It was a fun sail-away on the Sea View Deck until a sudden shower tried to drench us. Didn’t get us but it soaked the swimwear that I had drying on the balcony. Glad I have extra.
The Captain even pointed out a water spout in the distance.
No Dance Band tonight so we had some slot-playing time. Tonight was dinner for two. We each had the same dinner choices – Quinoa and Pomegranate appetizer, red bean soup, and beef bourguignon. Chuck said he could make it at home – it’s just beef stew with wine but he doesn’t want to waste his wine in the crockpot. Okay.
We went to the first set of BB King band but after such a hard day snorkeling, I hit a wall. I went to the room and never heard Chuck come in from the Casino I was sleeping so hard.
We had to set the clock forward 30 minutes to match the Marquesas Island standard time. Had a hard time getting my phone and Fitbit watch to cooperate.
Being a sea day, we had little on the agenda. Morning coffee from Explorations Café. Breakfast in the Lido. I spent time relaxing by the pool, getting some smaller denomination bills at Guest Services, and processing some of my snorkel pictures from the underwater camera.
Chuck told me while he was relaxing on the balcony, a window washer came through the partition from the next-door balcony. The washer was busy scrubbing the windows on the deck below and didn’t see Chuck sitting there. When Chuck said “hello”, the washer jumped 3 feet into the air. Glad he didn’t go over the railing. The washer apologized for interrupting Chuck and said they had not gotten finished the other day when the notice went out. Didn’t bother Chuck. He was glad to have someone to talk with.
After lunch and some more pool time, we tried to get back into the Cabin. Neither of our key cards worked. A trip to Guest Services – new keys. Back to the room. Nope. Another trip back to Guest Services. This time a representative from Guest Services came with us. Guess he thought we had suddenly forgotten how to use the key cards to get in our room.
He inserted the new keys. Nope. He let us in with his master key card. He went back to Guest Services with the key cards. Came back a little later with yet another set of key cards. Success! Chuck and I both had him wait while we tried the keys too – just to be sure. They worked. Hope they keep working.
After the key card incident, we needed to get ready for the evening. It’s another Gala night.
Once we were back on the ship, we had to proceed directly to our muster station to check-in, just like we were San Diego all over again. The Captain soon came on the PA system and gave his safety instructions. We also had to watch the in-room safety video again but luckily we had done that earlier. This cruise is the first cruise where we have had to go through the muster drill more than once.
Chuck was hungry so we went to the Dive-In so he could get a hamburger.
At the sail-away party, the Captain announced that we had re-fueled, re-stocked the produce (yay – bananas are back!), and a diver had to untangle a rope from a propeller that had gotten tangled during docking when we arrived at Papeete.
Chuck, having eaten the hamburger, was not hungry when dinner time rolled around. I went to the Lido and ate tempura shrimp, noodles, and a spring roll. I met him for the early show of Kelly McDonald, comedian. He had some funny lines.
I came back to the room and got our snorkel gear ready. Then, I worked on my photos until 10:00. Chuck went to the Casino.
As we were moving along, I thought the propellors or azipods or whatever they have back here are louder than I have heard them this whole trip. There is always some engine-type noise, but I don’t really notice it after a while. This noise was very loud.
I hope whatever went wrong during the docking at Papeete is truly fixed. One trip, one of the azipods broke down and we slowly, slowly made our way back to Florida. We didn’t arrive until 10:00 a.m. when normally the ship arrives around 6:00 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Everyone was scrambling for new flights. We had driven to the port, so we just got a much later start than usual.
If the same thing happens this trip, it won’t be hard on us because we are staying an extra night in San Diego but there are plenty of people who have flights out on that Sunday.
We had room service breakfast delivered at 6:30. Met the group for the snorkeling excursion at 7:45 and all took a tender over together.
Our snorkel tour today was with Ato’s Blue Lagoon tours. We had enough people to fill up 4 speedboats.
I was a little apprehensive about our boat. We had three rows of three plastic chairs. They were bolted together and to a fiberglass bottom. We were jammed in there pretty tight. No padding.
Our first stop was the best coral of the whole trip in my opinion. The current was a little strong, but the fish and coral were beautiful. Chuck and I were the last ones back in the boat. I could have stayed there all day. It was overcast so Chuck could see well and could stay in the water.
As we were traveling to the next stop, it started raining hard. It was cold and it stung when it hit our bodies. Some of us put our snorkel masks on so we could see.
We came out of the rain in time to get to our next stop – a family motu. We could swim in the warm shallow water of the lagoon or pick up shells. I picked up a couple of nice shells, but they were already occupied so I had to put them back. Chuck had a nice time talking with the crew who were preparing the lunch. Even with their limited English and his limited French, they seemed to be able to communicate.
One of the crew took his spear and went fishing for our lunch. He came back with 3 fish that they grilled.
The lunch was coconut bread, rice, roasted pumpkin, grilled mahi mahi, grilled chicken, the grilled fish he speared, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, and watermelon. They had beer, bottled water, sodas, juices for beverages. One of the crew sliced off the top of a coconut for me so I could drink coconut water with my lunch. It was all excellent. I was happy that they provided plates and utensils.
Afterwards, I watched them rinse the plates in the ocean and scrub them with the sand from the bottom. I chose to believe that when they got home, they ran the plates and utensils through a dishwasher on high heat.
They threw the leftover fish parts into the lagoon. Suddenly, all sizes of black-tipped sharks came to grab the goodies but the water was too shallow for the adult ones – they thrashed when they touched bottom and swam away.
All the food was left for the little ones who had a party. First time I have ever seen tiny baby sharks. Some were no bigger than my fingers. (They were almost invisible against the sand bottom – had to look for the black dots)
We all had to sing the song.
Our next stop was another shallow lagoon that had some coral, but it was not as colorful as the other spots. Too much glare for Chuck. I stayed fairly close to the motu. Others said if you swam out farther, there was a turtle swimming around. I would have liked to have seen the turtle.
