Moorea--World's Most Beautiful Place

If there is a more beautiful island in the world than Moorea, we do not know what it is. Sara is afraid that she cannot find the right words to describe how stunningly gorgeous this small piece of land in the South Pacific is while Ken does not think any photographs that he took does that setting justice. So I, Punxsutawney Phil, have volunteered to write this blog entry and select the pictures. My writing will also give the news media a preview of the location that I have selected to make my weather prediction on February 2, 2012.

My first impression of Moorea was the incredible turquoise and sapphire blue water with white waves in between in Cook's Bay. Once we debarked the tenders, we were invited by Don and Donna Stein from Ketchikan, Alaska, to join them and two other passengers for a four-wheel drive Circle Island Tour. The Steins had moved from Washington, DC, after they sold the funeral home that they operated to Ketchikan, a port on their Alaskan cruise with which they fell in love. Our first stop was an overview of one of several hotels that has grass huts built on stilts over the South Pacific Ocean. Then we walked along one of the beautiful white sand beaches, where I found a hole in a tree trunk overlooking the water that I claimed as my new burrow for forecasting the weather next February. I am ready to give up the cold and snow of western Pennsylvania for this island paradise.

We had a photo stop at the mountain that was used for the filming of the scenes in Bali Hai in the movie South Pacific. This mountain also appears on the 50 and 100 francaise coins in French Polynesia. Our driver also stopped at a small picture-perfect Catholic Church. Even the statue of the Virgin Mary was wearing a lei of topical flowers.

Then the road climbed steeply up an old crater to Belvedere Lookout, with its awesome panorama view of the deep-blue fingers of Cook's and Opunohu Bays separated by Mount Rotui. The obligatory photograph was of the ship's passengers standing at the top of the lookout with the Pacific Princess anchored in Cook's Bay in the background.

When our driver dropped us off at the dock, Sara and Ken were talking about going back to the ship for lunch and to change into their swim suits. I was afraid that they may leave me behind in the stateroom when they departed. By luck, a passenger approached them to state that a boat needed two more passengers before it would set sail for an afternoon of snorkeling. They immediately signed on, thus ensuring the continuation of my island adventure.

The boat sailed out of Cook's Bay, past Mount Rotui and another photo opportunity of Bali Hai, and into Opunohu Bay, which the captain said was more natural and unspoiled by man or woman. We then stopped to snorkel with the stingrays and sharks. The crew had assured Sara and Ken that there was a place on the beach where they could change into their swimsuits but the boat wasn't at the beach. Sara didn't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so they took turns holding up a towel for each other. Ken was sure that a woman on another boat was taking pictures of them as they changed so if you see them on the Internet sans most clothing, please let them know.

They learned how to pet the stingrays on the top and became accustomed to be bumped by them as the crew fed them. Then the sharks arrived, and they were assured that these sharks did not bite. Sara was happily snorkeling among the stingrays and sharks when a man, whom she assumed was Ken, grabbed her wrist. When she stood up and took off her mask, she was facing a member of the crew who told her to move to the other side of the boat because she had too many sharks surrounding her. (Remember the Jimmy Buffet chorus, "Fins to the left of me. Fins to the right of me and you're the only bait in town.") With Sara's Scottish, Irish and Welsh heritage, she was primo white meat for all ocean inhabitants.

The boat then took us to a beautiful white sand beach where I was welcomed as the celebrity that I am. The crew set out a lovely array of topical fruit, and Ken and Sara enjoyed more Hinano beers that were even more expensive than the ones in Tahiti ($6.25 each). While we all could have stayed there staring at the scenery and walking along the beach until nightfall, we had to head back to Cook's Bay to catch the tender to the ship.

Once on the Pacific Princess, the fun continued with a Champagne Sailabration on the open Decks 9 and 10. This had to be one of the best sailaways ever with jaw-dropping vistas and champagne glasses that were constantly filled by the crew.

While Moorea is only 12 miles from Tahiti, Captain Bligh never landed on that island. My theory is that if he had experienced all the beauty that Moorea offers, he would have been the leader of a mutiny to stay there forever.

We now have five days at sea before we reach Auckland in which we will cross the International Date Line, lose the day of Sunday, February 13, and celebrate Valentine's Day. Check back with us February 15 for an update on these happenings.