Category: Society Islands

The short trip over from the west side of the island is one that can reek havoc on boaters. It would appear that areas of the reef have been blasted away to accommodate the structuring of resort bungalows or what have you. So our nav charts showed reef where there really wasn’t any and then there were twisty, ‘s’ shaped passages lined with jagged coral that had managed to outlive construction. It acquires precise attention because if you went right when you were supposed to go left, you’d find youreslf stuck on a reef before you could say reverse. Unfortunately for our friends Jeff & Julie on Flashback they learned the hard way and we had to go help them winch their boat off the reef. Minimal damage was done, so that was good, and it was a useful experience for Drew and myself seeing how we’d never had to help anyone do that before.

We managed to avoid a repeat of Teahupoo for Dosia but were still a little on edge navigating her through waters that fluctuated anywhere from twenty to seven feet. Waters so clear and blue it looked like you could just reach your hand in and grab a big handfull of sand. Gorgeous, yes, but a little nerve racking when your boat draws five feet! But we made it and are anchored slap dab in the middle between the Four Seasons and the St. Regis resorts.

I really hate it for those who are fortunate to visit Bora Bora and never see this side of the island. The waters here are unlike anything I have ever seen. Miles and miles of nothing but undisturbed aquas sitting atop pads of white sand. I am all too curious to, hopefully, explore the grounds of these prestigious and elusive resorts, such as the St. Regis which drew the likes of Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Eva Longoria, and Tony Parker in its opening weeks back in June of 2006. We’ve heard here and there that most of these places are operating at less than 30% capacity right now. So fingers crossed, due to lack of clientel, they will welcome our business even though we are not shelling out the $900 a night for a room with a view. We already have one of those in Dosia. Instead we’ll just indulge in one of their $20 turkey dogs. Nothing like processed meat to make you feel like you are rubbing elbows with a big wig, huh?!?

It seems Bora Bora either delights or disappoints sailors.  I’ve heard it called “Boring Boring” by some while others proclaim it their favorite spot in Polynesia.  I admit I was shocked by the beauty of Huahine and if we hadn’t been so excited to meet up with everyone of Friday night we’d probably still be there exploring all the anchorages and small private beaches.  But Bora Bora is what it is; a unique island surrounded by a beautiful lagoon that attracts honeymooners and wealthy vacationers from around the globe.  This is now my third time visiting the island and Margie’s second so we arrived with a good sense of the layout and what to do.  For instance, we already know that renting a car here is a waste of money.  We know Bloody Mary’s has Hinano on tap and is a fine place for a beer but not diner.  And we know that to really experience what made this place famous we need to crash visit the resorts on the islands in the lagoon (the motus).  So that’s our plan.  In the next couple of days we’ll move over to the east side of the main island and spend a couple of days checking out the posh St Regis, the brand new Four Seasons, and several others I’m sure.  It’s the less popular side of the island because of the eight foot depth limit that restricts larger boats from making the trip.  It’s also the more beautiful side of Bora Bora with several square miles of white sand bottom backed up to palm fringed beaches.  Sounds like a great place to finish up our time in French Polynesia!

Here’s a couple of shots from the Bora Bora Yacht Club.

I think Margie mentioned it in an earlier post but I updated our About the Journey page to reflect our plans for the next couple of months.  Check it out!