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Faaite

By Trawlers on April 30, 2014 in Domino

FAAITE

March 27 – Faaite Atoll – Tuamotus (French Polynesia)

I’ll be brief on Faaite, as brief as our 24-hour stay. There is no doubt that this small atoll is lovely. The village at the entrance of the pass is colorful and attractive. But the anchorage suggested in the pass did not appeal to us. Neither did the anchorage outside the atoll, not any more than the anchorage in front of the village although the sand bottom looked pretty safe. We looked deeper into the lagoon for adventure.

No desire to anchor in the pass

Nor in front of the village

Pearl farms, still

Faaite East anchorage – S 16°45.425 – W 145°07.368 – Since the Easterlies had piped up into the 15-20kt range, we were glad to have seeked refuge at the east end of Faaite. But, as it seems to be the case at the closed end of lagoons, there was not much to experience. On one end, we loved to drop anchor in pure sand, not having to float any buoy over coral heads. On the other end, there was not much to dive or fish.

We did, however, take advantage of the calm lagoon conditions to dive a few “Karenas.” These are reef formations that bloom in the middle of the lagoon, on which colonies of coral and red Ca. algae develop. They are typical and abundant in Manihi and Ahe, but can be found all over the Tuamotus. They are much fun to dive as they harbor plenty of life. But they can be deadly for yachts that transit the lagoon with poor visibility. We learned how to recognize them from far away. Sometimes, it’s just the different ripple of the water barely distinguished from the chop that gives them away.

Faaite’s east cost is very low, the reef almost submerged, a danger to the yachtie as evidenced by 2 major shipwreck on the reef. But what a beach to walk! Miles of white sand and a trove of shells. We took advantage of the nasty weather, 18-20kt winds and pouring rain to do nothing much more than clean the decks and hulls, ready for our next stop: Tahanea.

Until then…

dominomarie

Fakarava

By Trawlers on April 30, 2014 in Domino

Pink Sands Beach – Fakarava South

FAKARAVA

Tide info:

High Slack Water – Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:05 … maybe?

Low Slack Water – Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:25… maybe?

Mean Low Water: 10.5 m (North pass) – 4 to 5.7m (South pass)

Local VHF info: Fakarava Yacht Services – VHF 77 (North pass)

FAKARAVA

March 22nd, 2014

Finally we have reached French Polynesia’s diving Mecca: Fakarava. Both the North and South passes are famous among divers, but for very different reasons. The North pass, with its 7 different currents, is a fast drift dive; the South pass is the most famous shark dive in the Tuamotus. Fresh from our Anse Amyot experience, we were game for more shark diving… and perhaps some Tahitian black pearl shopping?

Pension Tetamanu on the South Pass, Fakarava

FAKARAVA NORTH – Rotoava Village

S16°03.532 – W 145°37.252

Back to civilization. Well, kind of… There is no HOTSpot WDG relay, so no Internet connection. The only Internet service is MANASpot, which we purchased at the post office (500 francs/hour = $5.20/h,) but the service is dismal and, in the end, we were not able to connect. The 3G phone Internet is good but the chip can only be purchased in Papeete… a lot of good that does us! Some cruisers connected at the local cafe, but it’s “a la tête du client.” So, we’re going without Internet, once more relying on our Iridium connection for weather and email.

All our tide and slack water estimations were off as we got into Fakarava. The North pass (Pass Garuae) is the widest in all the Tuamotus: 1.8 km. We entered the pass with 1 meter swells on our port, surfing all the way inside the lagoon. When was slack water? We have no idea! We’re finding out that our predictions are not always accurate, but in the absence of big winds we’ve never had to face large standing waves… so far! Other yachties agree with us that slack seems to be occurring 30 min. before predictions, perhaps due to the low level of water in the lagoon (so much for rising ocean water levels!!!)

The anchorage at the village is a no-brainer. We looked for the blue hull of Serge and Karyn’s boat (they are the dive operators FAKARAVA DIVE CENTER) and dropped the hook not to far from them. After weeks of “wild” cruising, it was nice to be in a town again. The concrete small-boat harbor makes it easy to unload our bicycles, but the small wooden dock on the beach off the anchorage is also a viable option–if you don’t mind the village kids using your dink as a toy in your absence!

Fakarava South: Domino anchored just beyond the pass (here from Tetamanu)

When in Fakarava, look for the newly opened FAKARAVA YACHT SERVICES (VHF ch. 16 & 77) (fakayachtservices@gmail.com) – Aldric and Stephanie are a young couple, capable and hungry to serve the cruising yachties. Laundry, Internet, morning fresh bread delivery, bike rental, fuel and water, basic mechanic help and workshop, airport and island transport, etc… they are the cruiser’s support for the atoll.

The lagoon at Fakarava South: very much like the rest of the Tuamotus, only better!

