We are on the road again. Our destination is the Tuamotu Archipelago, 500 miles south of Fatu Hiva. These atolls are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. They consist of these massive clear blue lagoons, up to 40 miles wide, surrounded by a narrow ring of low lying sandy islets and coral reef.

They are the oldest island structures on the planet. The original volcanic island has sunken and dissapeared, and all that’s left is its coral reef, still growing around the islands forgotten footprint. The reason the coral reef is still there, is because even though the island has sunk, the coral will keep growing up to the surface of the ocean. Another interesting thing is that unlike the younger islands with multiple reef passes like Tashiti and Moorea, these atolls only rarely have more than one or two reef passes. You need fresh water run-off to create reef passes, which is why your mountainous islands with plenty valleys will also have plenty reef passes. But once the island is gone, there is no more fresh water run-off to kill the coral and create a pass. This is significant for us, because a lower number of passes means less potential for waves. Capiche?

And when all the excess ocean water (that washes over the reef and into the Atoll’s lagoon) can only vent out back into the ocean via a single pass, then you have a force of nature which you need to see to believe. Don’t try to enter one of these passes on the wrong tide, or with the sun ahead of you. You’ll get flushed out into the ocean like a twig in a drain pipe. Each reef pass is different with its own quirks and dangers, most have scattered coral heads, and you better wear your polarized sunnies with the sun on your back. The Tuomotus used to be called the Dangerous Isles, they are still top of the list as the most dangerous area to navigate in, one of the main reasons is that they are so low, you can’t see them until you are right on top of them. For these reasons most other yachties simply give the Tuamotus a skip. But most other yachties don’t surf, do they?

Anyway, we are not there yet. Alas, we are once again in the middle of nowhere. Later tonight we will pass west of Tepoto and Napuka islands. Our main destination is the atoll Faaite, its has a reef pass into the lagoon with a left and a right (waves!!!) either side. Google it at 16deg42.014S, 145deg21.334W. Spirits on board are a bit low, Chantal has to do virtually all the cooking, cleaning and looking after kiddies as Andy and I are just steering and sleeping. We are doing 4 on 4 off hand steering shimmi, we are taking strain, especially the night watches, staring at a compass for 4 hrs takes the fun out of cruising. Its during these night watches that i wonder why we are doing this without our autopilot. But the alternative was at least another 2 week wait.

What a crazy day. At sunrise we were still sailing with one reef in the main. Conditions were dodgy with an increasing SE wind and a building sea coming onto the port beam. By 12pm the wind was solid 20 knots and we were shunting along at 8-9 knots with plenty double figure surfs. By 5pm the wind was close to 30 knots and still showing no sign of letting up. Shimmi’s weather helm even with one reef in the main was a handful. Our speed topped out a 14.5 knots, shimmi was like a runnaway train, going like a speedboat with a trail of white foam behind us.

We decided on another reef before sunset, ended up having to drop the main completely as the topping lift had wrapped around the starboard shroud. Nothing a sharp knife could not fix. So here we are, 2 reefs in the main, genoa on 1st reef and we are still doing 8-9 knots, today will surely be a record milage day for us, close to 190 or 200 miles even. But the sea is rough, we are sailing across the path of the se trades and the massive fetch which stretches over 4000 miles behind them. So yes, with a fetch like that you cant expect a milk pond.

Hopefully we will arrive at our atoll before sunset tomorrow so we can put the pick down and SLEEP. The helm seat right is now is ‘hot’, either my butt or Andy’s is in it at all times. Weird to think that we are doing a Easter weekend drive with not a car or another human in sight! Stay safe.