| Alloy 110 |  |
Later that day, Charlatan motored to the other side of Taha’a,
where we anchored near the Relais & Chateaux Le Taha’a Private Island &
Spa, a five-star resort with exquisite thatch-roofed villas built on stilts
straddling the lagoon. It was a slightly misty rainy day, which made the lush
volcanic island appear all the more mysterious.
 The vibrancy of the Polynesian personality comes
alive with music and dance in Vaitape, Bora-Bora. (Click image to enlarge)
We took part in a shellfish sampler extravaganza that night at
local restaurant Chez Louise. Our gregarious and loquacious hostess joined our
table and created an instant party. Island punches were poured liberally, and
food was served home style. After our meal, the detritus from our plates was
recycled back into the sea as we watched the puff fish gather around under
the deck of the restaurant.
 A steeple stands out in the glorious green
backdrop of Taha’a. (Click image to enlarge)
The next stop was the island of Raiatea, where we anchored in
the harbor and took a tender to a busy commercial town. Traffic there was more
local than touristy. We wandered into local shops while our chef and stewardess
hunted down some provisions and local produce for our fruit-laden breakfasts.
Black pearls are sold everywhere, in the produce markets, postcard shops and
clothing stores. Here, we did not find the fancy jewelry shops there that we
found in Tahiti. Prices varied vastly, depending on the quality of the pearl.
Top photo: Unlike so many places in the Caribbean, the reefs
here are rife with colorful fish. The barrier reefs throughout the Society Islands are splendid! Bottom photo: Breakfast gets delivered by proa express in Mooréa—beats running to
Starbuck’s. (Click images to enlarge)
Raiatea was merely a day stop as we set sail for the most
famous island of them all, the legendary Bora-Bora. Charlatan was in her
element; good winds enabled us to push 12 knots. We sailed through to a cut
inside the barrier reef. The colors of the water there are phenomenal—better
than the Bahamas…or maybe it is the juxtaposition of the water next to the
dramatic mountainous island that makes it all seem so perfect. Safely tucked in
protected waters of Povai Bay, we went snorkeling. Multicolored fish were
plentiful.
We spent the next couple of days visiting the town of Vaitape, going for a
day sail, taking a helicopter tour, eating Clare’s world-class meals, waterskiing and swimming. Charlatan had to
leave to pick up a honeymoon couple, but we stayed on at the lovely Aman Resort,
Hotel Bora-Bora. Thatch-roofed cottages by the sea were nice, but we missed the
camaraderie of Charlatan’s crew. We decided to strengthen our
sea legs and circumnavigate Bora-Bora by bicycle—a nice languid way to stop and
have a snack, and shop for pareus and pearls. The terrain is too rugged and
mountainous for many inland roads. Hiking is possible, but is best in the early
morning, before the sun gets overhead.
 As powerful as the rig looked, the captain encouraged us to take
turns at the helm. Then we just sat back and made sure the sails were set just
right. (Click image to enlarge)
Next we flew to Mooréa, a true Shangri-la. Perhaps less of a
tourist island than Bora-Bora, we got a sense that people do live here rather
than merely vacation here. We hiked with a picnic lunch to a glorious inland
waterfall and rewarded ourselves with a cool shower at the base of the fall
itself. We also visited a pineapple plantation and tasted the best
fresh-squeezed pineapple juice. Recognizing the Perini Navi sailboat
Morning
Glory in the bay, we wished we were back aboard
Charlatan.
| Right photo:
A perfect
parody
of a
Polynesian cocktail served with
Clare’s delectable
hors
d’oeuvres. Far Right Top photo: A helicopter view from Bora-Bora’s crater. Far
Right Bottom photo: A
pre-cappucino dive
off the aft deck starts off
the morning.
Accessible
from the master suite, the aft cockpit is like
having a
private
balcony for the lucky occupants of this
cabin.
(Click images to enlarge) |  |  |  |
There is nothing more luxurious than staying aboard a great yacht for a
week’s vacation. Tahiti and her islands have their fair share of five-star
resorts with all the amenities, but they do not move. Aboard Charlatan, we had
the best of all worlds—superb location and landscape with the sailing and
service of Captain Cook and his crew. It’s easy to understand why our
captain and his namesake predecessor chose to sail these waters; why Gauguin
chose to paint it; and why Rodgers and Hammerstein immortalized it in song. We
will sing Tahiti’s praises for years to come.
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