Fakarava, 16:03.9S, 145:37.2W
Serenity of Swanwick
Phil and Sarah Tadd
Thu 20 Jul 2017 21:44
Fakarava is more tourist orientated than Kauehi, and in addition to two grocery stores has several dive schools, cafes and a shop selling jewellery from local farmed pearls. They also receive visits from Aranui 5, the cruise/supply ship for French Polynesia.
The main activity here is diving, the southern pass into the lagoon is supposed to be spectacular, with a number of different varieties of sharks to be seen, particularly at the full moon, when a certain type of fish spawns and the sharks have a feeding frenzy. We have had a number of what we are told are reef sharks around the boat all the time we have been here. They are small, but it makes swimming seem a bit less inviting.
As we don't dive we have done some snorkelling and gone for a walk along the outside coast of the atoll, where the reef provides protection against the Pacific, and the beach is made up of broken coral. Now well rested we are planning to leave for Tahiti, 240 miles away, this afternoon.
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