Fakarava black pearls, Tuamotu Islands

We visited a pearl farm and came away with a handful of colorful, shimmering pearls!

Faite, Tuamotus August 8, 2008

Walking through the town, a typical setting
A striking contrast of vibrant colors
A young boy flying his kite.....Larry helped by making a plastic tail out of a bag in the trash bin!
Incredible snorkeling with the outgoing tide, but no surf was to be found this day!
Just another stunning sunset in paradise!

Fakarava, Tuamotu Islands

Idyllic island setting
More colorful fish
Trigger fish
Morey eel
Cocktail time at sunset!

Incredible scuba diving in Fakarava

Lots and lots of fish!
I found 2 perfect cowry shells but left them in the sea as there were living creatures inside!
Schools of black and white tipped reef sharks surrounded us from all directions
Just another friendly shark!
Spotted eagle ray

Fakarava, Tuamotu Islands

An aerial view of one of the Tuamotu islands
Our first anchorage off Rotoava town, Fakarava, the second largest atoll in the Tuamotus
Beautiful turquoise water in the lagoon
Our guests, Cindy and Michael Burbank and Louise and Rick Hummer
A typical sunset at the South Pass of Fakarava
Another beautiful motu with crystal clear water!

Fatu Hiva, Marquesas

Approaching Fatu Hiva, Hanavave Bay
We had this spectacular anchorage all to ourselves!
Our fantastic crew: Seonagh, Ben, Kayt and Mark
The phallic skyline of Hanavave Bay is also called the "Bay of Virgins"
Beautiful Marquesan girls

Hiva Oa, Marquesas July 22, 2008

Eric, Shannon and Wyatt joined us for our exploration around the Marquesa Islands. Steep trails through the lush vegetation offered amazing views as we meandered around many striking archaeological sites.

The Marquesa Islands, Hiva Oa, French Polynesia

The Marquesas rugged landscape is ridged with deep valleys draped in lush tropical vegetation. We spent 3 days anchored here outside of Atuona, where Gauguin once lived.