Rangiroa 14:58.091S 147:38.146W

South Pacific Familyadventure 2008
Claes Brodin
Wed 18 Jun 2008 22:19
We had a very comfortable passage from Ahe to Rangiroa,going over
night,since we wanted to be in the Tiputa pass(one of two passages)at low
water slack in the morning.We entered the pass just before Marco and
Margarita on S/Y Navigo.Allthough low water slack,we had a horrendous
outflow current against us,doing 7 knots of speed with Mr Perkins full
ahead,but only doing 1,8 knots over ground according to the GPS.Navigo
going a bit starboard of our track came into strong eddies/overfalls,but
we both managed fine.Once inside the lagoon,all was quiet,and we anchored
off the Six Passangers dive center(where Gabriel starts a diving course
the next days)close to the Kia Ora hotel.
A drink in the hotel in the evening was just what we needed,and Gabriel
saw a Black Tip tail shark through the glassfloor of the bar(built as a
bungalow out in the water).
The following day we arranged some bicycles,and went to the main
settlement(Avatoru),bought food,and had lunch at Bernards place.Bernard is
a frenchman,who spent many years on the ocean,now settled on Rangiroa with
his Polynesian wife and 5 children.Pizza and fishburger(snapper from
Tiputa pass)was gorgious(as the say in the big country in the west).
Today we left Gabriel at the dive center,and plan to revert to Avatoru for
laundry,lunch at Bernard´s,and visit to the Gendarms(clearing in).
Rangiroa is the biggest atoll in Tuamotos,and the most touristic,but the
diving has world wide reputation,one of the main reasons for being here.
If we find a reasonably well working internetcafè,we will revert with some
pictures.