This isn’t even at full speed. I think you get the picture. Apataki Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
In Apataki’s north, there is said to be a “town” in all the guide books. Turns out it went “Ghost Town” 20 years ago. Everyone moved to the south for work. These two guys were part of a family that had the entire north all to themselves. They had just speared these fish and told us they saw a small Tiger Shark in the north pass. We had dove it the day before and were a bit disappointed in the life. The current was perhaps the strongest we had ever experienced and I decided that we wouldn’t do it again. I could barely hold the dinghy if I tried to stop. Apataki Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
We had not initially intended to go to Manihi, but Marc from Fakarava had just emailed us that he was going to become the new dive guide for the Blue Nui dive operation here. That and the fact that Xavier Michel who ran the sailmail email system was here and we diverted. Sailmail is one of the two radio email systems we use while we are at sea to communicate with the rest of the world. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Throughout the Tuamotus, people live on small private “motus” (small islands). These are usually owned by extended families and hence buying one; it is difficult to get clear title. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Even in the center of the lagoons, sometimes miles from the outer edge, people will have made homes and businesses. The businesses are almost always pearl farms. There are hundreds of buoys floating in the lagoons which are a navigational challenge. These buoys support the pearl oysters off the bottom of the lagoons to prevent disease and predation. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
This is Xavier and Ann’s Motu. Xavier was the former head of the French Navy in French Polynesia, commanding up to 10% of it and supervising the former nuclear test facilities in Mururoa. Now retired, he runs French Polynesia’s only “sailmail” HF radio email station. This service is heaven sent to hundreds of cruisers in the Pacific. It is one of the main ways we are able to communicate via email at sea. Here is the lovely home they are slowly building. Kenny Crocker, married to a Tahitian gal (Matania), comes from Tahiti M-F to work on the house. Kenny is an ex-pat from San Diego where he met Matania in a bar in Tijuana while she was on holiday! Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
This IS Mrs. Michel. She was visiting the motu on the weekend taking time off from her practice in Tahiti as the only maritime attorney in all of French Polynesia. She looks forward to retiring to her “private island” sometime in the not to distant future. There is very little rain during some parts of the year in the Atolls, so water is at a big premium. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
This is Xavier’s original and now temporary home and radio shack on his motu. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Xavier at his sailmail high frequency radio. Several thousand emails a month are sent and received via his radio including dozens that we send! Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Shea Weston from San Diego, is the international sailmail administrator and marine electrician extrodianaire. He came her a year of so ago and helped Xavier set up the station. As infrastructure in these islands is minimal, Xavier has a large battery bank to back up his power supply to keep his house and sailmail running. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Xavier hangs out his sailmail station float and directions and distances to far flung foreign ports of call. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Dorothy…We’re not in Kansas anymore!…..:) Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Kenny and Xavier stay here while the new house is being built. Not soon enough of Xavier and Ann Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Xavier has a tracking system on his solar panels that synchronizes with the sun to have them work optimally. It’s pretty cool to watch these panels slowly rotate during the day. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
In addition to his solar power, Xavier uses a water turbine in his “Hoa”. A Hoa is a small entrance/exit to the lagoon between the motus. It will often never change direction, but go faster and slower during the day depending on the current running into or out of the reefs. If you look closely, you’ll see a “V” shaped pattern of rocks with the apex to the left. This is where the water is concentrated on the turbine. It provides electricity and pumps fresh water from the ground into his water tanks. Manihi Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Rangiroa is the most famous of the Tuamotu Atolls. The second largest atoll in the world, it’s circumference is about 120 miles. Only Christmas Island’s atoll (800 miles south of Hawaii) is bigger. It’s so big, that it’s often like the open ocean inside this atoll. Here you are seeing surf break on the INSIDE of the atoll at the most western pass (which we did not use). We used the eastern most of the two which is where the better diving seemed to be. We were mostly “weathered out” here. See our posts about “Sailboat in Drag”. The wave you see could be twice that size and close the passes out. We learned the tricks to get around these waves using the current eddy’s to help us negotiate the passes. Rangiroa Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Built quite awhile ago. We never understand why so big? Even in the heyday of the populus, before western disease decimated them, there were never anywhere near enough people here to fill this church. Rangiroa Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
