Apsara's Log: Arrived Maupihaa (aka Mopelia)
Just a quick note to say we are safely anchored in the lagoon of Maupihaa
atoll, at position: S 16.46.8;
W 153.56.94. (This is approximately 130 miles West-Southwest of Bora Bora,
in the Society Islands)
We couldn't have asked for better conditions at the pass. We arrived at
noon to find nearly slack water and very clear skies. The pass was
extremely narrow, even more so than we had expected. It is quite dramatic.
Once we were in just an inch, we were certainly committed to going all the
way into the lagoon. The French navy must have dynamited through the atoll,
as it is doubtful that nature could have formed the extreme drop off on both
sides.
Tomorrow, we will have a go at snorkeling the pass to check it out.
Apparently there is a large wreck, and lots of sharks to see. Not just reef
sharks this time, but lemons and the (dreaded, in my case) tiger sharks.
We'll keep the dinghy close by!
We'll be here for at least two nights as we wait for the winds to fill in
for our sail to Suvarov in the Cook Islands. For now, we are grateful for
the lightwinds that have allowed us to see a rarely visited, beautiful atoll
we might find impractible in heavier winds and seas.
Best from Maupihaa (also known on some charts as Mopelia),
Apsara and her faithful crew.
_________________
s/v Apsara
www.svapsara.com
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