Rain in September???

[equinelady]

We are on the ten day Society and Tuamotus cruise. September is typically a dry month but….

So much rain in Bora Bora on our first day, that our snorkel trips were all cancelled.   We were able to add a second dive for today so we can enjoy the famous Boa Bora lagoon.  
    Today we woke up to wind creating white horses in the bay, so they cautioned us that all snorkel trips might  be cancelled as well.  Yesterday a few excursions were able to happen.  Such as the truck tour around the island, and the aqua bike tour.  
    They did a nice job offering lots of crafts. Still we are really hoping for some sun today so we can see those blue colours everyone writes about.  

[Leejnd4]

22 hours ago, equinelady said:

We are on the ten day Society and Tuamotus cruise. September is typically a dry month but….

So much rain in Bora Bora on our first day, that our snorkel trips were all cancelled.   We were able to add a second dive for today so we can enjoy the famous Boa Bora lagoon.  
    Today we woke up to wind creating white horses in the bay, so they cautioned us that all snorkel trips might  be cancelled as well.  Yesterday a few excursions were able to happen.  Such as the truck tour around the island, and the aqua bike tour.  
    They did a nice job offering lots of crafts. Still we are really hoping for some sun today so we can see those blue colours everyone writes about.  

Hoping the weather clears up for you!

[equinelady]

Unfortunately the second day in Bora Bora the wind was so strong that all water activities were canceled including diving.  Although we only had scattered showers the wind was too strong to put out the pool deck chairs.   The grill was closed for dinner as well.  
   Again the Gauguins did an excellent job with keeping us busy. We enjoyed our dance, and ukulele lessons. We also enjoyed making some colorful bracelets.

  The piano bar was practically lively and we all enjoyed a great sing along.  When the magic show was canceled due to rough seas he stayed longer( his longest set ever), some of the staff joined in singing and it was a fabulous way to end the evening.  

   Today the wind seems a little less strong so we are hopeful we make it through the pass into Rangiroa.   

 

[sjkoen]

Just returned after a few days in Tahiti.

 

The trip before ours was all rain. We had rain most of our time and rough seas for our trip to Society and Cook Islands (so much so, seasickness bags lined the hallway). The port day in Rarotonga was cancelled and moved to Riatea. The running joke was Aitutaki was a looong way to go for picnic. 😆 I would not have wanted to miss Aitutaki. The crew was amazing and guests made the best of things. I'm sure there was a lot of work to set things up on short notice. We appreciated the clear communication from the captain.

 

We dove Motu Mahana day, but were really happy for everyone that it waited to rain until end of day. 

 

I've attached a pic of the seas on the crossing to Cooks (and some others to show the varied weather and the whale and baby that said HI to the tender), it doesn't really show how high the waves were - we could see splashes up to the Grand Salon. We never felt unsafe and it was incredibly sweet how helpful the dining room staff was in helping steady guests and carry their plates. I'm sure the Captain and bridge crew didn't sleep much on the crossings. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by sjkoen

[sjkoen]

5 hours ago, equinelady said:

Unfortunately the second day in Bora Bora the wind was so strong that all water activities were canceled including diving. 

 

Wind must have been something! Tahiti wasn't great, but had saved last day for museum, so it worked out. United flight from PPT to SFO last night had some passengers who apparently almost didn't get out of Bora Bora in time for flight. And we waited a gate for a final batch of passengers. They were all happy to have made flight. 

[equinelady]

So strong winds again in Rangiroa, so all snorkeling cancelled again.  And the grill is closed.   And the chairs on the pool deck safely tied up.  
   We feel blessed that the diving went ahead.  Though it was touch and go.   Very high waves but as soon as you got below, the sea was a different and beautiful world.  Possible our favorite dive of our trip.  The dive team did a great job.  What a team.   
   We saw turtles and six dolphins.   And an aquarium full of fish.  I will have sweet dreams tonight.  
      

[equinelady]

Sjkoen,

   Loves the pics of the sea sickness bags.   And it looks like you got to see some of that Polynesian blue water.   Of course I loved the pictures of horses.  
    The crew have been amazing, but the passengers that do not dive are getting a bit depressed.  It is 6am coming into Fakarava, and we are rocking on deck 3.   
   Fingers crossed that the snorkeling happens today.   We will dive again.  

[sjkoen]

45 minutes ago, equinelady said:

Of course I loved the pictures of horses.   

I thought you might like those! They are on the way to Belvedere Lookout in Moorea. 🐎🐴

[equinelady]

Unfortunately we were greeted by winds and pouring rain in Fakarava.   All tours cancelled in the morning. One dive did happen, and in the afternoon they added a le truck tour.  
    Some passengers braved the weather, one couple even rented bikes.  They had a wonderful time playing with reef sharks at the public beach.

    Today at sea, at last some sunshine and for the first time in four days the deck chairs are out and the ship is full of smiling faces.  The forecast is for good weather for the private motu.  
  The rough seas has affected many so plenty of availability in the La Veranda.   Bring a patch if you are going to the outer islands.  
  We are the envy of many with our deck three cabin.  
    

