Mr John's Little Guide to French Polynesia 2nd Ed

Mr John’s little guide to

French Polynesia (2nd Ed) (Not really a guide but an update to what has already been written) Photo: “Mr John IV” anchored off Bay of Virgins 1987 Photo: “Mr John VI” anchored off Hakahetau, Ua Pou 2008

INCLUDING A SECTION ON EASTER ISLAND WITH THE S/V ‘MIGRATION’ RAPA NUI ANCHORING GUIDE From the British Yacht ‘Mr John VI’ In transit 2008 season (with updates 2009) THIS DOCUMENT IS NO GOOD UNLESS PRINTED!!

Mr John’s little guide to French Polynesia II (with updates) 2

SPECIAL THANKS TO: S/Y Migration S/Y Irene S/Y Hawk S/Y Camelot And all those others that have passed comment on places they have been so we may share this information with those that need it. GOOGLE for the use of their Sat Shots INDEX: 3 Marquesas arrival….Clearing in and Weather 5 Fatu Hiva 6 Hiva Oa 7 Nuku Hiva 8 B Anaho 9 Ua Pou 10 Tahuata 11 Marquesas to Tuamotu’s ….passage notes 12 Amanu 14 Hao 17 Apataki 19 Makemo, Kauehi 20 Tahanea, Fakarava, Toau (Amyot) 21 Manihi 23 Ahi 24 Rangiroa 26 Tikehau 28 Tahiti 30 Moorea 31 Huahine 32 Port Bourayne 33 B d’Avea 35 Raiatea, Tahaa 36 The Coral Garden 37 B. Puheru 38 Bora Bora 40 Easter Island 42 Rapa Nui Anchoring Guide 44 Iles de Gambiers, Pitcairn Island


THE MARQUESAS CLEARANCE. You should proceed directly to check in at one of the specified Clearance Ports, the authorities have got some fast patrol boats and they do go round checking. Yachts get fined on a regular basis so don’t get caught out! For Europeans Clearance is very quick and painless, for all others it gets much more difficult as there is the expectation that you will pay a bond roughly equivalent to the cost of repatriation by air for each crew member. Without going into too much detail it would seem that the easiest way forward, for none Europeans, is to get an Agent…. The agent will then take care of the bond, you don’t have to worry about putting money on the line; they do the paperwork (well, some of it!) AND you can get Duty Free Fuel right away. If you are arriving in the Marquesas with empty tanks this is an added bonus and could almost cover your agent’s fees! A starting point at getting an agent is: PYS Polynesia Yacht Services…. [email protected] .. www.polynesiayachtservices.com There are other agents and it may pay to shop around… There is quite a good Wi-Fi system available now in Nuku Hiva and Rangiroa as well as the main islands further south. Even if you are not paying for it, you can still access weather information from this site through WINDGURU. This proved to be a very good source of information. This system is called Iaoranet and we used it quite a lot.(www.iaoranet.easyforum.fr) You can buy time on line or at offices ashore where they have an antennae. THE WEATHER Most boats arrive into French Polynesia in May / June having come down from North or Central America. First thing you need to know is that June / July / August are mid winter in French Polynesia and it is not always nice tropical sailing; far from it! During this period there are nice days, sometimes weeks but a lot of the time it blows 25 – 30kts with 40kt squalls and heavy rain; thus some planning and an ear to the forecasts is advisable. Also bear in mind that the East to West current flows through this area at a knot or so and this makes ‘easting’ difficult at best; thus windward work of any type would be at best uncomfortable and in most cases ‘getting back’ to any places you missed may prove impossible. Most of the bays you will be using are on the north or south of the islands but when using any east / west facing bays you should consider having the sun over your shoulder to aid visibility on approach. After periods of bad weather, water clarity can be limited and rain squalls may limit the amount of bays you can safely enter. Boats are lost here…. Usually by people taking chances in reduced visibility or at night and placing to much trust in their charts / GPS positions; if in doubt ‘stand off’ until you can safely navigate.


As already mentioned, you can get some good information from WINDGURU if you can pick up the iaoranet. However, when you get on line, check out www.metvuw.com and if you speak a little French www.meteo.pf gives some of the best local forecasts….even if you really have to struggle, its well worth the effort. One of my favourites is www.passageweather.com as they give you the option to download as a PDF; thus you can be in and out real quick and time is money when working internet in French Polynesia! What ever you do, every day, from here to Tonga, take NOAA from Hawaii as they are the only people who tell you the whole story.

The above gives a clear picture why it was blowing, squally and wet in the Tuamotu’s and right across to Suvarov…. meanwhile the wind in Papeete had just gone around the clock (backwards); after some fresh SWly breezes they were now getting a short break before the wind went back to the SE and freshened up to strong trades. All the systems were tracking just south of east and that HIGH (Anticyclone) was high enough north to compress the isobars in the trade wind zone….The tail end of that front remains stationary and it’s a continuous line of Yuk weather that hangs about over the Tuamotu’s for quite a while…..


FATU HIVA and the famous Bay of Virgins….Said to be one of the most beautiful anchorages in the world……Maybe… but maybe not! Some friends of ours said it was so good, it was worth paying the fine they got for not checking in properly before going there!!! If this is your first anchorage, you may well get fined too… Best to go to Hiva Oa first and avoid problems! The famous walk to the Waterfall and Pool…. More of a scramble than a walk and watch out for eels in the Pool… They bite...Maybe not the best place for skinny dipping!

On the negative side, this may be your first opportunity to discover how difficult it is to escape the South Pacific Swell which pervades nearly all Marquesas anchorages. … Even paradise has some drawbacks!


HIVA OA The logical arrival point for boats coming from Galapagos, not much of a harbour at Atuona; it can get a bit full at the height of the season even if everyone uses two anchors and few seem to be able or willing to do that these days. It can also be swelly, rolly and buggy! Some friends of mine were bitten so badly whilst clearing in here, they went directly on to Tahiti without stopping anywhere else! Apart from that it’s quite nice and the small town is a pleasant walk away. Fresh Water, Shower and Laundry Facilities (basic) on the dock

You can see how the swells build up in front of the Harbour.

