Fakarava

Fakarava is a very big atol, with on small pass in the south, and a big pass in the north, we arrived 3 hours before slack water on the north pass, the sea was very bad to wait for slack tide, so we tryed to get in the atol, the first attempt failled, then we put more sail, and sailed closer to the side were the current was less, the current pushed us back to the middle, we almost get caught in the nasty waves, with maximum motor, and full sail we stayed almost at spot, then a cloud came and gave us more wind, so we could enter the lagoon, but it costed us almost an hour. next time I wait for slack tide.
Not much to see in Fakarava, friendly people, clean an calm, we stayed only a few day's.




The pass in Fakarava, we arrived at the worst moment, against a big current with full sails and maximum motor we got in, but it was on the edge.



Once inside the lagoon it is calm, here the anchorage at Rotoava.



There are only a few pearl farm, lot of them closed down because of the high taxes by the governement.



An old light house.



Still a big monument, build in the mid 1800.




The airoport with a lonely (private) airplain.




The village and anchorage.




The pearl farm.



People lift their boats, to avoid barnecles and seaweed to grow under the boat.




Shop with the name of the town, Rotoava.




Blue skies and green water.




The church, all neet and tidy.




Local harbor.




Some houses on the water.