Our last stop was out in deeper water around a large coral formation that came up out of the ocean. The interesting thing about this spot was all the different clams that were embedded in the coral. Their mouths looked like snakes and came in all colors. If you could stay still, you would see them open and close their mouth. The current was very strong, so it was hard to stay in one spot. Lots of birds in this area. Not sure if it was a nesting site.
Eventually, it was time to go back to the ship. Chuck had his fins off but still had his dive socks on and his vest. The boat suddenly rocked and Chuck slipped and went down. Luckily, the chairs kind of broke the fall as he landed on his side. His vest saved him from getting scratched up but he was now wedged tight between the row of chairs.
He had to get the vest off to be able to squeeze out from between them. I was glad he hadn’t broken any bones or gotten a concussion. We had a nurse on our boat, and she seemed to think he might be sore later, but nothing looked sprained or broken.
Our guide had the motor wide open on the speed boat during the ride back like he had a hot date that he was late for. We hit each wave hard and my back felt every hit sitting in that plastic chair. Miserable. We were back by 2:45 – last tender was not until 4:30 so I really have no idea what the rush was.
I liked all the spots for this tour. Just try not to get the boat with the chairs bolted to the floor. And don’t walk around the boat in just your dive socks. Get your swim shoes back on.
We were both ready for a hot shower and a couple of Tylenol.
Travel Trivia
Fakarava, Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia
Fakarava pronounced FAH-kah-rah-vah
Fakarava is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group of atolls in French Polynesia.
Fakarava means “beautiful”
Fakarava is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The French painter Henri Matisse (1869-1954) would claim that colors were for setting oneself free. The artist visiting Fakarava, became inspired by the infinite variety and shades of blue of the lagoon. This discovery was such that it triggered a new creative artistic move for Matisse called Bleu Matisse.
Fakarava is home to one of the first Catholic churches in French Polynesia. Built in 1874 with coral, it is very well preserved and decorated with garlands of shells.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America Line documents.
Since we had eaten such a late lunch at the Dive-In, we decided not to eat in the main dining room. After the sail-away party, listened to the Dance Band, played some slots, and then went to the Lido. I had a salad. Chuck got a little Asian food.
We took our plates out to the Sea View deck and enjoyed the breezes and watched the day turn into night.
While we were there, I was perusing Facebook and happen to see a link to an article that a fellow cruiser had posted. It was about a ship passenger who had been arrested in Raiatea trying to get off of a ship with a piece of luggage. It would have been okay except the luggage was filled with methamphetamine. I thought “I didn’t see any other cruise ship in Raiatea.” No wonder I didn’t – turns out the passenger was on our ship!
I was astonished. Given the age demographics of our ship, I would not have been surprised if the luggage had been full of blood pressure meds, or heart medications, or even Viagra but Meth? No way.
Turns out that the passenger was a 27-year-old Tahitian who said he needed to get off the ship early because he had a sick grandmother. I feel certain that the inspector who heard that excuse must have been a former college instructor. I always knew whenever I gave students an assignment, a number of grandparents were going to perish when the assignment due date came around.
However, for this man, he would not be getting a failing grade for his assignment. He is looking at 10 years in a Tahitian prison. Hope he learns a trade while there – the world of smuggling didn’t work out so good for him.
I did feel sorry for the Captain and HAL. Not great publicity for the cruise line. San Diego Customs, which is not in HAL control, really fell down on the job.
Afterwards, we went to the first set of BB King band and then to listen to the Dance Band again.
We docked at Papeete at 9:00 pm. First time I have ever left one place and docked at another on the same day. Some people were going to get off the ship after it was cleared but the city looked deserted to me. Kainoa had warned us about Papeete as it is the capital of Tahiti and he said “characters” come out at night like they do in all big cities. Warning enough for me.
At 10:00, we got in line at the main stage for the 10:30 performance from a local Tahitian Song and Dance Troupe. With only one show, we knew the theater would be crowded. It was.
It was a great show of their interpretation of their ancestors arriving to Tahiti. Two singers were in the background with a small band. Next to them were several Tahitian drummers. Out front were the interpretive dancers. At the end of the show, we gave them a standing ovation. Afterwards, we called it a night.
After a coffee run and a late Lido breakfast, I worked some more on processing my photos from the underwater camera. Chuck spent time reading. Was difficult to concentrate because the ship was having a crew safety drill and alarms kept blaring. I jumped every time they sounded.
We were to meet our tour operator from Unique Tahiti Tours at 12:15. At 11:30, it started to rain heavily. I packed our rain gear and switched from my DSLR camera to my waterproof camera. However, by 12:15, the shower was now just sprinkles.
Tracey pulled up in her very nice Mercedes van at 12:20. There were 2 other couples waiting for her also – two people from the ship and a honeymooning couple that just happened to contact her that morning about a tour possibility. She said if they could meet her at the port and didn’t want a private tour, they could join us. They would be flying to Bora Bora the next day.
Tracey was British but she also held French citizenship. She was divorced from a Tahitian and had three adult children. She had lots of knowledge about the culture, history, current events and was an expert driver in all the crazy traffic.
Our tour was an East Coast tour. We drove briefly to some parts of the city and then headed out of town.
Saw a cemetery for the Chinese people who came here to live and work. There is still a large Chinese population on Tahiti.
Next was a Tapa cloth-making factory and boutique. She said Tahitians like to dress very colorfully. They do not understand visitors who prefer solid colors of black, navy, tan, etc.
Next was a spot that held monuments to Cook, Christianity, and the Mutiny on the Bounty. Also, where people come to relax, swim, picnic, and fish. Was the spot of the only lighthouse on Tahiti.
Went into the Valley and saw a spectacular waterfall and a lava blowhole. You could sit on a rock outside the hole. You never saw the water, but you could hear it rush in and the force of the wind would knock your hat off. It could also knock you off the rock if you weren’t careful.
We saw the black sand beach.
