Seasonal· Mangareva· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Gambier Cyclone-Season Summer Cruising
23° 7.8′ S · 134° 57.0′ W · approximate
Summer (December-March) is the Gambier's best cruising: hot sunny days, 28 deg C water, little swell, and the exposed motu anchorages on the eastern reef become usable.
Practical
approx: the pin is the central lagoon and the entry applies archipelago-wide. Pitufa spent several cyclone seasons here. November still brought massive stationary fronts with several cold, rainy days, real heat began in December, and the water rose from about 25 deg C to 28 deg C. January-February were hot, and March cooled noticeably in some years. Soggy Paws calls the Gambier far enough south and east to be 'pretty much out of the cyclone zone', but it is still within French Polynesia's November-April cyclone season, so keep watching forecasts. Long-stay visas make the season possible for non-EU crews. Supply ships pause over the holidays for 6-8 weeks, so magasins can run out of flour and rice in December-January. Stock up before.
Best for
Spending the cyclone season in the lagoon
Season
December-March
Nearby
- Gambier Ciguatera Warning (no lagoon fish)Right here
- Gambier Winter Fronts (Jun to Sep)Right here
- Rouru Convent Ruins (Rikitea)1 NM away
- Buying Gambier Black Pearls1.2 NM away
- College St Raphael Carving School (Rikitea)1.2 NM away
- King Maputeoa's Tomb (St Pierre Chapel, Rikitea)1.2 NM away
- Rikitea Internet and Vini Coverage1.2 NM away
- Rikitea Mechanics1.2 NM away