Takume Atoll (no pass)

15° 48.0′ S · 142° 12.0′ W

Raroia's 'twin': a narrow 24 x 5 km atoll just NE of it, with pearl farms and about 120 people in Ohomo. Cruisers treat it as having no yacht pass, so it is a sight from offshore, not a stop.

Tuamotus Marquesas

Practical

Coordinates are the atoll center (English Wikipedia). Soggy Paws lists Takume as 'No Pass' (Charlie's Charts p.100). English Wikipedia and the commune sheet mention a pass, but it is not described as usable by yachts and no cruiser report exists. Do not attempt it. The ocean-side landing at Ohomo is 12 m long with 1 m depth. Ancient Paumotu called Takume and Raroia 'Napaite', the Twins; Quirós sighted it in 1606. 2024: 20 pearl farmers, 3 magasins, monthly flights, OPT tel +689 40 969 224, health post tel +689 40 969 221. Give it a wide berth at night between Raroia and the Marquesas: Sugar Shack (2019) tacked three times to stay clear. Pass status (confirmed): French Wikipedia says the 43.5 km² lagoon has 'no real pass' to the ocean ('dépourvu de réelle passe'), even though the commune sheet marks the pass as 'open' (it may mean a boat channel for local craft). There is no published anchorage: the outer reef drops steeply and the only landings are the small ocean-side dock at Ohomo and a lagoon-side quay. Not yacht-accessible. Pearl farming covers about 180 ha of the central lagoon, with up to 610 spat lines authorized in the south.

Best for

Navigational landmark between Raroia and the Marquesas

Practical

Best for

Nearby