It began more than sad.
A week before our expected departure volcano Eyayfyahlyahukudl exploded with crash and thunder. For a week he exploded from himself the ashes, stones, fire, plunging the whole of Europe into an abyss of infinite chaos. News were similar to the front-line reports. Anyone wishing to go somewhere during May holidays followed everyminute the news.
By the end of the week it became clear that in addition to airlines suffered numerous passengers, manufacturers of freshest mozzarella, and Kenyan suppliers of fresh cut flowers.
All over the world stuck our friends and comrades. My friend Anna traveled through Poland to her homeland, Mr. Ginger committed giddy flight Kenya-Ethiopia-Israel (where he was met by crazy Mossad with open arms), Ukraine, somewhere in Nice stuck Borins subordinates and happily spent money of company at Cote dAzur.
The world struggled to collapse, and the volcano spitting the ash. In England became finish the food.
Yielded to the general mood, we immediately changed the ticket with a flight Kiev-Amsterdam-LA-Papaete to ticket Kiev-NY-LA-Papaete.
And one day before start.
For flights at this moment has been selected successful model – four air corridors across the Europe and for all airlines. In practice, this means that through the window we constantly see flying aircraft. And once our plane just jumped in the air – over the head sounded something huge.
This flight – the real catastrphy for the organism. 10 hours in the air, 1.5 hour delay, fighting through U.S. border, other terminal, waiting for one more flight duration 6 hours and a terrible shaking because of the wind 200km/hour and then, ugh, hotel in LA.
April 24, Saturday.
Early in the morning, we quickly ate tasted breakfast. Funny, but americans traditionally stood in line for a bacon and fried potatoes, and we with Italian enjoyed slices of cold smoked salmon in teriyaki sauce. The flight was only 8.5 hour. But in a half empty plane, where we could lie on many seats. Since late only in the 2 hours we arrived in Tahiti.
First we took from the ATM money – amazingly beautiful colored pictures. I can not believe that this is real money!
The evening air is fragrant with flowers. Around the birds singing and chirping cicadas. It was really nice.
April 25. Sunday. Bora-Bora.
We have already third day in our way to Bora-Bora. Enough.
A small plane took us to Bora Bora, the archipelago of the Community. Just like in the movies – Green Mountain and circular atoll.
At this atoll incredible amount of network of hotels. All filled with honeymoon. All married. Crazy.
By the way, our hotel has a little wooden-glass chapel. Architecture – very conservative hotel-island style.
Our hotel is so huge that put us into the horror. Pontoons stretched along the endless rows of bungalows. On a small car we made the trip around hotel and were delivered to our room. It was great! The rooms with a modest island furniture, bedroom with a glass wall. So we rushed to Diving center. Surprisingly, our certificates not interesting for anyone. We waited elderly honeymoon Spanish and went diving. Here in Polynesia either early or late, no one dives. You can go to a personal dive. Only for 1000 euros. Thank you. Young couples – they are too complicated. They come here for a week and lie near the pool with chlorinated water or in the rooms. Just only at 5 meters stretches gorgeous blue ocean with a view to the green tooth Bora Bora. Alas! We also have noticed the canoe with two brave people in life jackets. They swam in shallow water and were quite happy. Air and water temperatures were the same – 29C.
Do not be surprised if these people are all have at dinner burgers and chips!
Dialogue in the Diving center found a civilizational divide between us and instructor Vincent.
- What is your name?
- Vincent.
- Ah, as Van Gogh!
- Excuse me, why One Dog?
- No, Van Gogh!
-?
- This is such an artist …
- Aaa … Well …. And I thought you got me with a dog compared.

So, uncertified Spanish were dived under the water.
And we just hung side by side. Underwater surprised by just in one moment – nothing new, but there are many of them and nothing afraid of divers. It;s strange but like soldiers during the attack, the bottom stirring mustached crowds of fish -goats. Many flocks were scattered alongside a corals. And we swam well, very close, but the fish did not think to move. We found an octopus, he blushed and turned pale. Then the instructor showed us a jumping fish, a scorpion. Behind it stretched along the bottom a long trail, and she lay quietly on the sand. The most amazing thing that we showed, was a huge bloated pentagonal starfish. She lived with two tiny translucent purple shrimp. Symbiosis.
Meanwhile, our happy honeymoons photographed near underwater arch, “first wedding” or “Just after the wedding” ….

