OUR SOUTH PACIFIC
CRUISE
March 4, Don, Linda, Ken and I (Pat)
boarded Holland America’s MS Rotterdam in San Diego for our 30 day cruise to
the South Pacific. The weather reflected
California at its best and our departure from port was smooth as we were
escorted out of the bay and into the open ocean by the port authorities and
Coast Guard.
VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK HILO
Our five day sail to Hawaii was a
combination of relaxation and rough seas which made the March 10 arrival at Hilo
and solid ground appreciated. Ken and
Don were both on deck to observe and “shipboard supervise” the Captain’s
seamanship as the anchor was dropped and the ship secured off Hilo on the big
Island of Hawaii. As soon as passengers
were cleared to go ashore, we disembarked the ship for our planned visit to the
volcano and Hawaii’s Volcano National Park.
This was our third trip to Hilo but a first for Don and Linda. Revisiting and sharing the enthusiasm of a first
time visit to sites of interest is almost as pleasant as seeing it for the
first time. It was a pleasant day on the
island and too soon it was time to return to the ship and our departure for the
next port of call Lahaina, Mauai.
ON THE WAY TO HANA BAY
March 11, our arrival in Lahaina,
was accompanied by enthusiastic dolphins who seemed to welcome the ship’s
arrival with spirited maneuvers and graceful beauty as the Captain guided the
ship into safe anchorage. Once again we
were at the ready for disembarkation as soon as clearance was given. We picked up our rental car and launched our
adventure to Hana Bay. I remembered that we had been to Hana Bay but I had forgotten the "road from Hell" that
one must navigate. It is a beautiful
drive but the narrow road winds around the hills and becomes boring with its
curves, beautiful water falls and one way bridges. I assured my fellow passengers that I would
not have made the trip a second time if I had remembered my first trip as being
as uncomfortable as the second.
Nevertheless, the scenery was beautiful and what is life if one does not
have an occasional misstep in memory? You may correctly assume that I will not
be a candidate for a third excursion to Hana Bay, in spite of the awesome
beauty that may be gleened along the way.
After our excursion and lunch, we made our way back to the ship in
readiness for our next port of call, Honolulu, Oahu.
HONOLULU HI
March 12, Ken and I did a tour of
the World War II Memorial in Honolulu.
We had visited the site in the early 60’s but the Memorial has been
rebuilt. It was an emotional experience
and our visit to the USS ARIZONA was sobering in proper respect and appreciation for the price paid by those who still reside in that shrine. After our visit to the Memorial, we visited
Punch Bowl and the very hallowed ground where so many of our fellow Americans
reside. Later we were driven through
downtown Honolulu and given a birds eye view of the city and its many
amenities. We enjoyed a view of Iona Palace, the only Royal mansion on US territory. Don and Linda had visited the Memorial during
a recent visit and thus, elected to do a tour of the city and the Punch Bowl on
their own. As the day concluded, we were
all properly respectful of the history there that will forever dwell in our memory.
KAUAI
March 13, Nawiliwili Kauai was our last port of call in the Hawaiian
Island chain. Our self directed tour of
Kauai included a stop at our time share at Pahio Villas, a drive to the Hanalei Valley lookout, lunch at Bubba’s and a stop over at the lighthouse
overlooking the Blue Pacific for a picture op.
By now, we recognized that the short stop overs were too short to do
more than catch a glimpse of an area or a few hours of tourist trap
shopping before rushing back to the ship
in readiness for our next port.
FANNING ISLAND
Our next days were sea days which
were welcome after 4 days of Island hopping and rushing to try to get as much
into a short stop over as possible.
With our visit to the Hawaiian Islands, the weather had began to warm
and the warm glow of the South Pacific sun was beginning to add zest to our
anticipation and excitement. We crossed
the International dateline and thus, for the convenience of the ships stewards
who changed the carpets in the elevators every day in order that we might stay
attuned with the day of the week, Wednesday, the 15th, was a non-event.
Instead, we went immediately to
Thursday, the 16th and our next port of call Fanning Island. As
background, the following is copied from the Wikipedia on the web.
Historically the first recorded mariner to sight Tahanea atoll was American captain Edmund Fanning of the American ship Betsy on June 11, 1798, and was named for him.[1] At the time, the atoll was uninhabited, and like all of the Line Islands, has no truly native population. After Fanning, it was visited by whalers of several nationalities. Prior to 1855, Captain Henry English and 150 laborers from Manihiki settled, and began producing coconut oil for export. He put the island under British protection, when it was visited by W.H. Morshead in HMS Dido on October 16, 1855.
