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I'm off the hook.....
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: 22 miles south, then 11 miles west of LAS
Posts: 2,895
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Arrival in French Polynesia.........
The distant, quick repeating red flash in the darkness. The perfect colour of the singular light on the horizon. It’s message crystal clear to any mariner.
The low moon holds the motus in silhouette, but still no shore can be seen there. As the 50-knot speed of the open skiff closes the range to the inner lagoon, the quick red flash now has a new backdrop. The cyclic flare of the sea foam comes over the horizon, the dark curl of the breakers turns to bright white as each wave crests onto the barrier reef. Every 5 or 6 seconds a new set curls and crests, the angle of tonight’s tradewind and resulting sea makes the break start at one end of the barrier and traverse the entire horizon in seconds, that distance being several miles across the field of view. The danger that the distant red bouy predicts is now very real. I look astern; the glow of the wake from the deep-V at this speed is surprisingly flat, and it arcs into the darkness equally from the perfectly synchronized twin black 225 HP outboards. Their ferocity is damped by the form-fitting sound absorbing engine covers, the scream of their exhaust buried into the core of the seven-thousand RPM stainless steel propellors. Each one of the four blades on the convex cupped hub describing a helical arc thru the sea water, and then the void of that arc filling with the hot exhaust gases injected so very close to the props, making the most incredibly beautiful geometrical underwater display visible to anyone that could have possibly seen it. The smells change suddenly, drawing me back to reality, someone upwind and ashore burning paper and wood, the bow spray now becoming warmer, the sweet smell of land replacing the pungent sea aroma. The wake curving gently away from the barrier reef and the channel opening, and towards the glow of Vaitape village, now coming into view. A bright chrome-white flash from left and up high, as a bolt of lightning strikes the sacred, highest volcanic peak of BoraBora. The remains of a small thunderstorm has perched on the upflowing tradewinds, their saturated sea-breeze feeding the heat engine clinging to the top of the peak; the thunderstorm dumping it’s fresh rain in milky sheets into the forests above the village and eventually into the cofferdams that will become the islands’ water supply. A giant, powerful female spirit, surveying her lair from high above there, her hair the moonlit wisps of high-altitude ice crystals streaming downwind from the anvil head of the storm, the fronds of her grass skirt draping her feet in the mountain tops and cleansing her people, as the island myth tells it. Looking up at this from the inner lagoon, it’s not a far stretch. |
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12-24-2005, 04:27 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 18,162
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Nice. Well written.
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12-24-2005, 06:37 PM
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: N. Phoenix AZ USA
Posts: 28,943
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Michael,
Photos man! We need pictures! Always loved Tahiti and Bora Bora. Was just in the Maledive Islands and its the closest thing that we could find. Hope you are having a good holiday and Merry Christmas to you and the rest of the crew. Will tip one to a heading of 240 degrees this afternoon for you and the gang! I got home last night at 23:45 and was nice to see my own bed after 9 weeks out. JoeA
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2013 Jag XF, 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins (the workhorse), 1992 Jaguar XJ S-3 V-12 VDP (one of only 100 examples made), 1969 Jaguar XJ (been in the family since new), 1985 911 Targa backdated to 1973 RS specs with a 3.6 shoehorned in the back, 1959 Austin Healey Sprite (former SCCA H-Prod), 1995 BMW R1100RSL, 1971 & '72 BMW R75/5 "Toaster," Ural Tourist w/sidecar, 1949 Aeronca Sedan / QB |
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12-25-2005, 04:33 AM
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I'm off the hook.....
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: 22 miles south, then 11 miles west of LAS
Posts: 2,895
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Joe;
Pics coming. Got home at 0345 Saturday myself. Leave Tuesday for St. Maarten for a week or so.
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No, I don't sing. Based there for too long. |
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12-25-2005, 10:07 AM
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: N. Phoenix AZ USA
Posts: 28,943
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Good to hear, glad you are home, and will change the heading on the toast to 265 degrees then!
Joe
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2013 Jag XF, 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins (the workhorse), 1992 Jaguar XJ S-3 V-12 VDP (one of only 100 examples made), 1969 Jaguar XJ (been in the family since new), 1985 911 Targa backdated to 1973 RS specs with a 3.6 shoehorned in the back, 1959 Austin Healey Sprite (former SCCA H-Prod), 1995 BMW R1100RSL, 1971 & '72 BMW R75/5 "Toaster," Ural Tourist w/sidecar, 1949 Aeronca Sedan / QB |
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12-25-2005, 10:11 AM
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Gon fix it with me hammer
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very Ian Fleming like
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Stijn Vandamme EX911STARGA73EX92477EX94484EX944S8890MPHPINBALLMACHINEAKAEX987C2007 BIMDIESELBMW116D2019 |
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12-25-2005, 11:30 AM
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I'm off the hook.....
