We were nearly ready to up anchor at the Bora Bora Yacht Club when this omen apparition appeared. Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Well not really, but the locals catch these beauties and sell them on the main street. Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
The World ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) was started about 20 years ago by the famous sailor Jimmy Cornell. He has long since sold the franchise, but this version of it sails around the world in 18 months!…. Here, they are starting their “race rally” to Suwarrow Island in the Northern Cook Islands about 300 miles to the NW. Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is the one Irish entry and he definitely got a jump on the rest of the fleet to Suwarrow. Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
We dinghed into town as it was lots faster. The famous Bora Bora skyline in the background. Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Bora Bora was the hardest hit of the Society Islands this season with a mere “brush” by Cyclone OLI. Both the main channel navigation markers were torn out by 20 foot swells. The left hand mark seen here went across the channel and was deposited on the reef. The right hand mark is just willy nilly floating out by the reef in the background. Hopefully they will be put back on station soon. The chain holding then is 2 inches THICK!… Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
The weather changes here like the hands on a clock. Sunny one moment and you can just “feel” King Kong on the top of his mountain in the shrouds of the clouds in the distance. Bora Bora – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is what Bora Bora was like in 1950!….The lagoon entrance is at the far left of the photo. I found this picture on the internet. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Approaching Maupiti 30 miles west of Bora Bora is like a step back in time…. The entrance Motu is low and on the far left. This side of the island is where we ended up doing all of our Diving. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Calm in this photo, we had about 6 foot swells and wind from the SE which made the narrow entry seem a dicey, but it was a piece of cake in the end. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is an unoccupied private home on the western entrance motu. Pretty nice slice if you ask me….. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Maupiti’s peak….Town starts at the base and most of the 1200 residents live on the east (right side) along the coast. We were met by Ronald our soon to be dive guide just after we entered the lagoon. This island feels like a cross between a Marquesian and Tuamotu rolled into one. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
The Eastern Motu is on our left and the Western Entrance Motu is in the distance. The water depth between the two is mostly ankle deep. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
The “leeward island” (Sous les Vents) as these islands are nicknamed were originally Protestant from their British overseers origins. Once the French took over, they kicked out the Protestants and built Catholic Churches. Ironically, the Seventh Day Adventists are the majority here and almost everything is closed on Saturdays….. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is the town building for the island and where I’m sending my photos via internet from. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This was at the airport and shows a north up “topo” view of the island, it’s motus and barrier reefs. All our diving was done outside the large (right hand) eastern motu. They do have manta rays here inside the pass, but the water is frequently not clear enough to see them. The two “pass motus” are at the bottom right. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is where the “crowd” tied up the dinghy. This is the dock for the airport shuttle, the post office and the town center building. They don’t even have a cleat. You have to bring your own… We actually watched the airport shuttle put in and take his “personal dock cleat”….. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is motu Poe Iti and it has one of the six family owned hotels on the island. We had dinner here one evening and our host “Gerrad” told us about a sunken WW1 (275 foot) German raider “Sea Eagle” that was wrecked outside the pass at our next destination (and last in Polynesia); Mopelia….. We’ve done some research and can’t wait to try diving the wreck which has many parts shallow enough to snorkel. I believe it is the vessel that the movie “Sea Wolf” starring John Wayne (WW2 movie) was based upon. Count Von Luckner (it’s Captain), prided himself on never killing anyone aboard the ships he captured. Once a life was lost and he was heart broken. He always invited the Captains and officers of the captured vessels to dine with him!…Chivalry of a day long lost. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
The animals all run free on this island you can bicycle around in about 40 minutes. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is most unusual for Maupiti to have this many boats. A charter group from Germany spent two days here. Other than this, we never saw more than 4 boats including ourselves in two weeks. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is the passenger ferry that also doubles as the smaller of the two cargo vessels that bring supplies to the island which are quite sparse….. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is the spot where they unload cargo and I’m standing at the “fuel dock” which is really a gas station where you fill jerry cans. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
The stick on the right is the standard portable dock cleat here in Maupiti. You can see our 5 jerry cans with about 25 gallons of diesel fuel which I get to filter into our main tanks upon return to the boat. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Cindy makes the simplest snacks and meals look Gourmet!….C’est Troup! as they say here in French Polynesia. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is our sister ship, Switch 51 “Na Maka” (Spirit of the Sea) in Polynesian. Jerome, Natalie and three boy, Leo, Tituan and Artur aboard. We will go to Mopelia with them soon. A lovely family and fortunately for us, they speak very good English. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This phone can make calls to France, so Natalie took advantage of this to make an international call right outside the post office. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
We had friend Mike Lonnes send us new oil lines for our Generator’s filter system and also new video lights arrived from the US. We arrived at 7 a.m. to receive the parts. Problem is, they didn’t come as they ran out of “weight” space. They sent them by alphabetical order. As such, “Yacht – Beach House” was last on the list. Fortunately, here at 4 p.m., we re-arrived at the airport and received the parts. NO MORE DRIPPING OIL out of the generator! Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
These ladies will be traveling to Papeete you know!….All dressed up with some where to go. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
For those of you who like our videos, this is what I take them with. The new video lights arrived and …… THEY WORK!….Wish I’d had them in Bora Bora! I’m trying macro video as a test this day with a tripod, flat port and the macro filter on the lens. We shall see. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Cindy knows better than to grab the hinge on a swinging dive ladder, but she did it anyway!… We had been “weathered in” from diving for three days and she was hot to go (literally and figuratively). On the way out, she got “bit” by the ladder’s hinge. Fortunately, it looks way better today and she’ fine. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
Well, this is exactly where I am now, putting in these photos and captions….I’m the only one here. Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is Gerrard (back left), the owner. Leo, Tituan, Artur, Natalie and Jerome of “Na Maka”….. We met another American couple staying at the Pension who had sailed on a friends boat from the Galapagos to the Marquesas and flew here for some down time. We dove with David and Eileen the next day……….NEXT STOP, Mopelia, our last in French Polynesia and then on to our first Cook Island (where English is the local languge)….Aitutaki. KIT (keep in touch)…..write us, we enjoy hearing from you. Scott and Cindy Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
This is Eileen and David, two ex-pat Americans who sailed to French Polynesia, but live in Guadalajara, Mexico. They were our dive buddies on our lat day of diving. Just before we left, they came by “Beach House” for a visit. Both retired “rocket scientists”…… Maupiti Island – Society Islands – French Polynesia