What to do in Fakarava North? Plenty! We rode our bikes to the Km 12 (and back) to the “chateau” of Gaston Flosse, President of Polynesia; we stopped at Pascaline’s Faka Delices for Eclairs au cafe & Tarte au chocoloat, not leaving without jars of hibiscus jelly and Tiaréjam; shopped for black pearls directly at the farm and at the jewelry stores in town; had a lunch of ‘poisson cru” at the Kori-Kori snack on the lagoon –perhaps not a good idea as I was really sick the next day and JP suffered a nasty rash for 2 weeks, only relieved with cortisone! A touch of ciguatera perhaps?)

Coral carpet: the hallmark of the passes in the Tuamotus

But the most intense experience was diving the North pass. Oh yeah! Serge and Karyn of Fakarava Diving Center are THE diving authority for the north pass. Really, you don’t want to guess through the 7 different currents that sweep the pass all on your own. Our 45-minute dive started with a 35-meter drop straight into the blue, like parachuting into the deep, followed by a 2 km speed-drift through canyons of iridescent coral. We only stopped for sharks (grey, black tip, white tip, nurse) while grabbing on to dead coral, and rested a few minutes at “Ali Baba’s Cavern,” a sand depression in the canyons where the water is placid and where you could find shark teeth if you were so inclined to dig into the sand rather than enjoy the sights: schools of hundreds of angel fish, snappers, and all sorts of multicolored lagoon species. A kaleidoscope under water. Honestly, speed-drifting through the canyons, I felt like Luke Skywalker screaming through the ravines of Tatooine. Epic dive! We had some 12 guests on board that night and I have no idea what they said or did: I was still flying 20 meters below… a big thank you to Master Serge Le Magnifique!

From the Obervatoire, Faka South

Unicorn fish

“SHELL BEACH” – S 16°13.95 – W145°33.52 – This stop was recommended by Stef and Aldric (Faka Yacht Services) as an easy stop on our way to the south pass. Yes indeed. We dropped the hook in 15 meters, into sand bottom, and had a blast snorkeling the coral along the shore. Excellent shelling here, where cowries of all sorts litter the coral beach. It’s a great spot for kids where the snorkeling is easy and the coral and fish are sparkling and plentiful. But watch out for an enormous head of fire coral!

Tetamanu’s old church

FARARAVA SOUTH PASS – PENSION TETAMANU – S 16°30.378 – W 145°27.446

One of the may bommies that
love to catch your anchors

Anabelle and Sane invited us for breakfast

We’re here at last. The legendary Tetamanu Village, its genial hosts la Belle Anabelle and Sané, and the very first church in the Tuamotus. Anchoring was a bit difficult. We did not grab the mooring in the pass; it’s a private mooring belonging to Aqua Tiki and you never know when that charter yacht is going to appear and kick you off the mooring. We arrived when the current was outgoing and did not appreciate the magnitude of the “mascaré” that would later sweep into the lagoon. We anchored a bit too much in the center of the small pass, only to be rocked by the current some 30 minutes later… time to move closer to shore. We dropped the hook in 13 meters, coral heads all around. Inspection diving showed our anchor lying on the bottom, neatly surrounded by 6 or 7 tall coral heads standing guard over Big Bertha, sure to hold her tight in their grip if any kind of weather decided to tug on it. We re-adjusting the chain to lay over the “bommies,” secured the floating fenders to buoy the chain, and hoped for no wind… which was granted to us for the following 2 days.

Diving with the MRCC team

Of course, diving “Faka South” is THE thing to do in the Tuamotus. Feeling better with sharks after our dives in Anse Amyot and Faka North, I was ready for this dive, even more so since 2 guys from Papeete’s MRCC (Marine Rescue and Coordinating Center) were joining us.

A wall of sharks indeed! We spend most of the dive holding on to dead coral, just observing dozens of sharks (mostly grey and black tips) doing figure eights in front of us. I did stray a bit to observe giant Napoleon wrasses and very large queen triggerfish, anemones and more Nemos. The coral in the pass is incredibly healthy, the water gin-clear, and the current a blast!

Napoleon wrasse

The next few days were spent in more speed-drifts with the hookah and quiet excursions at the Pink Sands beach. Soon, it was time to leave as the winds were promising to return and we didn’t want to have to dive and dig Big Bertha from under the coral heads.

Triggerfish: watch out for those teeth

Our diving orgy continues… next: Faaite and Tahanea. Till then…

“Hey Wilbur, you hungry yet?”

dominomarie

Anse Amyot

By Trawlers on April 16, 2014 in Domino

Grabbed one of the 10 moorings at Anse Amyot – NO ANCHORING!

