Covered head to toe in striking tattoos, a local storyteller named Tihoti explains the rationale for his extensive body art. “Before writing, before books and screens, this is how knowledge was passed from the generations.” Along with dancing, singing and drumming, his people used their bodies to educate and inspire new generations for the adventures ahead. On-board a small ship cruising between the lush islands of French Polynesia, I’m learning that travel is another important medium to transfer knowledge between generations. I see it flowing in real time between my elated mother and daughter, as we explore a paradise we’d only seen in calendar pages.

We’re three generations on a week-long itinerary aboard Windstar Cruises’ Wind Spirit, a small sail ship that turns heads in any bay it happens to drop anchor. Her four striking masts recall a different era, and with a maximum capacity for 148 passengers and 100 cabin crew, the Wind Spirit can visit spots larger cruise ships simply cannot access. Sunset sails to the booming soundtrack of Vangelis leave an indelible impression on passengers from their 80s to my 10-year-old daughter Raquel. She’s the only child on-board, adopted and adored by doting passengers and the international crew. Cheryl, my mother, is glowing like the proud grandma she is, and she’s not alone.

The Plan

There are other multi-generational families on-board too. A veteran Windstar guest from California has brought along her middle-aged son and 21-year-old granddaughter. Both tell me they were initially skeptical of cruises, but Granny knows full well this is a special boat in a very special part of the world. We’ll be calling into Papeete, Mo’orea, Raiatea, Taha’a, Bora Bora and Huahine, stacking the week with island culture, aquatic adventure, and 360-degree views of tropical wonder.

On the north coast of Mo’orea, we anchor in Cook’s Bay surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains so striking they appear photoshopped against the bright South Pacific sky. Larger ships cannot access this shallow bay, so it is ours to enjoy. Although various shore excursions are offered, my family is content to soak up the water toys offloaded from the back of the Wind Spirit. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, floating mats to relax in the silky warm sea water; there’s even a water trampoline. I’d never seen my mom in a kayak before, much less my daughter scooting about on a stand-up paddleboard.

Learning Adventures

I’ve taken Raquel to 10 countries on four continents, figuring one of the best values I can instill in her is an insatiable curiosity to interact with our planet’s people, creatures and ecosystems.

On the island of Raiatea, we visit the Anapa Pearl Farm, consisting of an overwater hut standing above a hectare of clear blue water. Over 70,000 black-lipped oysters live on a grid of thick ropes across this fetching lagoon. Without doubt, few of her classmates will be able to describe the history, craft and unusual practice of harvesting black pearls in the South Pacific.

Watching a pearl farmer delicately use a tool to remove a shiny black pearl from an oyster’s mouth, I see this curiosity burning in her eyes, and in my mother’s eyes too. Only then do I realize where I get it from myself.

En route to another shore excursion to visit a vanilla plantation on the island of Taha’a, a humpback whale unexpectedly breaches in front of our speedboat tender. We’re on our way to a snorkel spot where dozens of blacktip reef sharks gather around multicoloured coral. Although the vast majority of sharks are completely harmless, the ocean’s apex predator still rattles people’s nerves. I proudly watch as my daughter exits the boat first. As an explorer and co-host of the TV series Word Travels, I’ve been known to jump headfirst into wild adventures. Proving the coconut doesn’t fall far from the tree, Raquel fearlessly enters the shark-infested waters, encouraging other passengers to do the same, including her terrified grandmother. The transfer of wisdom across generations flows both ways.