There are four nice anchorages on the North side of the island, these may be less rolly.


NUKU HIVA The logical arrival point for boats coming from Mexico and the NW U.S.. Easy harbour to get into and plenty of room at Taiohae Bay. Leading marks in blue, not quite as per chart but C-map was spot on. (Anchor posn. 08 54.946S 140 05.981W). Do not take FW here, there is a tap on the dock but its not potable. (go to Hanga Haa, its easier than Daniels Bay but make sure you get the right tap!). Couple of small supermarkets, vegetable stalls every day and a fresh produce market on Sunday mornings at 0500. Often rolly in the anchorage so best to get in quite close and use two anchors. Fuel available, Good low cost medical treatment at the Hospital. Check out Taipivai in Anse Hanga Haa (Anchor posn: 08 52.82S 140 02.873W) and Anse Hooumi (Anchor Posn. 08 53.538S 140 01.560W). Daniels Bay One of the best anchorages to relax in (least chance of rolling combined with all round wind protection), in the whole of the Marquesas is Daniels Bay … Hakatea Bay…(Anchor posn: 08 56.638S 140 09.766W). However if you go ashore to do the walk take Mosquito repellent. If you go anywhere in the Marquesas take the Mosquito repellent! One yacht reported that they were bothered by a 1.5mtr Shark here that made swimming difficult. Other yachts reported that anchoring too close to the shore line resulted in a severe sand-fly attack…we missed that one but were not that close in! There are also a couple of nice and less rolly anchorages on the north coast of the island, the best of which is Baie Anaho (next page)


Baie Anaho…(on the North Coast) may be the least rolly anchorage in all Marquesas, it’s a long, deep bay that faces the right way to minimise the swell problem. The holding ground is good and it shelves nicely so you should be able to find an anchoring depth that suits you. Plenty of room for a large fleet of yachts but more often than not, it’s empty. There is not much ashore but you can walk up track/ / road 3km over the mountain (+) to Taiohae Bay, nice walk through Mango Tree Forest.


UA POU Only made it to Hakahetau this year (Anchor posn: 09 21.442S 140 06.251W). Found a nice little breakwater with protection for dinghy and steps ashore. Good quality R.O. FW available from R.O. building next to dock. Nice spot, easy walk to waterfall, couple of roads to walk on. Not much there but you may barter for fresh provisions. This anchorage can get very rolly. The main Anchorage on Ua Pou is Hakahau and although this is up on the NE coast it can be quite sheltered if you can tuck up under the lee of the breakwater. From here you can do the ‘Kings Valley’ walk and get some great photos. It is the centre of administration with a small clinic and an assortment of small shops You can find a couple of bays on the West Coast and these may offer temporary anchorage, most however suffer from the swell.


TAHUATA A couple of nice anchorages depending on the swell and good place to stop on the Fatu Hiva run. There are a couple of small stores, an infirmary and a Post Office on the island. The North Western bays can be far more relaxing than Atuona Harbour on nearby Hiva Oa. Bay de Hanamoenoa was my favourite with anchor position 09 54.471S 139 06.256W. The two smaller bays a little further south were also good, especially if there are boats already in Hanamoenoa.


MARQUESAS TO TUAMOTU’S Try and get a good wind to carry you down, but try not to have rain or overcast on arrival, this will be your first eye-ball navigation for quite a while and you need a good day to get back into it! The Tuamotu’s were known as ‘The Dangerous Archipelago’ and not without good reason, this can be a very rewarding cruising area but it can also be very challenging. Both reward and challenge are much determined by the weather conditions; when the weather turns against you here, you quickly discover how exposed you are in these lagoons. Where to aim for is debatable….you should do at least two of the atolls to get the flavour and if you are really into snorkelling and diving then you will need more time and more islands. Some of the islands have been well brought up to date on C-map and all reports say that it is ‘spot on’ (well, at least as far as you dare trust GPS and Electronic Charts). This run often has more wind and heavier seas than expected so the further east your target is in the Tuamoto’s, the tougher it can be getting there. As an example, BEFORE you take off there are a few things you need to know…. Money: Many of the small villages in the Tuamoto’s have no banks and no means of dealing with either Credit Cards or foreign exchange. Cash is King! Fuel, stores and supplies: Many places you go to will be looking towards your boat for these so don’t expect a lot to be available to you! Having said that, there are small stores and basic provisions can usually be obtained. The supply boat visits most of the islands weekly and the locals order their stuff directly, therefore ‘shops’ are a place of last resort (or ‘just for tourists’) and are priced accordingly. WEATHER….. it’s all about weather….. Be aware, the normal winds blow fresh from the E to SE and any Pass into a lagoon that faces directly into the wind will be ‘impassable’ in anything but the best of conditions. A western pass may be on the lee side of the Atoll but with a strong inflowing tide rushing you into the lagoon you can find some steep and nasty seas on the way in. You should always make sure of securing all hatches before attempting a pass, even if it seems quite calm. It may not be dangerous but you can easily end up with a wet bunk or two! Most of the lagoons are big and deep; internally, a large short sea and swell can build up quickly. If you are inside a lagoon then you have a possible ‘lee shore’ all round….. You need good visibility in most of the lagoons, if you arrive without it, you may get inside the pass but then you have to motor some ways across the lagoon to find shelter to anchor…. very difficult if you can’t read the water!


