TRIP AROUND THE WORLD? Feb 28th - Mar 26th

[lisa c]

I hope you find the editing as much fun as the adventure!

I wish I knew what kind of round red critter that was. There are so many sea critters that can assume such a perfectly shaped sphere, and hang on with suckers or tendrils?

Dave, being in cooler waters, do you have as many in the way of adventitious/parasitic critters to deal with as the folks in the southern regions?

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Dave, being in cooler waters, do you have as many in the way of adventitious/parasitic critters to deal with as the folks in the southern regions?

Yes indeed. Sponges, tunicates, bryozoans, mussels, barnacles, hydroids, anemones... to name a few. The only difference being, it's by a sharp incline/decline of growth rates. We go from excessive plankton uptake to indigestible in markedly split cycles.

Feast or famine, if you will.

Actually, at Lagoon Island we have more species per unit square than any ocean in the world, second only to the Red Sea.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

We plan on taking our time to produce the best piece that we are capable of and I forsee the post production continueing on for at least 1 year.

I'm glad you are doing this.

I have background in media, production and editing (particularily audio engineering)

You can browse my audio catalogs at http://www.daveleblanc.ca/audiolibrary

I also have a few libraries not listed in the index. (L2, Universal Studios, Sony Pictures)

If you need anything, I can forward the files to you.

 

[lisa c]

Thanks for the information, Dave, it's amazing.

 

[Pearly Shell]

Marutea Sud! I'm so jealous!!

Jeremy, say hi to the whales for me!!

 

[pbazar]

No Marutea Sud Robert Wan's people reserved only 3 seats leaving Jeremy out. The team decided if Jeremy could not go they would all stay together and chose another farm and that is what they will do.

"I am really sorry, the problem is that I forgot to check for the return. I can send 4 people but only 3 can come back !!! And we don't have a flight everyday for Marutea so I can only confirm 3 persons

I am really sorry, my sincere apologizes"

 

[Hanaleimom]

No Marutea Sud Robert Wan's people reserved only 3 seats leaving Jeremy out. The team decided if Jeremy could not go they would all stay together and chose another farm and that is what they will do.

"I am really sorry, the problem is that I forgot to check for the return. I can send 4 people but only 3 can come back !!! And we don't have a flight everyday for Marutea so I can only confirm 3 persons

I am really sorry, my sincere apologizes"

Oh no for that oversight from Monsieur Wan's staff. I've read about Gauguin Farm but they just give overview to tourists, not in-depth, I don't think. Which other farms is the team contemplating? On Fakarava, you may want to give Franck Tehamaatai a call. They don't do tours like Gauguin, but they may accommodate for this type of educational filming.

 

[pbazar]

New Plan:
"They are going to TAKAROA, on Paul Yu's FARM he is one of the 3rd biggest pearl producers in tahiti the 2 others are Franky Tehaamatai and of Course Robert Wan, the number one.
Paul YU is also the winner of the tahitian loose cultured pearl contest 2010.
I had a word with the team, and told them that I was sorry for marutea, they are too, but they are happy because they can stay longer in the farm and have more time to film every thing."

They leave tomorrow (Tuesday) March 22nd , at 10h15 am and come back on thursday at 4.50pm, arrived in tahiti at 6.15 pm.

 

[JBazar]

On Robert Wan's farm we would have had less than one full day of filming and the rest would be travel as Marutea is one of the farthest removed atols of Tahiti. With our new plan we will have 2 full days of filming on the farms. Now we will be able to shoot nets and divers with our underwater cameras, the full farming process in depth and get all of the interviews that we need. Although it is not Wan's farm which is unfortunately it just may end up being a blessing in disguise. Either way we will shoot some great stuff and I will have some new images up very shortly.

 

[pbazar]

I thought you may be interested in where they are going in relationshp to where they were to go

 

[pattye]

The New Plan sounds very satisfactory, and a way to see another amazing Tahitian Pearl farm!

 

[Hanaleimom]

Josh,
Can you check out something for me? Some Tahitian pearls have pastel hues such as light blue, light pink and light green. Knowing that the darker color ones tend to be more valuable in auctions, although in FP they say colors don't come into valuation (only surface purity, size, etc.). Does any of the farms try to produce pastel pearls? And if they do, how is it accomplished? Thanks.