ANSE AMYOT

Tide info:

Not very relevant: not a real pass

Mean Low Water: 6.5 m (passe Tehere)

Local VHF info: No VHF

March 10, 2014

Anse Amyot (Toau Atoll)

S15 48.174 – W146 09.064 (Mooring)

Always ready for a nice catch

For a different and unique Tuamotu experience, Anse Amyot is a MUST. First of all, the spot is a false pass, a cul-de sac that you’d better not confuse with a real pass or you’ll end up on the reef. Then, if you’ve never experienced diving with sharks (like me), it’s a good training ground. Finally, you are the guests of the local landowners, the sweet and resourceful Gaston and his colorful bride, Valentine who share their little piece of paradise with passing boats and make sure that they have a most excellent adventure. And if you challenge them to a game of Pétanque, watch your wallet: Valentine is “une Tireuse Redoutable”… shall we say 100 francs/per point? All in good fun!

Now that the winds have settled to the East again, at least for a few days, we tucked in at Anse Amyot, our choice anchorage for Toau atoll. We will not visit the interior of the lagoon for 2 reasons. The entrance to the lagoon is another 20-some miles to the East, not in our general direction; and the anchorage on either side of Pass Otugi has been reported as full of coral heads, the cruisers having to dive their anchors out in all the reported cases. So, in spite of excellent snorkeling reports, we skipped the lagoon entirely and satisfied ourselves with Anse Amyot.

Enjoying sunset at Anse Amyot

For once, don’t bother to anchor. In fact, Gaston would rather not have any boat anchoring in the cove. The bottom appears to be sand but is dotted with bommies that may be fun to dive but would not be kind to your ground tackle. Instead, we grabbed one of the 10 moorings that Gaston has installed for the cruisers’ convenience and the cove’s preservation. There are 4 big moorings on the northern end (port side) and 6 smaller moorings on the southern end (starboard side.) Swinging Big D’s 24 tons on the mooring was no problem. JP dove the tackle to inspect: Gaston is to be trusted with his moorings. Cost? In season, 500 francs/day or free if you have dinner at Valentines (3,000 francs/p/p;) Out of season, free or maybe a “cochonnet” for the Pétanque, or a fresh-caught Mahi Mahi (Oh, don’t even cut the head off, it’s the best! and you’d break Gaston’s heart… as we did

A Marbled Grouper checks us out

This is the “off” season and the couple was not catering to cruisers: no Valentine meals, no Gaston expedition, no Varo fishing, no diving trip, as the couple was focused on fishing, filleting hundreds of Parrot fish, packing them and sending them to Papeete on board the “COBIA.” So we explored on our own. Mostly, we learned how to dive with sharks and drift-dive the false pass.

Time to get the AirLine Hookah in the water. We estimated slack time at the beginning of entering tide (we don’t want to be blown all the way to Papeete) and alerted Gaston on our intention: if you don’t see our dinghy in an hour, come and find us! Honestly, we’ve never done solo drift-dives with the hookah, pulling the float and the dinghy behind us, and I admit I was a bit nervous. Even though our hookah does not allow us to dive at more than 20 meters (60′), even though the water is so clear you can see the shadow of the dinghy above when you just look up, even though this was really the perfect condition to drift-dive, I was nervous.

On the Hookah

Gaston gave us a quick briefing, his blessing, and we were off. Just outside the reef, at the northern end of the cove, Navy-blue water signaling the drop, JP gave me the signal to jump. I did. And I shrieked in my hookah! Some 40 sharks were lined up below me, a wall of fins and teeth wondering what was going on up on the surface. I was ready to fly back into the dinghy and if I had been diving with a tank I’m sure I would have used up all the air in that time so fast was my heart beating! Cooly, the grey masses came closer to me, their slit-eyes checking me out, only to turn around and, dejected, return to their waiting spot. I was not food. Phew! Within a minute they were all gone, back to the depths, and I breathed easier. By the time JP jumped, there was no shark in view. Next dive, JP will jump first!

Enough sharks for you?

Young Napoleon on the prowl

For the next 3 days, we’d repeat the dive and enjoy flying over a carpet of coral. Invariably, the current would push us towards the green mark on the south end, so the trick it to follow the coral line on the north end. But what a trip! Giant Napoleon wrasses, all colors of Parrotfish (bright orange too!), Marbled and Peacock Groupers, Moray eels, a large octopus, and thousands of surgeons, angels and butterfly fish in an explosion of colors. We even spotted one of the rare anemones, complete with its little “Nemo” companion. Sharks? Yes, they’re there, black- and white-tip reef sharks, but we’re getting used to them.

Anemone and Nemo

For a respite from diving, we took to snorkeling the area around the south-east end of the anchorage. The current in there can be swift as water pours out of the lagoon and over the reef and through the anchorage, on its way out. It’s not hard to get belly-scraped! But again, at slack time, this is a marvelous area for snorkeling and taking pictures. In front of Valentine’s dock, a sandy shelf is home to a colony of Spider Conch. We would have stayed a bit longer to study them but some 20 healthy black tip sharks were vigorously circling around us: it was 4 PM, supper time, feeding hour for the sharks and time to get out of the water for us.

