As a non-swimmer, I am spending a LOT of time on the water this week. It’s hard not to when the water looks like this:

Wednesday’s outing was an outrigger canoe trip through the lagoons. Our first stop was an opportunity to meet stingrays, see some black-tipped reef sharks, and do some snorkeling. I’ve never seen a stingray up close, so it was really amazing to get so close with them.

They have large, golden eyes that seem to seek out your own eyes. As they swim near the surface, they suck in air and water, making gurgling noises unbecoming of a creature who moves so gracefully through the water. We were able to touch these magnificent creatures, and it was amazing to feel their smooth, almost calfskin-leather-like skin. Under that soft skin, you can feel their strong muscles working as the glide around, flapping their wings.

I developed a love of rays in Belize when the spotted eagle rays would gather outside the hotel restaurant at night, flapping their wings all together as in doing some synchronized swim routine. Sting rays are much larger, much less timid, and also a bit more intimidating given their large size and long tails. Nevertheless, I found them to be majestic, graceful, and very peaceful to watch, like their spotted cousins.

There were also sharks in the water. I was not as impressed with the sharks because they were tiny. These guys are maybe 3-4’ long, compared to the 8’ long nurse sharks we swam with in Belize and the massive Great Whites we did a cage dive with in South Africa. These guys were cute, but not scary.

After we had our fill of rays and sharks, we went snorkeling for a while in the coral garden. As Melissa noted, we saw many familiar faces there. This wasn’t bad snorkeling by any means, but we had been spoiled by Huahine with its pristine waters and unreasonably abundant fish.

We spent the next few hours on land, learning a number of Polynesian skills. We learned how to identify a good coconut and how to open it (a lot of work!)

Then we used those coconuts to made our own Poisson cru. OMG, this was so delicious. mix fresh, raw white tuna with some carrots, cucumber, and green onion, then toss it all with freshly-squeezed coconut milk and lime juice.

We also learned about herbal medicines available in Polynesia and our guide wove hats from palm leaves (3 minutes and 10 seconds!)

We got back to shore around 3, and spent the rest of the evening at our hotel. Early day tomorrow!

French Polynesia has not (so far) been what I think most Americans think it is like. Americans imagine overwater bungalows, lush white sand, and vast beach spaces for spreading out under umbrellas (likely with a coconut themed cocktail in hand). Bora Bora might be like that, but Huahine and Mo’Orea have not been like that at all.

Like most Caribbean islands I’ve been to, these islands embrace a mentality of using what’s available, not valuing consumerism, and of enjoying nature as presented without meddling. Beaches are small (where they exist at all), technology is kept quiet and out of sight, and the surroundings almost suggest an air of poverty. I don’t mean to say that this is a poverty-ridden place, but more that people don’t necessarily think that they need to run out and buy a new whatever so long as their current whatever is working. Cars are old, and having a replaced panel of a different color or some strategically-applied duct tape is not unusual. Locals pay no mind to such things. Their approach is entirely based on “what’s mine is yours” and not part of “you eat what you kill.” Everybody knows everybody, and folks look out for each other. This rich patchwork of social connections makes me realize how poor Americans are in social connections.

After breakfast Monday, we drove down to the southern island where this “waste not” lifestyle was continued. We stopped at a vanilla plantation (Tahitian vanilla has an intoxicating aroma), then headed over to Anini Mara’e, another of the archaeological sites. This one had all 4 sides enclosed by vertical stones. No idea what they are for, but they are cool!

The rest of the day was supposed to be for the beaches of Huahine Iti. We got a little beach time in, plus some snorkeling. And then it started raining.

We found shelter (and lunch!) at the hotel restaurant. Like the day before, this rain was completely insane. We accepted the fact that it wasn’t going to be a great beach day, so we went home after eating.

Thankfully, the sky was more cooperative by evening, so we went out for dinner at the Yacht Club restaurant. It did not fail to disappoint a second time!

We changed our Tuesday flight out of Huahine to a morning flight, so the next morning we were again up early (hard not to be with so many roosters around). This flight was blissfully less turbulent. I wish I could say that about the ferry ride from Tahiti to Mo’Orea! 🤢

We made it to the hotel in Mo’Orea, had lunch at the fabulous overwater restaurant, and then took a walk to buy water and pearls.

After enjoying the beach for ~2 hours, we showered and set out for dinner at Rudy’s. This was phenomenal! Their specialty is parrotfish, and as curious as I was, I do not believe it was worth the risk trying it since it was served with crab.

Not the most exciting day, but it is the definition of a relaxing day in paradise!

Us, for sure.

I had tried to reach one highly-rated lagoon tour operator for days with no luck. Saturday afternoon I found a different one who was very responsive so we booked with them. They noted that the weather looked spotty, and that they let us know in the morning if they had to reschedule.

We woke up to rain, but the tour manager said they were going out. We returned the rental car and then got picked up. Thankfully, the boat had a roof and an adequate supply of rain jackets. As we left shore, the rain slowly let up, and thankfully, it stayed clear for the entire time we were on the boat. While on land, it rained in a biblical fashion.