Can colors be controlled compared to Fiji (using donor oysters with chocolate and blue colors)?

Instead of GIE, they have another group now, Maison de la Perle or something like that. How is it working? Do they intermingle inventory?

Does Mr. Wan purchase smaller farms' inventory to help smaller farms survive? Smaller farms, who do they sell to if they have less access to larger designer houses like Cartier, Van Cleef Arpel?

 

[Pearly Shell]

What a bonus to get more time to film. I'm sure Takaroa will be just as lovely as Marutea. I can't wait to see the pictures.

I want to echo Cathy's questions, I am quite intersted in what is happening politically in French Polynesia in regards to supporting this industry.

 

[Hanaleimom]

New Plan:
"They are going to TAKAROA, on Paul Yu's FARM he is one of the 3rd biggest pearl producers in tahiti the 2 others are Franky Tehaamatai and of Course Robert Wan, the number one.
Paul YU is also the winner of the tahitian loose cultured pearl contest 2010.

Thank you. I did some Googling and found this http://www.maisondelaperle.pf/en/election-de-la-plus-belle-perle-de-tahiti/185.

"From the 4th October to the 3rd November 2010.
For the first time ever in Polynesia, Maison de la Perle organized the ?Contest for the Most Beautiful Pearl in Tahiti.? This competition took place in two stages.

First of all, under the gracious patronage of the President of French Polynesia and Mayor of the Commune of Bora Bora, the local and international traders who were present at the two auction sales in Bora Bora on the 5th and 6th October 2010 cast their votes for the most beautiful Tahitian Pearls presented by the pearl farmers who took part in those sales. Four pearls were selected by these professionals, who found them outstanding for size, quality of surface and color.

Subsequently, the wider Polynesian public chose its favorite from among these four pearls, on 3rd November 2010. This winning pearl will be exhibited at the different events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Tahitian Pearl which will occur throughout 2011 across all five continents; it will also have a commemorative stamp with its portrait, which will be released in April 2011.

Altogether, 8,472 participants voted in this competition, 5,169 by sms, 3,080 via the website and 223 by voting papers ? a sign of the population?s keen interest in the Tahitian Pearl. Of the total of valid votes, the chosen Pearl was Meherio with 3,070 votes (37%), followed by Hivanui with 2,637 (32%), Okana with 1,979 (24%) and Kawaii with 619 (7%).

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the pearl farmer who won this contest, Mr Paul Yu, and his family, who have given us such pleasure by producing the most beautiful Tahitian Pearl."

These are the pictures I found.

 

[pattye]

Nice reporting, Cathy! Fascinating contest with all those elimination rounds. Looks like 2 pearls for you, 2 for me, lol! You pick first----------I'm fine with what's left-------------

 

[Hanaleimom]

J

Instead of GIE, they have another group now, Maison de la Perle or something like that. How is it working? Do they intermingle inventory?

I am curious about this because I found the following link from the website http://www.maisondelaperle.pf/en/albums-photos/3097?nggpage=3

Picture # 11 from the "Ventes aux ench?res internationales 2010" shows Glen Tehaamatai as "acheteur" (buyer). However, his father, Franck is the owner of Tahiti Pearl Market. Maybe Glen is buying additional pearls from other farms to supplement their stock?

I look forward to your pictures.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Nice reporting, Cathy! Fascinating contest with all those elimination rounds. Looks like 2 pearls for you, 2 for me, lol! You pick first----------I'm fine with what's left-------------

Lol. You're so nice, Pattye, letting me pick first. I'll take Meherio and Hivanui.

 

[GemGeek]

You guys crack me up! But knowing Cathy, she might be on the phone to Monsieur Yu, looking for one of those treats!

Thanks Josh, for the update and the maps - very informative. Going somewhere new has to be a plus. Although, Marutea Sud is heaven.

 

[pattye]

Just giving a little bump here--great new photos available at Imperial Deltah on FB!

 

[lisa c]

Are there mosquitoes on Marutea Sud? because I don't want to get my hopes up for heaven only to have them dashed...