ImageEvent
Public Gallery>Gerard Coulson>Travel and Vacation>
Tahiti and Moorea
Tahiti, after the wide-open lagoons and turquoise colours of the Tuamotus, was a shock.  Papeete, the capital city of the Society islands, was a mass of roaring traffic and pollution so after spending a couple of pricey nights tied alongside the once busy town quay near the busy road we snuck off round the corner and once again found beauty, peace and quiet and those lovely turquoise anchorages.  Being a part of France we had good access to a Carrefour Supermarche which was heaven, almost literally, after having no real access to decent food shops since February!  Fresh French bread, brie and wine: bliss.  Oh, but you pay about double the supermarket prices in the UK.

From Tahiti we sailed to Moorea, an absolutely stunning island, which we were expecting to be overrun by tourists: not so.  Our first anchorage on the east side of the island was deserted and we anchored in water so clear that we could see our anchor and chain on the sand in the moonlight.  We spent subsequent days in Cook’s Bay and Oponahu Bay where we again found total solitude and scenery that is simply stunning.  In Moorea I did three dives beyond the protective reef that surrounds the island, diving with Black-tip and Lemon sharks amongst pristine coral; I even saw clown fish (you know, Nemo)  hiding in an anemone, a long term want for me.  As a family we swam amongst sting-rays that would literally eat out of your hand!  With the people being amongst the friendliest we have ever met we loved Moorea.
July 200753 Images33642 visitsAlbum by Gerard CoulsonPhotos by Gerard Coulson
Enlarge photo 1 Tahiti - Venus point in the early morning after a heavy night of wind and rain at sea
Enlarge photo 2 Approaching Papeete
Enlarge photo 3 Tom gets a long overdue short back and sides
Enlarge photo 4 Me next!
Enlarge photo 5 Clarabella and Myrdinn alongside the town quay
Enlarge photo 6 At anchor overloooking Moorea
Enlarge photo 7 On a 'Le Truck', the public transport
Enlarge photo 8 Ashore at Venus point
Enlarge photo 9 The Venus Point lighthouse
Enlarge photo 10 On tghe wall of the lighthouse
Enlarge photo 11 At Venus Point we stumble on an outrigger-canoe race
Enlarge photo 12 Le Truck
Enlarge photo 13 Moorea at sunset
Enlarge photo 14 Leaving Tahiti astern
Enlarge photo 15 and Moorea is ahead
Enlarge photo 16 Papeete
Enlarge photo 17 Hills of Tahiti
Enlarge photo 18 Approaching Moorea
Enlarge photo 19 The colour of water we anchor in
Enlarge photo 20 The hills of eastern Moorea
Enlarge photo 21 A hotel on Moorea
Enlarge photo 22 A lovely anchorage
Enlarge photo 23 Leaving through the pass you can see the reef and the quiet water in the lagoon
Enlarge photo 24 Clarabella at anchor in Cook's Bay
Enlarge photo 25 Cook's Bay from the shore
Enlarge photo 26 In Oponohu Bay
Enlarge photo 27 Clarabella - bootm right - at anchor beneath the towering Mt Rotui
Enlarge photo 28 Ashore walking in a  fruit plantation
Enlarge photo 29 At anchor in Robinson's Cove
Enlarge photo 30 What a beautiful anchorage this was
Enlarge photo 31 M falls in love with some local stray kittens
Enlarge photo 32 Robinson's cove
Enlarge photo 33 Anchored, with the stern tied to a palm tree
Enlarge photo 34 The girls with the kitten - it was hard to leave this little one behind
Enlarge photo 35 Rebecca
Enlarge photo 36 another sweetie
Enlarge photo 37 Mt Tohiea, as seen in the film South Pacific
Enlarge photo 38 At anchor in Pigs bay, on the other side of Oponohu
Enlarge photo 39 Picture postacrd stuff
Enlarge photo 40 Cook's Bay seen from the Belvedere