Cruise | Josette King

Tahiti Diary – The Glamour Islands, Bora Bora and Moorea

15 December 2018 | French Polynesia, Journeys, Oceania, Places | 2 comments

Tahiti, as French Polynesia is commonly called (after its capital island) may consist of 118 islands and atolls spread across more that five million kilometers (two million square miles) of South Pacific ocean, but at the very mention of the word, even the most casual armchair traveler will sigh: “Bora Bora… Mo’orea…”

Catamarans are a popular means of transportations around the Society Islands.

Ever since English explorer Captain James Cook first landed on their shores in 1769, these two beauties of the Society Islands Archipelago have attracted the notice of visitors for their spectacular volcanic peaks and their lagoon in infinite shades of blues, But it is cinema, and especially the various remakes of “Mutiny on the Bounty” that has made them a destination every romance seeker in the world yearns to experience.

Bora Bora the Diva

Bora Bora’s Mount Otemanu rises from the lagoon.

The shores of Bora Bora are lined with guest bungalows.

Captain Cook coined her the “Pearl of the Pacific,” and 20th century American author James Michener, in his Pulitzer Prize-winning Tales of the Pacific, anointed her “the most beautiful island in the world.” These do not seem overstatements as I catch, from the tiny nearby island of Taha’a, my first hint of Bora Bora’s iconic Mount Otenamu rising across the vast aquamarine expanse of the lagoon. When I finally set foot on this most celebrated of islands, however, I am saddened to find that it has fallen victim of its popularity.

Many cruise ships on their way across the South Pacific make it their “Tahiti stop.” And since the Hotel Bora Bora opened it first bungalows standing on stilts over the lagoon in the late 1960’s, the island has developed into an environment based mainly on tourism. With ten luxury hotels now thrusting their tentacular rows of bungalow over the most secluded parts of the lagoon, the leading industry on the island is the “honeymoon package.” It’s undeniable that the romantic quotient of these secluded properties, with their eye-popping views of the lagoon and the mountains, is as stratospheric as their prices. But for those who seek pursuits beyond enjoying a special moment of marital bliss, Bora Bora can quickly become Bora boring.

Friends beneath the Sea

A clownfish swims among the anemones.

A manta ray comes to check me out.

The colorful coral reef of the Bora Bora lagoon.

Like a majority of visitors, I come ashore in Vaitape, the main population center of the island. What must once have been a charming Polynesian village is now a typical tropical tourist place, a main street lined with strip malls offering every imaginable flavor of local souvenirs. Makeshift stands touting bottled water and cups of local of fruit to go share the sidewalk with stories-high signs and banners advertizing “quality South Seas black pearl jewelry by international designers” and resort fashion. Mercifully, my plans for the day lay beneath the lagoon. I am off to experience what underwater exploration was like before Jean-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan (respectively French navy diver and engineer) brought diving into the mainstream when they invented their “Aqua-lung” in the late 1940’

Seen from a dive boat speeding toward the destination our underwater walk, the island regains its ethereal beauty, even seen through the row of heavy metal diving helmets that line the center of boat. I eye the contraptions with eager anticipation tinged with a fair amount of wariness, as our dive instructor goes through the logistics and safety instructions. Then I am on the stairs with water to my shoulders. The staff settles the helmet firmly in place over my head. A tap tells me the oxygen valve is connected. That’s my cue to let go.

I land a few meters lower on velvet sand, and for a magical half-hour, I wander past exotic coral formations, inches away from colorful clown fish in their anemone shelters. I make friends with a manta ray who is as interested in me as I am in it, repeatedly brushing my ankles with its silky wings. Seen from the bottom of the lagoon, Bora Bora is still magical.

Mo’orea the Magnificent

Mo’orea’s volcanic peaks soar into the clouds.

Mo’orea’s mountainiside water garden.

Just when I think the Society Islands cannot get any more spectacular, Mo’orea rises out of sea the like a fairytale land. Sharp volcanic spears pierce the puffy white clouds above. Silvery waterfalls streak down the fern-draped cliffs. Pinnacles of emerald forests frame serene meadows sprinkled with small villages of pastel-painted house surrounded with a jumble hibiscus and birds of paradise. Despite being just a short ferry ride away from Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia on the main island of Tahiti, Mo’orea retains a bucolic atmosphere.

