Tahiti - Raiatea
Turquoise waters, delightful lagoons, multicoloured fish and an extraordinarily beautiful seabed – Polynesia remains the (now accessible) dream for the majority of us. Follow in the tracks of Cook, Melville and the other Bounty mutineers throughout the 118 islands of French Polynesia…
Formalities : Valid passport.
Weather : From November to February is the hurricane season, but they are quite rare in this area. Outside this period, which is always critical for cruising, you can go to Polynesia whenever you wish. The winds blow at between 15 and 25 knots from March to October, which makes this the nicest period for cruising. In any case, most people who charter in Polynesia don’t leave the lagoons and only rarely risk long passages. There is actually enough to see close to the charter areas.
Sailing conditions : The biggest danger comes from the coral heads. You must pay attention to the differences in the colour of the water, which inevitably indicates a change in depth or the nature of the seabed. It is therefore advisable to sail with the sun high in the sky, and if possible, behind you. The setting sun is a real trap, it completely hides everything on the surface of the water.
Buoyage : Zone "A" (the same as in Europe). Buoyage remains random and the lights do not always work. In any case, night sailing is extremely inadvisable, or even prohibited by the charter companies.
Money : Pacific franc