April 26. Monday. Bora-Bora.

Slept well today, but not enough.
Morning Dive collected divers from all hotels of the island. There were 19 people. In the same boat. And the cloud of instructors. The island with mountain was beautiful.
Initially, we plopped down right on the heads of Blackfin and Whitetip reef sharks. They are common with divers and show quite traditional curiosity. All the dive, they followed us. The smooth gray skin, small stupid eyes and elegant swaying of torso. Beautifully. One of them opened her mouth and deftly ate fish. Do not chew.

The second dive was promised with the lemon sharks.
The first monster swam quite close. It was such a tight yellowish-gray elegant carcass surrounded by clove and pilots. She quickly disappeared into the muddy water. Cut into the circle, the carcass turn back. Then she return with friends. They not interest of divers, but were always somewhere near. . At some point, a small stick lost his mistress and rushed about among divers. It was funny to watch this Flatheads creature. From above it seemed that someone had stepped on her head, running shoes, and tread ever stayed. Sharks nervously scurried to the reef. They really are huge. No less than 3-4 meters. Torso as a barrel. One of the monsters came across a group of divers and turned sharply to the side. Unfortunately in front of her, she saw me. Unfortunately for me. Her huge snout is rapidly approaching. I even saw a row of bent teeth! The instructor said that fear is not necessary. I felt myself very uncomfortable. Carcass braking, turned a meter away from me and gracefully withdrew, dragging hangers. The tip of the tail, it was pretty battered.
There were Blackfin reef sharks. They were so tiny and frolicked like children.
Passing safety stop, we watched the huge beauties. They are hospitable hosts, followed the intruders. Three girlfriends listlessly wandered around our feet. And on the surface was already an incredible heat. Laguna was shockingly-blue color. And once again towered over her wet green terry hill.

April 27. Tuesday. Bora-Bora.

Then we looked into the chapel, where the honeymoones have their ceremony – a glass wall overlooking the mountain and a glass floor overlooking to the fish and urchins. I would like to see the priest.
We had a breakfasted alone.
Then we again picked up 25 people in one frail boat. At least the Americans are docile and sit quietly until they are summoned! Imagine a crowd on our people in the boat in Egypt! We get outside of Bora Bora. Again, right on the head of lemon shark. She is obviously not hungry and hurried away to escape. Same reef sharks were scurrying back and forth and peered curiously into the guides pockets. . They were stashed frozen sardine. At the smell of fish swam Trigger Fish. Huge, but very slow. He was late to breakfast and become depressed, so he gouge huge coral. Sharks have lost the shame and fear and accompanied us up to the ship. From the top it all looked, as described in the classic literature – 6 or 7 sharks were rolling circled around us. The bloody end is not followed ….
Then we were thrown into the passage to the island. Place strikingly beautiful – the bright sandy bottom, solitary corals and above all this fly shy rays. Easy drift. Sometimes flash triggers.
We paid for the dive. Package of 30 dives cost very decent money. The joke that we buy dives, not a car, was cheerfully taken up by all stuff in Diving center. If we are not too disappointed, we gave a hat. The afternoon was devoted to the circumnavigation of the island. Tasted the delights of fish at St James restaurant, then we went to the city center. Bicycles have been dismantled and we sat on the Brazilian miracle of technology – funny car, such as large plastic blue toy. The car moved. When we try to get it up the hill, it turned out that for this kind of movement he did not fit – to our horror hammer downhill almost never held, and the machine just slipped down when depressed to lock the brake. But the car was very photogenic. It was unbearably hot and humid. Native houses hide in dense foliage. Near them sat person from Gougen paints. None had worked. Lean dogs were lying on beaches and along the road. The road around the island with numerous stops took two hours.

When we got to the hotel, honeymoons still lay near the pool. The most daring relocated to the beach to watch the sunset.

April 28. Wednesday. Bora-Bora.

If you do not note the days, it can be easy to get lost. We wake up at 3 a.m., make phone calls to the middle of another day, eat very early, dive, Call into the next day, and 7p.m. fell asleep.

In the morning we were looking for manta rays. Manta Point. Mantas from Bora Bora went forewer and only two years ago returned. Now you can get closer to them only in the morning and very rarely. Stall near the coast was very muddy. Manta appeared suddenly. Gently flapping huge wings, she glided majestically, and dissolved in a whitish haze plankton. That’s all. Then we met this crazy fish-prilipalu. She fainted oscillated between us. Then the new covenant in the distance fins and took them for his master, too, dissolved into the mist.