Yellow trumpetfish

Meanwhile, Valentine and Gaston were cleaning fish and feeding more sharks. I suppose that while they are doing that we won’t be shark food.

Gaston had a surprise for us. While Valentine, mourning the loss of a family member, was not in the frame of mind for entertaining, Gaston showed up to the boat with something he held at arms’ length, suspended by a line. It looked like a giant Hermit crab. “Here’s a coconut crab! Boil it 20 minutes in a mix of half sea water and half fresh water, crack the claws and legs, and dip the meat in the cream you’ll find in the belly… that’s like Foie Gras.”

Coconut crab, gift from Gaston

So we did. The meat does taste like coconut and the fat, brown, creamy belly contents look and taste like foie gras (well, a bit too bitter to my taste.) JP had a feast and the coconut crab head is now dried, sanitized, and hanging on our galley wall as souvenir of Anse Amyot.

Crab coco: Yum yum!

We could have stayed longer in this little paradise. But we’re supposed to pick-up William (yes, he’s coming back for more fishing) in Fakarava, so off we go. If you come to Anse Amyot, bring a WHOLE fish or two, a “cochonnet” for Valentine, some beer of course, and plenty of TIME to enjoy this marvelous spot and their gracious hosts. We’re off to Fakarava. Until then…

dominomarie

Apataki

By Trawlers on April 16, 2014 in Domino

Sunset at the East End

APATAKI

March 9, 2014

Tide info:

High Slack Water – Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:10

Low Slack Water – Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:30

Mean Low Water: 7m

Local VHF info: Apataki Carenage on VHF 16/72

Most cruisers come to Apataki to visit Apataki Carenage where most can haul-out for repairs and/or leave their boats on dry dock while they are away. Not us! We had contacted the Carenage to see if we could haul out, but their tractor is unable to handle anything over 20 tons… even, that is a stretch. DOMINO’s 24 tons were just too much to haul. So, we had decided to bypass Apataki altogether. THE WEATHER, however, master and commander of our vagabond lifestyle, decided otherwise and forced us to stop by this lovely atoll.

Hoa at North end

It was 0400 and we were at the end of our marvelously quiet 100-mile overnight eastward crossing from Rangiroa to Anse Amyot (Tohau Atoll), with a slight northerly breeze at 8 knots and a tiny SW swell on our back. I had just finished my watch, noticing increasing winds turning westerly, and handed the con to JP. Soon after, in my slumber, I felt a change in the boat’s behavior: we were beating against the waves… had we turned around? Yes indeed! Only 15 miles from our destination, the wind had piped up into the 17-20kt range out of the west, making our intended stay at Anse Amyot impossible. Anse Amyot is totally open to the west and the deteriorating conditions suggested a miserable stay. No problem! Just turn around and duck into Apataki! So much for GRIB previsions of 5 knots out of the N-NW for the next 3 days…

We really didn’t care about the tide at this point. We arrived in front of the Pakaka Pass (AKA “South Pass”) at 0600, under pouring rain and beating against the westerly waves. The pass, however, looked good: strong outgoing current but little “mascaré“. “Mascaré” is the boiling and roiling mass of water and whirlpools that one must cross when the tide isn’t slack. In nasty conditions, this is reported as “standing waves.”

NOTE: Mascaréinside the lagoon = tide is entering the lagoon.

Mascaréon the ocean side = tide exiting the lagoon.

JP powered DOMINO through and safely entered the lagoon. The pass is deep and no problem for our 600 HP of pure Deere Marine Power. No sooner had we reached the relative calm of the lagoon and turned to port to head north, that we received a call on our VHF. Our buddy Mark on the catamaran “IRIE II” had spotted us on his AIS receiver. He had just spent a miserable night at anchor at the popular south-east anchorage (hugh… not good in heavy NW conditions!) and was headed for the safety of the village dock. There he spent the following 2 days, braving the reversing currents of the pass and pegged against the dock by the NW winds. It finally took a few villagers to help him shove off the dock and ditch the village to join us at the north end of the lagoon. Of note, the navigation channel between the south pass and the north pass is well marked, but still needs sight navigation to spot coral heads.

APATAKI NORTH – Motu Roto Ava

WP: S15° 18.461 – W146°23.573

As usual, we used Charlie’s Charts of Polynesia to determine our anchorage. The guide mentions a village at the Tehere Pass (AKA North Pass) but there is no village there, no Internet, no phone reception. As he’s learned to do over the last few weeks in the Tuamotus, JP now uses his fish finder to scan the bottom before we drop anchor. In the current NW conditions, the Roto Ava motu presented the perfect shelter with its forest of coconut trees. So JP scanned and scanned and scanned the bottom, but the peaks and valleys on the screen suggested only one thing: a field of coral heads, not large, but a trap for our anchor. For the next hour, JP scanned the entire area, finally settling for a relatively sandy spot in 14 meters of water, between the Topitinana and Roto Ava motus, centering the boat between 3 large coral columns with plenty of swinging room (see WP above). Granted, there was no wind protection since only the reef, an interstitial lagoon and a sand belt stood between us and the ocean. But there was no fetch, no waves. With 60 meters of 12″ chain and our 150lb Raya anchor well dug-in, we could easily withstand winds in the 60-knot range. All alone at the North end, all we had to do was to wait for the weather to improve while we dove, snorkeled, hunted, fished, and just enjoyed the stunning scenery. As for the fish, we had called the Carenage to enquire about the ciguatera situation on the atoll. To be sure, we only took small Marbled Groupers (“Loches Marbrees”) and as usual stayed away from all Snappers, Triggerfish and Peacock Groupers.