Some observations on the islands: The following comes courtesy of Eeva, Tapio and Jyri Hamalainen on s/y Irene…… (2009)

Amanu: ”The passe to Amanu lagoon is narrow, 9 m deep and straight with a slight turn to south in the lagoon end. There is a detailed chart of the passe in C-map. It is fairly accurate, although it shows the passe about 10 m too far north. We entered 2 h after low water, and had a 3 kts current flowing out of the lagoon. We exited 3 h after low water, and had about 1 kt current out of the lagoon. The pass is on the west side of the lagoon, and the rip was not bad outside of the entrance. The wind was weak during our visit, so that we do not know the conditions with stronger winds. We anchored at 17 m depth 0.3 nm south of the village, which lies on the southern shore of the pass. The bottom is not good, patches of sand with plenty of boulders around. It is also on the lee shore of the lagoon. Better anchorages can probably be found on the lee of the windward motus. The village is small (maybe 100 inhabitants) with one shop selling pure basics, but no gendarmerie. There is a small b oat harbour protected by a concrete quay suitable for dinghies”. This is the northern pass and is NOT the best way in or out… however it could be confusing so be aware of it…. Some pilot books seem to indicate this is the only pass…. There is water enough to get through but it is a little tight and the current can be ferocious.

The Real Pass is just north of the village… so when you are inbound you should be able to see the Church, plenty of buildings and antennae on your starboard side. Don’t forget to curve to starboard at the inner end as there is a spit that juts out from port (on the way in)


The small boat harbour is visible at the bottom of this shot….see below If you are ‘shallow draft’ you may want to sound out that pass

I looked all around on Google and this looked like it would be the best chance of an anchorage. It is directly across from the village on the east side of the lagoon. Go to 17 52.8S 140 47.3E then feel your way in, over a coral / sand bar.

Try this, but be aware, I have not……yet

The north part of the atoll looks interesting and should offer good protection should the wind come from that direction.


Hao: More from Eeva, Tapio and Jyri Hamalainen on s/y Irene…… ”The passe is 8 m deep and 0.75 nm wide. The edges are marked by a pair of green and red buoys, as are also the coral heads on the route to the village. There are range marks with green lights for the entrance. We entered the pass at high water and had a 3 kts current flowing out of the lagoon. We circumvented the worst of the rip by selecting the east side of the channel. There is no detailed map for Hao in C-map, and the large scale map shows the long motu 0.25 nm too far west. We anchored outside of the village in 12 m depth near a coral head marked by a red steel structure with red light (18deg 06.38' S, 140deg 54.57' W). The bottom is sand with scattered boulders. The place is well protected from easterly winds, but if the wind comes from SE or S, it gets rolly. There is a well protected basin for small (shallow draft) boats and dighy’s inside the nearby jetty used by supply ships. We found a nice anchorage in Hao 7 nm SE from the Otepa village at 18 deg 57,47 min S, 140 deg 50,51W. There are not many coral boulders in the bottom at 10 m depth, and there is a reef S of the anchorage. It gives protection from waves with S winds and makes a good snorkeling and windsurfing site. If the anchorage gets rolly, there is a abandoned patrol boat harbour 0.5 nm NW from the jetty. It was built by French military during the days when Hao was used as a supply base for the nuclear bomb tests in Mururoa. Good protection for all winds can be found there. The family who owns the land area invited us to use the harbour at no cost. The military left 13 years ago, and the very large military installations in derelict state are being demolished today. The project is planned to last 7 years, after which all the land will be returned to the original owners. Credit Cards are not accepted on Hao, even at the Post Office;m however there are two shops that will exchange US dollars at a fair rate. There are 1500 inhabitants on Hao, 3 reasonably well stocked shops, gendarmerie, post office and Air Tahiti office. There are 4 weekly flights between Papeete and Hao served by an ATR 42-500 aircrafts. Celebration of Heiva lasts from 11th to 25th of July, and includes competitions in many traditional arts like copra competition, coconut milk competition, spear throwing, canoeing, preparation of Poisson Cru, palm frond weaving and of course dancing and local music. Two restaurants are open during Heiva, probably also at other times”. The shallow basin inside the quay used by supply ships. The basin is well suited for dinghies, but too shallow for most cruising boats. We used it during Heiva when we anchored outside the village at 18 deg 06,41 min S 140 deg 54,58 min W.


A second Basin at Hao offers more water and a little more space…..This is the ex. Military Base. Posn:18 deg 05,95 min S, 140 deg 54,76 min W. The depth at the entrance is 4,5 m. Nice spot, but a 1 km walk to the village. Yachts have spent time here and there is room for quite a few…. Watch out for rats!!! A third basin on Hao may offer protection to a smaller vessel with limited draft…..


Down in the SE of the atoll there seem to be some nice anchoring spots…. Plenty of places to snorkel on and maybe some good fishing…. With the prevailing wind out of the SE – E this would be a comfortable anchorage in most conditions. Not a great shot of the Pass but it shows that it is wide, protected from the worst of the winds and relatively straightforward. Anchorage off the main town however, is deep and a little exposed. Not a great spot for a small boat.


Apataki More from Eeva, Tapio and Jyri Hamalainen on s/y Irene……(dated Nov 09) Apataki Carenage Services www.apatakicarenage.com 15 33.5S 146 14.5W Motu Tamaro (I cut these gems out of a letter so please excuse the editing….) Family business run by Alfred, Pauline and son Tony. All speak English and communication no problem. They bend over backwards to sort out any problems. Toilet and Shower facilities have been built. A very beautiful setting; yachties here have a close relationship, evening BBQ’s, Happy Hour Beer etc. The nearest village is Niutahi, 10nm away; small village with one randomly open store and Post office (all very Basic). There are 3 weekly flights to Papeete (10kg baggage allowance) and 1 weekly supply ship. Cell phone coverage just reaches the Marina, they have internet via satellite, OK for e-mail but not for surfing the net. Anything can be ordered and delivered by ship however it may take a little while so pre-planning is very important! With a little effort they can get up to 2m draft out (with a “Swan-like” shape) Capacity of hydraulic lifting trailer is 20 tons, This trailer is well suited for Catamarans There are some moorings off the Marina which started operation around August 09 and have hauled about 10 boats so far (Nov 09). There is some risk from cyclones however this is considered small; the Motu is quite wide (0.5km) and ground level at yard 4m above sea level. The ground is hard compacted coral sand, which drains well and will not become soft with heavy rain. Plenty of room for boat stowage (so domino effect unlikely) Generally dry climate (suitable for long term storage of boats?) WHATEVER…. this is great news for cruising boats on the Pacific Circuit as it is the only yard between the East Coast of Central / North America and Papeete. The pass is straight forward, marked and bigger than it looks here…


The Carenage is located at Apataki Blue (or there-abouts / close enough) Hard Stand Posn: 15 deg 33,65 S, 146 deg 14,49 W. The Northern part looks interesting and has some good protection. Not-with-standing any of the above, the Tuamotu’s lie inside the hurricane belt and have been well flattened on many occasions; you have to be aware of the odds!