What better way to explore this magnificent island believed to have inspired Michener’s mythical Bali Hai than a tour with local professional photographer Renaud Fayada? His off-road vehicle takes us first into the interior, past pineapple fields and sub-tropical forests. to a mountainside vanilla plantation and a dreamy water garden. After a stop at the Belvedere lookout for stunning views of Mou’a Rotui (altitude 899 meters, or 2950 feet), the peak that separates Cook’s Bay from Opunohu Bay, things get serious.

The top of Magic Mountain offers dazzling aerial views of the barrier reef.

We start onto an impossibly steep rocky trail that earns itself a place high on my list of off-road rides I am thrilled to have taken but never will again! However, from the very top of Magic Mountain, the 360-degree panorama of the northern part of the island and the dazzling aerial views of the barrier reef are worth the stomach-churning experience. Afterward, in spite of multiple switchbacks, the drive down the verdant slope that is all that remains from a giant two-million-year old caldera to the small fishing village of Papetoai on the western side of Opunohu Bay is anticlimactic.

I wistfully re-board the ship’s tender for one last night on the Paul Gauguin. The next morning finds us already docked in Tahiti harbor. After two unforgettable weeks of exploring the farthest reaches of the storied South Seas, it is time to reluctantly re-enter the “real world.”

A panoramic view of the northern part of the island illustrates its volcanic origins.

Good to Know

Getting to Bora Bora – by air: Air Tahiti offers several daily flights between Tahiti and Bora Bora as well connections with other major Society Islands. Bora Bora airport is located on a small motu (islet) north of the main island, with boat transfer to it. The major luxury resorts have counters at the airport. For accommodations on the main island, Air Tahiti provides a free shuttle transfer from the airport to Vaitape. By sea: Two cargo/passenger ships, the Hawaiki Nui and the Taporo VII, make two weekly trips between Pape’ete and Bora Bora (with stops in Huahine, and Taha’a). A number of South Pacific cruise ships make frequent stops on the island. The Paul Gauguin, the only cruise ship operating year round in French Polynesia, makes over 30 stops a year on the island.Contact: tel. (US) 800-848-6172, or visit pgcruises.com .
Getting to Mo’orea – by air: Air Tahiti flights between Papeete and Mo’orea are about 15-minute long, and run back and forth several times a day. For latest schedule, check Air Tahiti. By sea: the high-speed Aremiti ferry runs throughout the day. For latest schedule, check Aremiti Arimiti.
Activities –Bora Bora ocean floor walk, Bora Bora Diving and Reef Discovery. Mo’orea photography tour, Eyes of Moorea Photography.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Bora Bora

Mo'orea

Tahiti Diary – The Garden of Eden Islands, Huahine and Taha’a

9 November 2018 | French Polynesia, Journeys, Oceania, Places | 1 comment

After a week of exploring the breathtaking vistas of the remote Marquesas islands followed by two laidback days at sea, we are entering the most visited archipelago of French Polynesia, the Society Islands. Created by volcanoes eons ago, they have evolved into the dreamy landscapes of soft mountains covered by lush jungle greenery and silky white coral sand beaches of South Seas fantasies.

A Busy Day in Paradise

Sailling around the lagoon reveals many secluded coves.

Within the shimmering turquoise ring of its lagoon, Huahine retains the alluring authenticity of timeless Polynesia. Actually two islands, Huahine Nui (Big Huahine) and Huahine Iti (Little Huahine), connected by a short bridge, it is a jungle of coconut groves, banana plantations, breadfruit trees and watermelon fields. And this lush landscape sprinkled with bright tropical blooms is also a preserve of sacred temples and unique pre-Columbian structures.

A lone sailboad shares our Maroe Bay anchorage.

