TT's: Fakarava

Fakarava was the largest atoll we visited, but with a week lost to weather, we had to compress our itinerary. At the town of Rotoava, we got to watch rowing teams practicing...

...and enjoyed seeing people of all ages get around by bicycle
(this is the only paved road in Rotoava)

HIRIFA

Though they were variations on a theme, each atoll was surprisingly different from each other. At Motu Hirifa at the other end of Fakarava, we got to anchor next to a long crescent beach and at the same time be able to watch the surf crash against the reef in the distance.  

It's all in the family: Valentine, who hosted the Polynesian feast at Toau, has a sister Liza who started a restaurant here. There are no standard open hours, but she will cook for visiting cruisers with advance notice. As much a party as it was a meal, several boat crews gathered one evening for outstanding seafood, lively conversation and even some spirited dancing (including by Liza!).

Boat parking lot for the restaurant: our blue kayak, a paddleboard, a dinghy, then Liza's boat (she travels 30 miles one way through the atoll for supplies in Rotoava)

There is a lagoon within a lagoon that had crystal-clear warm water and was teeming
 with colorful fish; we had a great time snorkeling here

Maybe a couple of me too?

A spontaneous shot that turned out pretty well!

Hirifa seemed like a perfect place in every way

Solstice sky

Though we did get some exciting weather here too!

Timetables exist for tides & currents, but we found the most accurate way to predict local slack water for safe passage through reef openings was to gauge it relative to the moonrises and moonsets. Sailors are skywatchers, but in the Tuamotus we watched with timepiece in hand!

The moon, Jupiter and Saturn in an evolving dance

SOUTH PASS AREA

Tetamanu used to be Fakarava's main town in French colonial days, but much of it
 is now abandoned.

The remains of old walls, buildings and even a prison--all made out of coral blocks and dated from the 1880's--were fascinating. 

 (fortunately I was able to escape these prison walls)

Now, however, it is growing again, thanks to a thriving dive center

Woman weaving palm fronds into panels for use in constructing bungalows

When it's too shallow to paddle, just pull!

The nearby anchorage was a minefield of hazards, but it is justifiably popular. Many small motus dot the rim, each with salmon-pink sandy beaches, and there are warm shallow inner lagoons ideal for swimming.

Most people come here for the snorkeling and diving, though--and that is spectacular!

Taking a morning to float through the pass on an incoming tide was a highlight of our Tuamotu experiences. The pristine clarity of the water allowed for stunning views of fish and coral--and there were plenty of reef sharks as well! I have lots of underwater video on my GoPro; one of these times I hope to find a way to get some of it onto the blog...

Art's checking the coral heads near our hull

Everyone does an Unwind-the-Anchor Dance when they leave this area;
fortunately our chain didn't require diving, though many others did

It was hard to say farewell to the Tuamotus; they are such a special environment. Sometimes when I looked out at the atolls I saw a unique and precious ecosystem; most of the time I simply saw magical places.


But now we must (sigh) move on--to Tahiti! The city of Papeete will be a culture shock, but at least I'll get to post photos there and replenish fruits and veggies. Updates after we leave Tahiti could be 2-4 weeks later, so stay tuned (figuratively, if not literally)...