Kylie March 27

Lagoon Aquarium

Two days ago we did schoolwork until lunch time. Then we took our boat for the last time to Coco Beach. We brought our snorkel gear and some bread. When we got in the water the fish surrounded us and went crazy for the bread. Some of them even ate out of our hands. The trigger fish were one of the types of fish that were brave enough to eat out of our hands. Trigger fish usually eat coral so they have to have sharp teeth. They hurt us each time they took a bite!

Yesterday we did a full day of schoolwork and Mom and Dad took Kylie shopping. This morning we did a little bit of schoolwork before we went back to the Lagoonarium. At Lagoonarium we had lunch. We had brought squid and bread to feed the fish and sting rays. The fish swarmed the bread close enough for us to touch them. The sting rays climbed on top of each other just to reach the squid and if we were not careful they would accidentally bite us. Kylie got bit several times and got a little scared of them. We arranged another fishing trip for tomorrow with another local. Hopefully this time we will actually catch something.

Kylie - March 24

Crabbing To Lobstering

Yesterday, after breakfast, Dad and I immediately got the boat started and drove down to the end of the cove where the river meets the ocean. Kids were swimming there and were able to stand up because of a sand bar. Our boat got stuck on the bar and the kids came to our rescue and pushed us along over it. We drove to shore and walked across the street to where the trap was. We pulled it up and found that the two crabs were still in it. We brought it home and baited it and moved it to the outside reef where our fisherman friend told us there were some lobster. When we finished I drove back to the house. I am the one steering most times we go out on the boat. When we got back I did schoolwork all day. Mom and Dad went snorkeling outside our back yard. Dad tried the crab and did not like it.

This morning Dad and I went out to check the lobster pot. When we pulled it up we found four deep sea hermit crabs and the opening where the lobsters climb in was broken! Inside the bait bag was ripped and the chicken was gone! Dad thinks a dolphin stuck it's head in and some how ripped it open. I think a shark got in it and got the bait (it is more logical). I did schoolwork all day again and Mom, Kylie, and Dad went snorkeling. Tomorrow we are going snorkeling in the morning and skipping schoolwork.

Kylie - March 22

Busy, VERY Busy

Three days ago Dad and I woke up early.  The previous day, while we were driving to the grocery store, we stopped at the local dock to see if there were any sharks around.  Instead we managed to find a fisherman that was willing to let us tag along the next time he would go out fishing.  We met him at the dock at 7:30 am and it took us another hour to get to the open water.  We were trying to find birds that were feeding because the big Mahi Mahi and tuna would probably be there feeding too.  We found birds but they were not feeding.  At one point we did find a Mahi Mahi but he missed it when he tried to spear it.  The only reason you have a chance at spearing the fish is because the Mahi Mahi never dive.  The boat that they use is specialy designed to chase a Mahi Mahi.  The steering wheel is just a stick that you move left or right and is in the very front of the boat.  There is no shade and the only other thing besides the steering stick is the ice chest.  We did not catch anything, but we had a lot of fun!

Yesterday we went snorkling at a special place.  A boat took us to a small island that has small huts and a restaurant (shack) on it.  We had your own hut to hang out in.  We could get in the water to snorkel whenever we wanted.  There are ropes through the reef that you pull yourself along on.  You are not allowed to fish there and the owner feeds them so they are very tame.  The stingrays were even more tame and they would swim around your legs and let you touch them.  There were also moray eels and sharks!  It was like swimming in the world's biggest aquarium!

For dinner we went to a tiki show.  It was a buffet and they had even just roasted a pig.  The show was VERY interesting!

Today we did schoolwork (we also did schoolwork the last two days, I just didn't mention it).  Dad rented us a small boat.  We took it to a restaurant on a smaller island (I steered the whole way).  We purposely brought squid along to feed the stingrays.  When we finished our lunch we drove to the spot and got into the water.  The stingrays came to you so densely that three at a time were stacking on each other to get to the food.  If you are not careful they could push you away from the boat!  They were not dangerous at all unless you stabbed them with something sharp.  It was amazing!

Kylie - March 19

Floundering

Yesterday we did schoolwork until lunchtime again. Then we drove to the famous Moorea Juice Factory. Pineapple plantations on the island sell their pineapples to the factory and they make different juice drinks. They showed us the factory and the conveyor belt with the boxes being pasteurized.  Cartons are used instead of jugs which are not refrigerated. The outside of each pineapple is used to make alcohol, the inside for juice. They make 1500 cases of juice a day and export juice, wine, champagne and liquor to other Polynesian islands and Hawaii.

