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

Garumaoa Village Anchorage (Raroia)

16° 2.1′ S · 142° 27.8′ W · approximate

The anchorage off Raroia's only village, about 1.5 nm south of the pass in charted water with navigation aids. It is useful for the gendarmerie, the shop and a walk, but it is on the lee side of the lagoon and gets lumpy in the trades.

TuamotusMarquesas

Practical

Approximate: Garumaoa (Ngarumaoa) village is on the west rim about 1.5 nm south of the pass and north of the airport (16.0469S / 142.4769W, French Wikipedia). The position is interpolated between the 'inside the pass' waypoint (16°01.0134S / 142°27.1706W) and the airport; no source gives a village waypoint, so confirm on satellite imagery. Jacaranda (Aug 2016): the bottom is littered with bommies and boats were pushed into 45-50 ft; trouble raising the anchor; water not very clear. A pearl farm asked them to move away from its onshore station, and they re-anchored about 60 m further south toward Ohuhe reef in 45-50 ft. Kokopeli (Nov 2018) anchored beyond the village in shallower water off the airport, passing over a deep out-of-service pearl line. A direct track from the village across the lagoon runs into pearl farms in the south; go around. Reasonable in NE winds; uncomfortable in E-SE trades.

Best for

A night near the village to visit the shop and gendarmerie

Season

NE winds only; lumpy in E-SE trades

Nearby