Monday, January 7, 2019

French Polynesia cruise.

At the beginning of December, my wife and I flew to Tahiti for a Windstar cruise on the Wind Spirit, a four masted modern sailing ship, to celebrate her 70th birthday (my wife’s, not the ship). The whole experience was amazing, wonderful crew, great food and we loved the ship. We flew to Papeete on an Air Tahiti Nui A340, great cabin attendants but the seats got quite uncomfortable after a few hours, maybe a sign of our age. Spent the night at the former Le Meridian in Papeete, very nice. A thoroughly enjoyable trip, the ship is quite small, about 150 passengers. We enjoyed it so much we signed up for a two week Caribbean cruise on the Wind Surf, a bit bigger and the fleet flagship. The snorkeling was wonderful, little blue fish quite inquisitive and we absolutely fried ourselves, despite living in Tucson where we know better. Delightful evening on a little islet at Bora Bora with a sunset and fire dancers.


Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340, LAX


Good wine!


Margie celebrates her birthday early! Champagne and Bloody Mary.


Sunset over the Pacific



Half way there.


View from our hotel room


Hotel beach


Hotel pool


Papeete from the ship


Wind Spirit stern, spa and pool


Attending tug, departing Papeete


Pilot boat, sunset, Moorea in the background


We start sailing



Moorea


Tahiti from Moorea




Palm tree lovers?



MSY Wind Spirit, Moorea


Sailing at sunset






Polynesian dancer, on board demonstration


Local brew






Control panel for setting the sails



Wind Spirit, Taha'a




Bora Bora fruit stand


Rainbow, Bora Bora


Islet at Bora Bora


Sunset, islet at Bora Bora



Fire dance


MSY Wind Spirit, Bora Bora





Goodbye to the Wind Spirit, Papeete, Tahiti


Papeete, Moorea in the background


Sunset, Le Meridian beach


Goodby Tahiti!