Anchorage· Rapa Iti· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs

Ahurei Bay Anchorage (Rapa Iti)

27° 36.8′ S · 144° 20.0′ W

The flooded caldera of Rapa Iti, French Polynesia's remotest inhabited island, makes a huge, wave-free bay ringed by jagged peaks and old hilltop forts. The water is calm, but fierce gusts come off the mountains, and two cruiser-built moorings now spare you the island's notorious anchoring.

TuamotusMarquesas

Practical

Coordinate is Mooring 1 (27°36.808'S 144°20.034'W): a 2.4-2.5 t concrete block, 16 mm chain, 20 mm shackles and strong line, built by sy Pitufa with the commune in 2018. Mooring 2 (2022, see 'Ahurei Mooring 2 (Rapa Iti)'): 27°36.700'S 144°19.872'W, two 750 kg blocks linked by 14 mm chain with 25 mm rope, for yachts of about 41 ft / 12 t or less. Attach with two lines, one to each bow cleat, and do not haul the buoys on deck (it chafes the rope). Anchoring is a last resort: the bay is 20-30 m deep and uneven over dead coral rubble; many boats have dragged or fouled their chains; the shallower parts (under 15 m) are live staghorn coral. A massive reef across the bay entrance blocks most swell. Gusts howl down from the mountains in N, W or S winds, and easterlies blow in steadily. Alternative: lie alongside the main dock (see 'Ahurei Main Dock and Fuel (Rapa Iti)'). Not a port of entry: clear into French Polynesia first; check in with the island's policeman (see 'Rapa Iti Gendarmerie Check-in'), who opened his office on a Saturday for Pitufa. Only about 11 yachts called in 2017.

Best for

Wild, remote caldera with secure moorings

Season

Southern summer (Dec-Apr) is milder; winter brings 10 °C nights and gales

Nearby