We met Wilfred while diving with Marc in Manihi. We learned he was the Asst. General Manager of the Pearl Beach Tikehau Resort Hotel. Wilfred was a terrific guy and a fabulous host. He invited us to the best dinner we’ve had since ……..well since LOS ANGELES!… BTW, we should have some pretty good Manta Ray photos from Manihi and hopefully a video as well. We look forward to seeing him again, a great friend. Tikehau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Wilfred wined and dined us and gave us a lovely tour of “his island”….Cindy of course wanted to move right in. This was an over water bungalow with a fish feeding area in the center of the room. The night lights attracted the reef fish and you could drop fish food through the 3 foot square opening and have your own private aquarium. Tikehau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
The one thing Cindy really misses from “shoreside” living is a BATH TUB. She saw this and wanted to cry!…. Tikehau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
This resort is guest to many famous celebrities who just want to hide and get away from it all. You can see why! Most of the guests are honeymooners from Europe and the US. Several of the suites are over $1000.00/USD per night. Despite the world economy and a weak dollar, Wilfred said they were never less than 75% occupancy. The next day after we took these photos, they were 100% occupancy. Tikehau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
We had intended to do some diving, but alas, the local Blue Nui dive boat was broken and the wind was pretty strong. We said our goodbyes with great sorrow to Wilfred and we hope to meet with him again next year somewhere in French Polynesia. As you can see, he reminded us of Ricardo Montalban’s “Fantasy Island” which this certainly was….. Next Stop…….TAHITI!………… Tikehau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
As we were arriving at Fakarava, we got a call in English on the VHF from Bruce and Alene on s/v “Migration”. They had heard about our diving exploits and diverted from their planned trip to Toau to join us for some diving at Fakarava. These atolls are HUGE lagoons with virtually no interior land. The tallest thing on them is a coconut tree. If you look close, you can see part of the atoll 3-4 miles distant behind “Beach House”. Alene spoke fluent French and we had one of our first outings at the local “Boulangerie” (bread and baked goods store). Originally from Long Beach, Bruce was later joined by Alene and they have been in the Eastern Pacific for two years. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Bruce and Alene came over to dinner and for desert, Bruce made a fabulous creme brulee. He also had a wonderful recipe for Szechuan Eggplant and Kung Pao Chicken…YUM! Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Fakarava North has lots of “bombies” (coral heads) to catch your anchor on. I had to dive to free our chain from it. Here is the red trimaran “Migration” with Bruce and Alene. They headed to South Fakarava (where the large schools of gray reef sharks were to be found). Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Everywhere in French Polynesia and throughout the Pacific…The church arrived just after or with the original explorers. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
We arrived a month AFTER the “Fete” or “Heiva” as the Fete is known locally. The Fete is a festival that coincides with the French holiday, “Bastille Day”. Lots of festivities occur at this time and this “mini fete” was no exception. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Were judged at this contest. These ladies were making a practical roof covering out of palm fronds. These are actually used and last about three years before needing replacement. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Not part of the mini Heiva, this was part of a show at the hotel here. It was very good. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Beach House and a couple of cruisers hanging out at South Fakarava. We made the 20 mile passage INSIDE the well marked channel in the lagoon. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