Tabuaeran has a
population of 2500, principally Gilbertese settlers brought from Kiribati by
Fanning Island Plantations, Ltd., to work in the copra industry (copra is the meat of the coconut). The capital is Napari (Paelau) in the northwest.
The former capital is Napia (English Harbour) on the western side, south of a
passage into the lagoon. Other villages are Tereitaki, in the northwest,
Aontena, a resettlement area just south of Napia, and Manuku, a resettlement
area in the south. 6 Reef fish and
shellfish, babai (Cyrtosperma chamissonis), coconut,
pigs, chickens, and seaweed (limu) grown in a lagoon are local foods, supplementing a main diet of
imported rice and tinned meats.The island's major
exports are copra and hand crafts (including cowrie shell,
shark tooth knives, and Kiribati stamps).
A supply ship from Australia calls
two or three times a year”
Until 2009, Fanning Island was a
regular stop for Norwegian Cruise Lines ships sailing Hawaii. Since that time the island has suffered from
the absence of regularly scheduled cruises.
Holland America and Seaborne Cruiseline schedule visits to the island
two or three times per year which has
allowed the island to regain some income and help. Prior to our arrival at
Fanning Island we were briefed on the severe economic conditions of the island
people and encouraged to assist in any way that we felt comfortable. Many of the passengers aboard purchased
school supplies and items of clothing for the children in Hawaii which were
dispensed by the ship’s crew to the appropriate island representatives.
Inasmuch as the cruise ship was in, a school holiday had been declared and the townspeople were out in force to show their wares and welcome their guests. In retrospect, I believe that this may have been Ken’s favorite stop of the entire trip. The island had no electricity, no amenities (running water or toilets) and it was a true step back in time. Ken identified this as the South Pacific of “yore” and its unique island charm was manifested in his delight in the experience. The man should have lived in the 1800’s.
Upon arrival at Fanning Island, the
Captain announced that due to a medical emergency aboard we would depart slightly earlier than previously scheduled.
We would stop at Kiritimati[1] or Christmas Island (a Pacific Ocean raised coral atoll in the northern Line Islands, and part of
the Republic of Kiribati, where medical
facilities and an airport for airlift of the patient out of the islands were available. (In the indigenous language (known as Gilbertese), "ti" is pronounced as "s;" likewise there is no sound for "g" or "l." Therefore, in Gilbertese, Kiribati is pronounced "Keer-ih-bahss," and is the closest pronunciation possible to create the word "Gilberts." Likewise, Kiritimati is the local language equivalent of Christmas and is pronounced "Keer-ees-mahss." Fanning Island has neither an airport nor
hospital, thus the need for an unscheduled stop. We were scheduled to arrive at Christmas
Island at midnight and, of course, Ken and Don were on deck to observe the
transfer. The ship maintained a position off the
coast of Christmas island awaiting the boat that would take the patient and
spouse ashore. After a period of time, a
flashlight could be seen approaching the ship and as it got closer to the ships
lights an outrigger with a small canopy came into view. The patient was carefully lowered by ships tender from the 3rd deck down to the outrigger and loaded aboard.
The ship’s Doctor and staff assisted in the transfer and a ships officer
accompanied the patient on board the outrigger. The
outrigger with its passengers motored away from the ship amid calls of “wait,
wait, wait”. The ships officer was still
aboard. The outrigger returned to the
ship, dispensed of its “stowaway” and continued on to what we hope was a
successful transfer of our fellow passenger to medical assistance. The event provided us with an interesting
story and reminded us of the need to stay well.
To compensate for missing March 15, we
were treated to two days of celebration on March 17 which as a combined
honor of St Patrick’s day as well as for crossing the equator. Our cup runneth over.
RAROTONGA
March 18, we anchored off the island of
Rarotonga near its capital, Avarua. Once
the ships tours had boarded the tenders and gone ashore, passengers who had not
pre booked a tour were ready to go ashore.
