Wednesday 16-17 April

Overnight sail from Fakarava to Rangiroa, aiming to arrive in the morning so that we can enter the Tiputa Pass in daylight.  Careful planning to be there at slack water, or nearly slack.  Bright sunshine and we were propelled through the pass.  We were greeted by a number of World Arc friends in their tenders coming out to snorkel in the pass so we figured that we had got the timings about right.  There is a glorious restaurant on the pass, called Josephine’s, where we subsequently ate lunch.  Such a good place to stop and watch other boats going through.

Rangiroa was fabulous.  It is the largest of the Tuamoto atolls and probably the most visited.  We anchored by the Kia Ora Hotel, and found ourselves practically next door to Babiana (Anthony Ward’s beautiful Oyster) with our friends Philip and Sarah Syborn onboard - that was a great surprise.  We went onboard for a drink which was very stylish and comfortable.  We had a wonderful day trip to the Lagon Bleu - a true Polynesian paradise where a natural pool has formed on the edge of the main reef - a lagoon within a lagoon.  The boat ride back was very wet as we were into the wind.  Swam with black fin sharks and Pasternak rays.  Lunch was provided and was delicious home-made coconut bread and traditional raw fish with coconut milk. The girls were all given gorgeous little palm handbags.

Patrick and I were brave/crazy enough to go on a dive in the legendary Tiputa Pass - we teamed up with the crew from Bahaati.  It was very rough and made worse by the dive leader losing his fins over the side so we had to go back through the pass for him to get a new pair.  Of course the dive once started was fabulous - a mother and calf dolphin glided past, and a grey shark and an enormous Napoleon fish.  I held onto the guide’s arm for the entire dive, and he did suggest later that I might consider a refresher on dive techniques.. notwithstanding being totally terrified, it was an unmissable experience.