I just returned home from a trip to French Polynesia, my first visit to this part of the world. The first stop on my travels was the island of Moorea, just a short distance from the more familiar island of Tahiti.
From beautiful Opunohu Bay, one can view several peaks on this volcanic island. With it’s roots in the bay and rising out of the photo to the left in Mount Rotui. The tall, cloud-shrouded peak to the right of Mount Rotui is Mount Tohiea, the highest peak in Moorea. The flat topped peak to the right of Mount Tohiea is the Belvedere Lookout, and to the right of that is Mount Mouaroa.
Mount Mouaroa served as the island of Bali Hai in the book and movie South Pacific.
Opunohu Bay
SOURCE:  Opunohu Bay (Moorea, French Polynesia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 05 April 2016.
Spinner dolphins play in the waters of Opunohu Bay.
Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris)
SOURCE: Â Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris) (Moorea, French Polynesia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 05 April 2016.
Opunohu Bay is just as beautiful when seen from the peaks above.
Opunohu Bay from Above
SOURCE: Â Opunohu Bay from Above (Moorea, French Polynesia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 05 April 2016.
Moorea becomes even more intriguing as a storm approaches. Opunohu Bay can be seen in the view below. Mount Rotui, which separates Opunohu Bay and Cook’s Bay, is on the right of the photo, capped by the stormclouds.
Approaching Storm
SOURCE: Â Approaching Storm (Moorea, French Polynesia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 05 April 2016.
Copyright © 2016 by Stephen J. Danko
Pretty pictures, but where are people from your family tree? 🙂
They didn’t come with me on this trip. 😉