Seasonal· Fakarava· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Maraamu Season at Garuae Pass (Fakarava)
16° 4.4′ S · 145° 43.0′ W
From June to September, reinforced south-east trades (maraamu) overfill the lagoon. The north pass can then ebb at up to 8 knots with a tidal bore, and Rotoava's anchorage turns choppy.
Practical
2025 brief: with maraamu (SE wind, June-September) Garuae has a very strong outgoing current, up to 8 kn, and a tidal bore; the incoming current does not exceed 3 kn. The pass is easy except in north winds or a strong south swell. The lagoon is open to southerly winds, so move to Hirifa, which stays calm through maraamu. Cruisers report July-August 2010 with 20-25 kn E-ENE for days under stalled highs. In Oct 2016 an unusual 4-5 day blow from NNE-NNW brought gusts of 70-80 kn to Fakarava; boats sheltered on the Otohu moorings inside the north pass. Plan pass transits for slack or the flood.
Best for
Weather planning June-September
Season
June-September
Nearby
- Garuae Pass Drift Dive (Fakarava North)Right here
- Garuae Pass Mantas, Hammerheads and Humpbacks (Fakarava North)Right here
- Ali Baba Canyon Dive (Garuae Pass)0.5 NM away
- Ohotu Reef Wall Dive (outside Garuae Pass)0.8 NM away
- Otohu Bay Moorings (inside Garuae Pass)1.1 NM away
- PK9 Snorkel (Fakarava)1.4 NM away
- Pufana North Pass Anchorage (Fakarava)1.4 NM away
- PK9 Public Beach (Fakarava)2.8 NM away