February 2, Wednesday:   Twelve miles from Tahiti, across the Sea of the Moon, lies Moorea.  The island covers 51 square miles and is 36 miles around. (Moorea means "yellow lizard").  It is a stunningly beautiful island with  high, jagged peaks, dark green valleys, white-sand beaches and a beautiful blue-green lagoon.  People have lived in Moorea's Opunohu Valley  since 1600 A.D. and today 12,000 fortunate people live on this beautiful island.  Our group took the high-speed catamaran, Aremiti 5, over to Moorea and in just a few minutes had left the bustling seaport of Papeete behind and entered a completely different world.

The Aremiti 5 is a high-speed catamaran that takes you to Moorea in 20 minutes.   You can sit inside or go up to the top deck and sit outside. 

You can buy casse-croutes and drinks on the cat.  Peggy and Jim enjoying their petit-dejeuner while Gloria and Lucy chat.

Pearl, Marsha (in the blue and white hat) and Warren (in the red hat) enjoying the crossing. 

The dock in Moorea. 

In the U.S. there is the Red Hat Society.   Stevie and Sylvia started the Straw Hat Society in Tahiti!  Janice looks on.

Everybody out!  You have arrived in Moorea!

In Tahiti all the luggage is put into metal bins.  Here the group gets their luggage out of the bins and takes it to the transfer company.  

On the bus, heading to the the InterContinental Beachcomber Moorea.  This is Heinui's island where he grew up.  His family still lives here, so he was coming home!

Moorea is known for its jagged volcanic peaks.   The peaks are the remnants of one volcano that formed the island.  

If you would like information about the "Insider's Tour with Dierdra McElroy",  please contact Chris Meny at chris@yourtravelsource.com or call (800) 597-0594.
  CST #:  20378740-40.

Photos by Christian.

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