Another day another Atoll
Starcharger
Sat 23 Jul 2016 00:47
We are now anchored in Tikehau.... Another Atoll. One of the interesting things about Atolls from a sailing point of view is entering and leaving them! They are I believe ancient volcano craters with just the rim showing and now coral. They are very low and narrow pieces of land that clearly keep the waves at bay but do little to break the wind. Of course as the tide changes all the water has to rush through a few narrow passes. Sometimes the current can exceed 10 knots (we at maximum throttle in flat water can just do 8knots under engine!) and if the wind is against the current the waves are very steep. Add to that the coral heads that are all over the place and you have an extremely stressful entrance and exit!
But well worth it once you are in, truly beautiful. I have attached a photograph but it doesn't do the place justice.
Though the anchorage here is somewhat exposed. The wind blowing at 25knots onto a coral reef lee shore is not for the feint hearted...
I am not sure if they have wifi here at all, but the plan is to spend two days here and then head off to Tahiti on Saturday.
Love Alasdair, Gill, Oscar and Mia
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+447710 197949
Sent from Alasdair's iPad