A bird’s eye view of the Blue Lagoon
Staying in Bora Bora for several days, I decided to take another view of the island from a different perspective…a little height to discover more closely the famous Otemanu mountain with a height of 2,400 ft. You’d think that the best way to appreciate the beauty of this beautiful green mountain was just to climb it. Think again, I decided to try –out a view from a parasail.
Taken by the parasail excursion guide directly from our family pension, we went for an unforgettable aerial tour. From the pontoon of the Novotel hotel where the boat took us, we took a short boat trip to the middle of the lagoon. After a safety briefing, and some pre-flight stress, we were equipped and attached to a “wing”. The principle seemed simple, similar to that of a kite.
We chose a 15 minute flight option with a 984ft length of tether. The different options vary in height (length of the rope) since the higher you go – to better view you take in! For takeoff, we were seated on the back of the boat on a “launching ramp”. Our parachute was then released gradually behind us, lifting us up little by little as the air filled the parasail. Take off is slow and gradual …almost effortless.
The magic starts when you feel yourself gradually lifting off and rising… Half way up, the view is already breathtaking. As you take in the beauty of the lagoon and the peace and quiet, all your pre-flight gitters evaporate. You feel weightless as you are buoyed by the wind. As we reach the end of our tether, we enjoy the pure silence and contemplate all the shades of the turquoise lagoon that Bora Bora is famous for. Sheer magnificence is an understatement to describe its amazing beauty. Some motus (islets), overwater bungalows and other sand bars complete this magnificent landscape.
On our left side, funny enough, I notice that the Otemanu mountain seemed bigger. The experience was simply too magical for words to describe…like taking in any natural beauty and landscape. An experience that must be shared with a partner or special someone.
With the silence, you notice tiny details like the traces of tropical wildlife in the lagoon below; a small moving black spot that I think is a stingray, other boats filled with excursionists and activity on the lagoon…but in a quiet context. As if you were watching everything in mute… but still enjoying its beauty with all noises off.
After 15 minutes of this unforgettable and amazing flight, we feel the pull back to land …and reality. We descend gradually enjoying the last few minutes of flight time and admire the island of Raiatea visible from the horizon. Our flight left us with incredible images in our mind and in our cameras!
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