Sailing through a break into the fringing reef protecting Opunohu Bay, the National Geographic Orion was accompanied to our anchorage by spinner dolphins and a stunning rainbow to starboard. We enjoyed breakfast with the dramatic, steeply peaked island of Moorea as our backdrop, a picture-perfect location. In reflection, variations of light created an interesting theme for the day.
Our first outing was to shore for a circular drive around the island with more gorgeous views all around us. Along the way we visited a marae, an ancient stone temple from early Polynesian civilization, where we walked around this sacred ground. We had a delicious stop at a plantation where many of us tasted local fruit jams, while others feasted on ice cream and fresh fruit juices. From the panoramic viewpoint of the Belvedere Overlook, dramatic clouds and shadows passed overhead presenting great photo opportunities.
After lunch, we had a variety of options to enjoy the aquatic pleasures of this tropical paradise: snorkeling, diving, and swimming from the beach. There were a good variety of fishes to be seen, sea turtles and black tip reef sharks.
As we departed Moorea, the sun was moving lower in the sky, and spinner dolphins once again paralleled the ship as we departed the island, leaping in the late day sun. The sunset behind the mountains sent golden shafts of light illuminating and penetrating the clouds, reaching down to the sea below.
We were now on our way to Papeete, Tahiti, where a huge pre-Christmas celebration was in progress on the waterfront. We arrived to the dock during dinner and were treated to a delicious dessert buffet on the aft deck, and a front row seat as spectacular fireworks decorated the night sky above the harbor with light and color. Ooooh’s and ahhhh’s were in abundance.
As the fireworks ended, yet another special performance was still to come. On the upper deck, a troop of Tahitian dancers wowed us with a dynamic performance of their regional dances, drumming and music. Men and women alike moved with incredible dexterity. The women blended gyrations of the hips and flowing movements of the arms, while the men tended towards fast, pulsing rhythms, all the while the musicians set the pace. It was a wonderful end to a full day.
