Author Archives: David Cross

Tahiti is the source of the best Vanilla

Posted on December 16, 2013 by David Cross

Today we pulled into Raiatea and we were not tendered which was nice.  Getting on and off the yacht in 5 minutes or less is a treat. It was definitely very warm here, so we awoke early, had some breakfast … Continue reading →

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A little about diving in the South Pacific

Posted on December 14, 2013 by David Cross

There are islands everywhere…even little ones with only one tree. You have to be very cautious of the currents and the large waves that can appear due to changing tides around the various coral atolls.   The most important advice: … Continue reading →

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Diving in Rangiroa

Posted on December 14, 2013 by David Cross

We pulled into the large coral atoll of Rangiroa.   The waves were really rough outside the atoll, but when you come in, it is quite peaceful. We took the opportunity to do some diving here given the large coral … Continue reading →

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Get Your Vanilla in Huahine!

Posted on December 12, 2013 by David Cross

Yesterday, before boarding our yacht before final departure, we bought some local flowers to decorate the room for 2 weeks. Amazing flowers here in French Polynesia.  Only $15 in local currency for this collection. Today, we stopped by the island … Continue reading →

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Cruising around Tahiti and Papeete

Posted on December 10, 2013 by David Cross

Yesterday, we got on board out yet and prepared to travel around the French Polynesian islands in style. Of course we started in Papeete (Tahiti). The Ocean Princess is a nice small ship with an excellent crew.  Great way to … Continue reading →

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The Internet in the South Pacific is Brutal

Posted on December 8, 2013 by David Cross

I must admit we get spoiled in North America.  It feels like 15 years ago here in the Polynesian Islands… the time when we used to dial up for the Internet and the modem kept dropping off every 5 minutes … Continue reading →

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First Day in Tahiti Island

Posted on December 7, 2013 by David Cross

Tahiti felt like a combination of Easter Island and Hawaii.  It is different and definitely a tropical escape.  A French tropical escape…as many people don’t speak English and knowing French makes a huge difference in navigating your way around the … Continue reading →

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Traveling to Tahiti

Posted on December 6, 2013 by David Cross

Leaving the extremely cold Puget Sound was a very attractive option. We needed to route ourselves through LAX in order to head west to a French speaking island chain. Apparently, there was an alien spacecraft distracting everyone, so many flights … Continue reading →

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Belfast and Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland

Posted on August 12, 2013 by David Cross

We spent a little more time in Northern Ireland and then went on to Belfast. I must admit that Northern Ireland is much more expensive (than the south) and the US dollar currency rate against the pound is horrible… We left Derry … Continue reading →

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Northern Ireland – Galway and Londonderry

Posted on August 11, 2013 by David Cross

Galway and Londonderry We spent the night in Galway near the Galway bay in a more secluded hotel. A nice break from being in the busy city center.  I finally got a nice morning run along the bay to start … Continue reading →

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