Picture it (Suzan and Greg)...Sun glistening on the crystalline blue water of the world famous Bora Bora lagoon. Bora Bora Patrick. Sweet champagne. Stingrays, black tip sharks and tropical fish galore. Bora Bora Patick. A motu next door to the Four Seasons. Sweet champagne. Suckling pig and poi eaten off of woven palm plates. Fire baton twirling. Bora Bora Patrick. A final stop on white sand in thigh deep water to finish off the champagne, with the gorgeous mountains of Bora Bora behind us. Bora Bora Patrick. He's an icon for a reason. And it really was the BEST day ever.
However, it started in the way that so many days have started recently, with the light coming in our porthole and both of us awake long before 6am. We started the day with coffee from the Panorama Buffet and then joined the legions of fellow passengers who are FODs (Friends of Douglas) on Deck 11 forward, where we were able to see five Leeward Society Islands at one time: Bora Bora, Raiatea, Taha'a, Maupiti and Tupai. It was exciting to watch another splendid day on the Bora Bora lagoon unfold before us as we cruised through Teavanui Pass. Weather-wise, the day was picture perfect...sunny, blue skies and minimal wind. The lagoon surface was mirror-smooth.
Well...yay!!
We ate a quick breakfast on the terrace behind the Panorama Buffet and then took the third tender to the island. We were met by Patrick's daughter Vaitiare, who, until September, was living in Los Angeles. Patrick had hoped last year that she'd return to become involved in his business (called Maohi Nui), and she has. There were three boats (motorized outrigger canoes) with 12-passengers each going out today. Patrick was in a Coast Guard-type (the French equivalent) safety class this week, but stopped by to meet us all and kick off the excursion. It was fun to spend the day with so many people from the Cruise Critic roll calls for this cruise, a few of whom had been following my blog and knew as well as I do what we've been up to lately.
We were with boat captain Ari'i today, whose father was American and who had lived in California for awhile (and so spoke perfect English), but Maretto from last year was on another boat. As we left the Vaitape tender dock area, we immediately saw several (upwards of ten) dolphins right in front of our boat. We circled around and they stayed with us for awhile, just a hint of what was in store for us.
Our first stop was outside the reef, very close to Teavanui Pass in about 30-50 feet of water, clear as air. Here, we swam with black tipped reef sharks and I was thrilled to see, deeper in the water, a large lemon shark and a smaller baby. They are more dangerous than the black tipped reef sharks but it doesn't make any difference because they tend to stay well away from snorkelers on the surface.
Next we crossed back in the lagoon to an area with about waist-deep water where there were several stingrays. These were chummed with fish parts, one of G's favorite activities, and there were a few reef sharks trying to get in on the action, too. One of the stingrays, called Caroline (I think. Or Charlotte or Catherine or some name that starts with a C) is pregnant. Ari'i said he can tell because she is lumpy on her back. Stingrays usually have two or three babies, each about 6" long, and once they are born, they are on their own.
We reboarded the boat and sped across the Bora Bora lagoon, with everyone (especially those of us wearing polarized sunglasses) repeatedly remarking about the water's 50 shades of blue. I don't think it's ever been prettier. Our third and last snorkel stop was at the Coral Gardens, beyond Matira Point on the southern end of the island. This was in about 15 feet of water, with large coral heads and thousands of fish and (my favorite at this site) hundreds of colorful clams. They remind me so much of belaying rope. On the ocean floor, someone had piled coral and ocean detritus in the shape of a large heart, and an 'I (heart) Bora' (the repetitive Bora was MIA).
At both this site and the shark site, G didn't snorkel but instead floated on his Swimways lounger. He was thrilled to sit on the bow of the boat between sites, and Ari'i put him to work hoisting and throwing the anchor at each site. He was a good First Mate (just call him Gilligan...the G still works!) ;-) We pulled into shore after that third site and picked up Patrick, who had finished his class for the day (or else played hooky...I'm not sure).
G, working on anchor management ;-)
We were entertained by Patrick playing the ukulele and singing, accompanied by Ari'i as we passed the gorgeous (and expensive) resorts on motus on the eastern side of Bora Bora: the Sofitel, the Le Meridian, the St. Regis and the Four Seasons, with their collective hundreds of overwater bungalows costing $1500+ per night. Oh, we will miss having the opportunity to visit this beautiful island on the Pacific Princess at a fraction of the cost!
Patrick's family motu is 24 acres right next to the Four Seasons (I can only imagine what it's worth). Like last year. Patick uncovered the oven in the ground in which lava rocks were heated for two hours and then a split suckling pig cooked for three hours. Breadfruit, poi, plantain and tapioca root was also baked in the oven, while tuna and mahi mahi were grilled and spinach and chicken served too. We ate with our fingers off woven palm frond plates covered with large leaves and sat at a picnic table in the water drinking champagne and enjoying the amazing view of the Bora Bora mountains. Pinch me, please!
Everyone who works with Patrick is just as welcoming and gracious as he is, and cups were constantly refilled with champagne. After we had eaten, Patrick stripped off his pareo and tied back his hair and performed an energetic and dangerous fire baton routine that included passing the lighted baton under his legs and balancing it on his feet. Ouch! Patrick had said last year that he was getting too old to do this, but he must be doing a lot of cardio because his routine this time was longer and even more complex.
All too soon it was time to leave the motu, but Patick had another surprise in store. On the western side of Bora Bora, the three boats stopped and we swam in about thigh deep water and drank yet another large bottle of champagne as we took in the view. I don't think I'll ever forget that moment.
Then it really was the end, and we were delivered back to the tender dock sometime after 3pm, most of us a little tipsy. The funniest thing was that, before we'd left the ship this morning, G had said he wanted to go back over to the island after we were cleaned up after Patrick's tour, perhaps to go to Bloody Marys. I had to remind him that this was Patrick's tour we were doing, and we'd be in no condition to do anything but perhaps go to dinner after spending the morning on the water and the afternoon drinking.
We showered and made it to the Elite Lounge a little after 5pm, not to drink, of course, but it was Stilton night, after all, and between that and the view of Bora Bora we just had to go. G ate just two courses at dinner and left to go to the 7pm show; I stayed behind to eat more ;-) and talk with Peggy and David and Justin from Australia who had been on the excursion with us today. Waiter Melvin was concerned about G skipping his usual ice cream deasert, and so had four scoops sent to our cabin at 8pm. We are so spoiled!
By 9pm I am finishing this post and will be asleep as soon as I publish it. G spoke with Captains Circle host Tracy this morning about our Internet situation and she had it straightened out and had left a message for us by 10am this morning. I logged in for just a minute when we returned today and saw that I've received the 250 minutes we're entitled to on this 10-night cruise, so I have high hopes I'll get this published tonight. As for photos...I have a LOT to share, both from today and the Lagoonarium on Moorea. I will try to get them uploaded in the next few days and will let you know when I do.