Stormrider Guide to surfing Tuamotu

French Polynesia, PACIFIC OCEAN

, Mike Kew

Summary

+ Year round swells	- Occasional flat spells
+ Juicy reef passes	- No shelter from trade winds
+ World class fishing and diving	- Large distances between breaks
+ Luxury boat travel	- Extremely expensive surf trip

Tuamotu covers a territory as vast as western Europe 1800km (1125mi) long, 600km (375mi) wide consisting of 78 islands, 77 of them being atolls, the exception being Makatea, a raised coral island whose phosphate pits have been mined to exhaustion. Also called 'The Labyrinth' or the 'Archipelago of the Rough Sea' the Tuamotus have remained essentially uncharted due to the difficulty of navigating the local waters. The exotic appearance of these atolls are linked to the palm trees which have only been growing since 1860. Until then, the eroded peaks of the 2000-3000m (6100-9100ft) underwater mountains were merely flat barren patches of dead coral and white sands with no fresh water or soil to grow anything. In addition, the earlier natives, the Paumotus, were aggressive towards visitors, indulging in tribal wars and cannibalism until it was annexed to French Polynesia in 1880. In 1842, Darwin wrote that these atolls were the tops of old volcanoes and his theory was confirmed decades later. Mururoa and Fangataufa was the site for the now infamous nuclear testing program run by the French Government in the SE corner of the Tuamotu’s.

When to Go

N swells provide the best quality surf from Nov - April, getting to the Tuamotu 3-5 days later than Hawaii. Despite the large distances travelled and because they come out of deep water with nearly no shadowing en-route, they arrive with surprising ferocity and consistency, lasting about 2-3 days. The S swell season runs the majority of the year, with the peak months being May-September, but it is not uncommon to have classic SE to SW swells during the N season. E-SE trades can be damn strong, Jan-March being the weakest and July-Sept the windiest. The Tuamotu Archipelago takes a lot more effort and money to get to, but rewards those surfers lucky enough to make it there, with an intense tropical experience in the Pacific wilderness. As for tides, itÕs not even 1ft max but incoming or outgoing currents can alter water heights.

Surf Spots

To the east are the younger atolls, but itÕs the older atolls that are most likely to contain a reef pass, cut through the fringing reef to the inner lagoon. Out of 77 atolls, only 32 have at least one pass, only 10 have several, and most of these are found in the NW corner of the territory. Rangiroa is the worldÕs second largest atoll, where the northern pass of Avatoru holds a long, hollow right that is regularly ridden by local surfers and bodyboarders, since it is accessible without a boat. Locals scamper barefoot across the sharp reef and it is a ripable wall when smaller, before turning nasty when overhead. It should be noted the rip in the pass averages at 5km/h and flows into the lagoon 35% of the time, while outgoing flow is 55%. This major current is a factor at all Tuamotu passes, including Tikehau, which is where most surf charters end up. Tikehau Left strafes the southern side of Tuheiava Pass, the only deepwater passage into the atoll. It can be both walled-up and hollow on the inside or just hollow from go to whoa, depending on the swell direction, which is usually best from the SW-W. Tikehau Right is usually slightly more forgiving than the left over the pass, although it has been known to go ballistic on rare large NW swells. ItÕs hollower on the outside straighter reef line before hugging the channel into the inside which shoulders off at a slower pace. Again itÕs mid to high, preferably on the push and NE-E winds are offshore. The majority of N swells produce clean, mid-size rights while S swells generally result in punchier lefts. Some waves are hollower on the outside reef and then actually back off into a mushier bowl as they wrap into the deeper passes, giving less-experienced waveriders a chance, while the hardcore tube charger takes-off deeper, further up the reef. DonÕt discount an atoll just because it is surrounded by others, because the swell seems to find a way in, as proven by the reef passes on the west side of Apataki. Mere mortals will never get this far in some of the most dangerous waters in the Pacific, where big sharks hunt in the passes and the rips take Herculean shoulders just to stay in position, in order to catch waves that will often test even the best riders.

Statistics

dominant swell

NW -N

SW -N

SE -SW

SW -N

NW -N

swell size (ft)

4-5

6-7

7-8

5-6

4-5

consistency (%)

dominant wind

NE -SE

E -SE

NE -SE

average force

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

boardshorts

Travel Information

Weather
Less difference between wet and dry seasons than Tahiti, because there are no mountains to gather clouds and mists. There are more short and heavy thunderstorms in the austral summer. ItÕs warm year-round, but the period between May and October is the coolest (21¡C/70¡F min in August) and driest. There is more than 3000h of yearly sunshine. Statistically, there is only a serious cyclone every 25 years but there were 6 between Dec Ô82 and April Õ83. As there is no phreatic layer, the Tuamotu rely on rain for their water supply, so donÕt waste it. Water temps are ideal around 27¡C (80¡F) so neoprene would only be useful for coral cuts.

Lodging and Food
Long distances between waves are the main issue and so you must have a decent boat to explore. There is no dedicated surf charters but Haumana does cover surfing in full luxury and they have hosted many surfers including pros. Land-based accommodation is not ideal at all, but in Rangiroa/Tikehau there are one or two semi accessible waves possible by local boat hire. Expect lots of fish and French cuisine.

Nature and Culture
Early natives, the Paumotus, were aggressive towards visitors, indulging in tribal wars and cannibalism until it was annexed to French Polynesia in 1880. Tikehau atoll claims to have some of the best fishing in the world. Pearl farms (black pearls) and fish traps/farming provide the main economy.