Transit from the Marquesas Islands to the Society Islands

We are currently transiting about 850 miles over two sea days from the Marquesas to the Society Islands.  In the Society Islands we will visit Huahine, Bora Bora, Taha’a-Motu Mahana, and Moorea before returning to Papaeete, Tahiti.  We have learned much about the big differences between these two groups of islands.   Marquesans are Catholic, Tahitians are Protestant.  Each has their own language although the official languages of the country are French and Tahitian.  Although both sets of islands were formed by volcanos, the geography is very different. The Marquesas are steep, mountainous islands with NO lagoons and few beaches.  The Society Islands are all surrounded by lagoons, coral reefs and beaches.  Over time as the island erodes, coral reefs grow around the island creating huge lagoons.  Atolls are created as the island erodes and disappears leaving a reef made of coral surrounding where the island once existed. 

Our ship has a shallow draft of only 17’ making it possible to enter these huge lagoons and anchor. Fish are plentiful both within and outside the lagoons.  We eat delicious fresh fish daily and have especially enjoyed some of the lagoon fish.  In Nuku Hiva local fishermen supplied the ship with several tuna which we had as sashimi that evening.   There was no snorkeling in the Marquesas but we expect to snorkel daily now in the islands we are now approaching.