Then we waited for the show.
As it turned out in Polynesia there are no tiny marine creatures that are so abundant in Maldives and Egypt. Nudibranches, crustaceans, some sponges are absent here. Even moray eels are, in general, not often. The main chip – the big five of ocean – whales, manta rays, sharks, rays and turtles. Search for them is not necessary. Everything in season.
We were tossed back to the house of a large lemon. Hearing the noise of the engine, the hostess hastened to meet her guest. With girlfriend. And to me it was precisely at this time to take a bread roll to feed the fish! Guide sail to one side, ready to show on feeding of giants. At this time, I just flew a flock of small fish. Mobs turned in my direction. And slowly swam on me. Trying to merge with the surrounding landscape, I hated stuffed bun in stone. Fish eagerly pulled her back.

The rows of teeth and bent eyes approaching. One shark swam quite close, but the second took me right over my head! 10 ATM flew out of control! Lemon girlfriend circled between laying in coral divers and went to the guide. These pieces of fish were just ridiculously small! And then Ivan pricked his finger, and from it flowed a beautiful green blood. And after 10 seconds there were a number of both lemon girls and baby reefs. The finger had to hold down both hands and quickly merge with a group of divers.
In the evening the last time we have observed the sunset on Bora Bora. Still, there is a fleshy green rock makes the island unique.

April 29. Thursday. Rangiroa.

We fly to Rangiroa!

The aircraft, apparently believing that all had arrived, flew for half an hour earlier. Fulfilling the role of local taxi, threw people on Tahioa, in the Tuamotu Archipelago, and then we had been threwen. Rangiroa looks like out of the plane like large spot with internal acne. Very nice color.

And suddenly everything fell into place.
Disappears cheeky patter with the push of Americans, disappeared big hotels, disappeared sweetly japans walking, holding by the hands. All gone. Only the French. There were a small group of friends – 3-4, single travelers, with which the whole world is full.
Somehow, we were greeted and taken to the hotel, where, I;m quite sure, we did not be wanted to be seen. No, it was very decent, but left feeling that we have come to someones cottage, without invitation, and now they need to do smth, prepare to eat. We pay, and somehow embarrassing to tell the hostess to the other guests that she was not to blame, it happened. And here we are, without an invitation. And the French, at home, sitting in groups, talking. Meals are served at home, in a cozy restaurant with a terrace on the ocean. No buffet! A la carte menu! Lord, deliver us from hamburgers and fries!
On the pier stands a large wooden box. From it a baguette sticking out. And the inscription – only for the fish! Well, the fish at the bottom is just waiting for my baguette.
On the coast, many hotels. I think the prices are very democratic. All divers, many of them, were out of boarding. And all the French.
Diving from zodiacs. Five of us and guide.
They dragged us to the corner of the atoll. Near dolphins point. So they threw.
Here it all started.
I do not even have time to do anything when I saw the laughing face, vertically falling straight at me. Here I am, hold! And huge dolphin gently lowered himself into my hands! I hugged him and stroked. And he likes! He turned to my face, laughing! And again, all the body framed for scratching! Shaker withdrew me from stupor when it was 33 meters. Next to me was quite happy Frenchman. Ivan blew through the painful ear. I had to take a dolphin in my arms and bring to Ivan. Well, he was happy! Around us the frolicking dolphins, but my closed by himself absolutely everything.
Flock vanished as quickly as it came. Instantly. Dissolved in the ocean.
We sailed along the atoll.
There were strange white circular spots between corals. Above some were spotted trigerfishs. Pairs of them. They guarded their masonry with caviar! One on the nest, and the second aggressive chasing the fish that tries eat everything from the nest. Many nests abandoned. Neither the parents nor fish. There was a nest, where the feast was approaching the end, and miserable parents are gone, not to see this devastation. Flocks of schools, bracken slope, a small reef, all stood in the opposite stream, waiting for prey.
After the dive, the French had a long discussion about what they saw, they drank tea, just messed around. We were not invited. To talk, of course. And like polite people propose the tea.
Then once again we have comprehended the depth of the civilizational divide, trying to find on the coast at least one restaurant, ready to feed the hungry divers. But no. Monsieur raises his eyebrows – to eat, oh yeah, after seven at night.
Evening candlelight was nice. Just sleepy. Dinner, as it should be in a French restaurant, hour and a half. Buffets and Fastfoods stayed on Bora Bora.