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: 22 miles south, then 11 miles west of LAS
Posts: 2,895
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 Looking up at the magma cone from my room. Yes, one of those ones that hang over the lagoon.  The outboards that delivered us from the airport that first dark night.   
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12-26-2005, 09:18 PM
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,319
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Beautiful! Nicely written piece as well.
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‘07 Mazda RX8-8 Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc |
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12-27-2005, 04:00 AM
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Registered
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Quote:
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1977 911S Targa 2.7L (CIS) Silver/Black 2012 Infiniti G37X Coupe (AWD) 3.7L Black on Black 1989 modified Scat II HP Hovercraft George, Architect |
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12-27-2005, 10:55 AM
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least common denominator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Pedro,CA
Posts: 22,506
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I'm at work... I hate you...
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Gary Fisher 29er 2019 Kia Stinger 2.0t gone  1995 Miata Sold 1984 944 Sold I am not lost for I know where I am, however where I am is lost. - Winnie the poo. |
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12-27-2005, 12:21 PM
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Feelin' Solexy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: WA
Posts: 3,786
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French Polynesia is a wonderful place, spent three weeks on Moorea about 3 years ago. Ended up coming home with a paru (sp?) and this:
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Grant In the stable: 1938 Buick Special model 41, 1963 Solex 2200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1986 VW Vanagon Syncro Westfalia, 1989 VW Doka Tristar, 2011 Pursuit 315 OS, 2022 Tesla Y Gone but not forgotten: 1973 VW Beetle, 1989 Porsche 944, 2008 R56 Mini Cooper S |
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12-28-2005, 04:13 AM
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Registered
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Nicely written. French Polynesia is heaven on earth, IMO.
From our honeymoon in Moorea and Taha'a...    
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Mat P 1988 911 Carrera |
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12-28-2005, 06:56 AM
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I'm off the hook.....
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: 22 miles south, then 11 miles west of LAS
Posts: 2,895
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Grant;
My F/O came home with a tatto'ed ring around his ankle that spiralled up his calf into a manta ray on one cheek. I only saw up to about the tan line....... Mat; How long ago was the event? I am in the Netherlands Antilles, in St. Maarten at the moment. Dinner at Sallies' last night. Anyone who has ever been here will know what that entails...... New Years will be in San Fran this year. Where will be the good spot to ring in the new year? Michael.
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No, I don't sing. Based there for too long. Last edited by singpilot; 12-28-2005 at 08:31 AM.. |
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12-28-2005, 07:38 AM
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Registered
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Quote:
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Mat P 1988 911 Carrera |
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12-28-2005, 08:56 AM
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singpilot, get symphony tickets ASAP. snacks and bubbly included. the newyears eve gala is alot of fun.
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poof! gone |
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12-28-2005, 09:16 AM
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Targa, Panamera Turbo
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 22,366
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I was envious until I thought about the opening scenes of Jurasic Park! That place looks fantastic. Your discription should be in a tour book!
Where are the nakid women? I thought they all ran around bare to the world?
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Michael D. Holloway https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Holloway https://5thorderindustry.com/ https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michael+d+holloway&crid=3AWD8RUVY3E2F&sprefix= michael+d+holloway%2Caps%2C136&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 |
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12-29-2005, 09:37 AM
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Targa, Panamera Turbo
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 22,366
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Re: Arrival in French Polynesia.........
Quote:
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Michael D. Holloway https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Holloway https://5thorderindustry.com/ https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michael+d+holloway&crid=3AWD8RUVY3E2F&sprefix= michael+d+holloway%2Caps%2C136&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 |
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12-29-2005, 09:44 AM
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Banned
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 18,162
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Where exactly are/were you? Or is it a secret hide away.....
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12-29-2005, 11:11 AM
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I'm off the hook.....
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: 22 miles south, then 11 miles west of LAS
Posts: 2,895
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I have a client that goes there every year for the holidays. We finally convinced him to not actually STAY on the holidays (all the island help refuses to go to work, no food, no taxi, no services, and one year, no power). So now he goes the week prior, and since then has been spectacular. We either stay at the Sofitel Morara, or this year (the pics) TopDive, a PADI certified dive camp. Is a special place, the commercial flights out of LAX are primarily AirTahitiNui (A340-300's), Air New Zealand (B767), and Continental (DC10-30). Reasonable fares and hotel rates. Is height if summer there right now (Southern Hemisphere).
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No, I don't sing. Based there for too long. |
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12-29-2005, 01:24 PM
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BimForce the Third, Esquire
1977 Porsche 911S 2.7L
