Tikehau is a relatively small atoll, at least in comparison to Rangiroa, from which it is about thirty miles away. Several sailor friends had described it to us as a particularly beautiful atoll, with the added appeal of a site where one could likely encounter Manta Rays while diving. We set off from Rangiroa on August 10th, taking advantage of favorable winds, and reached Tikehau, heading straight to the designated site, hoping for better luck than on our previous attempt at Tahuata, a Marquesas island where, despite high probabilities of seeing the majestic fish, we were disappointed. We anchored in front of the Motu Mauu Manta Cleaning Station, overlooking an old, abandoned Pearl Farm, with a few crumbling buildings still standing.
The abandoned pearl farm
Eager to see if this time Lady Manta would grace us with her presence, we immediately went in for an initial exploratory snorkeling session. Needless to say, luck wasn’t on our side, but the snorkeling was still enjoyable thanks to the vibrant coral reefs and abundant fish.
The next morning, we received a welcome message from Anders, our Danish friend on the sailboat Mona, anchored near the village of Tikehau. He suggested coming over with his wife and young son by dinghy. After they arrived a couple of hours later, we set out again in search of the Manta. Within just a few minutes, Anders signaled that he had seen something, and we quickly swam over, propelled by the hope of finally encountering the majestic creature.
Our hopes were finally realized: below us, just a few meters deep, a beautiful Manta Ray glided gracefully through the water. Its impressive size initially inspired a bit of awe, soon replaced by the sheer joy of watching its elegant movements. To our delight, the Manta showed no fear of our presence—in fact, it seemed to be approaching us as if to get a closer look. We managed to capture a video that we feel conveys the excitement of the moment perfectly.
Lady Manta
This is one of those encounters that will remain etched in our memories forever. The next day, satisfied with the previous day’s experience, we moved next to our friends’ boat and explored the charming village with them.
The village of Tikehau
Due to the forecasted significant strengthening of the wind over the following days, we reluctantly decided to set off earlier than planned to make the crossing — our last one for the year — to the Society Islands archipelago, where we had arranged to dry-dock Zoe at a yard on the island of Raiatea.
Tikehau
Tikehau is a relatively small atoll, at least in comparison to Rangiroa, from which it is about thirty miles away. Several sailor friends had described it to us as a particularly beautiful atoll, with the added appeal of a site where one could likely encounter Manta Rays while diving. We set off from Rangiroa on August 10th, taking advantage of favorable winds, and reached Tikehau, heading straight to the designated site, hoping for better luck than on our previous attempt at Tahuata, a Marquesas island where, despite high probabilities of seeing the majestic fish, we were disappointed. We anchored in front of the Motu Mauu Manta Cleaning Station, overlooking an old, abandoned Pearl Farm, with a few crumbling buildings still standing.
Eager to see if this time Lady Manta would grace us with her presence, we immediately went in for an initial exploratory snorkeling session. Needless to say, luck wasn’t on our side, but the snorkeling was still enjoyable thanks to the vibrant coral reefs and abundant fish.
The next morning, we received a welcome message from Anders, our Danish friend on the sailboat Mona, anchored near the village of Tikehau. He suggested coming over with his wife and young son by dinghy. After they arrived a couple of hours later, we set out again in search of the Manta. Within just a few minutes, Anders signaled that he had seen something, and we quickly swam over, propelled by the hope of finally encountering the majestic creature.
Our hopes were finally realized: below us, just a few meters deep, a beautiful Manta Ray glided gracefully through the water. Its impressive size initially inspired a bit of awe, soon replaced by the sheer joy of watching its elegant movements. To our delight, the Manta showed no fear of our presence—in fact, it seemed to be approaching us as if to get a closer look. We managed to capture a video that we feel conveys the excitement of the moment perfectly.
This is one of those encounters that will remain etched in our memories forever. The next day, satisfied with the previous day’s experience, we moved next to our friends’ boat and explored the charming village with them.
Due to the forecasted significant strengthening of the wind over the following days, we reluctantly decided to set off earlier than planned to make the crossing — our last one for the year — to the Society Islands archipelago, where we had arranged to dry-dock Zoe at a yard on the island of Raiatea.