MAKEMO : Not a great deal going on here and the anchorage off the town was exposed. The main pass is well marked and strait forward, not bad with the old BA charts but not updated on the C-Maps KAUEHI: For many yachts this was their first island this year (2008) and it was very popular, the pass is very strait forward and then there is a clear reach across to the town where you can anchor off. You have to exit the same way as you came in. Said to be very friendly and nice ashore. Some yachts anchored close inside the pass (turn to starboard) and said the snorkelling was very good and the anchorage quite easy. Across the lagoon the village offers good anchorage and protection from E – SE. A few supplies are available.


TAHANEA : More of a side trip for the divers, said to be really exquisite under the water and got high marks from all that went there; however there were abundant amounts of Sharks and the anchorages were more challenging (to deep for me with no anchor windlass!). FAKARAVA : Classified by UNESCO as a Biosphere Natural Reserve, some rules on where you can and can not anchor. As soon as you arrive you should check in with the Town Hall and get the regulations. Has two passes one in the SE and other in NW, both are good but both are equally as bad in a strong wind against tide situation. Many yachts came in the SE pass (from Kauehi) and exited through the NW pass (to Toau). The “drift-dive” or snorkel up the SE pass got some of the best reviews from anywhere! Some supplies are available here and both Credit Cards and Foreign Exchange can be handled. TOAU : : AMYOT 15 48S 146 09W North end of Tauo, good harbour entered from OUTSIDE the fringing reef. Said to be flat in almost all conditions, Easy to enter with ranges (lights) and marks Mooring balls are available but there is plenty to room to anchor. There is a dinghy dock ashore. *You cannot go into the lagoon through this hole… it is a blind pass with a coral bar at the inner end.* Gaston and Valentine are most welcoming to yachts, they run a Pearl Farm…. They provide a “Feast”…said to be good value for money…You can work alongside Gaston and learn about Pearl Farming in this area. Check with other boats by radio before going as they sometimes need supplies from other islands which you can pick up for them (payment in full on arrival). This would then make you very popular! I couldn’t get a clear sat shot of the above anchorage, too much cloud cover; however I did get this shot showing the pass… HOWEVER… going inside the lagoon is not considered the best of ideas…. There is a ton of coral heads in the lagoon and the pass is exposed to the prevailing conditions. The anchorage is in the NW corner of the photo


MANIHI : Much improved in way of navigational marks since my first visit, when it was ‘heart in mouth’ as we charged in with 6 ½ feet draft and a full tide under us. A lot of pearl farms here and anchoring can be difficult. Apart from a tour of the Pearl Farms there didn’t really seem a lot to do; They were charging but you did get to keep some of the pearls they let you ‘find’ {Fernando seems to be the man to contact for a tour}. You can get alongside the dock which is in the cut, it is good for at least 6ft draft; however you may be asked to move if the ferry comes in. Some provisions may be possible but Fresh Water, as in most of the island’s, is more difficult! Manihi dock (with strong current in the pass)

When I got into the lagoon I went over to the east where Charlie’s Charts says “lee of motu” but I still couldn’t find anywhere shallow enough that wanted to put my hook… In the end I got in my canoe with a small Bruce and chain, took the anchor and placed it in the centre of a near surface coral head (of which there were plenty). That worked for a couple of days….. at least I knew I’d get my anchor back! You can find an anchorage just off the Small Boat Basin inside the Pass to Starboard…however it is not very well protected.



AHE : Much the same as Manihi except that there is a somewhat more secure anchorage off the main town and the channel is much easier, with a well marked channel all the way to the basin. DO NOT charge around inside the basin as there are many Coral Heads and seeing some of them is difficult. It may be better to anchor outside the basin if in any doubt. Whatever; do not block the channel as there is regular freighter service to main wharf. There are a couple of small stores, a little hardware, sometimes fresh bread and not much else. My anchor position was : 14 32.210S 146 21.439W The yacht to the NW of the dock is in a good position, further north there are many more coral heads and further south would obstruct the ferry coming in.


RANGIROA : Two passes on the north coast, both can be very bad with wind against tide. The Eastern pass is most handy for the main yacht anchorage however, when its blowing the western pass seems to me to be far easier and shorter. However once through you then have to go five miles east on the inside. Under ideal conditions it would be best to enter through the east pass and exit through the west. Nice anchorage but open if the wind clocks round, we had a good swell even in a strong SEly as the waves built up a swell inside the lagoon and this worked its way into the bay. Had a Free Pearl Farm Tour here organised through the local hotel it was very good and the drift dive on the pass can be rewarding in settled conditions. If you get the weather right, you can do Papeete from here in just one overnight. The Eastern pass Passe Tiputa is the most convenient to the anchorage… Follow the dotted line on the Postcard…. This is a nice anchorage but can be a bit rolly in a heavy SEly. The Western pass Passe Avatoru can be a little easier but leaves you a ways to go to the best anchorage.. Entry by eastern and exit by western pass has worked well for me. However I did entry here last time in heavy conditions when we were carried past the eastern pass whilst awaiting the tide (rip) to slacken off….. It was not a problem when we eventually entered at the correct time but a bit of a slog to get to the anchorage against the fresh SE trade blowing down the lagoon….


The pass at Tiputa (Eastern Pass) is close to the anchorage and handy for a drift dive from the dinghy on an incoming tide…..(very nice!). The pass at Avatoru (Western pass) is particularly good for an exit…..


