Mom and I spent a sixth day here on Tahiti after departing Oceania Marina, relaxing at a guesthouse and enjoying the local beach once the sun emerged this afternoon.

Mom forced me awake at 8:57 a.m. aboard Oceania Marina in the Port of Papeete, where the sky was dark gray. We had arrived late last night from Huahine Island, concluding our 12-night “Pure Polynesia” cruise that visited seven other islands and atolls in French Polynesia. The total distance sailed on our voyage was 2,106 nautical miles (2,422 miles).

Mom and I explored Huahine Island with a lousy tour guide during our seventh and final port of call on our 12-night “Pure Polynesia” voyage. We capped our cruise with a second delicious dinner at the Polo Grill steakhouse while sailing back to Tahiti.

Huahine has the oldest recorded date of human occupancy among the Society Islands. Europeans first arrived on Huahine in 1769, when James Cook and company landed. Today there are just eight villages scattered around the island. Huahine is known as “The Garden Island” due to its abundance of lush green tropical foliage and wild jungle-like scenery.

Stretched my legs on land this afternoon, then snorkeled for almost two hours here at French Polynesia’s biggest atoll (and #2 in the world). Rangiroa’s lagoon is so enormous the entire island of Tahiti could fit inside of it!

Rangiroa (rung-ee-roh-ah) lies in the western Tuamotus, one of five archipelagos that make up the territory of French Polynesia. With 2,567 residents, it’s the most populated atoll of the 77 in the chain. Rangiroa’s lagoon measures 47 miles (75 km) long and 16 miles (25 km) wide. That’s about 750 square miles!