Rarotonga is one of 15 islands in the Cook Island archipelago and the
ships brochure billed it as “complete with miles of white sand beaches,
glittering lagoons, small villages and volcanic peaks covered in lush
vegetation” including “the alluring elements described in “TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC”. “The
Cook Islands are an independent country associated with New Zealand and named
to honor Captain James Cook who charted the remote island group in 1775.” Rarotonga is a picturesque South Seas island
that seems unaffected by tourism and seems to have managed to retain its South
Seas charm of “yesteryear”. Don and
Linda did a ships tour of the island while Ken did a bus tour around the island
and I watched from the safety of the ship, in recognition of the daunting seas
that made tendering somewhat more ambitious than I cared to experience. In spite of my lack of “first hand”
experience of the island, I enjoyed the scenery and sheer beauty of the island
and its lifestyle. Promptly at 5 PM, the ships anchor was weighed and we were off
to our next port of call, Raiatea, French Polynesia, after another day of sea
for relaxation from our stressful lifestyle.
March 19 was a sea day. We needed to keep up our strength you know.
RAITEA
March 20, Raiatea, Society Islands is
the second largest island in French Polynesia and is located 120 miles
northwest of Tahiti. Tahitians believe
Raiatea to be the sacred birthplace of their gods and their religious and cultural
beginnings. Ashore, we enjoyed a pleasant
walk through the village enjoyed the native dancers, looked at the
creative wares and enjoyed the friendly demeanor of the natives. We made our way onto the dock where Ken and
Don did a walk about and talked with a man from Australia who has been cruising
with his family (wife and three children) in his 40 foot catamaran for the past year
and one half and expected to cruise another 18 months. They were preparing to depart for Bora Bora, our next
port of call. Don and Linda did catch a glimpse of the boat moored there. Ken enjoyed talking to the
cruiser, hearing about his sailing adventures and living vicariously through
the real life adventures of a “sailing buddy”.
We booked an island tour for the
afternoon and sat about exploring the town, watching the natives and enjoying
the laid back lifestyle of the islands. Our island boat tour included an invigorating
ride past oyster farms and huts leading to the entrance of the river, Faaora, the only
navigable river in French Polynesia. As
we traveled up the river, we enjoyed the scenic beauty of the massive island
resources consisting of fruits, flowers and plants that provides the staples of
life’s perseverance. Natives greeted us from shore and men in canoes kept pace with us as we slowly navigated the
river to our turn around point and made our way back to the bay. Our next stop
was a visit to Marae Taputpuatea, which
is said to be the best preserved and most sacred site of pre-missionary
Polynesia. (Marae are ancient stone rocks that are shaped like pyramids). The site is sacred and respectful reverence
seemed appropriate as we viewed the statutes thereon. From Marae Taputpuatea, we made our way to a
small island just off the coast where we dropped off six of our group and
picked up six others who had enjoyed a day at the beach. Tyrone, a young man in his late 20’s, was our
guide. He was handsome, personable and exhibited great boating skills. We were impressed when he nonchalantly mentioned that he was the skipper who had brought the island pilot out to board our ship and guide us into the bay. He was born in Australia but lived in South Africa with his family until
he was 13 when the family migrated to French Polynesia. He was delightful and we enjoyed his
informative overview and his youthful insight into his migrated culture. I wanted to bring him home to our Granddaughter
but Ken thought that was too presumptuous.
Back on shore, it was time to return to our ship in preparation for our
next destination, Bora, Bora.
BORA BORA
March 22 Bora Bora. According to the hype from our ship, James
Michener described “Bora ‘Bora as the world’s
most beautiful island. I am not sure that all inclusive statement would be
one that I would choose, but the island is charming, the lifestyle laid back
and the people friendly. Ken and I did a
tour around the island and enjoyed the first hand report of a native guide who
kept us entertained with his “patter”.
The views were awesome as we circumnavigated the island and I must
confess the lifestyle seemed inviting.
Ken was not feeling “up to par” on our visit to this island and thus, we
were both somewhat distracted by concern for his well being.
Don and Linda had pre booked a snorkel
tour that provided them an opportunity to swim with the resident fish and they particularly enjoyed the sting rays that are willing to get up close and
friendly with the tourists.
After our tour, we joined Don and Linda
for lunch. Our guide told us that the ferry from Vaitape to the Bora Bora lagoon airport ran every 15
minutes and was free. He encouraged us
to take the ferry over and visit the modern airport. Since we had four hours before the ship was
scheduled to depart this seemed like an offer too good to refuse for Ken, Don
and Linda. They decided to take the
ferry over but once there, they learned that the ferry did not run every 15
minutes but instead ran in conjunction with plane arrivals and departures. Unfortunately, this day the plane was late
and the ferry waited thereby delaying their return ashore and back to the
ship. They barely made the last tender
to the ship. Ken was particularly
concerned because it was his idea and information that had got them into what
might be a major problem and thus, it would be his responsibility to incur the necessary
expenditures to get all three to the next port of call. In the meantime, I remained aboard ship
wondering where my spouse and fellow companions were. In retrospect, we all seemed
to come away with a favorable impression of the island but perhaps a little
disappointed in its overall appeal.
