Ever since I used to watch Adventures in Paradise (1959 to 1962) starring Garner McKay as Captain Adam Troy, I wanted to visit Tahiti. The population during the setting of the TV show, was between 30,000 to 45,000. The population is now 183,645 with Papeete, population 133,627 as the capital of French Polynesia. Papeete is a growing urban community. Captain Troy's schooner the Tiki used to tie up in Papeete. The neighboring French Polynesian islands of Bora Bora, population 9,000, and Moorea, population 16,191 are closer to the post Korean Conflict setting of the TV show.
I had the opportunity to visit Tahiti on a 28 day cruise to the South Pacific. In addition French Polynesia, the cruise included 4 Hawaii Island, Western Samoa and America Samoa. My wife and I began Shellbacks as we crossed the equator. We sailed aboard the Sapphire Princess.
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia (an overseas country of the French republic), located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs. The population is 183,645 inhabitants (2012 census), making it the most populous island of French Polynesia and accounting for 68.5% of its total population.
The dancers were photographed onboard the Sapphire Princess in Papeete Tahiti on a 28 day cruise Sapphire Princess
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