Why are we having so much bad weather, you ask? March-April marks the end of the cyclonic season and the trade winds have not yet established themselves. This is a period marked with an alternance of lows and highs pushing over the Cooks and the Australes, leaving the Tuamotus in stationary troughs, or “Marais Barometriques” (barometric swamps) as they call them in French. The typical cycle is 5 days of good weather followed by 7-10 days of squally, shifty, cloudy and rainy weather.

Perhaps the most interesting phenomenon we observed during these days of heavy winds and rain was the re-designing of the sand belt at the north end of the atoll. The normal conditions gently push the waves and sand against the north-west end of the atoll, creating a 1-meter belt of sand all around the northern end. On the second day of heavy rains and NW winds in the 25-30 kt range with squalls at 40-45 kt we noticed how the fury of the ocean outside was sending a monster surf crashing over the reef, filling the interstitial lagoon and opening breaches in the sand belt. Soon, we could observe long fingers of aquamarine blue trailing into the lagoon, the only telltales of the ocean’s fury.

NORTH PASS – We were soon joined by the catamaran “Spirit of Pontapreta,” our friends Jean-Sebastien and Marina, on their way back from the Marquesas. They came into the lagoon via the Tehere Pass (AKA North Pass.) According to Jean-Sebastien, it was “hot.” Good thing that he’s a surfer, because they came in at daybreak, sailing only, no engine, surfing into the pass propelled by the twin barrels that fringe the pass. Marina held her breath… and the nasty reputation of the North pass survives: for adrenaline junkies only!

TEONEMAHINA – Northeast anchorage – S 15°20.54 – W 146°11.878

After 7 days of strong N-NW winds, the weather finally returned to the regular easterly conditions, which made our anchorage at Roto Ava q bit rolly. Time to move, and we decided to check out the NE end of the atoll. How nice to drop anchor in the sand without having to bother with coral heads. The long motu offers excellent protection from the NE-E conditions and the water is flat as a pond. The only downside is that there is nothing to snorkel, no fish, and the water is milky from all the sand. One night was enough. In the morning, with a mild 10 knot of wind at N-NE, we crossed the lagoon back to the south pass and made our way to Anse Amyot.

NAVIGATION in APATAKI– As noted above, the channel between the 2 passes is well marked and deep. Crossing the lagoon either W-E or N-S is sight navigation only! Coral heads are easily spotted in good conditions. As for the pearl farm buoys, they seem to be amassed in the center of the lagoon and there are a LOT of them. Be prepared to slalom!

We made it intact out of Apataki, taking the south pass in absolutely flat conditions, and headed for Anse Amyot and more discoveries. Until then…

dominomarie

Tikehau

By Trawlers on April 15, 2014 in Domino

DOMINO at Bird Island

February 21, 2014

TIKEHAU

Tide info:

High Slack Water – Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:18

Low Slack Water – Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:38

Mean Low Water: 3.7m

Lobsster dinner on board… Williams’ lobster kept for a week in the livewell!

The distance between Rangiroa and Tikehau may only be less than 10 miles as the crow flies, but to go from pass to pass, the distance is quite different: some 38 to 44 miles, depending on whether you go around the NW coast of Tikehau or around the SE end and diagonally across the channel between the atolls. We navigated both ways, netting 2 15-lb dorados on our way out (North of Rangiroa) and 2 very nice 40-lb yellowfin tunas coming back, in the middle of the channel between the atolls. Good fishing grounds!

Pearl Resort, Tikehau

The nice thing about cruising with friends is that we get to do things we’d never do on our own. Williams and Caro, our Tahitian friends back on board for a Tuamotu experience, wanted to connect with their friends on vacation at the Pearl Resort in Tikehau. No problem! Since the weather was clement, we took of for a discovery cruise of Tikehau.

Our Tikehau cruise

JP had timed it so we’d arrive in front at slack time. Even though the area seemed flat, we entered with about 1 knot of outgoing current, happy to get in since the ENE wind was blowing at 17 knots. No sooner had we entered the pass that a swarm of manta rays greeted us into the lagoon. Shrieks and jumps from the kids didn’t distract our captain who concentrated on navigation. Well, we can report that the lagoon is very well marked, from the pass to the village and beyond, all the way to the Pearl Resort Hotel. Better favor the lagoon side of the channel (red markers), though, as the reef side is peppered with coral heads.

