Walk on the Wild Side

Inside the lagoon we are protected from the loud surf of the wild ocean. It is a beautiful day and the motu is calling us to come visit.

The blues of the sea and sky are breath taking.

A sandpiper is checking out the tide line in the sand.

We tied up to the line that was there and looked back to check out the boats in the anchorage.

Avatar, sitting pretty in the one dark, deep water spot visible anywhere.

A large Pandanus tree has a trampoline in it's shade.

We found this Hermit crab checking out a possible new shell home, while inside of a coconut shell.

Ahh the beauty of human destruction. A large section of land had been cleared beyond the hut.

We did not have to walk very far and bingo, there is the noisy ocean, breaking on the barrier reef.

Good size waves, about 5-6 feet. Lots of white caps out there too!

There is sand down at the tide line, but grey coral rubble, baked in the sun is above the tide line.

Looking North, it is rubble as far as we can see.

Mike takes a rest on a bigger piece.

Interesting pieces of coral are just strewn about. Some have long strait lines.

While others look like brains, or crushed up pieces of poka dot rocks, which are the coral holes.

Some of the sand is quite fine and soft to walk on.

Others are sharp pieces of dead coral.

In the distance is what looks like a rock floating on another rock. It could be the Starship Enterprise or another La Paz Balandra rock.

The designs of the coral in the rock make interesting formations.

I see an ancient Polynesian woman with long hair and her arms are curled, lifting something. What do you see?

An old city of tube coral, with their mouths open at the top.

Another interesting tube coral fossil.

A city of coral apartments.

A sand puddle in a large piece of broken coral.

Three different types of coral fossils in one rock formation.

This small stone was trapped inside this larger stone, but somehow eroded by the sea. It would not come out of its hole.

Jagged pieces of coral sticking out above the water, until the next wave comes.

The waves breaking on the outer barrier are much bigger than the small ones that make it to shore over the wide expanse of coral.

That coral rock is teetering on top of the other one. Looks like a shark from here, but with out his tail.

Tube worm fossils on the left and a hole where I bet another small rock had been trapped long ago.

These are live shells all with critters living in them. Funny how the sea deposits them all in the same spot.

Walking back, we noticed this road. But did not see any cars! Hahaha!

Wonder where it goes and who drives on it??

Mike decides the trampoline makes a good place to kick back for a rest.

A maze of branches in the Pandanus tree.

The Pandanus roots and a cut off stump pointing at me!

I found this old fishing net hung up as a hammock, for my little siesta.

Mike's view of me from the trampoline.

Avatar waiting patiently for our return.

I try not to pick up too many shells, but then my name is Shelly, so it is hard not to. These are the treasures from our walk on the wild side.

This little guy with his two fingers sticking out, is still one of my favorites!

This is his underside, very orange and a few teeth looking things sticking up.

The sunset behind the island of Mangareva concludes another day in paradise.