The M/S Paul Gauguin is anchored in the serene Maroe Bay this morning, with the ship’s tender taking passengers the rest of the way to the sleepy Huahine Iti village of Maroe, where an off-road vehicle (the de-rigueur means of transportation throughout French Polynesia) awaits. We cross the bridge to Huahine Nui and the charming little town of Fare before climbing the steep road to the Belvedere, the island’s prime lookout with a panoramic view of the bay and the wilderness of Huahine Iti. It’s back down after that, to feed the sacred giant blue-eyed eels that fill a stream running through the tiny hamlet of Faie. Our guide buy cans of mackerel from a nearby road stand, tosses in a few chunks and the water becomes alive with writhing eels. Although I am assured they don’t bite, I pass on the opportunity to step into the stream and hand-feed them.

Fish Traps and Black Pearls

The centuries-old fish traps are still used today.

We continue along Lake Fauna Nui to Maeva. Once the seat of local royalty, it has the highest concentration of ancient marae (sacred stone platforms) in French Polynesia. Its most unique feature, however, is its ancient maze of fish traps. Laid out in V-shaped patterns pointed toward the ocean, the stone labyrinth emerges above the water level. As the fish are drawn toward the sea by the ebb tide, they become trapped in a circular pool where they are easily netted or harpooned. The centuries-old traps are still in use today.

The waters of Motu Murimahora are a snorkeler’s paradise.

We part company with our guide to board an outrigger canoe for a cruise around the lagoon. After a stop at the “Huahine Pearl and Pottery Farm” to learn about the cultivation of the rare Polynesian black pearl, we bounce across the crystalline waters to Motu Murimahora on the east coast of Huahine Iti (motus are reef islets of coral sand that surround an atoll. In other words they are tiny slivers of heaven). The snorkeling is magnificent here, a slow drift over coral heads amidst schools of multicolored fish. When I regretfully come out of the water, my six companions on this adventure are already convivially lingering on our host’s dock, sipping the ‘milk’ from freshly beheaded coconuts before we re-board the outrigger for more spectacular views of the island on our way back to the pier.

A short bridge connects the twin islands of Huahine Nui and Huahine Iti.

The Vanilla Island

A catamaran cruise around Taha’a is a great way to get a first glance at nearby Bora Bora.

Motu Mahana on the Taha’a lagoon.

Like its neighbor Huahine, the flower-shaped Taha’a is a botanical beauty. In addition to her fertile valleys and hillsides covered with banana and coconut groves, this island is also a vast natural greenhouse for the prized Tahitian vanilla orchids (Taha’a produces about 80% of all the vanilla in French Polynesia). Its intoxicating scent wafts on the warm breeze as I board a catamaran for an exhilarating morning of sailing on the infinite shades of blues of the Taha’a lagoon. The ultimate destination of the morning is the Taha’a coral garden and another memorable snorkeling experience before completing the sail around the island.

After a quick stop back on the ship, I catch a tender to Motu Mahana, the Paul Gauguin’s very own private motu, where a lavish beach barbecue lunch is already in full swing. Many of the ship’s passengers are here, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, or just chilling on the pristine sand with a drink from the floating bar. No scent of vanilla here. The mouth-watering aroma of grilling meat and fish fill the air. In the shade of the coconut grove, a good-humored game of beach handball is in progress. I wander off to the back of the islet. Here, the narrow water’s edge path is deserted, and the lagoon so shallow it looks like molten crystal. After a couple of hours on Mahana, I begin to fantasize about getting left behind. Robinson Crusoe never had is so good.

On the western side of Taha’a, the Tiva village church marks the entrance of Hurepiti Bay.

