Tahitian Pearl Farming: A day in the life...

[Josh]

Wow Nerida, you're fast!
This is one of the only true locals in the Tuamotus.

 

[Josh]

This is for all you cat freaks out there. One of the new kittens fell in the water at night and somehow Laurent (probably with his bionic hearing) knew and jumped in to rescue it.

 

[Nerida]

Josh - your first photo in the post above looks like a shot from Gilligan's Island...

yeah, I'm fast - just sat down at my computer for about the first time sitting down since 7am this morning ..(now 6pm)

 

[Josh]

One of our wind vanes snapped so check out what it was replaced with. Yarrr!

 

[Nerida]

OK, not the fastest - you beat me - I meant in the post with the crustacaen... (probably crappy spelling, too tired to care, sorry!)

Cool ocelots...

 

[Josh]

That's too funny. I've been called Gilligan before.

 

[Josh]

This is two days ago. My friend in the middle, between Laurent and I, is a producer who is working on a for-TV series of different profiles of people in Polynesia. It will probably air in Europe and South America.

 

[waimeamomi]

Aloha! I guess everyone else is in a time-zone that is asleep. I'm sitting with a glass of wine going over todays creations and editing my own pictures to put on my site. I love your pictures, Josh. I just read back over this thread and I'm more determined than ever to get there. I've never had to get oyster stitches, but I have a couple of finger scars from oyster knives from days past. Here's a picture of one of your pearls that found its way to Hawaii via Tuscon, and my attempt to be artsy. The orchid is a second growth (does that make it a reborn?) from a plant from my neighbors that have an orchid greenhouse across the street. The stones are tudura sapphires. The wine is sauvignon blanc!

 

[waimeamomi]

Oops, I forgot the picture. Time to go to bed.

 

[Monty Hall]

Josh,

Thanks for sending me "on vacation"! Your photographs have a ton of soul and atmosphere. I can hear the rattling of the palm leaves, and can almost taste the pumpkin and freshly-caught fish. I'll bet Camelia kicks derriere when it comes to cooking!

"Ono" is Hawaiian for "delicious". How do you say it in Tahitian? You guys eat seaweed and limpets?

Your life looks a lot like the life my grandfather had, growing up in Hawaii where he struggled economically and either caught, traded for, or was given, fresh fish, fruit, and vegetables on a daily basis. He even found a natural pearl once in Pearl Harbor (that's how long ago it was), and remembered having seen Queen Liliuokalani in her carriage. I always envied him his youth, and to this day can't buy fish in a supermarket (it must be freely given, even in landlocked Colorado!).

My grandfather passed away at 92, having worked hard on the aku boat (tuna boat), as a stevedore, and later as a cooper. His cure-all for every disease from eczema to depression was "Go swim in the ocean." Even at 92, he was on ZERO medication, and still had buff deltoids!!!

You guys may not have the salaries of the gluttonous Exxon CEO, or of crooked politicians, but "Whoever has the most stuff when they die wins." is a total lie. It's "Whoever has the best heart, camaraderie, and is BUFF who wins!!!"

Your photos really made my day. A million thanks!!!
CarolK ("Recovering A$$hole")

 

[effisk]

Josh I've seen a couple of surfboards on your photos. How are the waves on ahe? Any kitebaording down there?

 

[Josh]

Sheryl as always, wonderful to see our pearls arrived at their final destination (and in good company too).
Carol, thanks for adding your color to this board. It was great to be transported back to your grandpas day. There's plenty of exchange between your islands and ours so yup, I know a few of your words. I had a big Nenue for dinner tonight that I shot at the end of the day and let me tell ya, it was so broke da mouth, I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. Tasty or sweet in Tahitian is monamona.
Effisk the kiteboarding is very good on Ahe though we don't have any resident kiters. As for that other thing you mentioned, we don't use the S word in public places. If you want to see some wave pics I took a little while ago, have a peek at http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/s...-filming-for-imax-movie-teahupoo-in-3d_18038/

 

[effisk]

As for that other thing you mentioned, we don't use the S word in public places.

That pretty much answers my question.

 

[Nerida]

That's too funny. I've been called Gilligan before.

Better than being called The Skipper!

 

[Josh]

Better than being called The Skipper!

Or Maryann.

 

[barbie biggs]

Isn't there already a Professor floating around here somewhere?

 

[Nerida]

Oh come on Josh - everyone loved Maryann!

 

[Nathan Reed]

Isn't there already a Professor floating around here somewhere?

There is, and if he doesn't like what you say about him he may call you something worse than "hand picked hen pecked fools".

 

[aggiep]

There is, and if he doesn't like what you say about him he may call you something worse than "hand picked hen pecked fools".

BUT BUT BUT then we can have a hen party!

 

[Josh]

Yeah, I liked Maryann too but I'm a dude Nerida