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Published: February 3rd 2010
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Novelist James Michener described Bora Bora as “the most beautiful island in the world”, and he used it as the model for his fictitious novel Bali Hai. The coral reef around Bora Bora encloses the stunning lagoon in the Pacific. Every shade of blue from pale aqua to a deep navy blue, arise from the varying depths. The island, with craggy Mt. Otemanu towering above, furnishes the balance of the rainbow. The peak often wears a soft white cloud halo.
The land is seven million years old, and depending on which history one feels is accurate, it either arose from an ancient volcano, or the God Ta’aroa created the island with a sweep of his hand. The name of the island, actually Pora Pora in the Polynesian language, means first born. The first European discovery is credited to Dutch explorer, Roggeveen in 1722. Nearly 50 years later, Captain James Cook arrived and claimed the land for the British Empire, but a century later, France annexed it. The island was a strategic fueling station for the allied forces in the Pacific theater during WWII. American Battlements set up to protect this operation can still be seen around the island.
A
Bora Bora Coast
Taken from our balcony as we appraoch in the morning. You can see one of nice hotels over the water. paved road skirts the island, but the interior is only accessible by foot. Bora Bora also has some notoriety as Marlon Brando had quite a bit of property here, and spent much time on the island.
We arrived in Bora Bora this morning to beautiful weather, blue skies and views of ‘Paradise Found’. For the first time we are doing different shore excursions today. Doug is going snorkeling at the Lagoonarium-open-air aquarium and Annette is going on a glass-bottomed boat. We both departed the ship about 8:00am. The Lagoonarium was about a 30-minute boat ride to a private island. We were entertained by George, our guide, and Toma, our boat pilot. When we arrived, we got our mask and snorkel and George took us to the first area which was the turtles…about 6 of them ranging from 3 to 10 years old. They were very friendly. We then got into the tropical fish pen for a while and finally the largest pen, which had lots of great fish. There were tons colorful tropical type fish, tuna of various types, 3-4 black-tipped sharks, a yellow shark that was about 5-6’ long, and a couple moray eels. George came with a
Voyager Anchored in the Bay
Taken from our boat enroute to the Lagoonarium. bucket of cut-up fish to use for feeding and attracting them. After about an hour and a half of snorkeling we got a demonstration on how to tie a parea (one-piece Polynesian sarong) five different ways with the help of 5 of our female guests. After which, there was a ceremonial-type dance demonstration with their husbands participating. We were served some great local fruit and got back in our boats for the return to the dock, continuing around the island. So, we made a full circle of the island. They took us by several of the hotels with huts over the water, including the first one established on the island, which had been unfortunately closed several years ago, along with the island’s Cub Med. We also cruised slowly by Bloody Mary’s pier, which we had visited last year on our ‘le Truck’ excursion.
Annette’s adventure of the glass-bottomed boat went well. They went into the bay where they could see fish thru glass panes in the bottom of the boat. Their guide gave them examples of live and dead coral, a round no-legged starfish and the boatsman went into the water with bait to chum for more fish. After
Lagoonarium Excursion Boat
We are on our way with our guide, George and boatsman, Toma entertaining us. her excursion she went to Bloody Mary’s where she and Kerry Greene, another woman from last years' enjoyed a Bloody Mary. This place is a bar and restaurant that many celebrities visit. Their names are etched into a large wooden billboard in front as you enter. At one time, they also had a hotel across the road, on the water, but it was destroyed years ago in a hurricane and wasn’t rebuilt.
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