Moorea…Singin’ In the Rain
We are greeted by beautiful Opuohu Bay and, in the distance, the two sentinals Mt Roa and Mt. Rotui. These gorgeous peaks dominate the landscape as we arrive in Moorea. Moorea is lush. Not a square inch that is not covered with verdant green. A far cry from our desert scape in Las Vegas. Both humidity and temperature hover in the 80’s. It’s gorgeous on the water.
We are excited for our day in Moorea. It includes a small boat sail around a portion of the island followed by a walk around town. What awaited us was totally unexpected.
The first Tender leaves the ship as the cloud cover clears.
As we disembarked in Moorea we were greeted by a beautiful woman we dubbed “The Flower Lady.” She earns her living making exquisite flower head pieces, common in Polynesia.
She spoke no English, but as is often the case gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice were enough to get the essence of each other. She is a beautiful soul.
Cheryl sporting the flower lady’s gear.
Embarking on our tour boat with the Neptune in the distance.
As the tour began, we were treated to beautiful views of the Island. Click to enlarge images.
Turning to head around a small jetty, the next part of our adventure unfolded before us…
No minor squall, we faced a full bore tropical front. Rather than hightail it back to land, the captain decided to ride into the storm (Yikes!), racing to get around an outcropping (OMG) and continue our tour.
Wrong choice.
The front quickly moved in, devouring our little boat and we were left bobbing like a cork in a hot tub. Between prayers (I do get religious at times like these!) our fellow passengers remained in good spirits as we were deluged by rain and pounded by wind. Checking his radar (or talking directly to God) the Captain announced that another major squall was behind this one and asked if we were OK going back to port. As cheers erupted, we turned to sail back home.
Cheryl’s head gear fully appreciated a good soaking (my glasses not so much) as we recounted our moment of drama on the high seas.
There was little opportunity for a leisurely stroll through town. The streets were flooded but did provide an opportunity to take a few reflection photos.
Showered, warm and ready for dinner. It was quite a day on the Island of Moorea. Next stop Papeete, the Capital of Tahiti.
