Dark early morning found us tacking back and forth at the single pass into Bora Bora, waiting for sufficient light. The pass entrance was easy, and we picked up a mooring at the Bora Bora yacht club, said to be the mandatory first stop for cruisers in Bora Bora.

A Kiwi couple, Diane and Keith, from Chriselle, told us that a major island festival was starting that evening and recommended we dinghy into the town of Vaitape to get tickets. The dinghy trip to the downtown wharf was one the the first real tests of our newly installed Doel-Fins---these are large plastic wings that we bolted on to the bottom of the outboard, just above the propeller. They are supposed to provide extra lift, make it much easier to plane, and save on fuel. As Tane observed later, it's very rare that you purchase something with such extravagant claims and have them actually pan out. The Doel Fins make a huge difference. We attended the show that evening with the crew from Tarahumara. It was another dinghy ride to town, and we arrived thoroughly soaked. The show came in two halves, the first was singing. The second half was a local dance group. The women wore grass skirts with fluffy bits at the waist, accentuating their wildly gyrating hips. The complete costumes were very ornate with the combination of the grass skirts and mother-of-pearl shell ornaments on both the clothing and head pieces. The drumming reaches a crescendo, then they switch to the rattle of sticks on hollow logs, then back to drumming.

In recent years, the Bora Bora yacht club had fallen on hard times. Last year, it was bought by two young couples, and they've improved things significantly. Teiva and Jessica, the couple most in evidence, are extremely helpful and have made our stay very enjoyable. Under the thatched roof is a bar and restaurant, and we have access to a shower with hot water and a barbecue area.

We have seen no high rise hotels anywhere in French Polynesia---they are all one storey high at most, so there must be a government mandated rule. On Bora Bora, there are many resorts where the accommodation is all in individual thatched cottages on stilts out over the beautiful clear water. These hotels blend in very well, so that there is a feeling of being in a remote place with jungle-style huts. A big difference between Bora Bora and other islands is the number of motus, islands on and near the reef. One of a guide books says, "People in the know understand that Bora Bora is the most beautiful island in the world". Having not visited every island in the world, it's hard to verify this statement, but it certainly is a very attractive place. The main town, Vaitape, has many pearl stores and galleries, but is quite small. The main grocery store is Chin Lee, run by a Chinese family. Interestingly, it is considerably smaller than the big store on Huahine, which must be second only to the huge Carrefour in Tahiti.

Monday, June 29th, was Sal's 57th birthday. The yacht club restaurant is closed on Mondays, so we first investigated going out to dinner at one of the resorts. However, the yacht club suggested we use their barbecue area, so we decided to invite the cruisers in the anchorage to a bring-your-own barbecue celebration. It turns out that, although the restaurant is closed on Mondays, the bar is open. It was a fine affair, and we got to meet a many new boat crews.

The moorings near the yacht club are in 90 to 100 feet of water. A number of boats anchored here instead of using the moorings. One reason is there is a size limit for boats using the moorings, and another is that the yacht club now charges for the use of the moorings. In the past, the moorings were free if you used the restaurant. Now, it's 5,000 cfp (at 85 to the US dollar) for a week. Given the prices in French Polynesia, this is a bargain! There are many other anchorages in Bora Bora, in sand near coconut palm covered motus, near the town, and just out in the middle of the lagoon. You can circumnavigate the lagoon in an outboard dinghy, but not in a larger boat, as there is one section to the south that is very shallow. On two occasions, Victory Cat took us and several other guests around the island on diving trips, and with these and our own dinghy trips, we've been to just about everywhere. The only trip we didn't take was the hike to the top of the highest peak, which we're told uses ropes in parts---there was just too much else going on!

One day we rented bikes. Who rents bikes? Avis. They rent cars, open racy looking things based on Volkswagen beetles, scooters, and bikes. The bikes are fat tired cruisers with a single gear. We rode to the south of the island, visiting galleries, the barred gates of the famous hotel Bora Bora, closed for two years for renovations, and seeking a fellow who might able to give us kite boarding lessons. On the way back, we stopped for lunch at Bloody Mary's, enticed by the large displays outside listing many of the famous people who have taken meals there. They include kings and queens, Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, Jimmy Buffet, Elton John, John McCain, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, and many, many more. The prices were about the lowest of any restaurant we've been to in French Polynesia, and the food was excellent---it was really well worth the visit. The floor is sand, the tables and chairs are polished chunks of logs, it's open on the sides, and generally very well put together. The lunch crowd consisted of the three of us and one other couple.