April 30 – May 1. Rangiroa

The days uncountble. Number of dives – each day for three and duration by hour, all confused.
Napoleon appeared so many times that we never see during all our diving history. Sharks, rays, manta rays, dolphins. Something is always riveted attention. Once raced couple tuna unparalleled beauty – as if made of Venetian glass and silver. Groupers, dying of curiosity, looked into the mask and swam after us. One, I reached out, he sniffed it like a dog and tried to bite. For that, I stroked it))
But the most interesting thing began before sunset. The fact that the reef was busted for livestock – to say nothing. In the evening you will see huge flocks of fish surgeons. Initially, they simply drove over the bottom for dances. Then their dancing became more long and fast. After a while all the fish suddenly began to rise up, not much, at 3 meters. Then, as if on cue, frantically and happily sped down to the reef, and clung to him. This was repeated several times. Then the dance evolved into fish fireworks – small groups of fish soared up and like the stone flew down to the reef. The water quickly became thicken. Salutes frequent. Suddenly, all the fish frantically clung to the bottom. Above them, a shadow of a huge tuna. Shadow flew and fireworks crackled furiously again. It cracked. In the water all the time was a crack, like radio interference. Then came a shark. It has a bullet flew by surgeons. Fish again fearfully rushed down. The water was quite mulky. We all were, huddled to the corral and were afraid to break something that can be seen only on TV. In the evening we had difficulty get to bed, were we died.

May 2-3. Rangiroa

To and from Diving center we get by bycikles. Car can pick up us from Diving center, but its not so interesting. We are going by only one road, chickens running around, shouting roosters, azure sea roaring. In the evening – cooler and smells flowers. Day is very humid and hot.
During these days we have learned many inhabitants of the reef – two flounder with floral patterns, fish-blade – always carries around a large stone, groupers permanently divide the territory, a small bracken on duty at the Cape, Napoleon patrol the reef.
The most fun in these places groupers. They are like dogs. Do not fear people. We swam to them quite close. The huge yellow eyes carefully studied us. Then Grouper can quietly depart, but not far away, just to see a diver in full size. You may even lightly touch the back. But do not scratch!

During these two days we have seen and huge manta rays, and spotted rays, and Napoleon. In the evening, if the current goes into the lagoon, salutes surgeons frail – caviar should go into the ocean rather than in the lagoon.
Went away from the nests spotted triggerfishes – or children already hatched or been eaten by the fish. Every day to the Cape come large flocks of giant Baracuda. They have long, slim body and huge teeth.

Early in the morning we were lucky to dive with longnose dolphins. It is very rare event – our instructor Katie did not see them, and Stephanie saw them the first time with us.

Polynesian islands are home to many Frenchmen. All of them are united by unwillingness to live and work in Europe. They kept a small boarding houses, some stores with pearls, Diving centeres. One, the owner of plantations of oranges, lemons and mandarins for 35 years, lives near Papaete. Quite happy.

Finally began to understand something fundamental difference between Tahiti, Bora Boar and the rest of the islands. Hotel and travel services ruined the whole ecology of the most famous places. Corals died, fish left coral reefs. Only the huge monster hotels left. Diving center forced to feed sharks, otherwise tourists will simply have nothing to show!
It is quite another on Rangiroa. People just come for a couple of days to rest and dive. Prices in pansions are quite moderate. 60 USD with breakfast and dinner. That is an average. Local divers say that the most interesting for divers to make safari on Tuamotu in places where there no Diving centers.
But we are at Rangiroa and we are very good.

May 4. Fakarava.

Almost on Schedule, only 15 minutes earlier our plane departured to Fakarava. We sat in the front and look out of the window. First Atoll Rangiroa and then 2 more. And now our Fakarava.

Ther are about 400 atolls all over the a world. 138 in Polynesia. And in the Tuamotu Archipelago only 74. Atoll is formed from the underwater volcano and rises from the an incredible depth to the surface. In the middle of it may be a little shallow plateau, within which are formed small islands. In the Maldives, for example, is the North and South Atolls Aroya, within each of which hundreds of small islands with hotels.
We are at Fakarava – is itself Atoll. It is quite large and irregularly shaped. Airport, as always, looks like Uncle Toms Cabin. Do not found the representative of our hotel, I went to look for a taxi. Ha-Ha-Ha! I could search something else, for example, parking, trams, light. A few minutes later, the representative was founded.
Suddenly, Fakarava was much more then Rangiroa. We drove almost 30 minutes to the hotel! And the island was not going to end.

