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Tahiti Dive Resorts | Tahiti Live Aboards

TAHITI - The M/S Paul Gauguin and Beyond

April/May 2002

Well dive buddies, I've just returned from a fabulous trip in tropical Tahiti aboard the Radisson Seven Seas' M/S Paul Gauguin and I had a GREAT time! The flight from LAX on Air Tahiti Nui's new Airbus 300/340 was the best 8 ½ hours I've ever spent in the air. The seats are a little wider and have more leg room, the tv screens are in the headrest of the seat in front of you, the food is good and the service is unbeatable!

After getting off the flight at the main airport in Papeete (Faa'a) and clearing customs, I was escorted promptly to the sparkling, bedecked and awaiting M/S Paul Gauguin. This is a small luxury cruise ship holding only 320 passengers. Now, I bet you're asking yourselves, what sets this ship apart from every other cruise ship? Let me give you a few hints: Exquisite gourmet food prepared to order, the outstanding service of the ever present crew, energetic, colorful, almost constant entertainment, a wide variety of shore excursions and of course the drop down water platform from which you can participate in any number of water sports including DIVING!!!!

I must admit that I was a bit rusty, as it had been nearly 3 years since I last took a plunge into the deep blue, so I did the ship's refresher course in the seawater pool. It was quick, efficient and had me prepared for an exciting underwater adventure.

I'd always imagined that Tahiti would be the ultimate tropical paradise and believe me, it IS. I've traveled a good deal in my years and although I have been fortunate enough to romp through some of the most remarkable destinations that Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean have to offer. Nothing could have prepared me for the breath taking beauty of the cerulean blue waters contrasting against the deep sultry emerald green that covers the mountain peaks, which dramatically jut out of the ocean floor. A few nightly rains brought out the most amazing waterfalls all over the islands.

I'm sure you're all anxious to hear about the diving. Well it was much better than I'd expected. In fact it was actually great and abundant with marine life. So many fish that they were brushing up against my bare legs and giving me goose bumps. The water temp was warm enough that I only needed a 3mm shortie and the visibility was about 30m.

OK, did I mention the fish…
A Great Napolean and her 2 juveniles escorted us throughout a dive in Bora Bora. A menacing moray taunted us as we hung above a small coral arena. The lemon shark were ENORMOUS, slow moving and docile and tons of black tips swam up for a curious look at us. I actually had them bumping up against me a few times. Playfully of course! Pelagics like manta rays, barracuda and tuna are seen on some dives and others are just chock full of color. The Parrot head's were chomping the bleached out coral, of which I noticed little rejuvenation sad as that may be. There were loads of colorful reef fish, angel fish, trumpet fish, needle nose fish, damselfish, butterfly fish, grouper, anemone, sea cucumbers, octopus, giant clams and starfish - the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, I did notice a fair amount of reef destroying thorny stars, on a snorkel trip around the Paul Gauguin's private island Motu Mahana, which is near Ta'haa & Raiatea.

Typically, you would dive with the ship's dive staff, but I had the opportunity to do some diving with Blue Nui Dive in Bora Bora, one of the land based operators. The boats tender will take you to shore at 8:30am to meet up with any land based operator of your choosing. Blue Nui proved to be a fabulous, fun and safe dive operation and Gilles was a great guide that made sure to point out all the things my lingering eyes would have missed. There was so much to take in all at once and you don't realize your doing your deco stop at the end of a dive because there's a symphony of action at 10-15 ft! The diving was so good that it gave me a huge boost of energy and all I wanted to do was get back in the water for a visit with all my underwater pals.

When all is said and done, it was AWESOME!

Click here for more info on M/S Paul Gauguin.

Tahiti Dive Resorts | Tahiti Live Aboards