Good to Know

Getting there – By air: Huahine is served by Air Tahiti with flights throughout the day from Papeete, and regular flights from other Society Islands (Moorea, Bora Bora and Raiatea). Faha’a, which is located less than 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from and within the same lagoon as Raisatea, can only be access via ferry from that Raisatea airport. By sea: The 5-star Paul Gauguin, the only luxury cruise ship operating year round in French Polynesia, offers frequent itineraries that include both Huahine and Taha’a. For those who wish to travel independently around the Society Islands, two cargo/passenger ships, the Hawaiki Nui and the Taporo VII, make two weekly trips between Pape’ete and Bora Bora with stops in Huahine, and Taha’a. However, it is my understanding that they are slow, rather uncomfortable and booked months in advance.
The M/S Paul Gauguin is owned and operated by Pacific Beachcomber, S.C., based in Seattle, WA, U.S.A, and a specialist in French Polynesia tourism. The company is engaged in the ownership and management of quality hotels throughout the region and a pioneer of sustainable development and environmental protection in French Polynesia. All their properties are EarthCheck certified.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Huahine

Taha'a

Tahiti Diary – The Mythical Marquesas II, Tahuata and Nuku Hiva

26 October 2018 | French Polynesia, Journeys, Oceania, Places | 3 comments

The tiny island of Tahuata, or sunrise in Marquesan, lives up to its name as the Paul Gauguin glides to a stop at the edge of Hapatoni Bay in the golden post-dawn hour.

The Island at the End of the World

Tahuata’s sheer cliffs are covered with a coconut palm trees.

With a landmass of barely 61 square kilometers (24 square miles) and a population of 700, Tahuata is the smallest inhabited of the Marquesas Islands, and an end-of-the-world kind of place rarely visited by tourists. Located across a 4 kilometer (2.5 mile) wide channel from its big sister island of Hiva Oa to the north, this volcanic promontory of sheer cliffs covered with a lush canopy of coconut palms and dominated by Mount Tumu Meae Ufa (altitude 1200 meters, or 3900 feet), is accessible only by boat.

Hapatoni musicians welcome us on the landing.

The ship’s tender ferries passengers ashore to a small landing tucked behind a protective breakwater. Curved along the edge of its bay, the village of Hapatoni is exceptionally secluded and unspoiled, even by Marquesan standards. The air is fragrant with the scent of tiare and frangipani blossoms, and alive with the sound of ukuleles, guitars and drums from the local musicians on hand to welcome visitors.The village’s claim to fame, the Royal Road, beckons. Built in the 19th century on the orders on the local sovereign, Queen Vaekehu II, this paved walkway stretches along the shore under a canopy of ancient tamanu trees before reverting to a dirt path as it looses itself in the coconut palm groves.

Copra dries on racks along Hapatoni’s Royal Road.

The cemerety emerges from the lush tropical vegetation

It’s a leisurely ten-minute stroll to the end of this quintessential Marquesan village, more like a hamlet of some twenty colorful bungalow, each with its nearby drying rack for copra, one of the main sources of income of the village. Copra, the dried kernel of coconuts, is used to extract the oil, making it an important agricultural commodity throughout French Polynesia.

Along the way, I also pass the two main elements of community life for the some 100 inhabitants of Hataponi: the village church and its tidy cemetery of white crosses peering out of the flowering vegetation, and the craft center. The village is home to a community of fine sculptors, considered some of the finest in the Marquesas. Working with rosewood, horse bones and swordfish rostrums, they keep alive the meaning of traditional designs. Their carvings are exceptional, reminding me of some I have admired in European museums, and fairly priced for their quality. Should you get tempted, remember, prices are in French Pacific Francs (pegged to the Euro – 119,33 CPF = 1€). Cash only of course.

Tahuata sunrise.

Of Landscapes and Legends

Craggy volcanic peaks overlook Taihoae Bay.

The next morning finds us on Nuku Hiva, our fourth and alas last stop in the Marquesas. The main island of the archipelago with its landmass of 387 square kilometers (240 square miles), it is all razor-edged volcanic cliffs festooned by deep bays and remote high valleys. This craggy landscape is home to fewer than 3,000 inhabitants, most of who live on the southern coast, in the charming seafront village of Taihoae, the administrative and economic center, and de facto “capital” of the Marquesas.

A ride into the mountains reveals vertiginous coastal vistas.

Beyond the sapphire blue bay sprinkled with bobbing sailboats, the mysterious mountains beckon. I feel a pang of kinship with all travelers, artists and writers who jumped ship here, and probably still do, if only for a while. These days, horses and all-wheel-drive vehicles are the favored way to negotiate the rugged terrain of the hinterlands. I opt for the latter to visit the Taipivai Valley, made famous by American writer and former sailor, Herman Melville (1819-1891). He deserted his ship and hid in this valley, living with the indigenous natives for three week.This experience was the inspiration for his first novel, Typee.

