Anchorage· Tikehau· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs

Garden of Eden Anchorage (Tikehau)

15° 0.6′ S · 148° 3.6′ W

Calm sand anchorage behind the wooded eastern motus off Motu Ohina (Ile d'Eden), the best place in Tikehau to sit out strong easterlies and a maramu, a short dinghy ride from fresh vegetables at the Garden of Eden.

Practical

Position 15°00.563'S 148°03.607'W in 32 ft (10 m), mostly sand with occasional bommies (Jacaranda 2016); another spot about a third to half a mile north in 35 ft all-sand behind the thickly wooded motu sheltered a boat from NNE to SSE through a 25+ kt maramu. Lots of room along the eastern motus; in front of Motu Ohihi is especially pleasant (8-10 m sand; watch for bommies on the approach). Very comfortable in 15-18 kt from ESE to NE. A restarted pearl farm lies towards the middle of the lagoon off the motu (reportedly marked by 4 yellow buoys that were hard to see in 2018); abandoned pearl-farm floats and lines lie between here and Motu Puarua. About 10 nm from the Pearl Beach Resort anchorage.

Best for

Strong-trade and maramu shelter in flat water

Season

Best Tikehau anchorage in strong E-SE winds