The Eastern Pacific - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 257

Atoll Cruising 101: The Tuamotus
By now, every cruiser has certainly heard of the Tuamotus, a string of low-lying Pacific
atolls straddling the central section of French Polynesia. Although the wonders of GPS
have “downgraded” the Tuamotus from their earlier status as “the Dangerous Ar-
chipelago,” enough obstacles remain to give many cruisers misgivings - and rightly so. For
many, the Tuamotus represent a first encounter with narrow passes and coral-strewn la-
goons where landmarks are practically nonexistent and eyeball navigation is the name of
the game.
So just how easy - or how dangerous - are the Tuamotus? You won't know until you get
there. That's why we recommend that newcomers master the basics of atoll navigation at
the most accessible, “tamer” Tuamotus first, and then graduate to more challenging atolls
once gaining first-hand experience. It's a matter of piecing together an irregular puzzle of
reefs, passes, anchoring techniques, and weather patterns. Ultimately, a brief sampler of the
Tuamotus proves to be enough for some cruisers; others move on to the greater challenges
- and rewards - of atolls off the beaten path.
The sprawling archipelago's seventy-seven atolls are made up of large fringing reefs
marked by a few tiny islets (motus) that barely rise above sea level. Within each atoll is a
relatively calm lagoon littered with unmarked coral heads. The only things abundantly
available in these watery oases are coconuts, fish, and pearls. Fresh water, provisions, and
fuel, on the other hand, are all hard to come by, so cruisers must be as self-sufficient as they
would be for a long offshore passage.