Tag Archives: french polynesia

Jaws is Here

Jaws has Nothing on Bora Bora

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Petting the sting rays

It is a true blessing to be able to swim and enjoy the underwater world with such magnificent creatures.

Piazza's Pizzazz Up Sugar Shack

Piazza’s Pizzazz Up Sugar Shack

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Our friends Rocco and Linda Piazza came for a short visit.  Rocco and his mom, Linda stayed at Hotel Conrad for a few days before we picked them up.  It was door to door service, we brought Sugar Shack to motu Toopuia where the hotel is located and picked them up in Sweetie.  Matt flew our giant Texas flag just in case the Piazza’s were uncertain as to which sailboat was Sugar Shack.

Pick up the Piazza's at Hotel Conrad

Pick up the Piazza’s at Hotel Conrad

A trip to Bora Bora would not be complete without dinner at Bloody Mary’s.  Lucky for us it was happy hour night as well (happy hour is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).  When you are ready to eat, they take you to their “menu table” where the fresh selection is laid out for you.  The host walks you through each selection of fresh meats and fish, how it is prepared and the cost.  You place your order and are seated on beautiful, varnished tree stumps in a Robinson Crusoe style dining room.

Dinner at Bloody Mary's

Dinner at Bloody Mary’s

BORA BORA TO TAHA’A

We left the next morning for Taha’a.  It was a beat into the wind and the waves making for an unpleasant first experience for our guests.  But the Piazza’s were troopers and kept smiles on their faces.  We raised the jib once we entered the lagoon for the short 2-mile jaunt to the Tautau motu and the coral gardens.  It was really busy in front of the gardens, so we decided to anchor in front of the Taha’a Pearl Resort.

Rocco jumped in the gorgeous water immediately!  It was time to wow them with the beauty of the coral gardens.  We did a little walk about on the resort’s property which had a lovely little beach.

Taha'a Anchorage

Taha’a Anchorage

We jumped in at the mooring entrance after securing Sweetie.  There was no current which made our leisurely snorkel even more enjoyable.  I am still working on the underwater camera settings and filters, so forgive the funky colors of the fish.  Hopefully you still get a feeling for their true beauty and curious nature.  The top photo was meant to be a stellar photo of Rocco, but a butterfly fish had different plans.

Coral Garden's underwater photos

Coral Garden’s underwater photos

We found an area that was teaming with a wide variety of fish.  They were incredibly friendly and inquisitive!  My favorite is still “Nemo” playing with the sea anemone.

Coral Garden's Underwater Photos

Coral Garden’s Underwater Photos

Little Shopping

The next day we made the short journey to Uturoa, the main village of Raiatea.  We picked up a mooring from Dream Yacht Charter and headed into town.  It was fun exploring a new island and markets with the Piazza’s.  We did some provisioning and found some cool new plates for the boat!

New plates for Sugar Shack

New plates for Sugar Shack

Coming Up Next

Be sure to read our next blog where we hike to the top of Tapioi, hunt crabs, snorkel and travel to other Society Islands with Rocco and Linda.

Bora Bora illuminated in the background

Bora Bora Insights

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Bora Bora is one of the most famous islands in French Polynesia (next to Tahiti).  It is a small island covering 38 kilometers and has two towering mountains.  The tallest Mt Otemanu is 727 meters tall.  This island was formed 4 million years ago after many volcanic eruptions.  The eruptions continued over hundreds of thousands of years.  Since then, the island like all islands, in French Polynesia has been and continues to sink.  Its lagoon is encircled by a wide coral reef that encloses several big motus with white sandy beaches.

Bora Bora's lagoon and surrounding motu's

Lagoon and surrounding motu’s

The island’s initial name was “Pora” and then that changed to “Pora Pora” which means first born – the first island drawn out of the ocean after the creation of Havai’l (Raitea).

A little History about this island:

  • Originally called “Pora” then “Pora Pora” and finally “Bora Bora”
  • 1769 Captain Cook discovers the island
  • 1888 The island attaches itself to France
  • 1942 U.S builds large navy base and airport
  • 10,550 Inhabitants which entirely cater to tourism
  • 7 million years old and is considered nearly an “atoll”
  • 1946 Americans left the island

New “Rules” Impacting Cruisers

In May 2019, Bora decided to mandate that all visiting yachts must use moorings and be charged for the service.  Prior to May, yachts were able to anchor in approved anchor zones at no charge like all the other islands in French Polynesia.  This new “rule” has been wildly unpopular for a number of reasons.

  1. The main purpose of forcing cruisers to use these moorings was because the locals were not using lights at night and were running into anchored boats. Not sure how this is the fault of the visiting yachts….
  2. The fees are expensive.
  3. The boats are not insured should the mooring fail and no plan has been put into effect to check and maintain the moorings.
  4. Eleven boats have had moorings fail since this rule has been in place June 1, 2019.

We prefer to anchor because we know our ground tackle and we trust our skills and expertise in anchoring.  We also don’t have to rely on anyone or anything else to keep our boat, our home safe.

Cruisers are certain this is just another revenue generating tactic that will be implemented in other French Polynesian islands.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the upcoming months.

Bora Bora is known as “the pearl of French Polynesia” but to be honest, it is very touristy and crowded.  It is beautiful, has crystal clear turquoise waters, green mountains, and friendly locals.  But Raitea, Mo’orea, and Taha’a have the same things with far less tourists, free anchorages, and a more intimate feeling.

Bora Bora illuminated in the background

Bora Bora illuminated in the background

Because Bora Bora is so well known it can get crowded with tourist.  But knowing the hidden gems and out of the way activities makes this a magical place.