The Taipivai Valley inspired American writer Herman Melvllle’s first novel, Typee.

Along the way, we ride up a steep winding trail lined with exuberant vegetation. Each turn reveals its own breathtaking views of precipitous valleys, and vertiginously far below, the wild coastline and infinite open sea. We pass by small agricultural hamlets as we descend into the valley, all the way to where a coastal village ends in a stretch of “beach’” I had anticipated a dip there, but the expanse of black volcanic rocks and pounding waves suggest a walk at the edge of the water (with reef shoes) as a wiser option.

Hikokua is home to a number of powerful tikis

One cannot visit any of the Marquesas without coming across ancient sacred sites. Today, at the edge of the sleepy village of Hatiheu, once the preferred retreat of British writer Louis Stevenson, we visit Hikokua, a large temple and marae, the open area once used for ceremonies and human sacrifices. Restored for the 1999 Marquesan Arts Festival, it showcases a number of powerful ancient and contemporary tiki statues. The festival, which takes place every four years, brings together almost 2000 participants from all over the Polynesian world to perpetuates rites and ancestral traditions through dances, songs, sports, sculpture, and of course, tattooing.

A Living Art Form

Marquesan tattoes are an important representation of individual and group identity throughout French Polynesia.

Tattooing was introduced to the Marquesas when the islands were originally settled by Samoans between the 1st and 4th centuries A.D. But unlike other islands, here the tradition was not restricted to chiefs and their family. Rather, tattoos were broadly used to identify one’s affiliation to any number of groups such as warriors, healers or entertainers. Considered a rite of passage for both men and women and a protection against evil, they were also a record of genealogical history, status and wealth. Banned to near extinction by missionaries in the 19th century, traditional Marquesan tattoes have made a remarkable comeback throughout the archipelago and indeed the whole of French Polynesia. Over the past few decades they have become once again appreciated as a proud living art form and an important representation of both individual and group identity.

Nana Marquesas

That’s “see you later” in Marquesan. It is with a tug of regret that I watch Huku Hiva fade into the sunset, and with it the intoxicating wilderness of the Marquesas. The ship is headed for two days at sea before we reach the Society Islands archipelago.

Huku Hiva panorama.

Good to Know

Getting there– By air: Air Tahiti flies daily from Tahiti to Nuku Hiva. From there, access to Tahuata can be arranged by local boats. By sea: Designed specifically to navigate the shallow waters of the remote South Sea Islands, the 5-star Paul Gauguin is the only luxury cruise ship operating year round in French Polynesia. It offers a number of itineraries that include both Tahuata and Nuku Hiva several times a year. Contact: tel. (US) 800-848-6172, or visit pgcruises.com. Additionally, the Aranui , a mixed cargo and passenger vessel, operates twice a month between Tahiti and the Marquesas.
The M/S Paul Gauguin is owned and operated by Pacific Beachcomber, S.C., based in Seattle, WA, U.S.A, and a specialist in French Polynesia tourism. The company is engaged in the ownership and management of quality hotels throughout the region and a pioneer of sustainable development and environmental protection in French Polynesia. All their properties are EarthCheck certified.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Tahuata

Nuku Hiva

Tahiti Diary – Cruising the Forgotten Tuamotu Archipelago

29 September 2018 | French Polynesia, Journeys, Oceania, Places | 2 comments

Mention Tahiti and most people envision dreamy, secluded islands ringed with beaches of velvety white sand shaded by lush palm trees and thatched bungalows perched above crystalline blue lagoons. They are not entirely wrong. These iconic images are real, but they are just the beginning. The Islands of Tahiti (as French Polynesia is commonly called) are actually 118 islands and atolls clustered into five archipelagos: the Society, Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambiers and Australs Islands, spread across more that five million kilometers (two million square miles) of the South Pacific.

