Rainbows on Day 12

This morning Wes and Carol and I attended a presentation on 60 Years of Princess Cruises by Duncan O’Brien who has been doing a series on the Matson line from ocean liners to cruise ships.  It was interesting and we should have been smarter about attending all of them.  Many of these presentations are available after the live talk on our room TVs.

There was also a talk in the theatre on Moorea which is our destination on Sunday.  It is a smaller island than Papeete, and it does not sound as if it will be as easy to explore on our own.  We checked tours again.  There is nothing available for Papeete, but two for Moorea – a sunset cruise with only two spaces which does not interest us, and a tour with a photographer which has space for four persons.  Belatedly we note that it is in a four-wheel drive vehicle, so I fear for my neck.  One should read the description a bit more carefully.

In the afternoon I spot a rainbow, and Brian takes photos.   

In one of the naturalist talks, Rob told us ocean rainbows are only arcs, never full from horizon to horiaon.  I researched this and learned that is a common misconception.  Rainbows are always full circles, but appear as arcs because we see them from land or sea level which is at the top edge of the cone of light.  An ocean rainbow is from the sun refracting and reflecting through rain, mist, sea spray - water droplets in some firm - at a specific angle, approximately 42 degrees.  Does all this science make a rainbow less beautiful?  

The theatre event in the evening featured two vocalists:  a repeat performance by Sandy Grigels who performed a few nights back, and Chantelle Delaney.  In my opinion – never humble – they were good representations of cruise ship entertainment.  Available from a port with exit from a port a couple of days later – so easy to arrange – and medium talent.  They were described as a powerhouse vocal duo back with a brand-new show.  One of them elaborated on this that they had got together and designed the show in a short time the night before.  That was quite obvious.  Chantelle Delaney spent more time prattling than singing.  But, again, this entertainment is not particularly to my taste.  I find the incessant strobes and lighting that seems to be an essential part very distracting and hard to follow.  So my eyes are closed a lot.  And sometimes I wish I could close my ears as well because it gets very loud.  What an old fuddy-duddy I am becoming!