After three days of snorkling amongst sharks, sting rays and reef fish, at Toau Atoll, wind kicked in and it was time to leave for Rangiroa. We motored out of the lagoon amongst the hundred corral heads lurking underneath the hull of my boat at 4.5 to six metres depth. Once that challenge was complete, timing the pass was next. With an outgoing tide one gets a nice push through the channel, however, swell meets current, and standing waves is the result. We were an hour early for slack tide, but with binoculars I didn’t see a reason not to venture out. I definitely could have waited the hour. At one point I’m sure the prop was fully out of the water.
Once out, wind was light at 7 knots but with all sails up, we managed to start sailing north west towards the largest atoll in French Polonesia and apparently the second largest in the world. We have 120 nmiles to go and with any luck we will reach Rangiroa by noon tomorrow. Out! And a sleepless night will follow!
Sailaway Sarantium 