5 in the morning and the first rays of light were coming over the eastern horizon, it was going to be a beautiful day. Ahead of us, on the horizon, could be seen a dark line, with a gap in the centre; the dark was palm trees and the gap was where we had to get through. I see from some of your comments, you are not quite sure of the ‘layout’ of Rangiroa; it is an atoll, a circular mass of coral, with a lagoon in the centre. It is best shown from a screenshot. This ‘Transas’ is not used for navigational purposes, however it’s a great tool for downloading picture files. So, here is an overview of Rangiroa:-
41 miles from the NW end to the SE end and 17 miles at its widest
The green line was our approach track. We embark a pilot here, (French), his local knowledge is invaluable, it’s a tricky entrance with strong tides, as you will see from the photographs later. First, some more downloads and you will get the idea.
Approach through ‘La Passe’
Past the coral bank and to the anchorage
Now some photos.
From about 5 miles out, the ‘Pass’ and the tree-line
Just over a mile out, all becomes clearer
Getting closer and the tide rips more obvious
Closer still
Aha! Now you see what I’m talking about, a 5-knot ebb current
That’s our shadow on the west-side 🙂
Through the gap, using lots of rudder to keep her steady and we’re through and approaching the anchorage.
Karen 1 and Karen 2 were off early, I had work to do. We tendered to the pier off the village if Tipata and from there, if one so wished, one could take a water ferry across the ‘Pass’ to Oputu on the other side. The ladies rented tricycles and had a wander, here are a few of their photos.
The resort of ‘Kia Ora’
With beautiful bungalows
I managed a wander ashore in the late morning, (for the blog of course).
The church nestling in the trees
Our tender pier, (taken as went past)
Inside the lagoon; ‘La Passe’ centre.
At anchor
La Passe from the east shore
A local group entertained guests
A tender coming alongside the pier while a water-taxi boards passengers.
An overly large pig having a snooze in the garden
Buying trinkets
The church
The trinkets
Locals having a chat in the shade.
Beautiful turquoise water
Another, of us at anchor
Super! Thanks very much for the detailed explanation and maps of the “layout”.
So, NOW I know how we approached, where we were and how we got there! Next time we cruise to Rangiroa, this knowledge will make it a lot more interesting!
The photos are great; the colors are perfect, exactly what I remember.
Glad you had a chance to wander around this tiny perfect beauty spot!
Fantastic pictures, Jonathan. We sure appreciate your blogs. Keep well.
George & Jean in BC
Thank you very much for these great photos. We missed this stop both in 2013 and 2015 so it’s nice to see what it looks like. Hope we see you again whne we do the 2017 world.
Captain J, I met your friends Leo and Marion as we were watching/waiting for the QM2 to sail. Said to say a big “Hello!”
I also wonder if the ship was “raped” at Nuku Hiva. I was Pursder on the WESTAR (HAC/Westours) in the 1970’s and while just a few “bought lunch and the “tour” they charged us for ALL passengers (and crew) It was a nasty mess and I will always remember that call for this event!
Enjoy following your travels. In fact unknowingly I watched you leave FT LAUDERDALE on PTZtv! Happy Travels Peter Reynolds (formerly of Auckland NZ)
Dear Captain, Thanks for the maps – I was curious about what the approach to Rangiroa really looked like. But Captain you were up for the task as always.
Karen and Karen looking great ready for exploring and a bit of local shopping maybe. Beautiful island! Let the journey continue.