Cruisin' through the Motu // A I T U T A K I , C I
By now I hope you got the gist that Aitutaki is the main island inside of a gorgeous lagoon. Naturally that means one must explore the lagoon and all its beauty. So that is exactly what we did. My aunties, cousins, sisters and I went out with Bishop's Cruise's on the Lagoon Lova tour. This is the third time I explored the lagoon with Bishop's and they never disappoint, it was a beautiful day.
We first traveled to the motu of Akaiami, where we saw the remains of the sea-plane landing that was used during WWII and later used to bring tourists to the island of Aitutaki. Atleast I'm 95% sure that the history of the place! We didn't stop for long, just enough time for me to get the drone out and take some quick footage before moving on to the next motu.
We then traveled across the lagoon to Moturakau. This was the island that was used as a home base in the UK version of Survivor. It is also the island that those who had leprosy lived when it broke out on the main island. The Bishop's cruises staff took us for a tour through the forest to the otherwise of the motu, where we looked out across the lagoon to the reef.
After Moturakau, the crew took us out over the water for some much anticipated snorkelling. Once we were all suited up, we jumped in the water ready to explore all its glory. I have come to the conclusion that looking majestic in snorkels and flippers is an extremely rare talent and those instagram models deserve a round of applause. Once you get in the water you realise just how hot it is out on the motu and with no shade all you want to do is stay down the water.
Our captain opened up a coconut and jumped in the water the feed the fish. And immediately a giant travally came out to play. Literally the size of a toddler. If you look close enough in the second photo, on the right side of the stern you can see a shadow between the end of the boat and our captain. That is a fish. We fed it coconut. Island Life.
Once we had our full swimming, we headed across to One Foot Island. Here we had lunch, swam more and basked in the glory that is Aitutaki's lagoon. The crew cooked us fresh fish and laid out an amazing spread of fruits and salads. We got to sit amongst strangers from all across the world and find our connection to this place. They are also rebuilding the the coral across the lagoon and One Foot Island is home to one of these beautiful little fish homes that are thriving. Lucky for me, my GoPro died so there are no photos and Ill keep that special moment to myself.
On our way home the crew sung us island songs that reminded me of family get togethers. As I looked across the boat to the other passengers, it was so awesome seeing them let the songs relax them at the end of a gorgeous day. That is the part of the island charm. It is slow, it's slightly out of date but that's what makes it so beautiful. You are forced to slow down, to take a step back and to relax. They call this place heaven on earth and it is not hard to see why. It is absolutely stunning and the fact that it remains mostly untouched is part of its charm. I cannot recommend enough for people to find their own piece of paradise on earth. It may not be Aitutaki but it's somewhere.
A massive thank you to the Bishop's Cruises crew for a wonderful day. If you ever find yourself in Aitutaki be sure to check these guys out. They will not disappoint!
This concludes my Cook Island trip. Thanks for following along and showing some love! I was super grateful to head back with my grandparents and sit on the beach with them as they told stories of their childhood. My hope is that I was able to capture and share with you how beautiful this place is.
Ps. You found Lydia xx
