South Pacific 2015 – Rangiroa

 The first thing I noticed when we arrived at the wharf was that there was more “life” around the dock that we had seen at the previous ports of call, the people here were more energetic and interested in providing a service or just answering your questions, it was a great change.

RGI-002   SNORKEL THE AQUARIUM GARDEN

Duration: 1.00 Hrs (We were out for nearly 2hrs)

“Rangiroa’s spectacular and diverse marine life is yours to discover during this scenic and memorable dive in the Tuamotu Islands.

Depart the pier via local boat for the ride to Motu Nui Nui, a natural, open-water aquarium renowned for its marine life.  Upon arrival, you will receive your safety instructions, then enter the water to explore your surroundings.  Along the way, you will observe an abundance of colorful fish, coral and marine life.  Your guide will offer assistance in the water, and throughout the tour.  During the tour, you will also have an opportunity to hand-feed the fish.  Following your snorkeling session, you will be transferred back to the pier.

Please note:  This tour is recommended for guests who are in good physical condition, and used to snorkeling in deep water and strong currents.  The Tuamotus are very remote islands.  The tour is not available to wheelchair guests or those with mobility concerns. Although the guides used are the best available, they may have limited English skills; thus, narration will be very sparse or even non-existent.  Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.  Please wear a swimsuit under a cover-up; sun cap; sunscreen; sunglasses; a bottle of water and a towel from the ship; and flat, comfortable walking shoes or aqua socks. A mask and snorkel are provided.”

The boat for our excursion

Our dive master for today, she is from Quebec Canada, enjoying being out of the cold!

The boat’s skipper (he did not say much)

 “The Aquarium” is an area that is next to a sandbar and is where we would be snorkeling.

One of the first things I noticed when I got into the water was that it was warmer than Bora Bora, the second was that there were a lot of fish 🙂

 No stingrays this time, but there were a number of black tip sharks, unfortunately they were a little too deep to get a decent photo of. I am not sure if the rest of the people I was snorkeling with noticed how many there were, as I am sure that they would have reacted very differently if they had seen the 6 or 8 that I saw swimming beneath them, there were a couple of people a little concerned when they noticed 2 of them.

This was another great tour and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in snorkeling, take some bread with you to feed the fish ~and remember to get some anti-fog spray for your goggles.

After the snorkeling there was still a bit of time so I went in search of a tour or a guide who take us to visit the winery that is on the island, Vin de Tahiti, unfortunately they don’t open anymore as the owner was not happy with people just tasting (which they had to pay for) and not buying any wine. Guess they have enough money! So all that was left was to go for a walk around the village near the dock and see if I could find a couple of bottles to try.

I found a church that had seen better days, guessing it was damaged in a storm as it was on the non-sheltered side of the atoll

This is the channel that we entered and exited through

After an unsuccessful search for a bottle of the local wine I headed to the cafe next to the dock where I was meeting up with friends from the ship. Whilst there I though it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat so had a baguette with beef, BBQ sauce and french fries (a strange inclusion, but it worked well) plus a Tahitian Beer to wash it down.  Just what I needed!

In the cafe we found out that they had one bottle of the local wine left, a bottle of Moscato, we bought it and will try it later on the cruise.

One of the things the locals like to do in their outriggers is to grab a tow from the wake of the various larger boats as they leave the dock. They had a lot of fun with the tow provided by the ship’s tenders!

Once back on board I wandered around the upper decks to take a few more shots of this very beautiful place.

The view from my balcony as we left Rangiora via the same channel we entered through

Sunset in the South Pacific

 Another great day on board the Mariner, next up Fakarava