Tuamotu Crossing - 'a boistrous one'

Hakaotu Bay, Ua Pou - rock art, like an art gallery

After two and half months in Nuka Hiva, mostly at anchor, we departed with a good weather window forecast to provide enough wind for our sail to the Tuomotus. Not an hour out of the safe anchorage saw us encounter a 35 knot foam streaked squall, which quickly sharpened our sailing skills. Luckily we didn’t have too much sail up at the time and we kept heading into the wind achieving 1-2 knots boat speed waiting for it to pass.

 

Our decision to stop at Hakaotu Bay, Ua Pou, a 5 hour sail, on the way to Tuomotu was rewarded with our beach combing finding the elusive ‘flower stone’, small golden crystals developed within the rock which can only be found throughout the world in Ua Pou. We also met Alan, a Kiwi, who collects and sells sea shells. We found his boat lights on at 3am and realised he dived at night by himself collecting sea shells which he then sells at international exhibits. He even won ‘best shell’ at the last Paris exhibit.

Ua Pou was departed the next evening for our 4 night crossing to the Tuamotu, a large chain of small atolls. Our departure weather and sail plan saw Zenna clear the cobwebs with boat speed reaching in excess of 8 knots with the wind on our forward beam. Wow, off we were going, and at this rate it won’t take long to get there! But night was approaching and for Marion and I to rest, as this is our longest, and most remote, crossing done without crew, we had to calm things down. A couple of reefs were put in to abate the boisterous conditions.

 

Weather was downloaded daily and we soon realised the boisterous winds interspersed with extremely light and variables were going to dominate the crossing. Not what was expected but there was no going back now. Marion and I settled into the routine however, with meal plans becoming quick ‘comfort’ foods. We were over cautious about our sail plan and soon learnt that if we had more sail up the boat would not only go faster, but smoother against the confused seas provided by the boisterous conditions.

Rainbows, squalls, rainbows, night, rainbows…….and more squalls saw us take nearly a day off our crossing. If it had been a day it would have been fine but you have to time your Tuamotus arrival to coincide with the correct slack tide entry through the atoll pass into the lagoon. We had to slow the boat down!...... and even then we ‘hove to’ (or trials thereof) overnight waiting for daylight and the correct slack tide for entry to Raroia.

Wow, entry through the pass is exactly how they say, lumpy bumpy, and fast! Not much room for error going between the shallows and the push of water is amazing. After crossing the lagoon dodging the coral heads and pearl farms all ended well and we found the most perfect little anchorage on the east side. Time to relax after that boisterous 4 day crossing!

'Nice backyard Marion' - (arrival anchorage on Raroia)