She took us to a Tiki carving master. He makes them all sizes. He was working on a very large one. He didn’t speak English, but Tracey asked him in French who was the recipient. He said it was for a Russian super yacht. We saw several very large yachts at the dock, so I wonder if it was for one of them.
The young honeymooners were having a “discussion” about purchasing one of the smaller statues. The woman wanted it, but the man said it would put them over the luggage weight limit. She thought it would not. He said “okay, get it.” While she was in purchasing her statue, the other men in our group told him that he made the right choice.
We saw some creepy blue-eyed eels. The eyes were small, but they were definitely blue instead of black.
She had us back to the ship at 4:00. It was a very informative tour. She didn’t hesitate to answer any question we had – no topic was off limits – political, historical, economic, or personal. I wish now we had signed up for her whole day tour.
Travel Trivia
Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Papeete pronounced: Päpēˈētē
The name Papeete means “water from a basket” and is the capital of Tahiti.
Papeete is mentioned in the songs “Southern Cross” by Crosby, Stills & Nash; and “Somewhere Over China” by Jimmy Buffett.
The Pearl Museum on Tahiti is the only museum in the world devoted entirely to pearls.
The word tattoo originated in Tahiti. The legend of Tohu, the god of tattoo, describes painting all the oceans’ fish in beautiful colors and patterns.
People in Polynesia didn’t believe that tattoos were merely art or decoration. They thought that a tattoo could display a person’s spiritual power. Even today, Polynesian tattoo designs are to be unique to each person’s own story.
Polynesian tattoos basically use two kind of symbols and patterns: some of them are considered tapu, which means “sacred”, while others are considered noa, or “common, not sacred”.
Tapu elements should only be used by people who are entitled to them by family and descent, after proper ceremonies are held, while everyone else should only use noa elements for their tattoos.
People considering getting a Polynesian design should not just copy someone’s design because it is considered stealing their story. However, creating a Polynesian tattoo that tells one’s own story and being able to say what it represents, acknowledges and respects the importance of such tattoo and therefore it is not seen as disrespectful. It shows appreciation and admiration for Polynesian art and culture.
Some Common Polynesian Tattoo Symbols –
Shark teeth are one among the foremost common figures in Polynesian tattoos. This pattern symbolizes shelter or cover, orientation, power, ferocity, and adaptableness.
Spearheads symbolize combativeness and courage.
The ocean can often signify ideas like life, and continuity through change.
The tortoise symbolizes strength, health, peace, and longevity in life.
The gecko or lizard is a logo of luck and fortune.
The stingray represents adaptation, gracefulness, danger, agility, speed, and stealth.
*Travel trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland American Line documents
It was a fun sail-away party on the Sea View deck. More and more people are showing up for these parties. Guess the word is getting out that this party is where you need to be.
Our next-door cabin neighbor showed us pictures of her excursion. She and her friend stayed overnight at one of the over-the-water bungalows at the Intercontinental Hotel. The hotel stay was offered as a HAL excursion but, of course, you can make reservations there on your own.
I thought the bungalow rooms were nice and the hotel grounds were gorgeous. Hotel servers even brought breakfast from the hotel to their bungalow by canoe. You can swim and snorkel from the back deck. One of the special features is that you can see the ocean from a plexiglass place in the floor about as big as a coffee table.
However, she said there were very little fish to see as it was a sand bottom and not coral. I would have been disappointed because that plexiglass floor and snorkeling deck were the features that would be most appealing to me.
After the party, we went to the Casino but it was not scheduled to open until later. However, music over the speakers was playing in the Billboard On-Board area so we stayed there and danced until dinner. Our own private dance floor.
Dinner tonight was a shared table for five. We were with two ladies from California with whom we have dined with before. The other was a solo traveler but I did not hear where he was from but honestly don’t care. We did not enjoy his company at all. I am not fond of people who are rude to the staff.
Are the staff perfect? Is anyone? However, they try so hard and work so hard to make sure that you are enjoying your meal, I really get irritated at anyone who is rude or snarky to them. No sense in it. Could very well be the reason he was traveling solo.
I had the tomato soup and salad. We all had the scallop dinner. I was surprised at how large the scallops were.
Chuck and I attended the first set of the BB King band. Afterwards, I went to prep our snorkeling gear. Chuck headed to the Casino.
Today was a snorkeling tour through HAL. We had breakfast delivered at 7:00. I didn’t notice until after the delivery person had left that I didn’t get any milk for my Cheerios. Instead of waiting for them to bring me milk, I just decided to eat them dry like a two-year old does. Glad I also had a fresh fruit plate.
We met at the main stage at 8:00, and our tender number was soon called for the tender ride to the dock. Today’s tour was called Snorkel Safari. The tour description was –
Board a comfortable boat, with a cover to protect you from the sun as you travel over the surface of the colorful lagoon.
The boat anchors near a gorgeous sandy islet surrounded by transparent turquoise waters. This is your chance to swim freely in the warm waters and enjoy this experience. Make the most of time allocated for snorkeling. You may even be lucky enough to glide with stingrays in the clear water.
Refreshments will be served before you head back to the pier.
Notes:
Guests participating in water activities must know how to swim, be comfortable in the water and be able to cope with occasional currents. Depth of water is not guaranteed, due to currents and sea level variation. Please realistically assess your own ability prior to taking part in this water activity. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, sunscreen, and a hat. For your own safety and to help preserve the environment, when snorkeling, do not touch or step on coral. Wildlife sightings and the presence of rays are likely but are not guaranteed. Mask and snorkel provided. Expensive jewelry or clothing should not be worn on tour. Camera equipment should be carried with care and appropriate waterproof protection. The boat may be wet; personal belongings should be stored with caution.
Our first stop was to swim with sharks and stingrays again. There were only a few sharks but more stingrays than the other snorkeling days. I especially enjoyed seeing the larger fish that the guide called Jack fish which I had not seen before.