After we had dinner Kylie, Dad and I went floundering. The flashlight kept going out but I managed to fix it. At the beginning we got a small one. We also saw a lot of crabs that had claws twice the size of their body. When we were about to turn back, I found an octopus that was crawling on the shoreline. It had long tentacles and polka dots. We helped it back into the water and watched it climb away. It was amazing!

Today, after we did schoolwork, we drove to the other side of the island to go shopping. On the way there we stopped and talked to some fishermen that had just came back from fishing. They were unloading HUGE mahi-mahi and tuna.  One of them even had caught a marlin!  We ended up arranging a fishing trip for tomorrow morning with one of the fishermen!

Kylie March 17

Crab Pot - March 17

Yesterday morning we did schoolwork. We are doing as much schoolwork as possible so when we go on the boat, that we have rented, we won't have to do any. After lunch dad and I drove over to the river. We put the crab pot in the water where the river meets the ocean. We baited it with chicken (it was easier to use chicken rather than going out at four in the morning to spear an eel) and threw it out into the water.

For dinner we went to a nice restaurant (the best one on the island in our opinion) and while we were there Mom and Dad meet another couple their age. Apparently the other couple had brought a bottle of Camus Special Select 2010, which happens to be my parents favorite wine. They hit it off and it turns out that the husband makes his own wine as a hobby!

This morning we did MORE schoolwork! SOO MUCH SCHOOLWORK IN A ROW! Then at lunch Dad and I went to check our crab pot. It was robbed of its bait and there were no crabs in it! We were very confused until we found that there is a steep slope where we dropped it in and it had turned upside-down. The crabs must have pulled out the bait from the top. This time we baited it with flying fish and made sure it stayed upright when we dropped it back in.

On dad's conference call today one of his business partners said that he is in Moorea staying at the Hilton (which is a hotel five minutes from our house). Dad thought he was kidding until he described the weather for the past couple of days (HORRIBLE!). Neither of them knew that we were all here at the same time! We met up for dinner and went out to the Creperie for dessert. What a amazing coincidence!

Kylie - March 14

Crabbing In Tahiti

Yesterday we did schoolwork.  Mom, Dad and Kylie went shopping. We also got to watch the movie "The Bounty" which was filmed here in Moorea. It is about a mutiny on a British naval ship that happened in 1788. The ship's captain was being too harsh, so the crew rebelled. They sent the captain with a few other loyal men afloat on a small boat. The didn't expect the captain to make it to England but he did. The movie was based of him telling the story of the mutiny in court. It was pretty good.

This morning we did schoolwork again. When Kylie finished her schoolwork with Dad, we drove to visit a local man who makes crab pots. We talked for a little bit and ended up renting a crab pot from him for two weeks. He did not give us any bait but informed us where we could find it. He told us to go to the other side of the island around 4:00am and spear a 2 meter long eel. We decided we would just use fish and chicken so we would not have to make a trip to the emergency room. Tonight we are going to try to go floundering and this time Kylie is going to tag along.

Update On Our Adventures by Bitsy (Betsy with a NZ accent)

Hello, Bonjour, Good 'ay Mates!  I decided to finally give a Halter Family report from an adult perspective.  Maybe hit some highlights that Kylie and Ryan didn't think were as great as we did!  

Our time in New Zealand was fabulous - I'd say even better than last year minus the fact that we didn't get to visit the Cadbury Chocolate Factory this time....hard to compete with that.  The places we had been to before were just as good and the new destinations, amazing!  Tim has obsessed about the huge trout in Rotorua for a year and had his wildest dreams come true when he actually caught two.  Ok, maybe not his wildest, but pretty high up there!  

We loved staying in Marborough Sound.  We spent 6 nights there before our month in Nelson but had to go back for 5 more nights during our Nelson time because it was so great.  Tim was able to go fishing and I could go hiking!  The trails were crazy amazing.  The temperatures couldn't have been better.  I absolutely loved the hiking in NZ!  

We went back to a different part of Golden Bay.  Tata Beach.  Erin does a nice visual when one utters the words "Tata Beach".  Tim and Matt went kayaking for an afternoon - they said they were going fishing but I think it was more of a workout/surfing the waves adventure.  Tim and I had gone out in the morning.  It was calm, the little rock islands were stunning.  We were kayaking through rock arches.  The only thing we lacked was a camera.  Oh well, lots of good mental photos were taken!   One could say the sea was a touch rougher when the boys went out.