This part of the South Fakarava anchorage was very shallow in spots. Bruce and I led Red Herring and Giselle in by leading with the dinghy. Here, you see Karen up the mast where you can get a much better vantage point looking for the shallow spots. This and a pair of polarized sunglasses are essential. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Elvis the Gecko, Beach House, Giselle and Red Herring II had a get together on the beach of our own private island (not really, but it might as well have been!). Here Mary and Karen are trying their hand at weaving the palm fronds. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Pink sands and calm waters were in evidence. Fakarava is noted as several of the Tuamotus are for the pinkish sand color. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Cindy and I walked around this little island, that if it were for sale would command several million dollars despite NO services, markets in the area or any infrastructure. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Graham was making a new walking stick and recounting stories to us of when he was with “Outward Bound”. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Left to right: Sammy (Elvis the Gecko), Karen (Red Herring II), Mary in her element…kids! (Giselle) and Gloria (Sammy’s daughter – Elvis the Gecko). Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Mary and David of “Giselle” joined us for dinner in South Fakarava. They told us of their diet being based on the “Montignac System” where one uses low glycemic index foods to keep blood sugar balanced, eat lots of what you want and lose weight. Here, Mary introduces us to a very “free food”, oat cakes! Yum with a little butter (OK in the Montignac System). Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
David asked us if we’d ever tried chocolate…….with lime! Never had, quite an interesting taste. Make sure the chocolate is DARK. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Cindy feels a bit ill confident about some of her sailing skills, so David rigged his “Mouse” and put her to sea. She took to it like a duck to water and had a blast…..Thank You David! Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Coquettish, Cindy enjoys a romp on the sea! Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
With great sadness we watched our friends Mary and David of “Giselle” depart for Tahiti as they needed to press on. Daughter Kirsty would be joining them in Tahiti and stay for the trip to New Zealand. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
As our friends left, we turned our attention to diving (imagine that!). Marc, who we had already met was the dive guide of the Tetamanu Pension. He told us about his American friends, Dan & Jill who had been there several times. They would be bringing his new video camera housing. Little did we know that the SMALL WORLD story of all time would happen. Jill is the sister-in-law of our personal physician in Santa Monica!.. She is also the sister of Cindy’s good friend “The Doctors Wife”, Peggy Biscow….. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Marc took our photo and we had a fabulous time diving here for two weeks. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
The future “stars” of our video (see the Video Gallery – The Sharks of Fakarava), Cindy and Jill picked it up as if they were old friends. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
This was amazing and easy diving. The dive boat took us for a one minute ride. Jump in, go deep, see the gray reef sharks, get shallow and drift the rest of the hour looking at great fish and coral. At the end, walk out on a sand patch right to the dive center. Re-fill tanks, snack and do it again…. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
I had to use my dental skills to do some video housing repair. There’s more too it than “push the button”, put it on the web site! Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Cindy was looking brave here, she had me delete the next photo which was an “ouch”…. Stephen (M.D.) of “Ulliad” de-waxed Cindy’s ears which were border line getting irritated. He gave me a curette and instructions. Hopefully her “pre treatments” will keep me out of the medical business. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Here are the bulk of the boats anchored at South Fakarava. We stayed the longest as we planned on not leaving for New Zealand as most of the boats did to leave French Polynesia for the upcoming Cyclone season. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
This is the pass at South Fakarava where the very easy and fabulous diving happened. You can’t see them, but there are always hundreds of gray reef sharks about 70-90 feet deep in this pass. Shallower than that and you’ll never see them. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
A Pension is a small family owned hotel. This is one of two at the south Fakarava pass, but the only one IN the pass. These nice looking bungalows had NO windows, no electricity, mosquito netting on the beds and no hot water. Obviously there is a reason people come, right? RIGHT!….DIVING. (See: Tuamotu Atolls – UNDERWATER) gallery. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
If you’re going to be a lonely dive guide in the South Pacific. At least (despite no windows and hot water), you might as well have a nice two story loft with a view. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