The guide kept yelling at people not to follow the sharks to the deep blue part of the ocean trying to get their picture. Wanted to keep everyone near the boats in the shallower water. The sandy bottom and sun glare were too hard on Chuck’s eyes, so he didn’t last long in the water.
Our guides did not speak English very well so one filled the time between this stop and the next stop with ukulele playing and singing. I would not have minded if he had just stayed quiet and let us talk among ourselves. There were several people on this tour that have been on other snorkeling excursions with us this trip. When you like to snorkel, you make the most of the opportunities.
Our next stop was another Coral Garden. Very shallow water but had some exceptional coral. Again, the sun and glare from the sand were too much for Chuck. It was an easy drift snorkel near the beach. The hardest part was wading out into water that would be deep enough to start swimming. Very rocky beach area.
This stop had a lot of stingrays as many boats come here and the rays know they are going to get fed. They stayed very near the boats. However, our guide got into the water and had the rays following him like puppies on parade as he would dole out squid as he walked around so we could see and touch them up close.
I love a parade
This action also spurred the fish to stay near in case they could grab a tasty morsel or two missed by the rays.
Even a shark floated by me. I wasn’t startled. We just kind of looked at each other – “Hey, how you doing?”
What did startle me was when I saw what looked like a tail end of a striped snake slither into a crevice in the coral. I did not wait around to see the head come out of another opening.
Once I got back to the boat, I had a good time watching unsuspecting people standing in the waist high water talking. They would not see a ray until it brushed up against them, again, like a puppy. People usually jumped and flung themselves sideways like “Jaws” had them in a death grip. Hilarious.
Another HAL tour anchored by the near-by tiny motu and soon you could smell the grilling. Wasn’t long before our guide pointed out a dog who was swimming from another tiny motu over to this one. He found a particular rock that he jumped on, shook himself, and stepped over to the beach. He was about the size of a lab. Guide said the dog belongs to people on the other motu but never fails to make himself a member of a tour group if it includes lunch.
Later we met people who had been on that tour. Said the dog was very polite. He would move from picnic table to picnic table and would wag his tail vigorously. Never barked or growled. Never grabbed at the food. I asked if he got any food. Stupid question. Of course, everyone gave him food. When they were packing up to leave, he got back into the water and swam home. What a life.
Our guide gave us tiny bananas, coconut pieces, and pineapple spears for a snack. We had water or lemonade to drink. I should have done what the dog did and swam to the motu.
Our guide sang and played the ukulele all the way back to the dock. It was a long ride back. Sigh.
Once we were back on the ship, we got some lunch at the Dive-In Burger grill. I had a cheeseburger and a milkshake. Afterwards, my intention was to get my pictures transferred from my camera to the laptop. Chuck was going to the pool. Once in the cool room, I decided to lie down “just for a minute.” Woke up at 3:30 – late for the sail-away party. Guess the full stomach, water and sun caught up with me.
Travel Trivia
Mo’orea, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Cook’s Bay, Mo’orea – pronounced Mo – o – ray – uh
Moorea means “yellow lizard”
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 writer Herman Melville traveled to the region in the 1840s, and some villages on the eastern coast of Moorea became the models for the Tahitian villages in his novel Omoo (1847).
The primary agriculture export is copra. Copra is the dried meat or kernel of the coconut, which is the fruit of the coconut palm. Coconut oil is extracted from copra. It also yields de-fatted coconut cake after oil extraction, which is mainly used as feed for livestock.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America Line documents
Sunday, March 20, 2022 – Happy First Day of Spring!
Was so glad we had shut the curtains to the balcony. The air conditioning is working as hard as it can, so the thick curtains help keep the sun out. Still, you can tell the temperature difference between one side of the room and the other even with the curtains closed.
Dinner was a shared table from a couple from California and a couple from Texas. Nice group of people and pleasant conversation. Chuck had the roast beef and they cooked it just as he likes it. I had the pecan-crusted chicken which was crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside.
Rest of the evening was spent listening to the last set of the Dance Band and getting our snorkel gear prepped.
The alarm was set for 5:30 but I was up at 5:00. Breakfast was delivered at 6:00. We met the rest of our snorkel group of 50 at the Lincoln Center lounge at 7:15 so we could all take a tender over to the island together. I am not sure what the official name of the tour is but it is mostly known as Patrick’s Tour. He and his family run the tour. It is not a HAL tour.
Patrick provided 4 outriggers that could hold 14 people each plus the Captain/Guide. Our Guide brought his 13-year-old son to help.
Our first stop was to swim with the black-tipped reef sharks and sting rays. It was just as exciting as the swim in Raiatea.
Our next stop was the coral gardens. Beautiful fish were everywhere. They gave us each a chunk of French bread to feed the fish and the fish knew we had it. They just swarmed us. I tried to break off little pieces and throw it. Gave up, crushed the bread and let it go. Was crazy.
Here, the current was strong so you had to be careful it didn’t push you into the coral.
I even saw a moray eel poke his head out this time. I believe this is the first time I have ever witnessed that though other people have seen them. We liked this coral garden spot so much; Chuck and I were the last people back in our outrigger when it was time to go.
The wind had picked up so Patrick cancelled the last stop outside the reef as he was afraid the current and waves would be too strong. Instead, the Guides took the outriggers to a spot where locals and visitors come for a sand scrub. The sand was so fine that you scooped it up and rubbed it on your body – just like a spa sand scrub. It really did make your skin feel so smooth. Our Guide passed around beer, sodas, and water which added to the fun.
After that stop, we went to Patrick’s family motu. He owns the motu and part of the ocean that surrounds it. It has been in his family for generations. It is very near the hotel and bungalows of the Four Seasons. He said the hotel has approached him many times with offers – “suitcases full of money“- to purchase but he will not sell the family land. I wonder if his heirs will feel the same.
We passed a number of the bungalows, but the Four Seasons looked the nicest.
