Thanks to a great benefit from Robin's employer, we had the opportunity to take a couple of months off work in 1998.
Our sabbatical started with a driving tour of national parks in the southwest to visit Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. Then, we flew to French Polynesia to charter a sailboat with our friends Jeremy and Janet.
In 1996 and 1997, we completed our ASA (American Sailing Association) classes up through "Bareboat Chartering". We were anxious to try our skills away from the San Francisco Bay. This trip served as an early test to see if our interest in purchasing our own boat and pursuing a cruising lifestyle remained after living on a sailboat for a couple of weeks.
After spending a couple of days on Tahiti, we flew to Raiatea to pick up the charter boat. With ex-cruisers Jeremy and Janet, we sailed around the Society Islands for a couple of weeks. After exploring Raiatea, Tahaa and Bora Bora by boat; it, we flew to Bora Bora for a week in a great hotel.
We still managed a smile, even though we were heading home.
Jeremy and Janet, looking tired after our long flight.
View over the hotel pool and onto the Pacific -- Moorea in the background
Robin, Jeremy, and Janet on Oceanide: our new home for two weeks.
Leaving Raiatea and heading to Tahaa.
One of our favorite places; the back lagoon on Bora Bora.
The Hotel Bora Bora, where Robin and Duncan spent the last week of their trip.
We still managed a smile, even though we were heading home.