Maupiti is, in our opinion, the most beautiful of the Society Islands; it is made up of a vast circular coral reef with an inner lagoon that hosts a mountainous island dominating the numerous bays. Through the turquoise and crystal-clear waters, you can observe the colorful formations of various types of coral; the numerous motus are lined with very white sandy beaches. Compared to Bora Bora, it is definitely less touristy and retains a calm atmosphere and an old-world charm.
Entrance pass to MaupitiAerial view of the village of VaieaMaupiti school
We decided to anchor in front of the small village of Vaiea, where several other boats had already positioned themselves to find shelter from the forecasted east wind. Once ashore, we met Raechel, a friendly Chinese researcher traveling with her German husband Volker on an electric-powered trimaran. She kindly explained to us where and when we could stock up on fruit and vegetables: every Tuesday morning a ferry loaded with produce arrives from Raiatea. At that moment, we could never have imagined how important this couple would become in our future adventures; but let’s not get ahead of the story…
The little market with goods brought in by the ferry
The following day we moved to the area near the pass, less convenient for stocking up in the village, but with a truly spectacular view.
A drone view of the passOur second anchoring place“ZOE” and “NO STRESS”
A couple of days later, together with Alex and Tamara, we set out early in the morning on a hike to reach the summit of Mount Tirianoo—“Mount” in name only, since the highest point is just 380 meters. After about an hour and a half of walking, at times challenging but made easier on the steepest sections by numerous ropes fixed to the rocks, we reached the top.
From there, we enjoyed a breathtaking 360° view of the entire lagoon. With us was a small group of young Spaniards who hopped effortlessly across the rocks overhanging the void, causing us both concern and a little envy.
After our visit to Maupiti, we faced the decision of what our next destination should be. The first option was to head to Samoa, about 1,000 nautical miles to the west; the second involved reaching Tonga with several stops along the way; and the last alternative was to sail to Penrhyn, the northernmost island of the Cook archipelago, about 580 miles to the NNW. We chose the last option, considering the favorable weather and the enthusiastic descriptions from friends who had been there before. Moreover, from Penrhyn we could then sail down to Samoa and then Tonga, ultimately reaching the Fiji Islands archipelago.
The voyage to Penrhyn began with a sense of adventure; indeed, leaving Maupiti Pass was perhaps the boldest moment of our experience in crossing a pass, with high waves breaking against the outgoing current. We found ourselves in the open ocean with hearts racing!
Maupiti
Maupiti is, in our opinion, the most beautiful of the Society Islands; it is made up of a vast circular coral reef with an inner lagoon that hosts a mountainous island dominating the numerous bays. Through the turquoise and crystal-clear waters, you can observe the colorful formations of various types of coral; the numerous motus are lined with very white sandy beaches. Compared to Bora Bora, it is definitely less touristy and retains a calm atmosphere and an old-world charm.
We decided to anchor in front of the small village of Vaiea, where several other boats had already positioned themselves to find shelter from the forecasted east wind. Once ashore, we met Raechel, a friendly Chinese researcher traveling with her German husband Volker on an electric-powered trimaran. She kindly explained to us where and when we could stock up on fruit and vegetables: every Tuesday morning a ferry loaded with produce arrives from Raiatea. At that moment, we could never have imagined how important this couple would become in our future adventures; but let’s not get ahead of the story…
The following day we moved to the area near the pass, less convenient for stocking up in the village, but with a truly spectacular view.
A couple of days later, together with Alex and Tamara, we set out early in the morning on a hike to reach the summit of Mount Tirianoo—“Mount” in name only, since the highest point is just 380 meters. After about an hour and a half of walking, at times challenging but made easier on the steepest sections by numerous ropes fixed to the rocks, we reached the top.
From there, we enjoyed a breathtaking 360° view of the entire lagoon. With us was a small group of young Spaniards who hopped effortlessly across the rocks overhanging the void, causing us both concern and a little envy.
After our visit to Maupiti, we faced the decision of what our next destination should be. The first option was to head to Samoa, about 1,000 nautical miles to the west; the second involved reaching Tonga with several stops along the way; and the last alternative was to sail to Penrhyn, the northernmost island of the Cook archipelago, about 580 miles to the NNW. We chose the last option, considering the favorable weather and the enthusiastic descriptions from friends who had been there before. Moreover, from Penrhyn we could then sail down to Samoa and then Tonga, ultimately reaching the Fiji Islands archipelago.
The voyage to Penrhyn began with a sense of adventure; indeed, leaving Maupiti Pass was perhaps the boldest moment of our experience in crossing a pass, with high waves breaking against the outgoing current. We found ourselves in the open ocean with hearts racing!