Rotoava, Fakarava Island, Tuamotus
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Sat 26 Apr 2008 19:50
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16:03.919S 145:37.163W
On Wednesday (4/23) we finally left the island of
Kauehi behind and motorsailed the 25 miles back out of the lagoon
and through the pass in the surrounding coral reef. We left at the
height of low tide current, so had a nice ride through the pass with three knots
in our favor. Our destination was Fakarava atoll, where we had no problem
crossing the pass into its lagoon late in the afternoon. Fakarava is the
second largest coral atoll in the Tuamotu group. It is 32 miles long
and 15 miles wide, but like all coral atolls, 99% or more of that space is
lagoon and 1% or less is land.
Viva and Wizard made the same trip and all three of
us joined Cleone, who was anchored just off the shore
where the village of Rotoava is located. Unfortunately, we
never made it to land as we arrived late in the day and spent too much time on
Cleone's boat for happy hour and then Viva's boat for dinner (which was
excellent - spicy ginger chicken cooked with coconut milk). We left
relatively early the next day heading south through the lagoon. We never
saw the village of Rotoava, but given the trade off between happy hour with
the British and dinner with the Germans versus a quick walking tour of the
village, we feel we chose well.
Anne
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