Some of his family were already there cooking and setting up. He uncovered the fire pit and showed us the roasted pig. We also had grilled fish, grapefruit, taro, plantains, chicken with spinach, bread fruit, and small bananas. I again skipped the raw fish salad. Beer, wine, soda, and water were offered to drink. We used banana leaf woven plates and ate everything with our fingers (just like family). Food was excellent. I would have liked utensils though.
He did a fire dance for us. We asked our guide if he could fire dance also. He emphatically said No! Two of the family members played ukuleles and sang. Didn’t understand the words but it was very melodic.
Our last stop was a calm swimming area but I was almost completely dry so I just stayed on the outrigger and enjoyed the breeze. We got back for the tender to the ship at 4:00. Long day but very enjoyable.
I highly recommend Patrick’s tour if you find yourself in Bora Bora. Well worth the price and time. Great snorkeling spots, wonderful food, and professional and courteous service.
Just be aware that the guides dress in traditional swimwear which means they wear very little. As he moved around the outrigger tying and untying lines, I would have to turn my head to ensure that I did not get a face full of naked butt cheek when he passed by me.
Beautiful sail-away from Raiatea. You could see the island of Bora Bora from the ship so the Captain was taking it very slowly so we could all enjoy the scenery.
Once we were out of the bay, you could feel the ship motion pick up. Islands are protected from the harshest wave action by the reef ring unless there is an earthquake in Japan, etc. Then tsunamis can wreak havoc. Luckily, it was very calm this evening.
After the sunset, we went to hear the Dance Band play in the Ocean Bar until it was time for our dinner at the Pinnacle Grill, one of the ship’s upcharge restaurants. I had the jumbo shrimp cocktail and Chuck had the crabcakes as appetizers. We each had the halibut for our main course and key lime pie for dessert. We were so stuffed; we waddled back to the room to do some stargazing and then fell into a food coma. No show or casino for us.
We were already anchored at Bora Bora when I got up at 6:30. We were anchored next to a Paul Gauguin cruise ship. It is a luxury cruise line that specializes in sailing the islands of French Polynesia. It is a much smaller cruise ship than ours.
After coffee and a Lido breakfast, we took a tender to the island. Just wanted to take some pictures, possibly get a Christmas ornament, and try the WIFI at a store called Alberts that was recommended by Kainoa, our Hawaiian ambassador. It is his cousin’s store. 😁
My pictures have stopped uploading to the Cloud as we have gotten farther and farther away from Hawaii. The WIFI on the ship has been weak and, of course, there are a lot of people using it. I thought the WIFI at Albert’s might be stronger.
It was so very hot and humid; we were sweating before the tender ride was even over. Took our rain jackets in case of the expected downpour.
We looked at items in the local Market. Pretty shell jewelry and cloth pieces. No ornaments.
Walked to Alberts for the WIFI. Went inside to get the password. I heard my name being whispered. I thought “where is that coming from?” Chuck was outside so he didn’t hear it. I finally pinpointed the location of the whispering – it was coming from the pearl ring selection in the jewelry case. The sales lady was happy to take out the tray so I could find which one was whispering to me.
The Tahitians say that you don’t pick your pearl, your pearl will speak to you. My pearl must have said “take out your credit card” because I found myself handing it over to the nice sales lady as she boxed up my pearl ring.
I came outside to show Chuck my purchase. He asked me if I had gotten the WIFI password. Oops – Nope. Had to go back in to get it. The strong WIFI did unjam the picture queue so they started uploading much faster. Never did find an ornament.
Kept getting even more hot and humid and started to sprinkle so I took a couple of pictures and then we took a tender back to the ship. Spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool.
Travel Trivia
Vaitape, Bora Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia
There is no ‘B’ in the entire Tahitian Language. The island was named Pora Pora, which means “first born” by the original Polynesian settlers that inhabited the islands. However, the first European settlers to visit the island misheard and believed the natives had said Bora Bora and that is the name it goes by today.
French and Polynesian are the two main languages spoken.
Bora Bora is home to the remnants of a once active volcano, which is in the very center of the island. The volcano rises to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu.
It is known as The Romantic Island and is a favorite place for honeymooners.
The average cost of an overwater bungalow is about $1000 or more/night.
Bora Bora has no dangerous creatures such as snakes or spiders.
Movies filmed at Bora Bora – Couples Retreat (2009), Sky Pirates (1986), Hurricane (1978), Bora Bora (1968) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and Holland America documents
Because of the late lunch on the tour, neither of us were interested in a main dining room meal. We relaxed on the Sea View deck enjoying the sunset and then watching the full moon rise over the island.
We finally got a bite to eat at the Lido. It was the first time this trip that we have had dinner in the Lido. The nice thing about the Lido is that they will offer some of the main course items that they serve in the dining room. Chuck was able to get the St. Patrick’s Day corned beef special. I just got some tempura shrimp.
After dinner, we went to the first set of the BB King band. HAL was showing the Tom Hank’s movie Cast Away on the main stage. I don’t think I will ever forget the scene of him calling for “Wilson!” as it floated away.
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The long day in the sun and water finally caught up with me and I called it a night. Chuck went to the Casino for some 3-card poker. Typically, when we are in port, the port does not allow the Casinos or Shops to be open as they want to encourage guests to get off the ship and spend money on shore. However, I guess Raiatea doesn’t care because all are open on the ship.
Chuck said the HAL-sponsored St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl group came through to the Casino bar and were having a large time. I did remember to wear green.
I set no alarm this morning but still woke up at 6:00. After we got a Lido breakfast, we got off the ship to look around at the shops.
I loved the market with so many unusual flowers and produce. Many guests were buying lovely floral arrangements for their rooms. They must have suites because we do not have the counter space to hold arrangements that big in our cabin.
I found a suitable Christmas ornament. The heat and humidity were getting to us so we got back on the ship.
It was not easy to get on and off the ship. The tide was such that the gangway was very steep from the ship to the dock. Some people were really having a tough time negotiating it even with help from the crew. I heard it took 4 crew members to push a person in a wheelchair up the ramp.