Pearl Resort anchorage

Pearl Resort – S15°06.12 – W148°11.90

We skipped the village altogether and dropped anchor in the turquoise waters of the Pearl Resort, in front of the pink sand beach. With the wind blowing at 15 knot all night, we figured we’d be nose in the wind. Not so! A current loops around the sand banks and caught the boat sideways, making us rock at anchor, not the most pleasant anchorage after all. Still, the anchorage is a lovely site and a good spot to go walk on the reef or just swim in the lagoon. JP and Williams ventured to the hotel pool and bar where they intended to get some cruising info. They got bodily attacked, unfortunately, not bay the charming and benevolent “Réré” who hosted the bar, but by swarms of mosquitoes that plagued the pool area. They came back on board itchy and scratchy, but with a cruising plan for the next 2 days.

For even a better view from the FB, JP added chairs to the pilot bench!

Manta Ray Station – S15°04.958 – W148°13.433

In the morning, we were joined by Mary and Victor who were looking forward to a day of cruising on board DOMINO. Our first stop was at a manta ray cleaning station. There are several of them in the lagoon, including one close to the pass. A Manta Ray Cleaning Station is simply a spot where Manta Rays park themselves and let little fish clean them of parasites. We dropped anchor and sure enough, a Manta was parked there, her mouth gaping open, languidly flapping her wings while yellow fish scrubbed it clean… made me wish I were a Manta and get scrubbed all over. Perhaps if I wore a black Lycra more often…

Fun with friends

Bird Island – S14°58.512 – W148°05.933

Just a half-moon of green floating on a Cerulean blue plate, thousands of sea birds wheeling and chirping above it, it’s a marvelous little spot. We dropped anchor in front of the derelict dock and took the dinghy to shore. Respecting the many warning signs, edicts and various legal notices, we stuck to the path across the island. This was one of the occasions when I wished I knew more about sea birds. Species in this part of the world are not familiar and I sorely miss a guide of the local birds. So, the pictures will have to do. The only ones I recognized were a band of Curlews, their long, curved beaks unmistakable. We could have stayed there for the night, well protected of the wind, but after a lunch, a nap, and Victor’s successful fishing (Double-spotted Queenfish and Olive Emperor) it was time to deliver our guests back to their hotel… not without Williams treating us to yet another lobster dinner. That’s right! For the last week, we’ve been keeping the last of the 10 kg of lobster that Williams had bought in Rangiroa, well fed and bathed and aerated in DOMINO’s bait tank. The little beasts were as good after 10 days as they had been on the 1st!

Garden of Eden: yep! (the pearl farm is abandoned, but the motu is in full exploitation)

Island of Eden – S15°00.38 – W 148°03.46

“Leave behind civilization and science,” enjoins the panel at the entrance of the Island of Eden, Church of the Prophet. If you thought that nothing grorws in the Tuamotus, think again. Following the scientific principles established by a group of engineers (so much for science) and put in practice by an army of volunteers (so much for civilization), the “Prophet” from Taiwan has established a thriving biological farm. Papaya, tomato, green beans, vanilla, even breadfruit and Acerola cherry grow in abundance. Pigs and chickens provide natural fertilizers. There is even a sea salt production shed that gives the best “fleur de sel” I’ve ever tasted. The pearl farm is no longer in production, however, sunk by the diving price of Tahitian pearls. We walked this amazing “Garden of Eden,” guided by Jacques, the grounds keeper who turned out to be none other than Williams’ “Pion” in grade school, the supervisor who walked the school grounds armed with a whistle tied to the end of a long and very tightly braided lanyard… and watch out if you stepped out of line! Well, Frank must have had a revelation. He and his family now keep the garden of Eden, its pigs and hens. After an obligatory stop at the gift shop where we couldn’t pass up on the sea salt, we left the Garden of Eden, loaded with fresh spinach! Sometimes, you can buy more fresh produce, depending on the season and production.

Enjoying locally-grown berries with the locals

NORTHEAST ANCHORAGE – S14°56.83 – W148°03.78

The Easterlies are strong again, a constant 15-20 knots, so we’re looking for a sheltered anchorage. We found it at the north-east end of the lagoon. There isn’t much here. The long “motu” is unbroken by any “Hoa” (inlet), so the water does not circulate much. The water is milky, which makes it difficult to see the bottom and avoid dropping anchor on coral heads. Fortunately, the bottom is mostly sand. While our guests checked out the beach, getting mauled by mosquitoes in the process and ran back to the relative safety of the water (up to their neck, anyways…) JP and I tried hunting the coral patches. Nothing but a scant boxfish, a delicacy we tasted in Puerto Rico. Just crack the shell open, liberate the 3 fillets still attached to the tail, bread and fry!

Now, that’s better!

