Anchorage· Aratika· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Aratika Village Anchorage (Paparara)
15° 30.5′ S · 145° 27.6′ W · approximate
Moorings and 25 ft sand off Paparara village, beside Aratika's east pass (Fainukea). The village church and antenna mark it from the lagoon. One cruiser family called this atoll 'our best visit of the Tuamotus'.
Practical
Coordinate approximate: about 300 m into the lagoon west of the motu where Wikipedia (and OpenStreetMap's church) place Paparara (15°30'32"S 145°27'18"W), next to the east pass. Hoodoo (Nov 2020): look for the antenna to find the town. There were 5 large yellow moorings, 2 west of the town pier and 3 east; they dove one and found it good. Depth around 25 ft, so you can also anchor (float your chain). Ari B (Dec 2020) counted 6 yellow moorings in the NE corner near the east pass, 4 to the north and 2 to the south, well spaced and in excellent condition. The village has a small breakwater giving a sheltered tie-up with 2 m inside; check it by dinghy first (Caos 2018). Exposure: Ocean Crusaders (2016) found the spot by the east pass unsafe in onshore wind. With 15-20 kt E, the ebb ran over 8 hours with standing waves (Ari B). The mayor prefers boats on the moorings. Locals are very welcoming; Caos was taken coconut-crab hunting and spearfishing and shown weaving and hula. The supply ship Cobia 3 (about 50 m) calls about every two weeks through the west pass.
Best for
Village life, east-pass snorkeling and moorings