36mmthick

Y I S L A N D SBY CLAIRE DAVIESAn air of fantasy hovers over the Society Islands, the group of 14 islandsstretching across 400 miles of the South Pacific. Over the last 250 years,explorers, writers, poets and artists have come away infatuated, full of metaphorssuch as Beloved, Romantic, Sacred, Pearl of the Pacific and Islands of Love. Tofind out if such an earthly paradise is fact or fantasy, we took Oystercatcher XXIVfor a closer look.Following in Captain Cook’s footsteps we began our cruise in Tahiti, the largest ofthe Society Islands. Much has changed since Cook’s last visit, for example thelocals are no longer interested in bartering nails for food, instead they want hardtasycurrency, and lots of it. The island has grown into a hubof civilisation and in truth, with its international airport, itis more of a place to start or end a cruise rather than adestination itself.We spent just two days there, time enough to follow upMike Mayhew’s recommendation (Restless Farewell,Oyster 56) and take a 4 wheel drive across the remote,central part of the island. The 35km trail winds around high,volcanic peaks, over rivers and deep into rich, green, forestedvalleys, reminding us of the Jurassic Park movie sets. Half wayacross this totally isolated trail is the Maroto Inn, not only the best placefor a lunch stop, but the only place. The friendly proprietors came to Tahititwenty years ago on a charter yacht and have lived in the mountains ever since.A short 12-mile hop west from Tahiti brought us to Moorea and one of the mostspectacular anchorages in the world, Opunohu Bay. Flanked by towering rockformations, rising out of a green carpet of chestnut, breadfruit and mango trees,this bay of plenty was the backdrop for the last Mutiny on the Bounty film.Moorea is an adventure playground, and not just for visitors. Each year, humpbackwhales visit the coastline, we spotted five whales in an hour, including two thatbreached right alongside Oystercatcher XXIV with a great hiss of escaping breath.Back inside the lagoon, the catchword is water sports; diving, snorkelling,water-skiing, kayaking - nothing is missing. We tried out parasailing inCooks Bay, for an aerial view of the lagoon. If Captain Cook hadseen Richard’s daughter Candice gliding along at 400 feet hewould have thought that aliens were landing.www.oystermarine.com 27