Hello.... I would like to sea kayak the Toumatous in the south seas. Can anyone refer me to a tour guide or if anyone is planning a trip perhaps we can link up. Thanks... Gary *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On 11/6/07, Gary Prebble <aguysailing_at_yahoo.ca> wrote: > > Hello.... I would like to sea kayak the Toumatous in the south seas. Can > anyone refer me to a tour guide or if anyone is planning a trip perhaps we > can link up. > > This link is to a National Geographic article on the Tuamotus; otherwise known as the "Dangerous Archipelago" because of the difficulties in navigating through them. In fact, many sailors go 500 miles out of their way to the north just to avoid them. Well, at least they did before GPS. But when all we had were sextants the Tuamotus were a scary speedbump smack-dab between the Marquesas Islands and Tahiti. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/12/1216_021216_bowermaster.html and another: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0308/story.html#story_2 Currents in the Tuamotus are unpredictable and the low-lying coral islets are difficult to spot; especially at night. Another link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/12/1216_021216_bowermaster.html The Tuamotus are difficult to get to partly because they are so isolated (over 200 miles from Tahiti) but also because they are directly upwind into the tradewinds. There is air service between Papeete, Tahiti and Rangiroa, the largest city in the Tuamotus. Abandon all hope of paddling to the Tuamotus from Tahiti. The French, who control this part of the S. Pacific, are notoriously protective of their territory and require that tourists have either a round-trip ticket or deposit enough money for a return ticket. This has caused no end of problems for yachties cruising the area. French Polynesia is also well known for high prices. You might have to live off the land in the Tuamotus as the area is not that well developed for tourism in regards to restaurants and hotels. Avoid the typhoon season. Otherwise there doesn't seem to be much information. Cool place to paddle though. Watch the currents in the passes. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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