Bora Bora, French Polynesia – May 27th

We are anchored off possibly the most idyllic and romantic tropical island in the world. Since this is our 40th Anniversary year, we are staying tonight in a thatched-roof over-water bungalow. And people say I’m not romantic.

The bungalows of Le Méridien reach out from the atoll towards the iconic shape of Bora Bora’s volcanic cone. 

Bora Bora isn't the inspiration for the mythical “Bali Hai” in “South Pacific;” but it could have been.

Here is Joani inside our bungalow, which features a glass bottomed floor

Looking through the floor, Joani shot this video of me swimming under the hut.

 I took this picture of Joani from the water.

Of the 200 people staying in the hotel, roughly 190 are honeymooners. We shared a six hour “romantic snorkel adventure” with Steve and Claire, 27 year-old newlyweds from California. Here we on a private motu (islet) where we had a champagne lunch.

Our first of four snorkel stops was a reef featuring this big barracuda. The snorkeling in Bora Bora is better than SCUBA almost anywhere else. The barracuda shared the reef with a couple of giant eels, one 8 feet long and the other 18.

 The bigger eel

The little guy 

 

In a shallow part of the lagoon we swam with manta rays and black tip sharks. Joani is petting a manta ray. They are soft and cuddly. She is an official ray whisperer.

 A ray swimming near Joani’s leg. In the background, you can see the black tips.

Here is a shark swimming under a ray. They are coming to see me. Good thing we had been to the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium in Australia and knew they aren’t dangerous.

A black tip, from the next reef, which featured a lemon shark that made this black tip look tiny. 

 Lemon sharks are big and impressive but not aggressive or dangerous

 All the same, I am still glad he decided to swim away from me

 After our third snorkel we headed to this motu for lunch. Then to our fourth and final reef of the day.

No more sharks, just lots of colorful reef fish. 

 As we returned to the hotel, Bali Hai was, as always, in the background.

All in all, a totally amazing day celebrating 40 years of marriage. To paraphrase South Pacific, one enchanted evening (Thursday, December 6, 1973), I did see a stranger, across a crowded room (the Cornell Tri-Delt Chapter Room), and somehow I knew, I knew even then, that I would see her, again and again.

Guess I’m just as corny as Kansas in August.

We fly to Papeete tomorrow on Air Tahiti and rejoin the ship.

The adventure continues.