Purple Clownfish hide amongst the fronds of an anemone, immune to its stinging tentacles.
A boxfish spotted while snorkeling near Isle Tahaa, French Polynesia.
A Threadfin Butterfly with its distinctive black spot ahead of its just barely visible threadfin swims above an aptly named Convict Tang.
A triggerfish.
Vanilla beans drying in the sun at a plantation on Isle Tahaa, French Polynesia.
When you pick up your Rarotonga driving license, necessary to rent a scooter, this is the sight you see.
The leaves of this taro plant are sometimes used as umbrellas, and the roots are cooked for about a week before eating.
The Needle, in background, was our halfway point along the cross-island hike in Rarotonga.
Polynesian dancing at Rarotonga.
Cattle chill out at the water's edge at sunset in the Vava'u Group, Tonga.
A Lion Fish poking around in the coral near Nuku moto, Vava'u, Tonga.
Replacing a frayed steering cable while at anchor in Vava'u with John Hacking from the catamaran Ocelot.
A dolphin jumps through the air near the Somo Somo Straight, Fiji.
A family of Pilot whales swims south of Somo Somo Straight, Fiji.
A child curiously gazes down at us while the mother peaks over the greenery.
A spotted boxfish near the White Wall, Rainbow Reef, Fiji.
A cleaner wrasse picks parasites from a client at a cleaning station on the Rainbow Reef, Fiji.
Members of the Fisher family at Viani Bay, Fiji.
Every day the children of Vau Bay walk 45 minutes up from Vau Bay, over the ridge, and down to Viani Bay to go to school.
An endemic male Orange Dove on the island of Taveuni, Fiji.
The cook grates coconut into a mixture of dried fish and water in preparation for lunch at Vau Bay. The kitchen has no refrigeration or electricity, save for a battery operated light.
Sarah, the missionary, helps Stephanie tie her lavalava at Vau Bay.
Young boy climbs for wild mandarin oranges on Vanua Levu, Fiji.
Life is tough when you live in your own private bay with your own secluded tropical beach.
The big event of the season for the children at Vau Bay was the birth of this calf.
MJ entertains the kids at Vau Bay.
Kids in front of a religious icon at Bill's estate near Viani Bay.
Two women pole a log raft down the Baca Baca river on Vanua Levu, Fiji.
Inflating the dinghy on the foredeck after picking up a mooring at Savusavu, Fiji.
Clearing customs at the port of Apia, Samoa. Check-in at Apia was the quickest and easiest of any place we have visited.
This is the rug on the floor of the smoking room at Robert Louis Stevenson's house Vailima at Apia, Samoa.
Robert Louis Stevenson's piano with his disembodied head floating above.
Taking in the view from the top of the hill upon which rests Robert Louis Stevenson's tomb.
Stephanie sheds a tear at Robert Louis Stevenson's tomb above his former estate in the hills behind Apia, Samoa.
The Samoan Police Band marches back from changing the colours in Apia, Samoa.
A Jungle Mynah observed in an swamp on the western side of Upolu Island, Samoa.
A purple swamphen observed in a swamp at the west end of Upolu Island, Samoa.
A Polynesian Triller observed in a swamp on the west side of Upolu, Samoa. It was trilling.
On the south side of Upolu, Samoa children race banana bark boats by pushing them along the ground with sticks.
A flat-billed kingfisher observed on the south side of Upolu, Samoa.
A Samoan Fantail observed on the south side of Upolu, Samoa.
A Blue-crowned Lory observed in the jungle on the south side of Upolu, Samoa.
The traditional Samoan open air family shelter is called a fale. The family and guests sleep on mats on the floor.
A sprouted coconut has an apple like interior in place of the coconut milk which is prized as a tasty treat.
View from the needle to western Rarotonga.