Every island is different and each has its own personal charm. Individual preferences vary and perhaps the
island would ascend to greater prominence as the days go by and one has adapted
to its lifestyle.
TAHITI
March 23 – Papeete
Tahiti French Polynesia. According to Wikipedia “Tahiti is
the largest island in the Windward group of French
Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society
Islands in the
southern Pacific Ocean.
It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The
island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral
reefs. The population is
178,133 (2007 census),[1] making it the most populous island of French
Polynesia and accounting for 68.6% of the group's total population. Tahiti was
formerly known as Otaheite.[2]
The capital, Papeete, is located on the northwest coast with the only
international airport in the region, Faa'a International Airport, situated 5 km (3.1 mi) from the town
centre. Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between CE 300 and 800. They comprise about
70% of the island's population with the rest made up of Europeans, Chinese and those of mixed heritage. The island was
proclaimed a colony of France in
1880 although it was not until 1946 that the indigenous Tahitians were legally authorised to be French
citizens. French is the only
official language although theTahitian
language (Reo Tahiti) is widely spoken. It was
part of the Kingdom of
Tahiti until its
annexation by France in 1880”
Our guided tour of Tahiti was conducted by Ruth, a pleasant middle aged
mother of 14 children who is a native of Tahiti and attended University in New
Zealand. She assured us that 14 was a
relatively normal size family. She said
a friend has 24 children, a figure that prompted a gulp from me. We learned that Tahiti (and all of France
Polynesia) is under the control of France and as its benefactor candidates for
local government are chosen and supported by the France government The populace
has free medical care and their way of life seemed relatively comfortable under
the sponsorship and oversight of the French government. While there was a
slight indication of minimal appearing discontent among the populace, the
people seemed generally comfortable in their lifestyle. Ruth told us that the
Tahitians had attempted revolt but the lost because Tahitian culture requires
that you look a person in the eye before you kill them. The French had no such anecdotal restraints.
In addition to a view of the island’s awesome scenic beauty, we visited
Point Venus, the blow hole and what surely must be one of the most magnificent
waterfalls in French Polynesia. Ruth gave us a running review of the islands
history, its people and shared some of the ups and downs of island life. At Point Venus, Ruth gave us a briefing
on the importance of avoiding the myriad
of crab holes that dotted the ground on which we walked. She also shared with us her version of how they developed their dance. During the dry season when water is scarce, the natives seek out a crab hole that is of an appropriate size. Since crab holes are prevalent, finding a suitable hole is easy. They use a stick to confirm that the hole is not occupied by a bonafide crabby tenant. Once they have establish the hole's availability, they use it as a proper "outhouse". Once the job at hand has been completed, they go to the lagoon, wade in to their waste and swish their behind. Thus the native dance moves from Tahiti. Doesn't that just warm your heart and make you want to do the "huckle buck"? Just reporting.
In the afternoon, Don accompanied Ken in fulfillment of Ken’s desire to pay a visit to the local yacht club and having a beer with the visiting
yachties. Ken was treated to what for him is a rare beer with the "yachties" but Don remained loyal to his very own "Pepsi fizz". Ken’s youthful dreams included
sailing to the South Pacific in his own sail boat but that dream has given way
to a vicarious lifestyle in which he relives an audio version of the adventures
experienced by others.
That evening we were entertained aboard ship by a local group of
entertainers who shared with us the music and traditional dance of the island. The program was excellent and proved to be an appropriate culmination to a perfect
day in the South Pacific. Early the next morning, our ship made its way
to nearby Moorea, our next port of call.
MOOREA
 |
 |
| REMINDER |
 |
| THE LUNA FROM AUSTRALIA |
March 24 – Wikipedia describes Moorea as
“a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km (roughly 9 mi) northwest of Tahiti. Moʻorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian. An older name for the island is ʻAimeho,
sometimes spelled 'Aimeo or ʻEimeo (among other
spellings misunderstood by early visitors with no knowledge of the language).