The Island-Hopping Dilemma

Rush hour at the beach in the Tuamotu archipelago.

The soaring volcanic cliffs of the Marquesas Islands.

While only half of these islands are inhabited and others mere specks of sand barely sticking out of the ocean, that still leaves an embarrassment of compelling destinations. Places far beyond the posh overwater bungalow resorts that festoon a handful of the now world-famous islands in the Society archipelago. They are the remote, unspoiled Tahiti Islands I have long been yearning for, and an island-hopping challenge

Over time, my list has grown to include mysterious sounding names like Hiva Oa and Taiohae. Now that time has come to check the travel possibilities, I give a passing glance to Air Tahiti, the domestic airline with small plane service to many of the islands. Understandably, it operates on the hub and spokes model, which unless I intent to stay put at one destination means a lot of back a forth between connection points. Besides, my dream is to sail on the South Seas, not fly over them. But boats aren’t much help either. Beyond the trendy Society Islands, ferry service is limited to cargo schooners that take passengers and sail every fortnight to the various Marquesas. From there local transfer can be arranged between nearby islands. Doable, but there has to be a better way.

There is: Paul Gauguin. No, not the late French Post Impressionist painter who put the islands on the art world’s map over one century ago, but its namesake, the M/S Paul Gauguin.

A Winning Proposition

The M/S Paul Gauguin proposed my ideal itinerary.

Launched in 1998 and fully refurbished in 2012, the 5-star Paul Gauguin is the longest and only continually operating, year round luxury cruise ship in French Polynesia. With a length of 504 feet (154 meters) and a draft of only 17.1 feet (5.2 meters) this lovely (relatively) small vessel is designed specifically to navigate the shallow waters of the remote islands, atolls and motus of the Islands of Tahiti. In case you are wondering, motus are reef islets of coral and sand that surround an atoll. In other words, micro-islands.

The Paul Gauguin offers a variety of weeklong and 10-night itineraries that include some of the lesser-known islands. By now, I am avidly scrolling through the various offerings, weighing trade-offs. Until I come across a winning proposition: a 14-night itinerary around the Tuamotus, Marquesas and Society Islands, all tied up in a gloriously easy, pre-planned package. Sign me up!

Five-Star Adventure

The Paul Gauguin at anchor in the Fakarava lagoon.

Tonight’s menu at l’Etoile tonight features seared scallops on squid ink risotto.

And so it is that on a beautiful August afternoon in Papeete, we step aboard the Gauguin. My traveling companion is a dear, longtime friend who decided to share my South Seas fantasy. Our stateroom is a spacious 239-square-foot (22 square meter) Balcony Stateroom – Number 738, with twin beds, a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass outer wall opening onto a private veranda, and enough closet space to accommodate the vacation wardrobe of two women. The bathroom features double sinks, a full bath and plenty of cabinet space for all our toiletries. Settling in is a breeze.

Our luggage, collected earlier that morning from the Intercontinental Tahiti Resort and Spa where we’ve spent the past three days getting into the Islands’ spirit, has preceded us here, ready to be unpacked. We dine at l’Etoile that night, one of three restaurants on the ship and its main dining room. The setting is formal, the atmosphere pleasantly relaxed, the menu inviting and the service superb. With only 166 staterooms able to accommodate a maximum of 332 guests and an international crew of 127 (for a crew-to-guest ratio of 1/1.5, one of the highest of any luxury cruise ship), the level of attention is truly remarkable.

At Sea in the Tuamotus

The old Topak lighthouse dominates Fakarava Island.

My fascination with the Tuamotus goes back decades, ever since I came across the travel diary of Norwegian scientist and explorer Thor Heyerdahl, “The Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South Seas.” Heyerdahl and a crew of six had sailed in 1947 from the western coast of South America to the Tuamotus on a primitive raft to demonstrate the possibility that ancient people from the Americas could have colonized Polynesia. His hypothesis was later scientifically disproved. But as we approach the string of sea-level reef and motus stretching for 40 kilometers (25 miles) on the eastern edge of the Fakarava lagoon, the only thing that emerges from the ruffled coconut trees tops is a steep Mayan-looking pyramid. Could Heyerdahl have been onto something after all?