[minidonuts85]

On 9/25/2023 at 9:58 AM, sjkoen said:

I thought you might like those! They are on the way to Belvedere Lookout in Moorea. 🐎🐴

Welcome back! You did the 11-day cooks right? Do you have the dive info sheet by chance or can tell me the sites? We are looking at the 11-night for Sept 2024 🙂 

[sjkoen]

7 minutes ago, minidonuts85 said:

Welcome back! You did the 11-day cooks right? Do you have the dive info sheet by chance or can tell me the sites? We are looking at the 11-night for Sept 2024 🙂 

We did! So sad to be done!  I didn't take a pic of the dive sheet, but, I remember them. Huahine - did have dives on our trip, early AM and afternoon. Then, no dives in the Cooks. I saw other dive sheets that had them in Aitutaki and waitlisted in Raro - both outside providers. They told us they were having trouble with the outside contractors. We also had an outside contractor on Taha'a, but that's because the Marina team is needed on the Motu. The non-Cook sites matched the society itineraries.

 

I'd check around on the Cook itinerary. I would not have missed it because I was lucky enough to hook up with a traveling swim club in Aitutaki and was able to participate in their swims from and to One Foot Island! They swam all week, I just joined the one day, attached map, did the yellow swims. Soooo much fun. But if I had wanted to dive there I would have been bummed. The trip to Cooks (according to some, not all, staff) is rough everytime. We had a rough trip, we didn't get sick, but a lot did. We also ended up skipping Raro because where the ship anchoring area is not protected and they were worried about weather (so many people just wanted a flat night) and tender loading safety.

 

For a diving itinererary, take a look at their Crossing Oceana, Fiji to Bali and Singapore to Australia itineraries. My friend did the Bali one and said the diving is the best she's ever done and of coarse. Obviously the Tuamotus also, but that's advanced cert. 

[minidonuts85]

@sjkoen thanks so much! Hopefully you were able to get some good diving in! 
 

my fiancee is stuck on the notion of doing the Cooks and it will be our honeymoon Sept 2024. Those Bali itineraries sound so wonderful too and wish we could take more time off of work for one of them. 

How was the lagoon there in Aitutaki? It looks amazing in pics! I wonder if we maybe just try and dive in Raro (plan with outside operator) and enjoy a lagoon tour in Aitutaki. 

[sjkoen]

24 minutes ago, minidonuts85 said:

@sjkoen 

How was the lagoon there in Aitutaki? It looks amazing in pics! I wonder if we maybe just try and dive in Raro (plan with outside operator) and enjoy a lagoon tour in Aitutaki. 

@minidonuts85We did get dives in starting with Bora Bora stop (and I did Tahiti the morning after arrival and really liked),  my favorite dive was an out and back off of Riatea (day of Motu Mahana) - lots of sharks at first, which I can take or leave, but the small fishes are what I like - lots of them and healthy coral and hearing whales.

 

I get it about Cooks, and I'm really sad to have missed  Raro. The lagoon was amazing for the color of the water, unreal. I was so excited on my last day in Tahiti to go get pics of the Picasso fish I ran in the water with my battery/SD card hatch open. The camera is still damaged, but I soaked the SD card in rubbing alcohol and just got these pics off of it. On way to 1 foot and on one foot. I think lagoon tour would be a good idea. An idea, not thru ship, but one place I was looking at was Sail Aitutaki - small hobbie cat sail tours. Looked pretty cool and with just you two a good honeymoon 😍 activity.

 

I'll shut up after this! But there are flights from PPT to Raro. Or open jaw to Raro and pick up Paul Gauguin in PPT. Then you don't have to worry about the sea days - unless, you like the sea days.

[minidonuts85]

@sjkoen Beautiful!!!
Did you do the manta dive on Bora Bora? That was our fave and because I got sick and called off our Moorea dive, was sadly our only dive day 😞 Looking for a re-do! 

Oh no so sorry to hear about your camera! Glad you were able to salvage some pics from the card at least. That happened to us in St Lucia at the mud baths…the latch came open just a tiny bit and mud got inside of the camera. 
 

No please don’t shut up 🙂 this is all such amazing info! We did look at the flights from PPT to Raro and right now they’re only one day a week RT (Sundays). I wish we could do a week on Cooks…sigh…

A private lagoon tour is right up our alley! Will have a look at your recommendation! 

[sjkoen]

@minidonuts85 I didn't realize you got sick - sorry! We did mantas and rays, mantas were pretty amazing. Rays were hiding from us😆. Moorea too - lots of turtles and little fishes - but also crown of thorns which is a bummer for the coral. Lucky you to begin dreaming of next trip, have fun planning.

[minidonuts85]

16 minutes ago, sjkoen said:

@minidonuts85 I didn't realize you got sick - sorry! We did mantas and rays, mantas were pretty amazing. Rays were hiding from us😆. Moorea too - lots of turtles and little fishes - but also crown of thorns which is a bummer for the coral. Lucky you to begin dreaming of next trip, have fun planning.

Thank you! Yea just a “temporary” visitor left me feeling icky. We’d definitely do the mantas again in Bora Bora; they were magical! Also saw some crown of thorns out there in Bora bora too. 😞 
We had a trip on Silversea planned for our honeymoon but decided we want to come back to PG instead as we enjoyed it so much. 
 

Did you do the Canyons, Gallery and/or Ledges on Moorea? 

Edited September 28, 2023 by minidonuts85

[sjkoen]

22 hours ago, minidonuts85 said:

Thank you! Yea just a “temporary” visitor left me feeling icky. We’d definitely do the mantas again in Bora Bora; they were magical! Also saw some crown of thorns out there in Bora bora too. 😞 
We had a trip on Silversea planned for our honeymoon but decided we want to come back to PG instead as we enjoyed it so much. 
 

Did you do the Canyons, Gallery and/or Ledges on Moorea? 

@minidonuts85 Ledges 😀