The past 8 months have been filled with many EXTREMELY strong emotions…the heartbreak and grief from the loss of my 40 year life partner, the happiness of being blessed with a beautiful granddaughter who is now 6 months old, lots of struggling with legal and tax estate issues, an abundance of time supporting health issues many of my family members have faced, and taking on horses and the many new responsibilities previously handled by my best friend. Soooo….

A vacation in paradise was most welcome. Even though I’ve explored and enjoyed both topside and underwater the beauty of French Polynesia twice before, the islands and atolls always bring a sense of peace to my soul. We were fortunate to visit 2 islands and 2 atolls in 18 days. Enjoying the sun, sand and the many shades of blue water…ranging from icicle clear blue to sea green to aqua to turquoise and finally navy blue as the water graduates to great depths. This makes for a mesmerizing experience that leaves you floating even when your not submerged in the tide. The tropical drinks, island music and dance, and VERY slow pace of the locals encourages me to relax and focus on the beauty Mother Nature has provided for those who wish to experience tranquility. The entire vacation was filled with bittersweet memories of my time here with TR in 2010…and incredible memories of my trip here in 2005 with Allie and my brother, David John.

Each island and atoll has its own character and personality..different but equally charming. Whether you’re lodging in an over-the-water bungalow, or beachfront at an beautiful resort, or nestled in a local Air B&B private home..you’re in absolute heaven the entire visit. The black pearls are the calling card of this area and best souvenir by far. Even though I chose to forego diving this trip because I’m not sure how I’d do without my dive buddy who always served as my protector, I did my share of snorkeling to admire the beautiful reef fish and sea creatures. I did get to explore one “new” atoll that I’d never visited…Fakarava. There are only 800 locals on this small atoll and there’s only an average of 800 ft from the ocean side to the lagoon side…very narrow sand atoll. You can walk down the beach on either side, listen to the ocean waves crashing against the reefs or enjoy the sparkling sun rays bouncing off the water on the lagoon side with no sounds at all…total silence….and find treasures you’ve never imagined …and feel like you’re all alone in this universe. I especially enjoyed our 2 nights at the south end of the island where our bungalow faced the Oceanside and the wind blew thru so no need for a/c and the waves crashed all night to provide a hypnotic sleep. We also drift snorkeled with the strong currents in the passage (where the ocean rushes into the lagoon) and saw what I usually see diving. Colorful schools of a multitude of fish and an abundance of untouched sacred colorful coral beds. At the end of the channel we dropped into what the locals (12 families) call the “ swimming pool” and it was surrounded by brilliant giant purple coral heads and full of about 20 blacktip sharks 5-7 ft long. They were not aggressive but Allie and I quickly proceeded to shore😜. I never woke up once on this trip without feeling truly Blessed!!! Ready to get home and see my baby Hendricks, family, and friends.