Makemo Atoll - Docking
There are two passes into the lagoon; one at the north end and the other on the eastern side, by the village (Pouheva). Both are narrow and it is advisable to wait for slack water before attempting them. There are many coral heads in the lagoon, so finding a suitable anchorage is not easy. Most however, are charted on Navionics. A Bow watch is a must.
Float your Anchor Chain
Be prepared to float your anchor chain as there is no spot to anchor without coral bombies around. You will wrap your chain if it is not floated.
The anchorage in front of the town is quiet scenic and sheltered from all but southerly winds.
There is a wharf at the village and it might be possible to moor there if no supply vessels are due.
- Makemo Atoll Anchorage. Photo courtesy Brent Crack and Mary Bevan of SV Knot Safety.
Last updated: February 2023
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Related to following destinations: French Polynesia, Makemo Atoll, Tuamotus
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in early june 2020 we anchored off the village , at Makemo atoll, in the Tuamotus. bad weather had been forecast, and a member of the Police Municipale took the trouble to invite us to moor the boat to the excellent concrete town dock, where one other ketch was moored. We did so, in 3.5M deep wonderfully clear water, with anchor well set ,and 4 mooring ropes,to the dock..about 9 PM, a powerul squall/”Microburst” came through, with gusts over 50 KN from the NNW, pushing us onto the dock,and as the waves in the lagoon got larger, both boats broke mooring lines, and as anchors failed, both boats slewed broadside onto the concrete dock…as both boats pounded the dock, the sound of cracking rending fiberglass was deafening…
ten village men appeared on the dock,in blinding rain, at 11.00pm, and a young Polynesian who knew the lagoon well free dived in awful conditions, and secured ropes to nearby coral heads, allowing the boats to use winches to pull off the dock, and safety…One boat was holed and would probably have been lost, if not for the villagers…
We remained at Makemo for 5 weeks, repairing our dented hull, and enjoyed the friendly , beautiful village, and its wonderful people..We heard the same microburst had put 2 boats onto the reefs at the nearby atoll of Fakarava…”