has grown so much
 
This could be in a field in England - but its not!!! Up the hills in Moorea
 
Our ray experience
 
 
 
 
Believe it or not this is real!!!  custom built amphibian jeep from the below boat.
 
!!
fascinating!!
 
Oponohu Bay
 
 
Cooks Bay