At Passe de Tiputa, Rangiroa's main and easternmost pass. Late twilight revealed some slight chop in a mild flood current. We transited and then slowed way down to give the sun a chance to climb higher in the sky before we entered the bommie-strewn anchorage area. As in south Fakarava, all the good spots were already taken. We tried really hard to get as close to the dinghy landing area as we could, but couldn't make it work. We once again ended up in deep water out in the back with the posh yachts, where we needed all our chain and a whole string of floats to make it work.
Arrived in daylight, and enjoyed a rest day and a fine sunset before venturing ashore the next morning
There was even more fast boat traffic here than at Fakarava. As I swam to check the floats, I had to make a point of pulling myself down one line, then along the chain to the next float, before following its line back up to the surface. My hope was that boats could see our floats and would avoid them as they zipped by, hopefully along with my head. Some of those stretches were long ones, though, and it was tough to force myself to stay down there until I got to the safety of the next float line. Later, when the wind started blowing hard, we had one float that got pulled under the surface by a meter or so as the chain stretched. There was a particular tour boat that always went right over it as they went through the anchorage. We cringed every time it passed by. We were hoping the float line was weak enough to snap if they should snag it with their prop. We decided that was the last time either of us would swim in the anchorage outside the shadow of the boat.
The next morning, we rowed the dinghy to shore at the nearby village of Ohotu. Our loose plan was to look around, have a bit of a walk, and maybe pick up some veggies at the store. Ohotu is where the main ferry pier is located, so it has a larger selection of cafés and snacks than would be strictly necessary for the tiny population (probably around 300). We looked at a few, but managed to hold off actually sitting down in one until Les Relais de Josephine.
Les Relais de Josephine has a deck right over the Passe de Tiputa at the best vantage point to observe the fun.
Despite being the main, deep pass used by everything up to cruise ships and large supply vessels, Passe de Tiputa is not one of the more mildly mannered. After our easy experience coming in, the first thing we couldn't help but notice as we selected our table for lunch was that the pass was a heaving, roiling mess, with two to three-meter standing waves. Note to self: Do not leave when the tide is like it is right now, which is three hours after low tide (timing is everything!).
As we watched the pass, we also noticed something interesting. Local dive and tour boats were going in and out of the pass. They stayed far to the east of the centerline in shallow water and seemed to be in completely flat water to the side of the standing waves. That is also good information.
We had quite a show during our lunch. Not only did we get to see fast RIBs being pushed backwards by the current. A resident pod of dolphins likes to come out and play in the waves, leaping from their crests and doing areal tricks. Just after the waves started to subside a little, a monohull entered and had a pretty wild ride in. The current slowed them to a near stop, which only prolonged their misery, until someone unrolled the jib to help get them out of there.
We checked out Tiputa pass with a relaxing drink in our hands and watched how others handle it when things are a little wilder, not a bad view at all!
My plan for the rest of the day was to pop into the Kia Ora resort, which has the nearest dock to Begonia, and just verify that we were okay to use the dock if we were dining at their restaurant. We were, but they made it clear we could not leave the dinghy there longer than the duration of our meal.
And a (long) stroll to the other end of the atoll to Avatoru to check out the pass there (and to see if we could get any additional fresh veggies in the bigger town). The pass was nice and calm at the time, but a wreck sits on one end to remind us all to beware. A local told us to not miss the "sleeping sharks" off the fishing pier there (see the first picture in this group).
Maryanne had other ideas. On the other end of the causeway connecting the chain of motus between Ohotu and the main town of Avatoru, there is a cave (wine tasting room) that features wine from a vineyard on the next motu along the chain, on the far side of the next pass. They bill themselves as the only vineyard on an atoll in the world. To get there, we would of course be walking the intervening miles in the midday sun. Maryanne agreed to at least let us take a cab from the cave to our dinghy to increase our chances of getting home by dark.
A coral atoll is not the ideal growing environment for wine grapes. The soil is too porous and acidic and the weather is pretty much the same year-round. Also, even though the sun climbs very high in the tropical sky, the duration of sunlight compared to a Mediterranean summer is quite low. The Frenchman who started the vineyard really wanted to be here, though, and he wanted to grow wine, so he set about trying to figure out how to overcome all the various problems with the site.
And a visit to the world's ONLY coral atoll winery (the vinyard is in a different motu of the same atoll) and the only one in the whole of French Polynesia). Here we had a private tour (we were the only English speaking couple that turned up for the 4pm slot), a short movie showing the vineyards and describing the history, and sampled a selection wines and a bonus of a locally grown rum
He started with other crops to change the composition of the soil. The biggest problem is the lack of winter. Grapes apparently need the stress of winter to grow properly for wines. He eventually figured out he could replace the stress of a winter freeze with regular, aggressive pruning in order to induce an artificial cycle to the growing season.
Even with all of this, Maryanne and I were still expecting the wine to be a bit rough. It turned out not to be at all. It wasn't amazing, but I would put it on par with 90% of any decent wines you find in a store. If they had taken the label off and told me it was from the Napa Valley, I would've believed them. I think that's quite an accomplishment considering all they have working against them.
Since we had managed to see the entire walkable portion of Rangiroa's main group of motus the day before, our only outstanding task the next day was an easy row to the Kia Ora for a late lunch.
The Kia Ora is a beautiful resort. We were looking forward to a meal, a couple of fancy cocktails and a view. When we presented ourselves at the bar for seating, the man there simultaneously ignored us and acted like he was completely swamped with the other four patrons in the place. Those patrons were beloved friends and valued guests because they are staying in the resort. We were dirty boat scum. Most of the others already had their orders and were not in need of any service, but the barman seemed to make a point of weaving around us as he checked to see if everything was to their liking.
After twenty minutes of this, we gave up and decided to try the restaurant. It was empty, apart from two other tables, each with a couple. We were seated right away. After we placed our order, the guy returned with another employee and asked us to repeat it for her. Oops! Again, the staff seemed swamped taking care of the six of us in the seventy-table restaurant, but our order did go through and we were soon munching on our delicious lunch.
My cocktail order took two tries. Eventually, our favorite barman appeared and presented it to me with a flourish and a disingenuous, saccharin smile that did not fail to convey how much he despised me for making him produce it. Oh, if only United Airlines would start service to Rangiroa. Then he could get his dream job at the airport as a gate agent.
We were anchored right off the Kia Ora resort, so made the effort to go ashore there and check it out
After lingering over our meal long enough to let a big rain shower pass, we returned to the dinghy and then back home, where it was my job to put it back in lifeboat mode for our next leg to Tahiti. At the dock, we just got to step around the leading edge of preparations for a destination wedding that started up almost as soon as we got back to Begonia.
{Maryanne:I had really wanted to visit the Blue Lagoon of Rangiroa, but anchoring restrictions appear to make that illegal and while others were visiting, we just couldn't verify the status of the anchorage (things are getting quite confusing in French Polynesia right now, and the rules don't exist in a single place, and even when you find an official site, there are often additional local restrictions that the national site doesn't explain)... It was clear on the other side of the atoll, and we'll keep it on the list for "maybe next time" if regulations clear up and make it available again.
Anchorage location >> On google maps
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So sorry we've just added the step to moderate comments - because some idiots keep adding special offers on our blog and Kyle doesn't like it... please don't let this stop you real people from posting but you will not see your comment until it has been approved by Maryanne :-(