Tuamotu Heaven
Rich's 2025 World ARC PatBon Blog
Richard Hurd
Thu 24 Apr 2025 23:05
After 18 wonderful days in the Tuamotus, we’ve finally weighed anchor, gone through our final Tuamotu pass and set sail for Papeete in Tahiti. This time however, I’m making the passage aboard another yacht, AquaLuna with Claire and Malcolm Wallace, whom I first met on the ARC+ in 2023. Peter wanted to get Pat Bon to Tahiti as soon as he could, as he had an increasing list of work he wanted to get done in the boatyard there, and they weren’t that keen to visit any of the other atolls, so he, Val and Nathan set off 10 days ago. I however, was keen to explore the Tuamotus as I found them enchanting. Claire and Malcolm to the rescue - they offered me a berth as they to cruise around some of the other islands, so I grabbed the opportunity with both hands!
Pat Bon arrived in Fakarava, the 2nd largest atoll in the Tuamotus on Monday 4th April after a 4 day crossing from the Marquesas. If you’ve seen any of the photos I’ve posted one Facebook, you’ll have noticed just how different these atolls are; Marquesas are the remaining parts of volcanos and include massive craggy mountain peaks and cliffs, whereas the Tuamotus are simple coral atolls with a large lagoon in the middle. Maximum height above sea level …maybe 1 metre maximum! Coconut palms and mangrove trees abound on the tiny motus (islands) that have built up on the coral reefs. The passes that allow boats to enter the lagoons from the open ocean are fearsome due to the currents that flow in and out of the lagoons, even though the tidal range here is only about 50 cms. There is a guide (the Guesstimator) as to when slack water will be, but it is pretty inaccurate, so you simply need to get close and see if the pass is nice and calm, or whether it is more like a treacherous set of river rapids! It’s not for the faint hearted that’s for sure! However, once inside the lagoon and tucked in on anchor behind a motu, the calm and peace is quickly restored after a chilled beer!
I spent 7 days on board Pat Bon in Fakarava and had 2 dive days. The 1st was on the north pass, near to where the main village, Rotoava is and the 2nd about 30 miles to the south of the lagoon in the south pass. There is a safe marked channel all the way from the north to south of the Fakarava lagoon, so it was safe to take Pat Bon there, but it is a good 5 hour trip in the lagoon. Coral bommies (large and growing coral heads) abound in the lagoons, so caution is needed at all times when navigating in them. Both dives were amazing, but the “Wall of Sharks” in the south pass was quite remarkable, with hundreds (literally) of grey reef sharks, black tips and white tips swimming all around you. Fish of all colours, shapes and sizes were everywhere and the occasional manta ray gracefully ‘flew’ passed too.
As I mentioned earlier, Peter and Val didn’t really find too much of interest in these atolls and had decided to head to the ‘big smoke’ in this part of the world - Papeete in Tahiti, so they headed off on Monday 14th April. As this was a day before AquaLuna were planning to arrive, I found myself a comfortable stationary bed in a beach hut overlooking the coral reef in Rotoava. A pleasant change for one night and a lovely shower too!
Claire & Malcolm had visited a couple of other Tuamotu atolls before arriving in Fakarava and due to the spectacular reports from all the divers in the ARC WhatsApp group, were keen to experience both the main dive sites themselves. Due to the time it would take to get AquaLuna down from Rotoava to the south pass, we organised a private dive with Alex and Juliette from Luminous III and get taken south on a fast speed boat. Again incredible dives with the sharks.
After Fakarava, we headed to the small uninhabited atoll called Toau, just to the north of Fakarava. Entering the pass was very tricky, as the Guesstimator didn’t really provide an accurate time of slack water. Bluewater came over the bows and right into the cockpit of AquaLuna as she battled with the standing waves in the middle of the channel - a drenching for the crew, but eventually the still waters of the lagoon took over and we quietly made our way to join Peter and Elizabeth aboard Water Sprite in the south east corner of the lagoon and picked up a mooring buoy there. Lovely sundowners on the beach that evening with everyone and snorkelling and swimming the following day.
From Toau, we headed up to the main antoll and the administrative capital of the Tuamotus, Rangiroa, last Monday (21st). I’m not sure what I expected, but a more built-up and bustley place than Fakarava, but no, a very quiet sleepy village and a lovely anchorage - paradise again! We booked a dive there and went out to the Tiputa pass, where we saw plenty of fish and perhaps the most amazing thing; a dolphin and her 1 year old calf swimming with us. She came so close she brushed up against us and while you are not meant to touch them, she allowed me to give her a stroke. Just a truly beautiful experience. Not sure I’d be quite as brave if a grey reef shark came over for a cuddle! The following day we hired bikes and peddled the 12km up to the north of the main motu where another village was located - fab but hot and sweaty work. Stopped on the way back at a Pearl Farm, where we were shown how they create and farm pearls - gynaecology came to mind😂, but it was fascinating to see how cultivated pearls are made. We then stopped at the only Polynesian winery and vineyard. Really interesting as it has taken the winemaker many years to perfect the method of wine making in this tropical area with a terroir of coral! Two harvests per year and a double fermentation process, using predominantly red Carignan grapes with an Italia grape to blend with it. The results are quite sharp (a bit like our Hale Valley Vineyard wine) and quite a different white and rosé wine. Malcolm and I liked it, but Claire preferred the rum, which they also produce using local sugarcane from the atoll and from Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas!
So to today - up at 0500 to get AquaLuna ready for the 200nm passage to Tahiti. We are leaving a little earlier than planned, as there is some unpleasant weather due to arrive on Saturday PM, with strong southerly winds and a VERY large swell, maybe up to 5+ metre wave height. We really want to avoid that if possible as we’re currently heading in a sou-southwest direction towards Tahiti. When we get there, I’ll jump back onto Pat Bon, as after 2 weeks in Papeete, they are keen to move on into the Society Islands - weather permitting. AquaLuna has a few small jobs that are planned, so they will remain for a few days, before following on towards the next ARC rendezvous in Bora Bora in early May.
Love and light to all
Rich x
Sundowners with Chris & Tracey from Magiea
Terroir: coral! Local rosè wine
Dinner at the south pass in Fakarava
Wall of Sharks - south pass Fakarava
Sunset with a Tahitian Hinano beer
Toau beach sundowners with the gang from Water Sprite
The beach in Taou
The dolphin and her calf - wow!!!