Small family-run guest houses line the lagoon.

The mystery pyramid turns out to be the 27 meter (90 foot) high Topaka lighthouse, an old stepped tower of coral stone with a flat top, where during times of emergencies a fire would be lit to alert signal neighboring atolls. The tidy little village of Rotoava, home to most of the 850 inhabitants of the island, is a good place to get a sense of atoll life. The village has all the necessities, basic public services, a couple of grocery shops, a handful of dive centers, and nestled in the palm trees along the beach, a string family-owned guest houses. In addition to the traditional activities of the island: copra production (the dried kernel of the coconut used to extract coconut oil), fishing and black pearl farming, dive tourism is now a growing industry here.

The lagoon is teeming with marine life.

There may not be much happening on Fakarava, but the real thrills lie on and beneath the water. This afternoon, I am headed for Garuae, the north pass into the lagoon, famous for its shallow coral garden and exceptionally rich marine life. From the Zodiac, the magic hits me full force. I have never seen anything quite so blue – startlingly, vibrantly, intoxicatingly blue – as the blue of the lagoon of Fakarava. Until I don my snorkeling gear and enter the water. I feel I am floating in molten crystal around the coral, in the company of multicolored parrotfish, groupers, snappers, stripped “convict fish” and more that I cannot identify.

I am happy that we will be at sea again tomorrow, on our way to the Marquesas Archipelago. I need that time to fully internalize the dazzling experience of my long anticipated encounter with the Tuamotus.

The lagoon glistens like molten crystal in the afternoon sun.

Good to Know

The M/S Paul Gauguin is owned and operated by Pacific Beachcomber, S.C., based in Seattle, WA, U.S.A, and a specialist in French Polynesia tourism. The company is engaged in the ownership and management of quality hotels throughout the region and a pioneer of sustainable development and environmental protection in French Polynesia. All their properties are EarthCheck certified. They are also active participants in the international Reef Check program, a voluntary-based research and education organization monitoring coral growth, health and rehabilitation.
The Paul Gauguin is frequently recognized as a top awards winner by notable travel and lifestyle publications. For more information about Paul Gauguin Cruises, call 800-848-6172, or visit pgcruises.com.
Fakavara has been a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1977. The delicate ecosystem of this marine wonderland is uncompromisingly preserved by its government and local population (n.b. Overwater construction of any kind is banned here).

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Fakarava

Darwin and Me – A Galapagos adventure

15 October 2013 | Galapagos, Journeys, Places, South America | 2 comments

It all started with a ship. How else could it start when the destination is the Galapagos Archipelago? One hundred and twenty eight islands, most of them just slivers of sun-baked volcanic rock, sprinkled over 45,000 square kilometers (17,000 square miles) of Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator some 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) to the west of mainland Ecuador. Of the 21 large enough to deserve recognition as actual islands, only five are inhabited to varying degrees. So, as Charles Darwin had already figured out, there had to be a ship. For him, a young man fresh out of Christ’s College (University of Cambridge) in 1831, the choice was simple. It was a berth as the naturalist on the Beagle, a 27.5-meter (90 foot) sloop with a crew of 74 men on a survey expedition along the coasts of South America, or nothing. He chose the Beagle. His momentous visit to the Galapagos has captured the imagination of adventure tourists ever since.

Royal treatment

The M/Y Grace at anchor against the vivid backdrop of Bartolomé's red lava cliffs.

The M/Y Grace against the vivid red lava cliffs of Bartolomé’s.

My own visiting options were less obvious. There are literally hundreds of crafts plying the waters of what is now the Galapagos Marine Reserve, vying for the attention of more than 150,000 yearly visitors. A tedious process of elimination ensued. Ships that could accommodate up to 100 guests (the maximum allowed by park regulations)? No thank you. My enthusiasm for following in Darwin’s footsteps did not include embracing his crowded cruising conditions. A further look at said regulations revealed that access to some of the most prized islands such as Genovesa, the ultimate birdwatchers paradise, and Bartolomé with its iconic black lava rock spur Pinnacle Rock rising from a tranquil aquamarine sea, was restricted to much smaller ships.