TIKEHAU I nearly forgot this one…… but I was chatting away at a BBQ with Jackie & Neil Michell off “Camelot” and they said they had had a great stop over here and enjoyed swimming with the Manta Rays; apparently this is one of only three spots in F.P. where these rays come in from the ocean for a clean up (done by some specialized local ‘cleaning fish’). Anyway, it’s easy to get in the water with them and you are almost guaranteed a show….Now there is a good reason to do this atoll! The pass is on the west side and is strait forward, once inside head down to the SSE to the village along a marked channel and anchor off. This is a nice day sail from Rangiroa and will work well with a mid afternoon arrival (best plan the tide well in advance to coincide). Apparently, for these gems of information we should all chuck out our Pilot Books and read Lonely Planet!!!!

Beware, there are a lot of coral heads but everything is well marked…….


The amount of coral heads looks heavy however there is more room than it looks here! So long as the wind remains east or south of east, anchorage off the village is relatively flat.


There are many other islands, not mentioned here, which are visited by sailing boats so do not feel limited to the few mentioned above…. You can find your own bit of Paradise here but be aware; the rapidly changing weather patterns call for a degree of flexibility and some good navigational skills. Rangiroa to Tahiti….. with a 35.5 we did it in one overnight arriving late afternoon. Some boats, arriving late, anchor up on the north coat where there is a likely looking bay near Point Venus at Baie de Matavai…… I looked at this when we went around the island by car…. there was a yacht in, rolling gunwale to gunwale; I’m glad I didn’t stop. There wasn’t much ashore either but the visit by car is recommended, in fact the whole island should be seen by car …. on my trip around I saw nothing that would make me want to take my boat round it; but maybe it was just the NAF weather which gave that impression! TAHITI Our first anchorage was Maeva Beach, we were a little late arriving and it was dusk by the time we’d motored down passed the airport, thus Maeva Beach was an ‘easy in’ and being shallow it was just up our street. The entry at Papeete is easy, even at night, however the channel to Maeva Beach should be done in decent visibility, so if you arrive after dark, it is best to anchor just to starboard when inside the fairway buoys or go to the Down Town Papeete Marina, known as Quai de Yachts. ‘Quay de Yachts’ is a collection of pontoons with access through a security gate, they also have a security guard…. He will help you tie up and point you at the office…. which is also the Port Office where you do your paperwork with customs and immigration….. This is very handy for clearance but it cops the wake from the ferries during the day causing the yachts to roll heavily and risking rigging damage…..I didn’t like the look of it at all! From this dock, you come out onto the promenade turn left go down to the corner of the dock…go left by the car ‘lift up barrier’ and you are walking between the dock and the Tourist Office on your right, the clearance building is a blue portacabin about 150 mtrs beyond the Tourist office…… they close at 12 and open again at 1400hrs (for one hour?). If you need it, there is a big chandlery about 400mtrs further on down the road (jig left after the navy building) NAUTISPORT. COST: 240 FP per mtr per day + 165 for water (not an option). +10% Tax If anyone mentions garbage, say you don’t have any or they may add on 1000FP to your bill…..Elect 288FP per day optional. After a short while we discovered that they are now running a water ski school at Meava Beach and even if you are not in their way, it tends to get a little chaotic so we shifted to the outer reef…. There are a few spots available but we found a good area at 17 34.912S 149 37.346W; I got one anchor just over the drop off and the other a hundred yards onto the sandy plateau, there was about twelve foot of water and the way the anchors set, we


weren’t going anywhere no matter how hard it blew. Note. In normal Trades this whole anchorage is calm however when it goes over 35kts and the wind is S of SE, it hooks around the bottom of the island and shrieks up through the anchorage. There is a good dinghy dock with FW at the Marina, their fuel dock isn’t that easy to use and they wouldn’t fill containers with ‘duty free’; for that you had to take your boat and papers) alongside. There is a (Big) handy Supermarket and hardware store, easy transportation to the airport or downtown. The Marina Taina can get lumpy in any westerly conditions and wouldn’t last five minutes in even a glancing blow from a small hurricane. I didn’t find any place I’d feel safe leaving a boat in French Polynesia during the Hurricane season (and that includes Rairatea!). The Marina Tiana was 100FP per foot per day +10% incl. Water The bus (Le Truck)… turn left out of the marina walk towards Papeete about 1400mtrs, you come to a foot bridge across the road….Carrafour is on your left and the Le Truck is just over the road. 130FP per person into town…. (200FP after 1800hrs)… they run till 2300hrs. You can get an A/C bus right out side the marina but they are 200FP. Don’t miss going into town for eats on late Saturday afternoon /early evening…. Great entertainment and you should be arriving in time for some good dance displays (program at Tourist Office). Maxsea (C-Map) was out in Papeete Pass, not Long but Lat by about 200mtrs….. you still go through between the buoys but you are inside by 200mtrs whilst the Maxsea shows you still between the buoys….not that it matters as you have leading lights and buoys like crazy….. when you turn right to go down to Maeva beach you shift on to another chart and suddenly it is all spot on…..if you look at the charts on Maxsea in advance you can see this anomaly quite clearly….. The anchorage off Maeva Beach is very popular; most boats are anchored in deep water

requiring plenty of scope and a good amount or room…. You may note that the Tahiti section is a little short… that’s because it is well covered by others and anyway, it’s very overrated as a cruising destination. The ‘modifications’ and ‘Quay de Yachts’ in the old basin have, in my opinion, removed a congregation point for international cruisers…. it used to be full of boats stern to the quay, now it’s almost empty; the authorities seem to prefer one ‘Superyacht’ to one hundred cruisers!