We spent the rest of the day in the pool. Today has been the first day of the trip that the pool water has been warm enough for me to swim. Chuck can stand it colder but I cannot.
On a sad note, while in the pool, I did hear a rumor that a passenger had a heart attack while on an island tour yesterday. Had to be life-flighted to Tahiti. Scary. Hoping for the passenger’s full and complete recovery.
Travel Trivia
Uturoa, Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Raiatea pronounced: rah-yuh-tay-yuh
As the first Polynesian island to be populated, Raiatea shelters the most spectacular and first international marae (pronounced: merry), a communal or sacred place, of the Polynesian triangle, called Taputapuatea (pronunced: Tah-pew-tay-pway-tah). This place is where inauguration ceremonies, political alliances and international meetings would take place in ancient times. The site was taboo and was the headquarters of religious and political powers of the Polynesian region. These days, communities of Hawaii, New Zealand and Cook Islands still meet at this pilgrimage venue.
Historians believe that the organized migrations to the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand and other parts of East Polynesia started at Raiatea.
Raiatea means “bright sky.”
The island economy is mainly agricultural with exports of vanilla, pineapple and coconut but pearl farming is an important industry. Mount Temehani shelters the tiare ‘apetahi, a flower found nowhere else in the world. It has become the symbol for Raiatea. This half-circle white and delicate flower only blooms at dawn.
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*Trivia providedby Wikipedia and Holland America documents
Thursday, March 17, 2022 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day
There was no Dance Band again tonight. Some slot play and viewing the sunset from the Sea View deck were our pre-dinner activities.
Dinner was a table for two. Can’t believe we are in another new section with new waiters. Dining room is very large and there are two of them. The one on the 3rd deck is for 5:30 (most popular) and 8:30 diners – same table, same waiters, and same dinner companions (or table for two) every night. The one on deck two (our dining room) is for open seating. You can make a reservation for the time you want or walk in and take the luck of the draw whether you have to wait or not.
Or you can eat at the Lido, make a Pinnacle Grill reservation (extra $$) or a Canaletto reservation (extra $$). Deck 2 dining is also the room that is open for breakfast and lunch if you want to eat there. I like the freedom of choice so we always choose open dining.
We both had the shrimp, crab, mango aioli appetizer. I had the mixed green salad while Chuck had the chicken-ham croquette. He ordered English beef roast. However, he and I both discovered it is not the beef roast we are used to. This roast was sliced very thin and it was medium rare. He couldn’t finish it. I couldn’t decide between the Mahi Mahi or the lamb shank. The waiter suggested the lamb – great choice. It was excellent.
We each had the Bossche bol for dessert. It is a Dutch dessert – a round puff pastry filled with cream and covered with chocolate – just melts in your mouth.
BB King was to start at 8:30 and the classical guitarist was on the main stage at 9:30. However, I decided I wanted to get our masks defogged and make sure we have all our gear ready. Chuck went to play some 3-card poker. Once I finished up, I did some star gazing from the veranda until I kept dozing off. Finally dragged myself off the lounger and came to bed. Hard to believe this night marks the halfway point in the adventure.
Alarm went off at 6:15. Breakfast was delivered by 6:45. Threw open the curtains and we were sailing into Raiatea. Just a gorgeous day. The waters are so calm and clear. Listened to the sail-in commentary from Ian and Kainoa live on TV.
We walked off the ship at 8:05 with our snorkeling gear. Followed the map given to us by the tour company to the pick-up point. Not a far walk but the sidewalk is made of lumpy stones so not an easy walk.
This was an independent tour suggested on the Cruise Critic Message Board. The company name is L’Excursion Bleue. The website is in French but can be translated to English. For this tour they offered 3 snorkeling spots and a visit to a vanilla plantation, a rum distillery, and a pearl farm. They also indicated that we would have lunch on a beach.
We were in Boat #3 with 14 other passengers from the ship. The Captain of our boat spoke pretty good English with a heavy French accent. The speed boat was comfortable with padded seats. So glad it had a sun shade on it.
Our first snorkel stop was swimming with the blacktip sharks – medium size shark with black markings on their fins. As soon as the boats stopped and tied together, here they came in a huge pack. I did not tell Chuck about this particular stop because I knew he would object. All the reviews said it would be fine, jump in and enjoy swimming with them. So I did. I had my gear on and was first off our boat. Chuck was not too far behind me.
They were magnificent. Swimming under and beside you. They were quick so I was not fast enough with my underwater camera to really capture how close they came. They’d come up and then quickly swim away. We got to stay 30 minutes with them. The water was crystal clear.
Chuck’s arm
Even a stingray showed up at the very end. The boat operators called her “Sofie.”
After everyone was back in the boats, the reason the sharks appear when the boats arrive became apparent. They started circling all around the tied-together boats. The captain cautioned us all to keep our hands inside the boat. They threw out buckets and buckets of fish, squid, etc. If you needed a visual of “frenzy” this sight would be it. Even Sofie got in the fray and managed to get some tasty morsels. The sharks avoid that long tail just like humans do.
Next stop was the vanilla plantation and our host was Jovani. The plantation was hundreds of acres and it has been in his family four generations. He showed us the vanilla bean vines. They stake the vines like we stake green beans. But they use small trees and also get the fruit from those trees.
The most fascinating piece of information to me was that they have to hand pollinate each vanilla flower because there are no bees on the island. They are not allowed to import bees because you never know what repercussions there may be when you introduce a new species, even helpful ones like bees.
We got to watch one of the pollinators demonstrate the process. He can process over 300 flowers an hour.
Then we saw the beans drying on the table. They have to dry at least two weeks.
People got to shop for vanilla beans, vanilla extract, and vanilla lotions. There were also lotions made out of the flowers off the small trees. We got to taste rum infused with the vanilla beans.
It was a very interesting stop. Jovani said Chuck and I were the very first visitors from the state of Georgia that he has ever had.