The upper deck lounge was a favorite spot to enjoy cooling sea breezes.

The list of desirable vessels was dwindling fast. Then I came across the M/Y Grace, a striking 44 meters (145 feet) classic yacht with a crew of ten, that could accommodate a maximum of 18 passengers in its nine luxurious staterooms Visions of exploring Darwin’s Enchanted Islands in relative solitude were dancing in my head. I had found my ship. I was on my way.

A sea lion cow faned herself as she nursed her pup.

The elegantly streamlined silhouette of the Grace gave me an odd sense of déjà vu, a disconcerting thought since luxury yachts have never been part of my universe. Further research validated the flash back: throughout the spring of 1956, the yacht had been front-page news on all the French magazines and movies screens and in the fantasies of a generation of schoolgirls. It was named Deo Juvante then (Latin for with God’s help), the motto of the house of Grimaldi, and its owner was Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The yacht was a frequent backdrop in the celebrations of his wedding to American movie star Grace Kelly, and the couple’s floating honeymoon cottage for a seven-week cruise around the most romantic spots of the Mediterranean.

Galapagos al fresco lunch on the stern deck.

Now this glamorous vessel, renamed M/Y Grace in homage to its most illustrious owner was the property of Quasar Galapagos Expeditions, and I too could call it home for a fabulous weeklong exploration of the Galapagos Archipelago, princely matrimony not required. And best of all, its current owner Eduardo Diez, a man with a passion for classic yachts, had undertaken a complete overhaul of the vessel to include such twenty-first century amenities as a state-of-the-art stabilizer system for smooth sailing, a hot tub on the sundeck and air conditioning throughout. Darwin never had it so good!

The rarest wildlife on the planet

On Genovesa, a nazca booby shades her eggs from the searing sun.

My Galapagos cruise delivered on all my Darwinian fantasies. It began just as his had, on San Cristobal Island (then Chatham Island). By some fortuitous happenstance, we were only seven lucky passengers to enjoy the unfailing pampering of the crew. Our outstanding naturalist guide, Rafael Pesantes, Rafa for short, ensured that we hardly ever encountered any other visitors during our shore excursions. A third generation native of the islands and an ornithology graduate from San Francisco University in Quito, Rafa coupled an encyclopedic knowledge of the fauna, flora and geology of the islands with the familiarity of one who has explored from an early age the crystal waters of its most secluded coves.

Galapagos green turtles were frequent companions during our snorkling expeditions.

Our daily land outings were filled with close encounters with some of the rarest wildlife on the planet. We wandered on white sand beaches festooned with colonies of sea lions and hiked along black lava rock paths to observe at close range the courtship ritual of Nazca boobies and waved albatross. We rode our panga to the edge of vertical cliffs teaming with blue-footed boobies and tiny Galapagos penguins, and watched frigate birds and brown pelicans nosedive for their breakfast. For me, however, the highpoint of the day was invariably our snorkeling expedition. Island after island, Rafa led us to a dizzying abundance of exotic marine life. A few minutes into our first swim, we sighted a hammerhead shark (that mercifully showed no interest in us). We swan surrounded by so many giant sea turtles that it was a challenge to keep out of their way.

On Isabela, the base of the cliffs were covered with bright coral formations.

Then there was the flightless cormorant that settled on my back, doubtless having mistaken the zipper pull of my wetsuit for a juicy eel, and expressed its disapproval by repeatedly pecking at my arm. Sharp beak!

Pinta Island giant tortoise Lonesome George was the last survival of its subspecies.

Toward the end of the week, I had blissfully lost tract of time by then, we stopped in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. With 15,000 inhabitants, it is the largest of the three cities in the archipelago and the home of the Charles Darwin Research Station where we paid a de rigueur visit to Lonesome George, considered to be the rarest creature on the planet. Believed to be over 100 years old, Lonesome George was the last known specimen of the Pinta Island giant tortoise subspecies. I was saddened to hear of his demise a few months after our visit.