Bora Bora, Society Island

Wandering Dream
Steve Litson
Tue 2 Jun 2015 02:08
16:29:4S 151:45:W
 
Monday 1st June 2015
We arrived yesterday at about 1600hrs
 
Bora Bora described by James Mitchener as the world’s most beautiful island. In reality it is stunning. As we approached I was somewhat heart in mouth as we followed the reef around to the entrance pass. The ocean swell was breaking over the reef and running along it, sending up clouds of spume and a mist that hung in the air lit by the sun. “We have to negotiate that!” I thought. From a distance the entrance was not evident, only as we sailed towards the breaking waves did it show itself. As we went through the thirty metre wide pass the current created by the water pouring out from the waves that had broken over the reef, was quite strong. I watched the depth closely and had David stationed on the foredeck giving directions whilst watching for the reef. We felt very pleased with our achievement. Until the next day anyway, when a great cruise liner waltzed straight through and anchored off the town.
 
The amazing variety of the hues of blue in the extensive lagoon surrounding the islands of Bora Bora with its thrusting volcanic peak and the low tree clad Ile Toopua make the whole scene breath takingly beautiful. But contrasting the interior of the small islands has very little to offer, unless you want to climb the volcanic plugs. Many people honeymoon here as is reflected in the water front stilted hotels, with each room having a trap door to feed the fish that gather underneath. Some, Club Med for example, built here years ago, and the whole bay they developed is sadly now derelict and a real eye sore, as they pulled out through lack of profit. Yesterday evening was spent with Max and Beatrice, a newly married English couple. They sailed in with their charter yacht just after us. Both from London, they seemed pleased to be invited for a beer and they shared their experiences of trekking in India, touring New Zealand and now here for two weeks sailing....six weeks honeymoon! They were lovely and went their own way after a few drinks and sharing the charts of Bora Bora. Max worked Network Rail as a project manager and he and David had some common ground to discuss. Beatrice was a communications and PR for an exclusive watch company....Nadal wears their watches.
 
Tomorrow we are off to Tonga, about a ten day trip. This has been a welcome short stop over, but the demands of the schedule mean keeping going. We have to jump to Tonga to make up time and meet our new crew Simon Melizan in Fiji. The earliest we expect to get there will be the 16th June.