Position           14:58.01S 147:38.37W

Date                0955 (UTC -10) Sunday 13 April 2014

Distance run – 82nm over the ground, 82nm through the water

A collection of photographs from Ahe

The supply ship is this community’s lifeline

Just add water and stir, children at play, a very happy sight

The island has a priest and we met the resident male nurse

A typical view looking out over a low lying motu and the reef

We organised a beach get together for the three Rally boats.  A certain skipper playing the bagpipes attracted some of the local population with whom we met and chatted.  It also attracted some very puzzled local mutts.

The end of an ideal day in paradise

Staying in Ahe was great, leaving was a little more difficult.  In common with other boats we found that our anchor chain had wrapped itself around coral heads, invisible in the somewhat cloudy water.  Resisting the temptation to dive it took a great deal of toing and froing to free the beast. 

Timing for the trip to the next destination of Rangiroa was important as we had to exit the Passe from the lagoon at Ahe but not arrive at Rangiroa before there was enough light to get into the pass there.  The log records the exit from Ahe as “exciting” as we had 5 knots of current behind us and standing waves in between patches of oily calm.  This extended for some ½ miles offshore.

As we have found before sailing slowly when there is wind is quite a challenge.  All was well however and we approached the well-marked broad Passe Tiputa into the lagoon of Rangiroa at 0900 and were at anchor with at least 20 other Rally boats by 02955.

The Passe Tiputa into Rangiroa - head for the gap and the leading marks and hang on.  This is an easier Passe that that at Ahe