Sailing French Polynesia waters

[meherio]

Ia orana

Some views of French polynesia from the sea.

 

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php?tmpl=7&action=viewalbum&user_id=24661&album_id=71288&event=

 

Many photos especially the Wind Song ( now resting by 9000 Ft waters between Moorea and tahiti ) are distant memories....

 

Enjoy

 

meherio

[mipps]

beautiful pics meherio

 

the Windsong ?? is that the one that caught fire?

 

:)

[budaman]

Thanks for the pics......Can't wait until we sail on the Star Flyer next year & revisit a magnificent part of the world.

 

Mike

 

http://gallery.mac.com/csealove#gallery

[meherio]

Ia orana

That is the one indeed!

great emergency evacuation in the middle of the night.

 

The ship was deemed irreparable ( beyond any economic sense). The Local governemt was challenged by some organizations in need of possible lodging space and also the local dive groups who wanted some possible new dive site.

The ship was taken overnight in the bay of moons, and scuttled.The captain was among those who assisted to the operation. He related the story to a colleague cruising the sister ship a few weeks later how the ship fought back before finally going down to rest by 9000 Ft depth.

 

I am waitting also for the elegant lines of the Star Clippers to grace Opunohu bay. The line is already sold out until April already.

http://www.starclippers.com/cgi-bin/itinerary/itin_society.cgi

 

 

From Wikipedia: Windstar Cruises

•

<<Windstar Cruises is a cruise ship line notable for its modern computer-controlled sailing ships.

 

The line was established as Windstar Sail Cruises in 1984, and its first ship, the msy Wind Star launched in 1986, followed by the Wind Song and Wind Spirit two additional ships were ordered from "Atilier et Chantiers du Havre"; the Wind Surf and the Wind Saga. These two ships were to be larger than the originals holding over twice the amount of guests and reached a length of 660 ft compared to the smaller vessels of 440 ft in length.

 

Holland America Line purchased 50% of Windstar Sail Cruises in 1987 and purchased the balance of the company in 1988. The option to continue building the Wind Surf and the Wind Saga was passed up by HAL. With assistance from the French Government the two ships larger ships were built for Club Med.

 

In 1998, Windstar acquired the sail cruiser Club Med I from Club Med Cruises, and rechristened her to her original name Wind Surf.

 

In 2002, the Wind Song was damaged by an engine room fire in Tahiti causing great technical damage to the vessel, the ship was classed as a total loss and with permission of the Tahitian Government was scuttled in Tahitian waters.

 

In the summer months the Windstar fleet sails the Mediterranean shores and in the Winter months the company sails the Caribbean and the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

 

Windstar is considered a high-end cruise line, with its ships typically getting a four-star (out of five) rating. The ships are relatively small, with the Wind Surf having a capacity for about 300 passengers, and the others about 150.

 

The ships are registered in the Bahamas. Under this flag they are some of the few cruise ships in the world where passengers are still allowed on the bridge (though not when entering or leaving port). Given their small size the service is very personal, and interaction with the ship's officers is easy. With a shallow draft of only 14' the ships can enter ports that are inaccessible to larger cruise liners. In some cases passengers need to take smaller boats into port (such as to Lipari), when the ship is at anchor but access on and off a shipboard ramp is easily made.

 

In February, Carnival sold Windstar to Ambassadors International for $100 million. The ships will join Ambassadors with the Majestic America Line.>>

 

 

meherio

[mipps]

It seems such a waste to put it down to 9000 ft ... that would have made one hell of a dive attraction

 

:)

[meherio]

Ia orana

Many though like you

Apparently this would have taken more money, time and effort than the local government was willing to spend/give. the removal of the masts were apparently one of the main concern

 

 

We will stick to the cesna and the Catalina for the moment for the dives by Faaa airport.

 

the Wind Song joined the unreachable depth already occupied by a Pan Am 707 that went down in the water 30 seconds after take off in 1973.

 

meherio