MOOREA: Our first anchorage was in the entrance to Cooks Bay 17 28.875S 149 48.885W in 10feet and sand…. Nice place, Landed ashore and found supermarkets etc only a short walk east… walked down into Cooks Bay but didn’t like the road….not nice for walking due traffic. We fell out of love with the anchorage as the wind died and the noise of the traffic on the road reached out to us……Both this bay and Papetoai have a perimeter road and the noise of the traffic is worse deep inside the bays….Traffic has increased over the last few years! The nice little Harbour at Papetoai Bay Moorea Moved to Papetoai Bay, very busy in the ‘internet anchorage’ eastern side… didn’t fancy that so went west and followed the marks to 17 29.224S 149 52.735W.. Now this was perfect paradise….

There is just a little passing water traffic but we had no problem with it….. Found the nearest three coral heads were in fact TIKI’s … in good condition don’t know how they got there! This is also the best anchorage for doing the Stingrays as they are about a mile or so west of this position…. You follow the marked dinghy channel west, past the Intercontinental


Hotel (with its huts over the water) and half way between that and the Motu on the west end of the island you will find a shallow sand bank on the north edge of the channel where they do their thing……usually there are tourist boats there… they have fish etc and don’t mind you joining in…. ITS GREAT….. we went twice. Tinned SQUID would work as well if you have some…. To do the walk up to Belvedere and ‘The look out’, we shifted down to the now famous Robinsons Cove…Wow but this location has gone down hill… noise and Jet-Ski’s !!!! We opted to anchor off ….17 30.802S 149 51.041W in 27feet mud……dinghy in to the cove where there is a suitable tree that acts as a dock. Walk to head of bay and take road up to lookout…. Weekdays is best..There is an agricultural school on the way and you can stop in to taste local products and buy a cold drink etc….. About 40min walk to the top, 1 hr if you keep stopping to take photos… this is a VERY beautiful valley to walk up. HUAHINE Anchorage off the Main Town, FARE. Best spot 16 43.080S 151 02.264W, this is to the east of the middle ground that lies to the south of the town. Here was a 12-14 ft plateau of sand, further south on this plateau there are some coral heads so you should stay north of the first starboard marker. I found the anchorage most commonly used, off the town beach, scoured out and with dubious holding unless you were in over 30ft of water where it got better. However this is also too near the pass and the swell finds its way in and sets you rocking. Fare: has a very good supermarket and stores were available. Good hardware store and repair facilities for small problems. Dinghy dock (stern anchor) FW close by at public shower (take hose length). Fuel a short walk from dock. Several Internet Café’s.


Port Bourayne:

There is a mooring for charter boats but most of the harbour seems deep. Don’t however believe the pilot books, there is plenty of room in 10-12 ft of water with sand bottom provided you are prepared for some good eyeball navigation. We found a good spot for two or more boats at 16 46.220S 151 01.127 however six feet draft would be max for getting in this anchorage which requires you find a small gap in the reef and come across a shelf onto the sand plateau. The gap was located at 16 46.291S 151 01.180W and may not be wide enough for a Cat. There were however other areas available further down the marked channel towards the bridge and over to the Port side (or north shore). Walks available ashore, dinghy through to lagoon on East side of island, Nice dive / snorkelling on the ‘wall’ / drop off just near the anchorage.


Baie d’Avea :

This is the most southern bay, usually crowded and popular, most boats anchor in about thirty feet off the beach, there is a public beach area to get ashore and leave the dinghy etc. Some cruisers have had a BBQ ashore there. We anchored on the shelf at the south part of the bay in an area of six feet of water. Too shallow for most! Very happy in this position, good sand / good holding; with the wind in the SE we lay back over the drop off to the deeper water. In strong winds there is some heavy down-drafting throughout the bay (not unusual…this occurs on the lee side of all these islands!!) We eventually got fed up with our wind generator going into over-speed (35kts) nearly all the time and left after just a couple of days. Our Anchor Position was 16 48.776S 150 59.497W and we had a nice little coral garden with fish close astern in about 25ft… worth a snorkel however the main banks to the south were bare despite the guide books saying it was great (a hurricane took it all out a few years back!). Anchored at Motu Vaiorea; just south and outside of Port Bourayne, Some sand but a lot of coral. Noted that some boats got well fouled and had fun heaving up… Anchored at 16 46.845S 151 01.689W but this is in close and shallow…. Most yachts would be better a little outside of this and a touch south…. Nice little beach ashore, nice walk and small, abandoned fruit orchard.


RAIATEA Utaroa Harbour… Free dock space for about 7 good size boats, very close to town for easy shopping, four good supermarkets, Banks, ATM’s, Post Office, Hardware stores, Camera shops and plenty of Boutiques… there was even a paint supplier with Americoat and Jotun paints. Fuel dock at service station. Watch it as you can get pinned on some of the berths when the normal trade wind is blowing hard. Also found some of the berths noisy as water splashes around under the dock. Anchorage off the Carenage on NW side …..it’s all deep round here but on the offshore reef there is a nice spot near the Airport Runway Sign…. The spit will hold about three boats and you are still in range of the IORA net….16 43.888S 151 29.375W, 15feet sand and broken coral… there are a few small heads on the bottom but getting the chain off them was not a problem in the clear water…. There is a tide which runs both N & S here but not strong…. Ashore there are two haul out yards, one with a travel lift and the other with a hydraulic lift trailer. They pull out large Cat’s here. They offer different services and price scales so should be compared before any choice is made. Bottled Gas refills can be had here but we heard that it may be better to organise through The Moorings at the Marina one mile north. The moorings marina has a guest berth, available at a reasonable rate.. could be very useful if you have people flying in or off!!! TAHAA Baie de Haamene on the west side of Tahaa..lots of deep stuff until you get close to the village, anchored in 20feet mud and clay…(Can be mucky) Ashore Bank, two supermarkets (bread 1000hrs not before) F.W. tap by yellow building on shore next to restaurant…18feet from dinghy…moor dinghy in front of restaurant as the ferry comes in to use the concrete bit with the fenders….There is a Public Market with a fair deal on Bananas (especially when they get to know you) and a craft shop next door with reasonable prices…. We anchored 16 38.175S 151 29.310W but maybe we should have been a little more up to the NE to be further away from the ferry track…..we took steady 20 with gusts to 35+ here and were fine but it does probably funnel/ gust into the day in E – SE winds, our blow was more SSE and it was fine…. Nice walks to two bays (South and West) by road not track….you could visit the vanilla plantation from here…. Also a 4X4 trail goes north over the mountains to the N coast, great walk with great views…..