Our next stop was snorkeling in a spot they called “The Coral Gardens.” The operators didn’t want us to wear our fins because the water was very shallow and we could damage the coral if we kicked it. I really hate snorkeling without the fins because I have a hard time with the currents without them.
However, at this spot, it was so shallow, most people walked instead of swimming. Once we got to a spot with some nice coral, you could just float around it. Chuck had a very difficult time at this spot – not because of the swimming. The sun was so bright against the white sand bottom that the glare was blinding him. We need to get him some polarized goggles. He does best if the day is partly cloudy. Today was not one of those days.
There were many fish that I had never seen before. I had a very nice time just floating around. I am glad I did not see the eel that some people saw come out from under a rock.
Unfortunately, one woman brushed up against some of the coral and scratched her leg. The scratches didn’t look deep but I’m sure it stung.
Our next stop was the Rum Distillery. It was a very small operation. We have been to a number of distilleries over the years on different islands. The part I found most interesting at this one was the guy feeding the sugar cane into the shredder and the guy at the end raking the remains into big baskets. I would think it would take much more processing to get it to the consistency before adding it to the vats. At least I hope so. We each got a taste of their rum. Not bad. Too hard to pack home on the airplane so we did not purchase.
The next stop was the pearl farm. I have never been to a pearl farm. It is a very complicated process to make pearls. The guide explained the process of having to find two oysters – one that the inside was beautiful, the other that the inside was very healthy. A grafter has to take an artificial round stone-like piece and put it in the healthy oyster. He/she has to make sure that it is the perfect fit, or the resulting pearl will come out malformed. Then the grafter has to take part of the beautiful oyster and attach it to the stone piece. All without killing the healthy oyster.
Once twenty of those processed oysters are finished, the workers put them in a steel mesh bag so the turtles can’t eat them and place them back in the water.
They must wait 18 months to see if they have a wonderful pearl. They grade the pearls like in school – A the best; D – the worst (only good for crafts).
However, if the oyster produces a malformed pearl, they might keep it if it is an interesting color or shape. The guide was wearing a very pretty bracelet made of malformed pearls.
The grafting was a very delicate process. This operation only has one grafter. He is the owner of the farm. He learned the craft from his father who learned it from his father, etc. He said the best grafters are the Japanese. I couldn’t help but wonder what will happen to the farm if something happens to him. He was a man probably in his 30’s. Maybe he has a child he can pass the art of grafting too.
I looked long and hard in the pearl boutique but I didn’t buy any. I just don’t wear much jewelry any more. If there had been a ring, I might have succumbed to the temptation but it was mostly ear rings, necklaces, and bracelets. The least expensive item I saw was $250.
Our next stop was a private island (motu) for a very late lunch. They had a buffet set up plus water to drink. A beer was $5. We tried everything on the buffet except the raw fish salad – we ate roasted chicken, roasted fish, rice, taro, plantain, coconut bread, breadfruit, and grapefruit. Chuck did not have the grapefruit since some of his meds advise against eating or drinking grapefruit. I enjoyed the meal – especially the coconut bread. To me, it tasted like a very thick cookie. It had been cooked in a coconut leaf.
Talking about coconuts, our sitting area on the beach was covered with fishing net. I thought it was to discourage the birds. I saw a sign later on that said watch for falling coconuts. The net was to catch the coconuts so they didn’t land on our heads while eating. Appreciated them thinking about that possibility.
After relaxing, I went into the water from the beach and again basically walked to the available coral. I would find a nice big area and just drift around it looking for fish. Saw some very pretty coral and fish. It was still very sunny, so Chuck decided not to go into the water because of the glare.
At 4:30, it was time to head back to the ship. As we were walking back to our boat, a big palm limb fell and hit the sand hard. There was no net in this area. Glad nobody was in the falling path.
I really enjoyed this tour and would recommend the tour company. They took very good care of us. The only thing you need to be aware is that the ladder to get back into the boat from snorkeling was very small so you had to be able to pull yourself up. They could assist you once you were up far enough up the ladder to step into the boat.
Got back to the ship about 5:00. There was a ceremony at the dock. The ship’s Captain was presenting the mayor of the town with a plaque commemorating this visit as the first time the Zuiderdam has ever visited Raiatea. He and the other officers were presented with leis.
Then the Captain and his officers were invited to dance with the native children who were all dressed up. The officers were awkward but they gave it a good try. One little girl, about 5 or 6 years old, just kept shaking her head like she felt sorry for the big men who couldn’t dance. The littlest dancer, about two years old, just hopped to the music and then clapped when the audience clapped. She was adorable.
No Dance Band tonight as they are backing up the cabaret singer on the main stage tonight. We spent the evening hours winning a little more at slots and watching the sun go down from the Sea View pool area.
It was also nice to see the number of birds flying around. Land can’t be too far away.
Dinner was a shared table tonight with 5 other people – a solo traveler, one couple from Texas, and another couple from Naples, Florida. The Texas couple and Naples couple had both lived in Wisconsin, so they had a lot to catch up on. Chuck and I were not in on the conversation that much. One gentleman’s birthday is March 16, so he plans to celebrate on both days.
We both had the chorizo on bruschetta for an appetizer. I had the butternut squash soup and Chuck had a salad. He had the sweet and sour pork and I had the pasta with mushrooms. When he saw others getting the beef wellington, he had food envy and wished he had gotten it instead of the pork.
The dinner ran long as shared table dinners do. We didn’t get out of there until 8:15 and that was without eating dessert. No telling how long it would have been to wait for dessert.
We went to Deck 10 for another lesson in star gazing. We were able to see the Southern Cross and Orion’s Belt with little problem. The moon is full and very bright.
Our next choice was the second set of the BB King Band or the cabaret singer in the main stage. We opted for BB King. They were as good as always but tonight’s set of songs were not very danceable. We like it when she sings “Midnight Train to Georgia.” That is a danceable song.
