Hakahau Bay Anchorage (Ua Pou)

9° 21.5′ S · 140° 2.8′ W

Ua Pou's main harbour: a small bay behind a concrete breakwater at Hakahau, under the island's famous basalt spires. It is a port of entry, the best place in the Marquesas to clear out for the Tuamotus, and it has what many cruisers call the best dinghy dock in the Marquesas.

Tuamotus Marquesas

Practical

Position: Jacaranda (Aug 2015) lay bow-and-stern at 09°21.518'S / 140°02.798'W in 3 m at low water, excellent holding in sand; anchor any closer to the dock and you must move when the Aranui comes in. Noonsite gives the harbour position as 09°21.40'S / 140°02.89'W. Room behind the breakwater for 5-6 boats in about 20 ft of good sand. Most boats there use a bow and a stern anchor to fit more boats and point into the swell. The rest of the bay is less protected and rolly. Inside the bay the wind is usually NE whatever it is outside, and it turns gusty when the trades are strong. In July 2023 every boat in the anchorage had trouble, either dragging or unable to raise its stern anchor, because the gusts come off the steep mountains from shifting directions. Hazards: a June 2019 boat spent 2 hours on scuba freeing its anchor from a lump of metal debris. A drainage outfall or ruined quay runs about 50 m out from the middle of the beach, east of the single-storey green-roofed building on the seafront. Local boats use a couple of red mooring balls. Night entry is possible: the jetty end shows a red light. Round the breakwater, anchor on one hook for the night and set the stern anchor in daylight. The supply ships (Aranui, Taporo) use the quay and nobody seems to know their schedule, so keep clear of it. In May 2022 many boats arrived, found no room and left, so plan for daylight to reach an alternative. During the Matava'a festival (Dec 2019), yachts were confined to an approved area outside the breakwater, with about 10-12 boats allowed. Dinghy: tie at the quay face perpendicular to the main breakwater, or in the sheltered corner at the east end of the quay on its north side. Avoid the parallel face used by local boats and the barnacled ladders on the south side. Use a stern anchor on the dinghy so it can't drift under the local boats' lines. Kids play on the dock, so don't leave valuables in the dinghy.

Best for

Clearing in or out, provisioning and the spires; the jumping-off port for the Tuamotus

Season

Year-round; gusty in strong trades; uncomfortable outside the breakwater in N-NE swell

Itineraries that stop here

Marquesas Passage: Nuku Hiva to Fatu Hiva12 days

Practical

Best for

Season

Itineraries that stop here

Nearby