Taiohae Quay and Dinghy Dock

8° 54.9′ S · 140° 5.7′ W

The small municipal quay (petit quai) in the NE corner of Taiohae Bay, the cruisers' landing for town, with Yacht Services, the snack, the produce market and artisan centre all within a minute's walk.

Tuamotus Marquesas

Practical

Coordinate is the OpenStreetMap 'Petit quai' node at the small municipal quay below Fort Collet, NE corner of Taiohae Bay (the earlier pin was the no-anchoring-zone corner, about 400 m off). The official mariners' brief (2023) says land by dinghy only at this small dock or on the beach at the west end of the bay, and to allow for a tidal range of about 1.5 m; Sea-Seek (2024) advises a small grapnel off the dinghy's stern so it does not hammer against the rusty ladder. Fishermen sell fresh fish here around 5:30am. Noonsite (May 2026): take extreme care when swell is running; at low water dinghies can end up under the wall and several have been damaged. Only one usable ladder remains: get out, then move the dinghy to the southern wall by the large tyres. Don't leave it further north among the local fishing boats (dinghies have been rolled there), don't lift your outboard and don't use a stern anchor. Compendium (2020): don't tie the painter to the ladder, don't stern-tie to the moorings, go slow at the finger pier (wakes slam fishing boats into the wall), don't use the wall by the fish-cleaning steps (reserved for fishing boats); ladders and wall are covered in sharp shells; outboards have been ripped off by local mooring lines in swell. Sharks feed on fish scraps near the quay, so don't swim there. Trash bins are between the dock and the street; recycling (glass, clear and coloured plastic, cans, used oil, batteries) is in the green enclosure by the big car park across from the tourist office. Public showers (sometimes hot) at the wharf, about 1 euro (Noonsite). The quay taps are classed as non-potable.

Best for

Landing the dinghy for town, fuel jerry-cans and Yacht Services

Practical

Best for

Nearby