First stop: a pearl farm. Super interesting to learn how pearls are made!

After reaching the western side of the small island, we got out to snorkel. With water this clear, snorkeling is engaging and exciting. There are big fish, little fish, pretty fish, and some pretty boring fish, all in massive quantities.

After the first snorkel stop, we headed to Hana Iti beach. At one point, there was a hotel there, but it was destroyed (twice!) by storms.

Our guide and the beach guardian set up a coconut on a pole ~12 feet up in the air and then showed us how to throw javelin-like spears at the coconut. While I can throw a javelin (overhand throw), this was underhand and not at all intuitive for me.

Off we went, this time to Motu Murimahora. This water was the clearest water I’ve ever seen. With pristine what sand underneath, it was absolutely the stuff Tahitian dreams are made of.

In the lagoon between the motu and mainland, the current can be quite strong. Our guide dropped us off in the middle of the lagoon and then motored a few hundred feet ahead, letting us snorkel and have the current carry us to the boat.

Apparently there are Moray eels in the lagoon. I didn’t see them, and I’m ok with that. I did see tons of fish (of course), sea cucumbers, a vibrant purple sea urchin, and something that was either a pufferfish or a boxfish.

What we found most breathtaking were the clams. In photos, they are plain beige. In real life, they are a dark grey with electric blue or purple right around the edges of their shells. They open and close, as if having a private conversation among themselves. Totally mesmerizing!

Our tour manager lives on the motu, and we headed over there for lunch. The sky looked threatening and that was clearly for a reason. It started raining, then rained harder, then poured, then poured harder. Think New England thunderstorm in August, then take that rain and double it. It was insane!

We had a soggy trip back to the mainland. Our tour driver was super nice and dropped us off at the doorstep of our AirBnB. After much-needed showers, we decided to dig into the bread and cheese we bought at the grocery store for dinner and not try to go out in the rain (plus, there is nothing open on Sunday nights). The sky eventually cleared just in time for the sun to go down (and we were so tired from a day in the sun and water that we didn’t make it much past sunset ourselves).

We had a very nice dinner at the rooftop bar at our hotel (the idea of trying to go anywhere further was beyond our capacities). A white pizza with goat cheese and honey plus a beer and some water. We managed to stay awake for that, and then went off to bed. I’m confident so was asleep within 30 seconds of turning out my light. Possibly 15 seconds.

We both are a bit off on time zones so we were up before our alarm. Showered and dressed, we sat down for a cup of coffee at 6:10 when we noticed that our 7:50am flight landed at 8:30, despite being 1.5 hours long. That didn’t seem right. Probably because I had transposed a number somewhere along the way and our flight was actually at 7:05! By some miracle, we managed to make it to the airport and board our flight in under 30 minutes. Phew!

After another turbulence-filled flight, we arrived in Huahine. Getting a rental car was tricky. I had emailed the agency, but apparently I didn’t get all the way to a confirmation because nobody was at the airport waiting for us. A baggage handler ended up calling the rental agency for us and we got it sorted out. Must remember…island time.

Today was an on-and-off rainy day, but we decided to make the best of it and so we headed out for Maeva – an archeological sight that resembles a smaller, waterfront Stonehenge.

Next up we’re some fish traps. These were fascinating! Stones were piled up underwater in a strategic manner as to drive fish into a catchment area. This is such a simple yet effective design! We spent a fair amount of time watching the fish and marveling at home we didn’t even have to leave shore to see cool fish.

Further along the road, we came to Marae Manunu, another archaeological site. It was a large rectangular structure with more vertical stones adorning it. They really liked vertical stones, didn’t they???

What was more captivating was the shore and breaking waves just opposite. We spent a while watching the fish dart in and out of the rocks.

Lunch was at the Huahine Yacht Club. To be clear, they do not mean yacht club literally – this place is barely more than a roadside stand – but the food (and scenery) was amazing! Poisson cru au lait de coco (raw fish marinated in coconut milk and lime juice – effectively Polynesian ceviche) is absolutely delicious.

Tropical waters are turquoise. This is something we all know. What we tend to forget is that turquoise is a spectrum of colors, from glassy pale green-blue to a robin’s egg blue to a deep and moody blue. Every one of these shades is present in the waters here.

We wrapped up the day snorkeling at Le Jardin de Corail. This small bay was the former site of the Sofitel hotel until it was destroyed in a monsoon. It’s a little dystopian feeling with the sidewalks, pool, and some decor still present but no hotel. Regardless, the coral reefs are healthy, the fish are gorgeous, and the water is warm, so it was wonderful!

I am blessed to have a generous friend. An extremely generous friend. A friend who is so generous that she used her miles to fly both of us to Tahiti.

We just landed at 7:25 in the evening. It’s dark and slightly rainy here so I have no first impressions, other than the fact that the flight was long and bumpy. Like green-in-the-face turbulence, but I survived.

We are off to our hotel for the night. Another early flight tomorrow and then we will get this party started! Snorkeling, beaches, hiking, pearl shopping, and swimming with humpback whales. Sounds tough!