We left Tikehau with the feeling of leaving behind a slice of heaven. But the best was yet to come. Half way between Tikehau and Rangiroa, we hit a school of Yellowfin Tuna. A double hit as JP and Williams each brought a nice catch on board, 42 and 44 lb respectively. I guess the lessons from Frank at CocoPerle Lodge on Ahe are paying dividends!

Williams & son Temana enjoy fishing at Tikehau NE (Photo Caro Mahuta)

Our friends are now back to their lives in Papeete. Next get together? It looks like it will be in Fakarava… another time… till then…

Domino on the go

dominomarie

Rangiroa

By Trawlers on April 15, 2014 in Domino

Rangiroa from above (Photo Caro Mahuta)

Rangiro-aaah!

Tide info:

High Slack Water – Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:18

Low Slack Water – Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:38

Mean Low Water: Tiputa pass: 16m – Avatoru pass: 4m

Local contact: Catamaran “Rangiroa” – Jean-Marie & Fred – 689-723510

Rangiroa anchorages

Rangiroa Passes:

1) AVATORU – The shallower of the 2 passes, we were told can be dangerous. We took it to exit the lagoon at slack water and it was flat. Since the lagoon side is relatively shallow, we favored the S.E. side of the pass where the water is deeper. Once inside the pass, we found deep water and no problem.

2) TIPUTA – Deep and wide, this is the preferred pass where large cargo ship have no problem entering. We took it several times, always arriving early in front of the pass and waiting for slack water. While you wait, take a look at the big dolphins jumping in the surf: one almost landed on our foredeck!

NOTE: Between the passes on the lagoon side, our i-Sailorclearly indicates a traffic lane scheme. Careful! The lanes are invaded by pearl farm buoys, so keep a good lookout!

March 1, 2014

Our 3 weeks in the Rangiroa-Tikehau area were just a blast! The weather, for starters, was clement. Keep in mind that we are still in the cyclonic season, this until the end of April. As such, we are likely to experience a succession of troughs and periods of calm. As we reached Rangiroa, the trough that had been dumping squalls for the last 10 days was moving SW and soon a period of calm settled over us. That’s when our Tahithian friends Caro and Williams and their kids joined us for a little R&R. We were ready.

Our fishing has improved significantly. While we were waiting for slack water in front of Tiputa Pass, we circled the DCPs (Dispositifs de Concentration de Poisson = FAD: Fish Aggregating Devices) and hit the fish that was sitting there, waiting for the tide to turn and push the lagoon creatures into the ocean. Three wahoos, 3 tunas and 2 dorados later, we entered the pass.

Since Rangiroa is a large atoll, some 45 miles long and 18 miles wide, wind waves can significantly affect the anchorage. We dropped anchor in front of the Kia Ora resort, next to the big charter catamaran RANGIROA whom we had met in Panama. Jean-Marie and Fred gave us a warm welcome. Since they were between 2 charter cruises, they had time to spend with us and help us organize our stay.

“Feos” anchorage

KIA ORA Anchorage – S 14°58.07 – W 147°38.30 – 15 meters

With light winds from NE, we opted to stay at the Kia Ora anchorage close to the pass, in spite of the rolling motion created by the incoming surf from the pass. The anchorage is close to town where we got fresh bread every morning from Mamie Jeanine. When the Aranui came town, coming from the Marquesas, we waited for its “baleinieres: do dock and vied with the locals to raid pamplemousses and bananas; when the red hull of the Maris Stella was at the dock, a quiet visit to the captain netted us some fresh produce straight from Papeete; and when Williams showed up, it was with 10 kg of live Pacific lobster he had arranged to get from a friend of his on the atoll. We were set for a cool holiday!

What to do from the Kia Ora anchorage? Snorkel around Motu Nuhi Nuhi at the entrance of Tiputa pass and come face to face with thousands of reef fish in multicolor garb. It’s better than any aquarium you ever saw, complete with angelfish, butterflyfish, giant triggerfish and Moray eels, unicorn fish; you name it, it’s all there! Black-tip reef sharks too, of course.

Williams got seriously into fishing, casting his line at any sign of a passing school, netting ciguatera-free “Tarefa” (a kind of Tarpon, but much better!), Trevally and double-spotted Queenfish, which he saved for a picnic on the beach. Like a true Robinson Crusoe, Williams took us on a Tahitian-style picnic at the closest “Hoa,” one of these cuts in the reef that let the fish in and out of the lagoon and that we had fun drift-swimming on incoming tide. After getting the “ciguatera all-clear” from the local fishermen and netting a “Bec de Canne” (Duckbill) fish in the process, Williams built us a fire on the beach, placed a couple of coral plates on top and just dropped the fish on top, compete with scales and guts and all, while the kids and I snorkeled the coral heads around and Caro tried her luck at line-fishing in the Hoa. Well, William’s fish was delicious and I had no dishes to clean!!!