Early Western colonists and voyagers also referred to Moʻorea as York
Island.
Mo'orea is about 10 miles in width from
the west to the east. There are two small, nearly symmetrical bays on the north
shore. The one to the west is called 'Ōpūnohu Bay .. The main
surrounding communes of the bay are Piha'ena in the east
and Papeto'ai to the west.
The one to the east is Cook's Bay, also called Pao Pao Bay. The highest point
is Mount Tohi'e'a, near the center of Mo'orea. It dominates the vista from the two bays
and can be seen from Tahiti. The Vai'are Bay is another small inlet, smaller than the two main
bays, on the east shore.
From
above, the shape of the island vaguely resembles a heart, with its two nearly
symmetrical bays opening to the north side of the island: Cook's (or Paopao)
Bay and ʻŌpūnohu
Bay. The island was formed as a volcano 1.5 to 2.5
million years ago, the result of a geologic hotspot in the mantle under the oceanic plate that formed the
whole of the Society Archipelago. It is theorized that the current bays were
formerly river basins that filled during the Holocene searise. “
Don and Linda had booked a dolphin tour in
advance of our arrival at Moorea. They
enjoyed the tour and the many sightings and close up views of the resident dolphins together
with their guides narrative of the history and research conducted by him in the
islands through the years.
Ken and I opted for a tour of the island in a 4x4
jeep . Our guide was a young Polynesian
whose English was somewhat challenged but whose commitment to our enjoyment of
the trip was not. I was given the honorary position of “navigator” while Ken
and the others climbed into the back. While we waited for passengers to fill the
4x4, we visited the “White House” (I am not quite sure how it got its name) where
native wares, antiques and related items were displayed for sale. We then returned to pick up the rest of our
party and embarked on our tour around the island. We stopped for numerous picture ops as we
breezed along the highway past pineapple plantations and scenic views of the pastoral delights around us. We turned off the main road onto a dirt road
that took us through the back country among pineapple plantations, running
creeks and muddy roads. I could hear the passengers laughing occasionally as we
navigated over rough terrain and I suspected that Ken was making comments about
my perseverance. Later, when we stopped
Ken fessed up and other passengers shared their enjoyment of his stories told
at my expense. My timidity at
adventure is well documented. Ken was
correct in his assessment that there would be “no way” that I would permit him
to traverse that route if it were he driving.
Alas, I can be a lady when the choice is “suck it up” and “go with the
flow” and that I did. After perhaps five miles of
“outback” travel on dirt roads reminiscent of my deprived childhood, we returned to the main
road and made our way up to Belvedere Lookout overlooking the lush Opunohu
Valley below. As we made our way back down the mountain, we stopped briefly at
the remains of ancient Marae Titiroa where ancient Polynesians gathered at Maraes
to discuss matters of importance to the community or to worship Gods and
revered ancestors.
A stop at Magic Mountain was supposed to be
included but as we approached the turnoff our guide received a phone call that
the road was closed. He quickly
substituted a stop at what he referred to as “mountain magic” which included a
plantation of various island produce.
The road leading up to the “mountain” site was practically straight up
and as we ascended from our “4x4 chariot”, Ken quickly checked to be sure I was
still “intact” and expressed concern that “what goes up must go down” and the
ride down appeared even more hair raising than the one up. However, I managed fine, the guide was super
cautious and very much in control. Our
guide gave us a demonstration of the pollination of a vanilla bean, samples of
vanilla based products, a wonderful concoction of some kind of drink that one
could become addicted to and of course, all of these items were available for
purchase. I learned on the way back to
the ship that our guide works full time at the plantation in addition to his
part time job as a tour guide. Thus, concluded a wonderful “out and about” on
Moorea.
RANGIROA
March 25. Avartoru, Rangiroa. Our ship eased into the bay on schedule and
in no time ships passengers were disembarking for their journey ashore by
tender. According to our ships brochure,
“Rangiroa, named for the Polynesian word Ra’iroa (“large sky”), is the largest
atoll in the Tuamoto Islands group and it ranks as one of the world’s four
largest. A true atoll, the coral ring is
comprised of 240 motus (islets) separated by more than 100 roa (tiny
channels). At more than 43 miles long
and 16 miles wide, it’s big enough so that when you stand on one side you
cannot see the other side. Avatoru, the
main village, is on the atoll’s northwestern side. Tiputa, Rangiroa’s other
village, is a few miles east of Avatoru near the secondary reef entry point.”
