On the afternoon of June 19, we set off for Makemo, 80 miles to the west. We were accompanied by three other boats, all Amel ketches (two-masted). We had timed our departure from Raroia so that we could arrive at the pass of Makemo at the time of minimum current. We volunteered to lead the way out of the pass of Raroia—it is never certain that the current calculations match the actual situation.
Exiting the pass of Raroia – the three Amels behind us
After a night of sailing, we arrived at the pass of Makemo together with the departure flotilla; this time, one of the three Amels volunteered to be the guinea pig, and all four of us crossed the pass with a three-knot outgoing current, but without any particular difficulty.
Entering the pass of Makemo
While our travel companions anchored in front of the village, we headed towards the southeastern part of the island, an area mostly uninhabited except for a few copra producers. Copra is sun-dried coconut that is transported to Tahiti where it is turned into cooking oil, ointments, and other products. Right in front of our anchorage, we found Gabriel’s hut, and he invited us to enjoy his freshly cooked fritters, made from a mixture of flour, coconut water, and sugar, fried in plenty of coconut oil. Gabriel lives in this remote area during the harvest season, maintaining complete self-sufficiency by collecting rainwater, which is channeled from the gutter into a large concrete cistern. He is kept company by a small radio tuned to a Tahiti station and can communicate via a cell phone charged with a small solar panel: a very low environmental impact lifestyle! To reciprocate his kindness and hospitality, we gave him batteries for his radio and several beers, which were received with great enthusiasm!
A mile away, we found Angel’s hut, where he was entertaining a group of French sailors. We were particularly amazed by the care he took of his hut and garden, including a small vegetable patch.
Angel and his garden
Angel’s property, which is quite extensive, is situated at the edge of a lagoon where we ventured for a long walk.
The lagoon next to Angel’s hut
Hermit crabs on the beach
After a few days, we moved to the village where, in the meantime, several boats had left. Makemo is a lovely place with a school and a “college” to accommodate students who come from other islands to study. We took the opportunity to stock up on food and buy baguettes, which need to be reserved the day before or purchased by 7:00 in the morning, as they are one of the most sought-after items by sailors.
View of the anchorage from the fishing portThe college of MakemoThe Opareke “magasin”
Makemo
On the afternoon of June 19, we set off for Makemo, 80 miles to the west. We were accompanied by three other boats, all Amel ketches (two-masted). We had timed our departure from Raroia so that we could arrive at the pass of Makemo at the time of minimum current. We volunteered to lead the way out of the pass of Raroia—it is never certain that the current calculations match the actual situation.
After a night of sailing, we arrived at the pass of Makemo together with the departure flotilla; this time, one of the three Amels volunteered to be the guinea pig, and all four of us crossed the pass with a three-knot outgoing current, but without any particular difficulty.
While our travel companions anchored in front of the village, we headed towards the southeastern part of the island, an area mostly uninhabited except for a few copra producers. Copra is sun-dried coconut that is transported to Tahiti where it is turned into cooking oil, ointments, and other products. Right in front of our anchorage, we found Gabriel’s hut, and he invited us to enjoy his freshly cooked fritters, made from a mixture of flour, coconut water, and sugar, fried in plenty of coconut oil. Gabriel lives in this remote area during the harvest season, maintaining complete self-sufficiency by collecting rainwater, which is channeled from the gutter into a large concrete cistern. He is kept company by a small radio tuned to a Tahiti station and can communicate via a cell phone charged with a small solar panel: a very low environmental impact lifestyle! To reciprocate his kindness and hospitality, we gave him batteries for his radio and several beers, which were received with great enthusiasm!
A mile away, we found Angel’s hut, where he was entertaining a group of French sailors. We were particularly amazed by the care he took of his hut and garden, including a small vegetable patch.
Angel’s property, which is quite extensive, is situated at the edge of a lagoon where we ventured for a long walk.
After a few days, we moved to the village where, in the meantime, several boats had left. Makemo is a lovely place with a school and a “college” to accommodate students who come from other islands to study. We took the opportunity to stock up on food and buy baguettes, which need to be reserved the day before or purchased by 7:00 in the morning, as they are one of the most sought-after items by sailors.