We have a beach, a quiet lagoon, a comfortable home-like bungalows. We did not have a time for diving that day, but enjoyed a dinner a la carte menu in a restaurant. The French have almost disappeared, there were Japanese and Americans. So, something Polynesian we already left behind. In the room clattered geckos.

5 -6 May. Fakarava.
Breakfast was so-so. And too long.
We went to the Strait. It took 25 minutes. Equipment is normal. Current into the lagoon. This is worse than to the ocean – less fish.
We badly miss Nitrox – depth big enough, dive time usually not happens less than an hour by definition, therefore, not to make deko stop, you need to quickly cleaned up. And at a depth there are great schools, Napoleons and Mantas. Mantas, however, very deep. The current in general some abnormal – at the Cape turned sharply and began pulling at depth. I had to work fins. Groupers are larger than in Rangiroa, but less interesting and more timid. There are many Sharks and they are scurrying somewhere nearby. No more nudibranches. However, a reef is very lively and densely populated.
Passed heavy rain and humidity has fallen sharply.
Well, afternoon dive showed why Fakarava called one of the best places for diving. Currents were from the lagoon. We threw the atoll. Very far was seen the bottom. Beneath us circling flock of sharks. We walked slowly to the reef. Everywhere around there were sharks. Reef sharks. A lot of. They gently stirred their exquisite bodies, looks like very happy. Some gently swam to us, peering into the mask, and again went over. Guide took an empty plastic bottle and began to fumble. Moment he was trying to attract a larger predator. After a couple of minutes away seemed huge carcass of a tiger shark. It was just a giant! She was so big that not even believe it! Carcass went 20 meters to us, quickly turned and disappeared in the distance. Reef sharks just prancing around! Somewhere glimpsed Napoleon. Quite a large groupers again began to show curiosity. Two actively butting heads together – shared territory. There were ditches with small caves. In some of them rest sharks. Huge flocks of Blue sardines flew back and forth.
It was just wonderful dive! The last 300 meters, we flew along with the flow, reminding themselves the birds.
At this time we dived with interesting girl from Lebanon. With a young man, they came 2 years ago from Corsica, crossed the Atlantic, passed the Panama Canal, crossed the Pacific Ocean and reached the French Polynesia. Together. Then they do not know what to do more, but they were not going home. Somewhere in the vicinity of the Marquesas Islands they met our countryman – Alexander and his wife from the Ukraine. The couple committed Around the World on a yacht.
Our guide, hearing that we had spent three days in Bora Bora, scornfully curled lip. Alas It seems that here, this island is associated with bad taste.
Again last night was pouring rain
And at 8 am, we loaded the boat and went into the Strait. Going on the boat 20-25 minutes. The strait is very wide and all Dives depended from tides and untides.
In the morning we loaded up on the Cape. Current was quite strong. Sharks like herrings, stood opposite the flow.
Then we flew over the gorgeous coral garden. Sometimes in the garden appeared canyons, we have them down. There current was weaker and we stop for rest. Everywhere there are flocks of soldiers. Strangely, this nocturnal fish is well handful during the day.
After dinner current was out of the lagoon. In practice, this simply means that will be countless amount of sharks, Napoleons and groupers. Sometimes these beauties languidly sniffing each other and slightly menacing onslaught. But is not active. We dived in clear water, and near flowed Milky Way – white opaque lagoon within, full of sand and living organisms.
The last dive we finished with flight below the coral garden.
So in Polynesia, except to dive I think nothing to do. Or relax with book.
On Bora Bora you can comelike to the theater and look domestick lemon sharks. Another place for them is Moorea. There no more lemon sharks anywhere in Polynesia.
Dive is not for beginners.
The number of sharks and Napoleons never see before.
The most ridiculous in the world groupers live on Rangiroa.
Equipment in Diving center is normal.
The prices are rather high.
You can live in small pansions with very reasonable prices. Diving center pick up everyone and bring to the boat.
Dive in Polynesia is very cool!