Bruce and Alene had to move on and here you see them with just their spinnaker up outside the south pass at Fakarava Atoll headed to Tahiti…. Fakarava Atoll (South) – Tuamotu Atolls
With great reluctance, we finally left South Fakarava to head back to North Fakarava and continue our way through the Tuamotu Atolls we hoped to visit. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Along the way, we saw s/v “Carina” with Leslie and Philip aboard. We had been in email contact with them on and off for over a year before we finally met them in the Marquesas. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Okay, it’s finally time to tell you about s/v “Elvis the Gecko”. Martin and Sammy owners, daughters Ruby & Gloria and young son Brucie. Also professional crew Josh Richadson and mate Claire Mulville. The “Gecko’s” are on the lovely Oyster 66 on the left. The blue boat on the right was a larger Oyster. (Mega Yachts are here too…). Anyway, when the family was on vacation in the Carribean a few years ago, upon arrival back in the UK (they’re from Scotland like David and Mary), they found a “gecko” in one of the kids bags whom they kept and named “Elvis”…..Hence, “Elvis the Gecko”. AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY!…..WHEW Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
This lovely bakery made great chocolate croissants and baguettes. If you weren’t there by 8 a.m., you risked going without!… Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
You may remember the old 1960’s TV show “Get Smart”? (Skye by the way worked on the movie version in 2007). Before cell phones, the French installed these pay phone booths all over French Polynesia. Now virtually unused, we kept thinking Maxwell Smart was going to appear or disappear every time we saw one of these. This is the only person we have ever seen use one on the outer islands. Here we are, thousands of miles from anywhere and Maxwell Smart has arrived. Note the boats in the background at the anchorage. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Not quite as good as the south pass; but there were gray reef sharks in the pass. Jean Christophe was the owner and had a very nice operation. The outside coral garden was very healthy and nice. We did see one manta ray and some sharks. All in all, worth the dives. The ride was about 20 minutes from the anchorage and so the access was not as easy. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
This was Scott, the professional skipper of the Catana 58, “Mariah”. He and his mate, Allison have been with the boat and her American owner for some time. Interestingly, he had just written an article on how to get to French Polynesia without going through the rough southern ocean. We had a lovely dinner aboard “Mariah”. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
This was Scott, the professional skipper of the Catana 58, “Mariah”. He and his mate, Allison have been with the boat and her American owner for some time. Interestingly, he had just written an article on how to get to French Polynesia without going through the rough southern ocean. We had a lovely dinner aboard “Mariah”. Fakarava Atoll (North) – Tuamotu Atolls
Imagine being at sea for days and finally coming up to your first piece of land and it looks like this? Many boats in the past have come to grief as these atolls are extremely difficult to see “at sea”. Especially after a long sailing voyage and if the crew is tired. The advent of GPS really changed all that as the system and the charts accuracy is superb. This photo was taken approaching the Atoll of Toau from a distance of only one mile! The coconut trees are all that is visible and only if conditions are favorable. This atoll is over 30 miles around and most of it is NOT as visible as this. Toau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
Gaston and Valerie own a small restaurant at their cove, “Anse Amyot”. Anse means “cove” in Tuamotan. Gaston installed 9 moorings to protect the coral here and charge a nominal fee for their use. Less if you frequent their restaurant one night. Waiting out weather, we stayed here for about a week doing some very nice reef dives a half mile from the cove. The cove does not communicate to the inside of the reef. That pass was 15 miles to the east of Anse Amyot. Toau Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
We had wanted to try drift diving in the north pass of Apataki Atoll only 20 miles or so from Toau. We entered the south pass and motored inside the atoll to the north. There was only one family in the entire north of the island. Apataki Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
This is the narrow entry at Apataki. A large lagoon with only two entrances, the water at flood or ebb can really move. I estimated this current at about 5 knots. In a few of the atolls, the sea was against current and we had these conditions with 5-6 foot STANDING WAVES. Sorry, no photos of that as we were a bit busy when they occured. (Rangiroa and Fakarava’s NORTH pass). Apataki Atoll – Tuamotu Atolls
