RAPA NUI ANCHORING GUIDE
ALTERNATE ANCHORAGES
(All coordinates WGS84)
Hanga Piko (approximately 27° 08.7'S 109° 26.3'W )
• Protected from all directions except strong SW swell
Fishing boats, the Armada's boat, and one or two local sailboats reside in the tiny harbor of Hanga Piko. There is room for a few visiting yachts. However, only monohulls less than 13 meters in length with a draft less than 1.6 meters are allowed. You cannot enter the harbor without a local pilot as it is quite dangerous. There is a fee. The pilots have final say on which boats may enter. Once inside, boats are moored with a spider web of lines to the walls of the harbor and their primary anchor hooked under a chain running along the bottom. The harbor is safe unless large SW swells develop and then it can become very dangerous and impossible to exit.Information Francisco Javier Vigouroux
Vinapu ( very approximately 27° 10.6'S 109° 24.0'W )
• Good in NNE – WSW winds
We are told there is anchorage here although we could not find any sand. Another boat found only rock and a third boat lost their anchor and rode. Locals may be able to help you find a decent spot. There is an old pier for landing.
Hotuiti
• Good in NNE – WSW winds Beautiful anchorage in front of the Tongariki Ahi. Excellent holding in 17-23 meters sand in the area bounded by the following coordinates:
27° 07.603'S 109° 16.048'W
27° 07.638'S 109° 15.970'W
27° 07.693'S 109° 16.051'W
We anchored here several times during 20-35 knot W and NW winds and were very comfortable. However, a strong SE swell can make the anchorage completely untenable. Dinghy landing in the tiny fishermen's cove in the W corner of the bay in front of the house. You can land here even when swells are breaking along the shore.
La Perouse
We did not anchor here but there are some sand patches. It may be a bit better than Anakena if the wind is strong from the W.
Anakena (approximately 27° 04.2'S 109° 19.47'W )
• Good in SE - W winds The easiest anchorage at Rapa Nui. 10 meters, sand bottom. Beautiful sandy beach with line of moai behind. Dinghy landing is easy on the beach. Be aware that if the wind is blowing hard from the W it can sometimes wrap around the NW point of the island and blow into the anchorage.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Anchoring Guide
Prepared by Bruce Balan & Alene D. Rice
s/v Migration
April 2008
www.brucebalan.com/migrations
Online version of this guide available at
www.brucebalan.com/migrations/rapanui |
