Normality resumes

The pearl regatta is over, we've collected all of our heavy gear and now it is time to relax and take it all in. We have upped anchor after the final party, left the motu (island) where it all concluded and headed around Tahaa. On route to our next anchorage we pass our first sighted pearl farm and drop the hook outside what is said to be the highest acclaimed hotel in the French Polynesia. It certainly looks fantastic although I couldn't afford to stay there at over €1000 a night so instead we opt to go for a snorkel through a narrow pass between two motus. To get there you have to leave the tender in the shallow waters and go overland to the seaward side of the pass, enter the water and let the current do the rest. What happened next was an unbelievable sight and an absolute maze of coral garden that was simply infested with all varieties of reef fish that were very curious of human presence and would come right up to your mask for a better look. The whole tour took about 15 minutes of drifting in water warmer than a bath until we were propelled out of the end of the pass and back towards the tender. With not much left to do the evening took us all to the hotel. I tied up the tender on a crescent shaped pontoon that swept towards the hotel and up to the bar for cocktails and to admire the geckos on the ceiling. Before leaving the following morning I took the tender with Bryony, Chris and Denise to the pearl farm to spend some money on black pearls that are famous in this part of the world. it also turned out to be a very educational stop as we learnt about the production of the pearl and its origin from the missisipi river. Next stop, Bora Bora