Doubtful Sound was beautiful - geez, I'm saying that a lot!  The kids loved spending the night on a boat - Tim and I loved some other things more than the short bunks. Like the waterfalls, dolphins and the gigantic crayfish we had for dinner.  There was so much left over they used it in the eggs the next morning.  Those things were huge and tasty!  Easy pickin's if you had a full wetsuit, scuba gear and were willing to dive in the chilly fjord waters.  Go Captain Dave!  

We left The Sounds and drove up the west coast. WOW!  Words cannot describe!  We stopped in Franz Joseph.  Hiking, kiwis, helicopter and Banofee!  That would be a banana toffee dessert of the Gods that has forever changed our lives but is, sadly, nowhere else to be seen.  Tim is in recovery but it is a very good excuse to go back!  The glacier wasn't too shabby either :)

Shane was another highlight for us.  Tim met Shane last year when he and Ryan went crabbing.  He made such an impression on the boys that we made sure to plan a few days to see him and to meet his family.  We traveled to Greymouth, his home base.  I don't think Shane has ever met a stranger.  Everyone knows him and if you don't you would want to!  As you could tell from Ryan's blogs, Shane kept them very busy!

We had a lot of fun on our last day there.  We had to kill time before our flight left Nelson so we headed out to the Sunflower Festival and then headed to Jester Cafe for lunch.  The festival was a small affair but the landscape was, once again, wonderful with great photo ops.  Not to mention the Guinea Pig Village - how can you beat that?!  We drove up the coast to have lunch.  We didn't know how great Jester Cafe would be.  Great food is always to be expected along with pretty gardens, fruit trees, etc.  This place took it to a whole new level.  And they had eels in their little river that the kids got to feed.  They were rather aggressive eaters!

Let's see.....closing thoughts on New Zealand.  The salmon is as good as it gets - and it's cheap!  There are not many fish caught when Shane takes Tim fishing......or Yuki for that matter.  They make amazing vegetarian dishes.  Australian Shiraz was our new best friend when it came to a good cab substitute.  A big Thank You to Jack McDonald for that insight!  Lunch at a cafe is never to be missed.  And I could go back there every January-March for the rest of my life!

As for Tahiti, we are on day 5 and this is what I know so far.  We think they filmed Jurassic Park here - no T-Rex as of yet but we are on the lookout.  The tuna here is like salmon in NZ (the best and cheap!), the pineapples are in that catagory too!  Breadfruit chips have to be good for you even though they are probably fried in some kind of lard and have heaps of salt on them - they are breadfruit ya know!  Fresh coconut meat is another amazing discovery.  I thought I'd scored the motherloade on a new dessert/snack food......until I goggled the nutritional value.   Amazing mangos!  Fresh shrimp from up the road are worth the effort to clean (especially when my wonderful husband is the one doing the work).  The open showers here are really fun - only half of the huge space is under roof so you get to look at the mountains and shower in the rain!  The humiditly level runs at 98% minimum so along with the mid to upper 80 degree temps I now have the label of Fair Weather Hiker.  I'll stick to water sports.  Oh, and it sure can rain a lot. Good thing we will be here a while!  And I haven't even mentioned the French food: fresh pastries, crepes and the bread!  I have no idea why Ryan is a food critic on his blog.

We miss you all and will be home in a month!

Snorkeling March 12

Yesterday Kylie and I did schoolwork until after lunch. Dad and I went out exploring while Mom and Kylie stayed home. We stopped at a fruit stand and bought a pineapple, made reservations to go tank diving, and went snorkeling. I took a spear when we went snorkeling and tried to get a fish, but that didn't work too well. We went two hundred meters from the shore and it was about the same depth all the way. It is as calm as can be and the reefs are spread out in small sections. I started with flippers but I took them off because they were hard to maneuver with. We spent about two hours out in the water.

For dinner we went out for sushi. Around eight dad and I drove to a sandy beach and tried a little floundering. I was the one holding the spear and light, and dad mostly stayed on shore. We tried for about thirty minutes without any luck. We were basically just looking at fish and talking when we actually found one. It was HUGE, probably the biggest one that I have ever caught. I speared it and moved it onto shore. After that we were more aware but we didn't find any more flounder.

This morning we did schoolwork until lunch. Then we drove our car to a dock and a boat took us to an island where we had lunch. It was surprisingly good and we got to touch wild stingrays. Then we drove to the same spot that dad and I went snorkeling yesterday. I brought my spear, but once again I did not have any luck. Kylie went snorkeling for her first time and enjoyed it. Mom and Dad had the flounder and shrimp for dinner. I love Moorea!