When the wind piped up from the East at 18 knots, with a forecast of higher winds still, we decided to move and seek shelter at the SE end of the atoll, to a place called “Pink Sands.”

“Feos lagoon”

“Pink Sands” Anchorage – S 15°14.75 – W 147°14.62 – 7 meters

It’s a 30-some miles distance from the Kia Ora to the SE end of the lagoon, and a trip that requires good visibility. A few “Bommies” are in the way and can spell the death of any ship! Certainly, anchoring at this spot can be challenging since one must avoid all coral heads, not only when dropping anchor, but also in the “avoidance circle.” But what a place! And totally sheltered from the Easterlies that were blowing at 18 knots.

This is “Pure Tuamotus…” remote, talcum-sand beaches, and brown-tipped coral patches ringed in turquoise waters of various intensity. The beaches are covered in fine pink sand, and there is much to explore, which we did happily for 2 days, Caro and Williams loading up the freezer with fish and “Pahuas” (giant clams) to take with them back to Papeete. The Tahitian are really found of their fish (groupers…) and shellfish, and it’s been a lot of fun to watch our friends fish and hunt to their hearts’ content.

When the winds finally died, we continued our cruise to the Atoll of Tikehau (next blog) and then returned to Rangiroa where we delivered our friends to their plane and to civilization in Papeete.

DIVING the TIPUTA PASS – Back to our solitary lives, we decided to book a dive. JM & Fred arranged for the ”6-PASSENGERS” dive club to pick us up to go dive the Tiputa pass. Even though we have our own “Air Line” Hooka, JP and I would never dive a pass without surface support. When it comes to diving great spots, I like to be pampered… just pick me up, suit me up, and show me the way so all I need to do is focus on the wildlife! Well, Divemaster Arnaud took us on a nice discovery, even though the visibility was not that great and the dolphins forgot to show up. But I could focus on the small creatures, like a mini “Nemo,” tiny and translucent, nesting in a pale green sea anemone. We do recommend “6-Passengers” especially since they give cruisers a fair discount and are one of the clubs participating in the Te Moana diving pass.

“Feos” lagoon – Motu Faama

FEOS – S 15°14.076 – W 147°42.466 – Motu Faama

Finally, the wind has died down to just 5 knots at NE, and that’s what we’ve been waiting for to explore the south part of Rangiroa. A quick motor cruise 15 miles to the South of Tiputa Pass and there we were, anchored in front of Motu Faama. Soon, we were exploring the small lagoon and walked to the strange volcanic formations named “Feos.” These are lava rocks that have seeped through the reef and have been eroded by the sea, leaving extraordinarily sharp and chiseled formations. Good shoes and even gloves are necessary to walk around the area.

“Feos” – Lava lace

Past the Feos is the coral reef itself, wide, flat and full of small treasures. Pencil urchins, turtle urchins, “Ma-oas” (giant sea snails), red-and-green octopus, and bits of broken coral in an array of colors: pink, red, purple, mauve… With the ocean flat as a frozen pond, we took advantage of the calm to discover the “platier” (walkable reef.) Joined by 2 more catamarans (“Hokulea” and “Lady Helene”) we joined forces to put together a seafood feast: rigatoni with mahi and Ma-oas in sea urchin cream sauce, apetizer of “Pahuas,” these giant clams with multicolored lips, sea urchin dip… creating recipes as we go!

How clear is the water?

BLUE LAGOON – S15°05.63 – W 147°55.367

The calm weather was holding, motivating us to explore a bit more to the west of the atoll, to a spot called the “Lagon Bleu.” JP carefully scanned the bottom with our fish finder and found a spot where the coral heads were spaced out just enough for us to drop anchor. It’s not recommended to overnight at the Blue lagoon, since the dominant East wind will whip up quite a chop at this western end of the lagoon. But no wind was expected for the next 24 hours, so we kept BigD on a short leash with only 1 fender on suspension.

Anchoring, Tuamotu style

As soon as we dropped anchor, a dozen black tip sharks were circling around us. This is a very popular place and tour boats come every day to feed the sharks so that tourists can take pictures and even snorkel with the creatures. I suppose this makes me less and less afraid of the black tip when I swim and I start realizing that it’s quite a scardy-cat, as long as I don’t have a fish at the end of a spear! The big attraction here is the large lagoon, cerulean blue and flat. Our luck! A Polynesian tour guide was feeding lunch to his clients… and would we like to join them? Soon, we were treated to “poisson cru,” grilled Mahi and Teriaki chicken on the beach, serenaded by the guide-turned-yukulele player. Trust Polynesian hospitality! We took the dink all the way to the end of the lagoon and to the outer reef, to Bird island where thousands of sea birds nested… and there we swam in the pure blue, all alone, in total peace. True magic!

Neighbors!

In the morning, though, clouds were gathering and the Grib delivered via our Iridium e-mail showed an upcoming deterioration in the weather… time to move. Where to? Next lagoon!

Until then… dominomarie

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