We have now been 2 months on this round-the-world-cruise. Since Ray last wrote we have visited some wonderful places and there have also been, for various reasons, places where we have disappointingly not been able to go ashore.

Falklands Islands was off the radar as soon as our Captain saw that there was a big storm coming when we were due there and that there was some risk that the zodiacs (motorised rubber dinghies) would not be able to get us ashore safely.  Instead we headed to Antarctica a day earlier and experienced four magnificent days in Antarctica in relatively warm weather with little wind. All messages were that we “lucked out big time”.

The pre-cruise itinerary  told us we would visit Easter Island. l always seemed to have known about the moai (statues) that were scattered over the island. There is a mystique about them and we were therefore very excited to be going there. We had at least 3 different Enrichment lectures about Easter Island and what to expect once there. We had booked a full day tour of the island. So we, and almost everyone else on the ship, were deeply disappointed when we could not go ashore. With no harbour at Easter Island, we were to go ashore by zodiacs. The swell however was almost 4 meters high and it was too dangerous to attempt to do it. Twelve passengers who had gone ashore at Valparaíso and had done an overland trip to Machu Picchu for a week flew into Easter Island and had to be brought back to the ship. They actually had 2 days on Easter Island as we stayed an extra day so that the Captain could try on the second day to get us ashore, albeit unsuccessfully. The  passengers who had to be brought back to the ship said it was a harrowing zodiac ride and in fact the zodiac got damaged trying to land next to the ship.

We were successfully able to anchor near Pitcairn Island where we had a fabulous day. On Pitcairn Island live the descendants  of the Mutiny on the Bounty crew members  and their Tahitian  women/wives. Pitcairn has only about 50 permanent residents and they were very pleased to see us and sell us t-shirts, honey and postcards. We sent off postcards knowing that we will almost definitely arrive back at the end of May before the postcards do! Pitcairn, the smallest National Jurisdiction in the world, is so remote and difficult to get ashore that there are more people that summit  Everest each year than get ashore on Pitcairn. (Some cruise ships anchor off Pitcairn and the Islanders row their longboats to  board the ships to sell their goods to the passengers). While there, Ray and a friend walked up 7 kms in the very humid heat to the highest point of the island. l walked around the ‘town’ and went to the museum. The islanders even provided us with a  tasty lunch. The island is lush, tropical and beautiful. But with access to the outer world limited to a supply vessel every three months, (no air travel whatsoever!), it is extremely isolated. Many of the Pitcairners told us that their kids have left to make an easier life for themselves in New Zealand.

Next we were scheduled to go to Mangareva in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia – but were told that the “specifications” had changed and that the draught of our ship was now too deep to enter their bay – so plans changed to an Island called Fakareva, but that plan changed when the message came through that due to COVID-19 the ship first has to stop at the Capital of French Polynesia before going to any of its other Islands.

Therefore last Saturday we arrived at Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, made famous by the beautiful paintings of the French Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. Unfortunately  while there we experienced sustained torrential rains. The Paul Gauguin Museum was sadly closed for renovations.  Although we went out on both the Saturday and the Sunday to enjoy the bustling markets and the few shops that were open, and to walk a little through the town and lush botanical garden – Tahiti was a bit of a “damp” squid.

From there we went to Moorea, also in French Polynesia. It is a beautiful island, quite remote, isolated, tropical and mountainous with lush green forest. We had an amazing day – out on a small boat with some local guys  who sang with their ukeleles and drums while we stopped along the way to swim and snorkel  with the sting rays and the lemon sharks. They even stopped off for lunch at an isolated island, where we also swam with the fish in the coral, before taking us back to the pier at the end of the day.

On Tuesday we spent the day at Bora Bora. It is an island made famous by Marlon Brando  who even found, while filming there, a local woman to fall in love with, marry and take back to the USA. We were proudly shown where his wife’s family still live today. It is another beautiful island with gorgeous beaches and sea  of various blues – from dark blue to turquoise, the sea being warm and clear with the weather being very humid.  We did a bus tour of the island, stopping off at various ‘famous’ well known spots. A local pub called ‘ Bloody Mary’s has a list of the rich and famous who have dined there. The list is a whose who of Hollywood, past and present. From Jonny Depp  to Cameron Dias. Also Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and many others. In the afternoon we returned by taxi to swim at the famous  beach we had driven past while on our tour.  The weather there is very humid and the sea water is warm and clear. 

The coronavirus has obviously been discussed numerous times with us getting letters from Silversea about protocols to follow as well as being told by our Captain what  to expect regarding the visiting of places. New Caledonia has refused cruise ships entry to their ports – except to their Capital which is outside of our range, so we were happily carrying on to other small islands in the Pacific.

We were excited about visiting the Cook Islands on Thursday after choosing a tour on a glass bottomed boat combined with the opportunity of swimming and snorkeling at the coral reef. Unfortunately we were told by the Captain just before noon on Wednesday that we have been denied entry into the Cook Islands, as well as Tonga. So as l write this we know where we are planning to go, but things might still change in the next days’ and weeks ahead. Fiji and Vanuatu are next on the schedule. But what precisely is next, after we cross the dateline, is a bit of a mystery!

Written by Sheryl