West coast Pass at north side has I. Mahaea (Private Island)…. Nice anchorage with 8 – 15ft (you pick) sand… not just a day anchorage as in the book….could stay a week but not much there except some really BIG Eels around the Coral Heads we looked at… Plenty of old fishing gear wrapped around the coral heads to explain why this are is so fished out and why so much of the coral has been destroyed…..no it’s not the yachties anchors!!!! We were at 16 38.523S 151 25.755W and could have taken a strong E or SE blow there without problem. Sailed round the north end of the island…. Nice but nothing great, the NW corner looked worth exploring (next visit?) as the barrier coral seemed interesting and the Motu’s looked inviting…..maybe not Tabu?


Coral Garden. Northwest of I.Tautau (Private Island Resort and Spar) 16 36.195S 151 33.447W 12feet sand scattered coral heads easily seen.. DO NOT approach this anchorage from the north…There is a nice shelf here for anchororing, mainly sand with scattered coral heads in 8-18 feet. HOWEVER, at the north end there is a string of Coral Heads (nice snorkel) with only 2feet clearance.. they are not clearly marked on the chart and you will sail right over them if you go north out of this anchorage. There is something like a pearl farm with buoys just offshore of this reef so if you go around the buoys you’ll be fine.

To the south of the position given… close up against the shallower water (6-4ft) are three stumps of an old sign post… these are VERY nasty if you don’t see them and get in too far… you are safe however if you always keep in 12feet or more…… The Coral Garden runs between I.Tautau and the island north of it… most people go ashore on this islands south side on a little sandy beach, walk up and then drift down the garden from the top…. I thought it just as easy to anchor in the middle in a sand patch, swim up and then drift down….. Consider a wet-suite as you’ll want to float high and you want to be in the water for quite a while, the water is shallow and there is plenty of coral to touch….gloves are a must…really quite nice – not to be missed…lots of colourful fish and beautiful coral….maybe best at high tide…. Early morning calm gave us some nice shots from the dinghy without even getting in the water (Polaroid filter) however you can’t take your dinghy right up, it’s Tabu. This is well worth a visit or two….


Baie Puheru on the NW of Tahaa offered a tranquil anchorage when strong SE winds came in, the further out you were the more bullets you got. Right in the bay the coral shelf drops off to 40 feet and there is a mud bottom almost immediately. We anchored close off the remains of the old jetty in 43ft Posn: 16 35.261S 151 31.598W and did not venture ashore although it looked possible.

Baie Hurepiti on SW Tahaa, attractive deep bay but with limited spots to get ashore; however we managed it and walked across to Haamene to get bread etc (1.1hrs each way on road, lt. Traffic, some views). The reef out-crops were easy to see even in poor light. We went right up to the head of the bay passing the dive centre and large (rusting) yacht on moorings, Vanilla Tours Dock plus 2 moorings, Sophie’s Boutique Dock and almost to the furthest mooring ball in the bay… right after this ball the bottom comes up from 12 feet to 4.3 feet fast…. We anchored in 18ft Posn: 16 38.523S 151 30.867W in thick, good holding, Mud.


BORA BORA: Off the town… Vaitape….78-85 feet good holding, mud. Unless you want a long dinghy ride this is the only place to get provisions etc. Water was not available. You can go alongside for a short period on the southern face of the dock, maybe an overnight if you like that sort of thing This is a new dock and is actually the south face of a little harbour they have built for ferries… you can safely leave your dinghy in this harbour when visiting town. There are two large supermarkets going north out of town also a well stocked chandlery. The hardware store across from the chandlery stocked many marine items at cheaper prices Dinghies are tied in the near corner of the small boat harbour West of Topua, two good anchorages close up under the island, 30feet sand. We preferred to be out a little and found a nice spot between the coral patches at 16 31.266S 151 46.693W 16feet sand. This was a great place to be for the Stingray and Shark feeding thing…. We were close enough to row to this event which takes place about 0900 / 1000hrs (but not as good as Moorea)… We went then round the south end of Topua…. The buoyage in Bora Bora is so good you really have to try to go wrong….. Next spot was 16 31.982S 151 45.148W 10-12 feet on a lovely sand shelf….Great anchorage, can’t understand people taking anchorage or moorings off Bloody Mary’s when this is so close……


Due west of here, over towards the Easterly Mark (that you just came round if coming from the last anchorage) there are some buoys where the locals do fish feeding over some fairly good coral…. The fish come to you as soon as you get in the water….. Stale bread works well (never throw your old bread, always keep it for the fish), they will swarm around and take it from your hand. Good photo’s

they come to do fish feeding / underwater adventure, about a dozen tourists wearing ‘hooker’ type breathing gear….. this is well worth watching as they use a big fish head to bring in all the fish and Ray’s etc…..When they go the fish are still very active and you get the place to yourself….. Found two large Peacock Flounder right under the boat and there were .plenty more basking in the sun all over this sandy flat... From here went ashore at Bloody Mary’s dock…..Free moorings and or water on dock if you patronise the place. Also.. Internet area for IORA net. Walked north…. Nothing much till you get to Vaitape…. Long walk 1.25hrs Walked south….nearest shop about 45min (on other side of island) Just down the road (South) is “The Farm” pearl shop, nice people…. Pointed out track opposite their “ farm” going up to antennas on hill… nice uphill slog… nice view good pictures (bench at the view point.. take water and something to eat….enjoy the moment) The Yacht Club. ….. Can’t see much point in being here…. There are moorings (too few) and anchoring is still 85feet….The walk into town long and not safe due to traffic and no pavements…. Water on dock 1500FP 300trs…!!!! IORA net…. We just went in real close each time passing and did our mail exchange. EAST LAGOON…. Not to be missed, very nice, dead easy…… was one boat did it all with 8.5ft draft no problem. We went round the outside loop and stayed up close to the hotels… you’ ll see what I mean….It you do ground its very gentle shelving soft sand. Lots of good anchorages all the way round.. had a few days at 16 32.033S 151 42.236W… very nice ..very restful .. managed to get some of the fish tamed on the local coral heads by feeding them bread (always keep your old Baguettes for fish feeding). Found a nice Cowrie Shell not too far from the boat….Not much ashore. FROM BORA BORA YOU GO WEST….. MY TAKE ON THIS NEXT LEG IS CONTAINED IN “THE DANGEROUS MIDDLE” BY NOW YOU SHOULD BE UP TO SPEED WITH THE WEATHER AND HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPCZ. Many will tell you that this next leg, here to Tonga, is the worst part of the trip….. if you get it wrong, they may be right! Cheers, good sailing and fair winds John Wolstenholme. British Yacht “Mr John VI” Whangarei New Zealand

