Bora Bora, Polynesia

---

January 18,19, 2014

Overnight we cruised to Bora Bora for a 2 day stop. No dock here so we had to “ tender” out and back to the ship.

This is a very beautiful place with only about 5600 residents primarily supporting the tourist business.

As this was a USA supply base in the 1940’s they built a runway that is still used today for inter- island flights. Most of the big names in hotels and resorts have facilities here. Some rooms as much as 10,000.00 US per night. A lot of over-water bungalows. There are a few big hotels that closed in the recent recession and as yet have not reopened. Hope is they will open soon as it is important work for the locals. Also a few that were severely damaged in a storm a few years ago and not reopened yet. Beautiful properties !!

Bora Bora is another very beautiful place with, what the locals say is, “ the most beautiful lagoon in the world “. Other islands may dispute this claim. The lagoons are actually areas of shallow water between the reefs that surround the islands and the actual islands. Openings to the sea are created in the reefs where a river enters the sea as coral does not grow in fresh water.

It would be hard to dispute the fact that these lagoons and reefs a spectacular places, full of marine life and the various shades of blue water. Most of the islands are almost completely surrounded by reefs. They say that eventually the islands will sink leaving an atoll formed by the reef that is left.

We took another larger “ Le Truck “ bus today for a tour of the island and a visit to some of the highlights and resorts. Cultured black ( and other colors ) pearls is another important business on most of the islands so we did some looking around the shops in the village before returning to the ship.

We had a good morning and another quiet afternoon aboard ship ( More food !!! )( Like we needed more ).

Here in Bora Bora again tomorrow for another adventure on and in the water.



Sunday morning we spent on tours. Alice in a glass bottom boat to see the reef and marine lifeand I went snorkeling and swimming with Black tip Sharks and Sting rays. Great tours for both of us. Sharks and Sting Rays were very close up for both of us !! For us in the water we were a few feet from the sharks and touching the Rays. Awesome !!

After a short trip to another part of the reef we spent about an hour in “The Coral garden”, a local part of the reef that is full of a good variety of different fish and some good coral.

Another great day in French Polynesia. It is easy to understand how this place became so famous. Bora Bora is still a favorite place for the rich and famous to “get away”.

A full day at sea tomorrow ( and a little rest ) as we sail the Tuamotu Archipelago on our way to The Marquesas Islands.

---