Photos from the Tuamotus

Here are a few photos from my recent travels.  This covers the Tuamotus and entering Papeete, Tahiti.  The two atolls in the Tuamotus I visited were Kauehi and Fakarava.  Both exceedingly beautiful.

Luckness at anchor off the SE corner of Kauehi (in the middle.  The Southern Cross on the right, Bandit on the left.)

Leeward side to the left, lagoon leading to windward side on right

Between each motu there was a flow of water from the seas crashing on and over the windward reef

One of my many pearl buoy sightings.  I saw over 20 of these washed up on the shore

The windward side of a motu

Typical windward shoreline

The windward shore was covered in litter, some of it quite surprising.  Most of it was plastic

Leeward shorelines were often softer.  Sometimes sand, sometimes shell or coral

Fakarava's Hirifa, SE corner

The shore is broken in a few spots with mini lagoons

Luckness anchored in Hirifa, Fakarava

A black tip reef shark

Can you spot the octopus?

Same octopus as in previous photo, before it noticed me walking beside it along the shore.  Once it noticed me, it changed its colors in an instant, blending into the sand beneath it

A typical sight.  Squalls approaching

Approaching Tahiti, sometime around 7am

Approaching the Tahina Marina north anchorage, which is just beyond the huts

I'm planning on leaving Tahiti next week.  Next up: Moorea.