The northern motu’s shoreline of Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia, where we spent a wonderful day ashore in “paradise”
As noted in our previous blog, Fakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havai’i or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls. After spending a day in the southern end of the lagoon, early the next morning we sailed north near the northern entry channel where we spent the day with activities ashore on the beach (reached via Zodiacs and a wet landing).
Following natural history walks with our onboard guest expedition guides, we had an excellent beach BBQ luncheon on the beach. After lunch, a group of local musicians and two dancers shared local music and dances with us. The afternoon was a water sports “beach day” with sea kayaking, water bikes, paddle boards, and swimming. (It was too shallow for snorkeling along the shoreline.)
Our ship viewed through some coconut palm trees on the beach, Fakarava atoll (north), Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
A typical shoreline private residence, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaA beautiful shell necklace for sale by a local artist, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaTwo local dancers with the leader of the musical group, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaLocal musicians playing traditional Tahitian songs, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaA close-up of one of the dancers, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
The view towards our ship in the late afternoon after we rode a Zodiac to a beach (a wet landing) on a tiny motu (island) that forms part of the Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, in northern French Polynesia
Fakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havai’i or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls. Fakarava was classified as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2016. The lagoon is accessible through two passes, one in the north and one in the south. We sailed in from Rangiroa through the northern pass early in the morning and sailed the length 037 miles/60 kilometers) of the lagoon to the southern end where we dynamically positioned (anchoring is forbidden) for the day’s activities – SCUBA diving and snorkeling in the morning and a long Zodiac ride to a very small motu (island/sandbank) for a wet landing and nature walk (with refreshments from the ship served on the beach).
We enjoyed some truly outstanding reef snorkeling in the morning, with gorgeous corals in many colors and a variety of shapes and geometric patterns – one of the best corals displays now available in any ocean in the world, according to our international guide. Another highlight was an underwater school of cornet fish (also known as flutemouths) that seemed as long as the Russian truck convey moving south towards Kyiv, Ukraine, right now. The school of cornet fish ended up surrounding us after we swam through the horizontal “column” of fish. It was really stunning to see them just inches away from our face masks.
An old stump on the water’s edge on a tiny motu (island) that forms part of the Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaRocks on the water’s edge of the “beach”, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaThree trees, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaYour blogger’s late afternoon shadow looking at a motu (island) adjacent to the outer reef of Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaBeach composition, Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaA motu (island) adjacent to the outer reef of Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaA geometric pattern from the gentle waves at Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaOne of our Zodiacs exploring the lagoon and motus (islands) of Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaA new (temporary) shell helmet for a hermit crab on a motu (island) of Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
We sailed into the Rangiroa atoll through a channel barely wider than our ship to this small town at the inlet to Rangiroa lagoon; Rangiroa is the 2nd largest atoll in the world, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
Rangiroa atoll in northern French Polynesia is about 355 kilometers [221 miles] northeast of Tahiti and home to about 2,500 people. Rangiroa Atoll, part of the Tuamoto Archipelago, is the 2nd largest atoll in the world, a 120 mile [193 kilometers] long chain of motus (sandbank islands) enclosing the colossal lagoon that covers over 600 square miles [1,550 sq. kilometers]. (The other archipelagos of French Polynesia are Society Islands, Gambier, Australes and Marquesas Islands.) Many of the inhabited atolls in French Polynesia have a small airstrip and the communities are served by cargo ships from Tahiti weekly, monthly, or less frequently. The two main activities of the paradise island of Rangiroa are scuba diving and pearl farming. The government of French Polynesia limits entry into the atolls to ships less than 200 meters [656 feet] in length – we are probably the largest ship to have ever entered these atolls, coming in just under the 200-meter limit (at 196.35 meters/644 feet).
We couldn’t go ashore at Rangiroa because we were in our 72-hour partial-isolation quarantine in our quarters following embarkation, to minimize the possibility that we caught COVID-19 in route and could be asymptomatic and spread the disease onboard. Hence, this blog’s images were all taken from our deck as we sailed into and out of the atoll’s lagoon.
Sailboats in the harbor of a town at the very narrow inlet to Rangiroa lagoon, Rangiroa atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
Viewed from the air, the Tuamotus are a stunning chain of cerulean lagoons in northern French Polynesia that appear to float like a flowered lei in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Each atoll is dotted by a string of islands or “motu” (sandbank islands) that are themselves ringed by the most perfect beaches. Every atoll is surrounded by a tropical reef and a prismatic array of marine life resulting in nested loops of natural wonder that reveal themselves at every level of inspection. The Tuamotus are known for some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. The narrow channels through which the atolls exchange water with the nourishing oceanic waters are hotspots for concentrations of organisms from dazzling corals to reef-obscuring aggregations of fish and charismatic predators like sharks and dolphins. On land, life moves slowly under colonnades of coconut palms. Tiny villages accented by blue roofed churches are home to friendly islanders that exude contentment with their unfrenzied lifestyle.
Sailing out of the lagoon of Rangiroa atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
To understand the creation of a coral atoll over millions of years, see this site from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service website:
Sailing out past the tip of the motu (island) at the inlet of the lagoon of Rangiroa atoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French PolynesiaSailing out of the very narrow inlet of the lagoon of Rangiroaatoll, Tuamoto Archipelago, French Polynesia
Where in the world is Riccardo? 