Ken, Don and Linda went ashore and enjoyed a
short tour of the island which included a quick stop at a local church that the
guide attends. I elected to stay aboard,
relax and bask in the silence of cruising?
An often discussed subject among the passengers included what the
natives and inhabitants of the islands do for a living. Food in the form of native fruits and vegetables
is readily available, life is simple and the common assumption is that no one
can starve. Nevertheless, by the living
standards that we enjoy, life is primitive, somewhat lethargic and probably not
one that I could adjust to with any degree of happiness. Inasmuch as this is the next to last island
on our ports of call, our overall attitude was “been there down that” as we
watched the Captain carefully maneuver the ship out of the lagoon and after a
day at sea our last South Pacific terminus.
NUKU HIVA
March 26 we enjoyed a day of rest at sea and
March 27 we arrived at our last destination on the voyage, “Nuku Hiva. (sometimes
spelled "Nukahiva") is the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It was formerly also known as Île
Marchand and Madison Island.
Herman Melville wrote his book Typee based on his experiences in the Taipivai valley in the eastern part of Nuku Hiva. Robert Louis
Stevenson's first landfall on his
voyage on the Casco, was at Hatiheu, on the north side of Nuku Hiva, in 1888. Nuku
Hiva was also the site for Survivor: Marquesas, the fourth installment of the popular CBS
reality television show in the US.”
According to Wikipedia, “The
coastline of western Nuku Hiva is characterized by a steep, but fairly regular
coastline, indented occasionally by small bays leading to deep valleys, which
lead into the interior. There are no villages on this side. The coastline of
the eastern part of the island has few places to land by sea and takes the
brunt of the ocean swells.The north, on the other hand, is indented by deep
bays, the largest of which are Anaho and Hatiheu. Aakapaa bay is not as large but has a village of the
same name.The south has fewer bays, among which those of Taiohae, Taipivai, Hooumi, Hakapoovai (the last three are parts of the larger Baie du
Contrôleur) and the bays of Hakaui and
Hakatea both accessed by the same narrow entrance. The central part of the island
is a high plateau called Tōvi‘i, covered primarily by a tall-grass prairie, on which
experiments in cattle raising are taking place for the first time —
15 years ago all the cattle were feral and hunted with rifle. The
western and northern edges of Tōvi‘i are a mountain ridge, which catches much
of the rain that waters the island. Pine forest plantations covering large
areas all around the crater of Tōvi‘i give an overall impression of the lower
Alps and parts of Germany, Wales and Switzerland. In one place, Vaipo Waterfall, the collected water falls off a highland and
falls 350 m (1,148 ft). The slopes of the north western side of the island are
much drier than the rest of the island, and are often described as a desert named
"Terre Déserte" in French”
Ashore we were greeted by native dancers who
greeted us warmly and in native attire.
Ken, Don and Linda took a brief tour of the countryside while I
sauntered through the stalls of native ware and observed the island
culture. Rain threatened and short lived
showers blessed the area from time to time to add a sense of insecurity and
weather tolerance. As I said in a previous report, it was a pleasant stop and proper final patronage to the
beautiful South Pacific.
Don suggested that an explanation of how an atoll is formed might be interesting to my "public". Thus, I am including a link to a site that seems to explain the process which may, at least, provide some insight for those of us who had not previously given much thought to the matter. http://www.wisegeek.com/how-is-an-atoll-formed.htm
Our last stop seemed to garner mixed feelings among the ships passengers. For some, 30 days was too long, some would go on forever, others welcomed their arrival home and others were ambivalent about the trip, the scenery and the adventure. It was my personal observation that most everyone got pretty much what they expected out of the trip and whether they enjoyed it or not, it was a peek into another lifestyle, culture and a study of our “world”
More photos can be found at:
Don suggested that an explanation of how an atoll is formed might be interesting to my "public". Thus, I am including a link to a site that seems to explain the process which may, at least, provide some insight for those of us who had not previously given much thought to the matter. http://www.wisegeek.com/how-is-an-atoll-formed.htm
Our last stop seemed to garner mixed feelings among the ships passengers. For some, 30 days was too long, some would go on forever, others welcomed their arrival home and others were ambivalent about the trip, the scenery and the adventure. It was my personal observation that most everyone got pretty much what they expected out of the trip and whether they enjoyed it or not, it was a peek into another lifestyle, culture and a study of our “world”
More photos can be found at:
