Day 254, Year 1: Back to Cook’s Bay—The Big Fall
Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Weather: Another Beautiful Day
Location: Cook’s Bay, Moorea
Early this morning we left Opunohu Bay and came around to Cook’s Bay. We got here in time to head into the Bali Hai Hotel to rent a car for the day to circumnavigate the island. This was the second time around for Mark and me, so not many things were different. We did stop in the town of Afareaitu and drove up a road into the Afareaitu Valley to a high waterfall. We drove part of the way and then walked the last part up the mountain. There was not as much water cascading down the sheer cliff as we had hoped, but is was a great little trip into the interior of this island. Mary Ellen and Lee were both really taken by the beautiful shades of blue in the lagoon on the eastern and southern side of this island. The views of the lagoon on the left and the mountains on our right as we drove around the island were just spectacular. We ended our day by driving up to the Belvedere viewpoint and exploring nearby archeological sites-Marae Titiroa and Marae Ahu o Mahine. The day was coming to an end as we were walking down long paths into the dark woods exploring the different maraes and I think we all convinced ourselves that there are spirits of the past that lurk in the woods of this sacred site.
We got back to the Club Bali Hai Hotel just in time to go out to Windbird and get ready for the traditional Wednesday night dance show at the hotel. The show was great and then we had dinner with Tom, Bette Lee, and Kathleen from Quantum Leap at the Bali Hai. It had been a wonderful day, but on the way from the restaurant to the dock, things took a bad turn for me. There are no lights on the dinghy dock. I was walking with Bette Lee and came to a step down. I thought I was on the end of the dock and was falling into the water. That would have been a good thing. Unfortunately, I was falling down to another level of concrete and I hit hard on the side of my right leg. I have either sprained something in the ankle area or broken something. I am sitting here with wraps around my right foot and ankle and lots of cold packs. Thank goodness we have Nurse Mary Ellen aboard. She thinks I should definitely head to the hospital tomorrow morning for x-rays, so that is the current plan. At least then we will know what we are dealing with. Hopping about on one foot on a boat is no fun, but it is possible. Not sure whether a sprain or a break is easier to deal with, but whichever, I will just have to adjust.
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| 060628 Day 254 Society Islands– Moorea Roadtrip, Evening at Bali Hai |
Oh no! I hope you will be okay. I hope nothing is broken. Take care!!
Sorry to hear about your ankle, excuse the phrase but ‘shit still happens in paradise’ then? Just seemed appropriate… I’m now off to gradually catch up on the last 3 weeks of your logs here…My father, who with my mother, took us kids off sailing back in 1968 for many years, has just died. I say this because my parents lived their dream just as you are doing now, which is why I like to come and read of your trip. I can only dream for now.
Dear Judy and Mark—Judy , just so happy your care was excellent and that your leg will heal fine —- I speak from experience as I have broken my leg not once but twice –Larry and the boys told me that if I were to break it a third time they might shoot me. The right leg and this last time was similiar to your story , I missed the last three solid oak steps down to the solid oak foyer ..thinking that I was down at the bottom of the steps ….I bounced quite hard and Concord Orthopaedics handled me fine ….no pin just Mother Nature and time !!! Bones do mend . Your body will tell you what you can and can’t do….. Happy Fourth Of July !!!! there in paradise ….Matt is in Norway now with CG-61 USS Monterey…heading back to Norfolk for later in July . Looking forward to more of your positive attitude as your writing convenes all of that and more !!! Your fan club applauds your spirit of adventure and your ” can do ” attitude. Your librarian , Barb Thomas