Saturday February 27, 2016 – Anchored with Port side facing the coast of Mo’ore’a, having taken all night to travel the 11 miles (17 Km) form our last port of Pa.pe-ete! Apparently mooring fees in Papeete are the highest of the entire trip, so it was better to very slowly travel the 11 miles at about 1 1/2 miles an hour all night! It was a Maiden call to French Polynesia, so the local government at a private ceremony, bestowed on the ship’s captain gifts of engraved Mother of Pearl shells, mounted and a mahogany carved trumpet like scroll also duly mounted. This is a usual custom, when a large ocean liner like QM2 or Cruise ship makes a maiden (first) stop in a location and some 100 different gifts are displayed all over the ship.
This enchanting island – James Mitchner used Mo’ore’a as the setting of “Bali Hai” – that illusive but enchanting island with it’s ragged peaks of “South Pacific” movie / theatre fame. Also the 1984 movie Bounty (Anthony Hopkins / Mel Gibson) was based here. Moorea (Mo’ore’a = Yellow / golden Lizard in Tahitian) is a heart shaped (as typically drawn on Valentine’s Day) island wth the “notch” upper part divided into two bays – Cook’s bay and Opunohu Bay (“Belly of Stonefish” bay – where we anchored). It is the second largest (after Tahiti) of the Winward Group of the Society Islands and surrounded by coral reefs, which make the beaches very attractive and allow for hotel resorts to be built on stilts in the light turquoise water. A small 100 meter (330 feet) wide opening in the coral reef at Opunohu Bay allowed the 40 Meter wide ship to enter the bay and anchor. The Sofitel is particularly spectacular as it also faces Tahiti. The island has no traffic lights and no building is higher than a coconut tree, indeed coconut trees are used as microwave / cellular phone towers! The day was warm and glorious sunshine, abundant. While the tallest volcanic mountain (Tahiea 1,207 m / 4,000 ft), often shrouded in mysterious clouds, showing herself all too briefly, together with the other jagged peaks forming most of the central part of the island, shone brilliantly. The island has a population of 19,000 with 12 policemen, 4 main resorts (Sofitel, Intercontinental, Hilton) 1 supermarket (Carefour) and a small 20 room hospital (any serious cases are helicoptered to Tahiti – 10 minutes). Tourism and pineapples drive the economy. The tour was to take us all around the island which is basically the only road (60 Km / 37 Miles long) and takes 1 1/2 Hours without stops as it is 10 miles at its widest covering an area of 134 Square Km (52 Sq Miles). There are 8 villages – (clockwise from Cook’s bay) Paopao, Maharepa, Temae (by airport and location of “Jack Nicklaus Designed” 18 hole golf course), Vaiare, Afareaitu, Haapiti, Le Petit Village and Papetoai.
Our first stop was Belvedere Point (Roto Nui) a point part way up the Tahiea mountain and facing Mount Rotui which separates Cook’s and Opunohu bays offering us amazing sights. On the way up to the peak we stopped at a series of Marae’s (ancient temple precincts) which had been restored. These were at different heights up the mountain in the mahogany woods. We then drove in the coach with the driver / guide making come commentary, around the island, stopping periodically for sceninc photographs and great vistas. Once back at the port area, there were some tables set up where locals sold trinkets and a convenience shop where Hinano beer could be purchased, thus we returned to the ship by tender for a late lunch. The sail away was a highlight as we could see the rugged mountains, the surfers riding the big waves by the coral reef, seemingly right by the ship and the many dolphins swimming on either side of the bow of the ship. The evning’s show was a brilliant magician Philip Hitchcock (London Palladium, Tropicana Las Vegas and other such venues).
Roger & Anne Travels 