We are blessed with so many fascinating friends in this truly unique and special community we call “cruisers.” You’re probably wondering why I mention that under the title “Jaws has nothing on Bora Bora” post. Well, first, we realized that several of our cruising community have arrived in Bora Bora and we all picked up a mooring in the anchorage off the To’opua Motu. Agape, Argo and Athanor are all nestled in here. It is pretty crowded, but there is lots of swing room for everyone.
Agape came and got us and took us to a spot just outside the reef. We jumped in the water which was about 10 meters deep and were immediately surrounded by a school of black tip sharks. There had to be at least 2 dozen floating around. The top two sharks are “lemon sharks” and the bottom are black tip sharks.
Black tip sharks off Bora Bora
Within a few minutes, Josh and Rachel spotted the lemon sharks. Wowza, they were at least 2 meters long and thick in the middle. Looked like they already at a tourist or two as they were only gliding around us. The top two are lemon sharks and the bottom is a black tip shark.
Lemon Sharks
Who is canvassing who?
I decided to have some fun with a few pictures. The top photo just seemed like a snap shot out of Jaws (without the blood and gore). Matt took the center photo. It is our friend Niccola’s feet in the foreground of the sharks as she sits in the dinghy. The last photo is a local guide who was showing off for his guests. Yes, he is riding a lemon shark who didn’t seem to mind the hitch hiker.
Crazy antics with sharks
Rachel has a new GoPro and took these fish filled photos of our shark encounters. Yes, that is one of the guides in his underwear standing on a lemon shark. The one on the left seems to be hearing the theme song from Jaws…dunit dunit…
Photos courtesy of Rachel Moore
Proof that I swam with Jaws, well not really, as these sharks were tamed by man and hand feeding. But still, it got your heart pumping being with these majestic beasts.
Me swimming with lemon and black tip sharks
Agape has a smaller dinghy and outboard than us, so we took Rachel in Sweetie. She got some funny pics of Josh and Niccola trying to keep up with us.
Josh and Niccola trying to keep up with Sweetie
The next morning, we were blessed with a truly breathtaking sunrise over Mt. Pahia.
Sunset over Mt Pahia, Bora Bora
STING RAY CITY – BORA BORA
Bora Bora has its own Sting Ray city located about 100 meters off starboard. We gathered up the crew from Agape and headed over. Another fun shallow spot filled with lots of sting rays and black tip sharks. Jaws was absent today.
Josh and Rachel are expert free divers. Josh can hold his breath for over 5 minutes! It is a spectacular site to watch these two under the sea. I can usually only go 2-3 meters below the surface while snorkeling so I can’t even begin to capture their free diving to the depths that they can go.
Josh and Rachel free diving
The water is only 4’ deep in this area. By the time you get to the sea bed the sting rays jettison past you. So, I played footsies with most of them. They are so soft to the touch. Not like cashmere but more like velvet. I’m not stepping on them, just hovering above them so when they flap their giant wings, they tickle my foot.
Petting the sting rays
It is a true blessing to be able to swim and enjoy the underwater world with such magnificent creatures.