Once we were back in the room, we found the note that reminded us that we would be crossing the International Dateline and would be reliving Wednesday, March 16th. Still a weird concept.
In addition, we got another note that said HAL would be performing balcony washing and maintenance from 8:30 – 12:30 so they may need to enter the cabin to get to the balcony during those times. Good to know. I’d be startled to find anyone in the cabin other than Chuck or the room stewards.
So, yes, the elevator mats have not been changed and the date on my watch matches the mats again so it must be Wednesday, March 16th one more time. I also woke up at the same time as yesterday. The weather is a duplicate of yesterday. I’m getting that “Groundhog Day” feeling although I’ve never seen the movie.
We had breakfast in the main dining room this morning. We had a table for two so the service was very quick. Once we got back to the room, I rinsed our snorkel masks and tubes. I will treat them with anti-fogger later on today. I also watched Ian’s Q/A on French Polynesia. He did it live yesterday and then put the presentation on the rooms’ televisions.
We also received our official certificates for crossing the International Date Line. We may also get a certificate for crossing the Equator too.
Well, as the afternoon progressed, it was definitely not Groundhog Day.
After finishing watching the video presentation, we walked 1.5 miles around the promenade. Humidity is definitely getting worse even with the breeze. Afterwards, we made our way up to the Sea View pool.
Just as I got situated with securing our towels with the clips, ordering a drink, putting on sunscreen, and getting out my Kindle, it starts to rain. Not wanting to take the chance with the Kindle, I moved under the side awning. Fortunately, the rain didn’t last long and the sun popped out again. Back to settle in on the lounger.
Then I realized I didn’t have my thermal cup to keep my drinks somewhat cold. Back to the room I went.
Next, while in the room, I happened to check our onboard account as I do every day. Mistakes can happen and best to deal with them quickly and not wait for nasty surprises at the end of the cruise along with discoveries by your 1000 neighbors about their account.
Every coffee, can of water, soft drink that I have ordered had been charged to my account today. Weird. We have the drink package as part of our booking promotion. We are allowed to order 15 drinks a day – alcoholic or not. If you go over 15, you are charged for those drinks. Tea, lemonade, glass of water, or Lido coffee are free and don’t count at all.
It was 11:00 a.m. I was nowhere near my 15 drink limit so those drinks should not have showed up on the account. I wondered if the computers, being set back 24 hours, had kept counting from yesterday’s March 16. However, Chuck’s drinks are not showing up on the account, so I am very confused. We have the same package.
Off I went to Guest Services to show them the charges and ask if there is a problem with my package. The woman at the counter couldn’t understand why they were there but assured me that there was no problem with my package and the charges would be removed. Okay.
When I asked about having two of the same days and it possibly being a computer problem, she was very confident that it was NOT because there were two March 16s and the computers could not stop counting drinks from the the first March 16. Just not possible – they are two separate days. Okay.
Finally back to the lounger and got a little sun time before it was time for a Lido lunch. Checked the account again and instead of my charges being removed, now both Chuck and I have drinks charged on the account. Just dandy.
Guess I’m done with the sun time.
Back down to Guest Services. “So very sorry. The Beverage Dept. is aware of the problem. The charges will be removed. Nothing you must do. Problem is that there were two March 16sand computers having trouble with that.” Really? Who would have guessed.
Finally got a little more sun but certainly not the perfect pool day like the first March 16.
Travel Trivia
French Polynesia
Belonging to France, French Polynesia is composed of 118 geographically dispersed islands and atolls (atoll – a coral island consisting of a reef surrounding a lagoon) stretching over an expanse of more than 1,200 miles in the South Pacific Ocean. Its total land area is 1,609 square miles.
French Polynesia is divided into five groups of islands: the Society Islands archipelago (archipelago – a group of islands), composed of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands; the Tuamotu Archipelago; the Gambier Islands; the Marquesas Islands; and the Austral Islands. Among its 118 islands and atolls, 67 are inhabited. Tahiti, which is located within the Society Islands, is the most populous island, having close to 69% of the population of French Polynesia. Papeete, located on Tahiti, is the capital.
It is located approximately half-way between California and Australia.
Soccer, Diving, Surfing, Kitesurfing, and Rugby are the most popular sports in French Polynesia.
French is the official language. Christianity is the main religion. The legal tender of French Polynesia is the CFP Franc which has a fixed exchange rate with the Euro.
The timing of all the music in the BB King and the Dance Band just didn’t seem to coincide with our dinner plans – before or after. There was music going on – the Lincoln Center Stage and the dueling pianos but they are not our favorites. We did hear a couple of songs from the Dance Band before they were off for the evening. Wish they had two bands just like them so they could alternate sets and play longer. I think they would both draw a crowd.
Dinner was a table for two tonight. Not a great location because it was by a busy walkway of waiters carrying trays and people going in and out of the dining room. But the service was very quick so we were out of there within an hour which hardly ever happens.
Chuck and I had the antipasto appetizer. I had the seafood soup and he had Asian chicken tenders. He had the beef brisket and I had the roasted duck. I prefer crispier duck but this was very good.
With no music to our liking, we played some slots and then decided to do some star gazing from the veranda. I could easily pick out Orion’s Belt. I think I saw Polaris also.
We had a note left in the room that we would be crossing back over the International Dateline so the ship’s clocks will be set back 24 hours. We will have two Wednesdays, March 16. So weird. I truly have no idea what time or day it is back at the house. I do know that when we get back I will have to put all our clocks forward as Daylight Savings Time began this past weekend.
We each had a better night’s sleep last night. I think the room was cooler. We ended up sleeping late and having a late breakfast. Better enjoy it now because as soon as we get to the islands, we will have several very early mornings.
After breakfast, we went to the gym to work out on the weight machines. Then, we walked our mile around the ship on the promenade.
The rest of the day was devoted to soaking in the hot tub and sunning by the pool. It was very sunny and warm but with a breeze. Perfect pool day.
