Marina· Hao· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Old Military Basin (Darse Sud, Hao)
18° 5.9′ S · 140° 54.9′ W
A U-shaped concrete basin left over from the French nuclear-test support base, about ¾ mile NW of the village. It is free, flat in the trades and big enough to hold nine boats, but its concrete walls bite in a westerly.
Practical
Entrance at 18°05.929S / 140°54.855W (Soggy Paws compendium). Room for 2-3 boats along the west wall (lagoon side) and 2-3 along the inner (shore) wall. You can also Med-moor, anchor in the middle (reported about 5 m) or use one of two unmaintained moorings, which should be dived and are suitable only for small boats. No charge (2020, verify locally). Sailmore found nine boats inside and called it comfortable. Warning: in a June 2020 maramu (42+ kt, 1 m swell) the basin flooded by 1-1.5 m, fenders popped up and boats banged against the walls; Sugar Shack had to set an anchor amidships plus a stern line to the mooring at 3:30am. Another cruiser (2019) noted the basin is open to the west with about 5 miles of fetch and becomes a washing machine with abrasive walls in strong NW wind. Carry many fenders and a fender board. A household on the north side does laundry, there is a shaded hut on the inner dock that cruisers have used for decanting gas, and there is a trash bin near the houses (ask the family first). About a ¾ mile walk to the village. Noonsite (updated July 2025) describes it as room for up to nine boats tied to the walls with more at anchor, no coral heads reported, calm in everything but a northwest wind, and about a 1-mile walk (or short dinghy ride) from town. SV Knot Safety (Noonsite report, March 2023) found it glass calm and used it for a mast inspection. The fr.wikipedia article on Base aérienne 185 lists a 'darse' for military boats among the base's original works.
Best for
Free, protected alongside berth in E-SE trades
Season
Excellent in E-SE trades; dangerous in strong W-NW winds or a maramu with westerly swell