The Eastern Pacific - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 279

Namani at anchor in Bora Bora
Avea Bay on the southwest corner of Huahine (map, #3) draws cruisers more for its
serenity than its dramatic beauty. There's plenty of space for boats to spread out, each
with their own swath of views to the distant reef and Raiatea on the horizon. You can
snorkel, take walks ashore, or feast on a traditional earth-oven roast offered by a low-key
resort. Reaching Avea Bay via the narrow, sheltered lagoon is a scenic cruise in itself,
with gorgeous views opening to the island interior. The lagoon channel is buoyed all the
way to Avea, with minimum depths of eight to ten feet.
You'll find gorgeously isolated anchorages at many of the motus within the shared lagoon
of Raiatea and Tahaa. Tiptoe up to the inner edge of the reef and anchor on a sandy bot-
tom; you'll feel like you're at the edge of the universe. Some spots are shallow, others
deep; all resonate with the quiet roar of ocean swell pounding the outer reef. Raiatea's
Motu Tipemauo (map, #4; off Iriru Pass) and Tahaa's Motu Mahaea (map, #5; off Toahotu
Pass) are only two gorgeous, solitary examples among many.
The gem of them all, however, is sleepy little Maupiti (map, #6), located twenty-five
miles downwind of Bora Bora. In fact, it's a miniature Bora Bora, with the same stunning
aquamarine coral ring surrounding a tall central peak. Maupiti sees very little tourism;
there is only one small village and no visible hotels marring the lagoon. Boats can anchor
just inside the pass near a spot frequented by manta rays, or off the village for walks
ashore (both detailed below). The only trick is getting in (and out), since the narrow pass
can be potentially dangerous in a sizable south or southwest swell. In other conditions,
range markers make running the pass a breeze.