Ahe - Our first Atoll

Spirit
Erik Lindgren/Pia Hultgren
Sun 20 Mar 2016 17:00
14:26.70S 146:21.70W
 
We have made our first passage into an atoll!
It feels great, like have entranced into a secret place on earth.
 
After a great sailing from Marquesas we approached the Ahe atoll. A totally different siluette compared to the Hiva Oa approach!
So close (600 Nm) but so different nature. Hiva Oa green and hilly, Ahe flat with palm trees surrounded by white sand.
The entrance to the atoll looked quite simple. So after some careful watching the water we startded to go through the 200m wide inlet. In the middle of the channel we realized we had 5 knots of current going with us against 10 knots of wind blowing out while we tried to go in. With corals on both sides and unreliable charts we chickened out and turned around almost there, but we couldn’t see bottom because of intensive small waves.
 
So we decided to wait for better times.
–Why do not clean the bilge meanwhile waiting? The sea is quite flat and we have plenty of time. So we did.
After 2 hours we made a new try to go through. Now with no problem. Moving inside lagoon was a piece of cake. Anchored in crystal clear, FLAT water just N of small village. We all enjoyed a lovely swim and beautiful snorkeling! Here we could have stayed a few days, but Elsa has a flight to catch from next atoll –Rangiroa.
We went off in late afternoon. Going out was easy. The current and the wind in streamed in the same direction, we motored on our incomming track.
Came out in the Pacific again with a great new experience.
 
We felt so lucky, celebrated with a sundowner
and now
sail on!

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