Pacific Crossing 2010-11
 

June Pictures

 

 

 

 

 

Diving is to the Tuamotus as hiking and waterfalls were to the Marquesas

 

 

 

 

 

The Tuamotus From Below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makemo was our next stop. Another beautiful reef creating a 35 mile by 8 mile lagoon.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Makemo anchorage in the SE corner of the lagoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shango's obligatory South Pacific mugshot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quicksilver joining us at our Makemo anchorage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few days later a SE front came through. Two other boats joined Shango, Spirare, and Quicksilver to share the excellent protection. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of  local guys came by to chat and gave us a gift appetizer....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great 25 mile sail across the Makemo lagoon with an occasional high alert for coral heads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there were four. Yaringa from Australia joined Shango, Spirare, and Quicksilver on Makemo's NE reef

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hadn't seen such a nice sand beach since Panama. Going on 2 weeks of gunkholing at Makemo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all went ashore for a potluck at a nicely built picnic area 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dead calm at our next atoll, Tahanea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good pass diving at Tahanea had attracted 11 boats.
The pass dives were so spectacular that we didn't mind the crowds.

 

 

 

 

 

All the anchored boats attracted sharks of all sizes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 3 days of pass diving we went across the lagoon for some solitude

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safely anchored next to the pass at our next atoll, Fakarava

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Fakarava is now almost deserted but it once was the capital of the Tuamotus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shango, Spirare and Zeecada visiting the 1874 church in South Fakarava

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joanne and Amy discussing something important at the old cemetery next to the church

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be put behind your ear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Fakarava is a great get away for a diving vacation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serge and I hoped we could get a beer but no luck....it was Sunday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waterside dining

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

great view of the pass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we got back to our anchorage just before the rains arrived

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A dock. Civilization. Shango, Spirare, and Zeecada  in North Fakarava.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500 people and typically excellent French roads and infrastructure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Fakarava Flora and Fauna

 

 

 

 

 

dead fauna...shark tails, backed up by a breadfruit tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason we came...provisions and beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow catamaran belonging to famous French folk singer from the sixties, Antoine. Big deal for Zeecada--would be our Bob Dylan..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very tranquil entrance to our last atoll, Toau

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine and Gaston's establishment. Buy dinner get a mooring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pork, Lobster, Poisson Cru

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good time had by all

 

 

 

 

 

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