Rangiroa - Tuamotu 1 July 2024 -Strong Winds

I woke early and wrote the blog as it was too late the night before. We had breakfast and headed ashore to the Kia Ora Hotel. Andy and I were going on a snorkel trip of the passe but Joyce decided not to and was to go to watch from the passe and/or wait in a snack bar.

We got some towels from the hotel and then waited for the excursion boat which came about 8.50am. We were joined by an American lady who could not dive as she was pregnant. We then went to the wharf where we were joined by a number of others. We were taken first to an area called the aquarium which is by the mutu fame – a coral island south of the passe. We had been here before but this time we had a guide who led us over toward the white pole of the leading light. The coral initially was quite bleached and dead although there was fish life. As we moved away to the south of the mutu the coral became healthier and more alive and the fish life increased with more shoals of fish and greater varieties. The waves were quite strong and you had to be careful that it did not come down your snorkel. In addition, the current was strong and it was quite difficult to swim against even with flippers. The guide then led us back toward the boat which was a lot easier as we were being pushed along by the waves and current and you could see the fish swaying in the current.

We returned to the boat and then they took us to the passe on the eastern side and to the front of the passe where we were asked to jump off the side of the boat and into the slightly disturbed water. At first we could not see anything other than the particles/nutrients in the water. We swam toward the side and came across the coral reef on the side the bottom of which disappeared to the bottom of the passse. The current was taking us in about 4-5 kts so it felt like we were a bit in space as if in orbit. Without any effort we drifted over the coral most of which was dead although there was some fish life.  We drifted over cables and other debris on the bottom until we got through the passe. We then got on the boat again.

We were then taken to the western side of the passe where the water was more disturbed and the coral was healthier and more alive. We had to jump off again into the water. The visibility was clearer and the coral mores alive. The current was stronger and we were literally just drifting along without any effort at about 5 kts. We drifted over lots of coral and fish and  I saw a black tip shark going sideways. We went through the passe at some speed and then continued to drift down to the eastern side of mutu farme which was the best really. This side had plenty of live coral and consequently more and a wide variety of fish. This was great for a while but it was not clear when and how we were to get back on the boat. The issue was as we got further south the waves and swell built making this difficult. We all did manage to clamber on board and luckily we were all there. There had been no proper briefing and should have been.

We returned to the hotel and then to Stormbird where we changed and then headed ashore to meet Joyce. We had a drink in the snack bar and watched the fish swimming about below us. We returned to Stormbird for lunch and agreed that although a bit chaotic the trip had been well worthwhile and great to see the passe from under the water as well as above. We all had a siesta and then Andy and I tried to clean the waterline which had some green on it. It was difficult in the 30 kt wind and swell.

We hoisted the dinghy and prepared Stormbird as we plan to move on tomorrow to Fakerava another atoll some 130nm away. Andy and Joyce cooked sausages and mash with red cabbage which was good. The weather today had been quite cloudy and wet. The wind is still howling so we hope it calms down a bit overnight to assist our departure.  

Crewing Opportunity Year Two

In addition, in year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and probably across the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we move through French Polynesia and beyond.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com  I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk