can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Exody - Days 88-92 - Slowing the Boat to Manihi



We anchored in sand and coral off the islet of Tatetate at 11.30am yesterday Saturday 11th three days and 500 miles southwest from Nuku Hiva. We are at the atoll 'island' of Manihi - effectively a necklace of islets and reefs 15 miles long and about 4 miles wide. This is the northernmost of the Tuamotus archipelago made up of about thirty similar atolls across nearly a 1000 miles of ocean. The contrast with the towering volcanic Marquesas is amazing- these islands just a few metres above sea level with the original volcano having sunk from the middle leaving just the reef surrounding a lagoon which is peppered with shallow patches and coral heads. The result, at least where we are, is a super smooth anchorage (floorboard as we term it!)and crystal clear water - it is a long time since we have had no swell! Manihi is apparently the original home of black pearl farming and thus there are 'farm' buildings on stilts scattered over the lagoon. The population and airport are focused on the islets either side of the one boat pass into the atoll. Yet another picture postcard location - Marian recognises the iconic cabins on stilts as the ideal place to sup a South Pacific cocktail - as depicted in the Sunday mags and upmarket travel magazines. Sadly both hotels here seem to have closed down so the tourist economy is not doing so well and the cocktail will need to be taken in the cockpit.

Timing, both for overhead sun to see the reefs and for favourable tides in the pass, is crucial so after a first days run of 174 miles averaging over 7 knots, we started managing our speed, slowing the boat to 5 knots for a spell by furling the genny and then for the last 12 hours dropping the main altogether to allow the fine tuning of speed under genny alone to bring us to the pass at 11am precisely for the high tide slack water. It was an uneventful and quiet leg: moon still full-ish, wind sufficient, seas moderate, no fish caught, only two boats seen on passage - one supply ship close to its Nuku Hiva destination and one fishing trawler. We saw one uncharted flashing light and decided it must be a meteorological buoy. It is curious how 500 miles is both a long passage and a short one. The latter as its a mere fraction of our longer legs and only three days to provision for, the former because 500 miles at 6 or 7 knots is still actually quite a long way and certainly a year ago, we'd have considered it a very long way!

Our first anchorage (as recommended by Xavier who runs the Manihi Sailmail station that is transmitting this log) was a good mile beyond the village off a deserted palm fringed beach where a local was spear-fishing the edge of the reef just out from the shore. We all slept/read the rest of Saturday and found ourselves fending off colds and sneezes - I came off the worst and, uncharacteristically, both went without dinner and also slept the whole night through. Morning brought better health and the sight of Ayama and Hugur at the village. We had not known they were headed here so good to connect with Anna and Stefan who came by on their dinghy this morning. Now we have re-anchored next to Ayama and will go for happy hour and then on to dinner on Hugur. Hugur is tied up to the village wharf for essential electrical supply as their generator is defunct. Petter has been ashore and reports everything in the small attractive village is shut for Sunday so we'll explore more tomorrow, including buying fresh baguettes, before moving onto the neighbouring atoll of Ahe.

Peter (Skipper)



Previous | Next