Also, just to the south of this anchorage there are two more ‘dive’ buoys… this is where

Nov. 2009 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com [email protected]


NOT FRENCH POLYNESIA but I’ve included a bit on some of the Islands you may be using as a springboard to arrive. EASTER ISLAND This is a destination not for the faint hearted or for the under-equipped. The story goes that there were two sailing boats that headed off in opposite directions around the island looking for a sheltered bay, they met on the opposite side and neither had found any real shelter….. On the other hand, boats have found the island so interesting and so welcoming that they stuck around for almost a month; it is a land of contrasts! Fishermen leave Hanga Roa Harbour on a fairly average ‘grey day’ at Easter Island…… This beautiful and mysterious island sits at 27S and in the Pacific winter season, that’s a long way south so you are going to have a really tough time doing it then! If you are looking at doing this island on a route out of Panama, you should be looking for an early canal transit (December may do it!); whatever, be prepared to slog all the way down! Note: Apart from Anakena, you should be prepared for deep water anchoring. I have to confess, my visit to Easter Island was done in a little more comfort than most yachts, in the days when I was Chief Officer of a Tall Ship. To get a true and up to date account of a visit here, check out Bruce & Alene Balan with s/v Migration, who visited in April 2008 www.brucebalan.com/migrations.


Hanga Roa anchorage and dinghy dock don’t exactly look inviting……..We swamped our dinghy with the luggage getting ashore here from the Sea Cloud!

Anakena looks better… (but me thinks I’d rather fly in and leave my boat elsewhere!).


RAPA NUI ANCHORING GUIDE Prepared by Bruce Balan & Alene D. Rice. s/v Migration April 2008 www.brucebalan.com/migrations. Online version of this guide available at www.brucebalan.com/migrations/rapanui

ALTERNATE ANCHORAGES Hanga Piko (approximately 27° 08.7'S 109° 26.3'W)

• Protected from all directions except strong SW swell Fishing boats, the Armada’s boat, and one or two local sailboats reside in the tiny harbor of Hanga Piko. There is room for a few visiting yachts. However, only monohulls less than 13 meters in length with a draft less than 1.6 meters are allowed. You cannot enter the harbor without a local pilot as it is quite dangerous. There is a fee. The pilots have final say on which boats may enter. Once inside, boats are moored with a spider web of lines to the walls of the harbor and their primary


anchor hooked under a chain running along the bottom. The harbor is safe unless large SW swells develop and then it can become very dangerous and impossible to exit. Vinapu (very approximately 27° 10.6'S 109° 24.0'W)

• Good in NNE – WSW winds We are told there is anchorage here although we could not find any sand. Another boat found only rock and a third boat lost their anchor and rode. Locals may be able to help you find a decent spot. There is an old pier for landing. Hotuiti • Good in NNE – WSW winds Beautiful anchorage in front of the Tongariki Ahi. Excellent holding in 17-23 meters sand in the area bounded by the following coordinates (WGS84): 27° 7.603'S 109° 16.048'W 27° 7.638'S 109° 15.970'W 27° 7.693'S 109° 16.051'W We anchored here several times during 20-35 knot W and NW winds and were very comfortable. However, a strong SE swell can make the anchorage completely untenable. Dinghy landing in the tiny fishermen’s cove in the W corner of the bay in front of the house. You can land here even when swells are breaking along the shore. La Perouse We did not anchor here but there are some sand patches. It may be a bit better than Anakena if the wind is strong from the W. Anakena (approximately 27° 04.2'S 109° 19.47'W)

• Good in SE - W winds The easiest anchorage at Rapa Nui. 10 meters, sand bottom. Beautiful sandy beach with line of moai behind. Dinghy landing is easy on the beach. Be aware that if the wind is blowing hard from the W it can sometimes wrap around the NW point of the island and blow into the anchorage.


Iles de Gambiers…..a short note Every year a couple of boats head down to the Gambiers, usually hitting Easter Island first. This is a beautiful and majestic place, very prosperous (expensive?) with the locals very focused on Pearl Farming (which has had detrimental effects to the main lagoon from the ‘cruisers’ point of view. By the time most boats arrive it is getting on for mid winter (June); by which time the water is too cold for snorkelling and gusty winds of 50kts(+) are becoming regular during the night. If you really want to get off the beaten path, it is usually worth it but it will never come easy! (Much of my info here was lifted from S/Y Hawk… Beth and Evans Starzinger, you should check their fantastic web page [email protected]

PITCAIRN ISLAND Not many people make it to Pitcairn, even if the weather is settled it’s a difficult one. A boat with a large crew could land half at a time whilst the vessel stands off. The Pitcairn Islanders will normally come out and get you, they are very obliging. Ashore, it is a fantastic little Island and a very interesting way of life with a phenomenal history.

Check out that ‘break’ right across the (only) harbour mouth. No place to get caught with your rubber ducky in your Sunday best! And this was a good day….

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Mr John's Little Guide to French Polynesia 2nd Ed

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