LOCATION FROM THE LOG #33 The Tuamotu and Society Islands
|
 Our track in the Siocuiety Islands |
| (Click on any photo or map for a blow up) |
 |
 |
Preparing for a dive |
Exploring a reef at Tahiti |
| From the Marquesas islands we sailed roughly 500 nautical miles (950 km) to the Tuamotu group, the worlds largest archipelago of coral atoll islands. An atoll is actually the rim of the crater of a sunken volcano. |
 |
 |
Our track through
Tuamotu |
Grey Black Tip Shark
in shallow water |
| These islands were once known as "the Dangerous Archipelago". Variable currents, sudden storms and poor charts made cruising the islands by yacht extremely hazardous in the times before the GPS. That has changed now, but entering the passes still requires vigilance and timing. Because of strong in- or outgoing current one frequently has to wait for slack tide before attempting an entry or exit. Of the 78 atolls 21 have one entrance (pass), 10 have two and 47 have no pass at all. |
 |
 |
Demeritt on s/y Bingo landed a big
marlin |
Raimana, Richard and Roberto, three merry fisherboys at Apataki |
| We visited two of the atolls, Ahé and Apataki. The major activity on
the islands is production of pearls, and their black pearls are world
famous. Ahé is frequently visited by sail boats on their way between
the Marquesas and Tahiti, but at Apataki we were usually the only boat
in our anchorages.
The Tuamotus reached fame the first time in 1947 when Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki expedition landed at Raroia. Later it was a frequently in the news from the 60s to the mid 90s because of the French nuclear testing sites at Moruroa and Fangataufa. With no respect for the world opinion the French set off around 200 nuclear bombs during 30 years, several of them in the atmosphere! Radioactivity will thus remain in the Tuamotus for thousands of years with unknown, frightening consequences. |
 |
 |
Waterfall at
Tahiti Nui |
View from Tahiti Iti |
| From the Tuamotus we sailed for two
nights to south west, 250 miles to Tahiti, in the Society
Islands. At this island of legend and song, we anchored outside the
Yacht Club de Tahiti in Arue Bay, near Point Venus where Captain Cook
landed in 1769.
Most of the Society Islands, including Tahiti, are high volcanic islands with rocky summits that are the eroded remnants of volcanos, and a surrounding lagoon protected by a coral barrier reef. We explored the twin island of Tahiti by car. From the top of the southern island, Tahiti Iti, the fringing reefs are visible for as long as the eye can follow. |
 |
 |
Bar-vahines at
Huahine |
Outrigger going through the surf |
| Our next stop after Tahiti was at it's neighbour Moorea, only 15 miles to the west. Moorea is regarded as a good challenger of Bora Bora for being the prettiest island in the Societies. From Moorea we sailed over night to the Leeward Group, Iles sous les vent, where we first landed at Huahine. Then we crossed over to Raiatea and Tahaa, sharing the same surrounding lagoon, and finally arrived at the legendary island of Bora Bora. |
 |
 |
Even the fishes are
smiling here |
No, this is not
Lac Léman, Switzerland, but Raiatea. |
| At the end of May it was time for the crew's traditional vacation back in Finland and we returned to Raiatea where Scorpio will stay on the hard in a shipyard during our absence. We will return at the end of August and continue our odyssey. |
 |
 |
The mandatory photo |
Scorpio at "Twin
Peaks", Bora Bora |
| After our return to Raiatea we will be rushing through the Cook Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga and Fiji on the final 2.000 nautical miles of our way to New Zealand. Follow the arrow below ..... |
 |
 |
|
[PREVIOUS] |
 |
[NEXT] |