By won't be going back , 21-01-2006

Money money money - One of the most expensive charters in the world takes you to one good wave! Secret spots? Yea, but you will end up at the same right hander everytime. Ask them how often they actually go chase their "secret atol" before you sign up.

By oliviermothe@mail.pf , 14-11-2005

Avatoru, and not Avatura - Hello,

the name of this pass on the island of Rangiroa is Avatoru and not Avatura.

The best wave of the Tuamotu islands is Tikehau. Often visited by Kelly himself

By f.o.a.d. , 19-09-2005

F.U. - 1000+ square miles in area, hundreds of islands...countless reefs and 3 boats are going to destroy it.

Get a freakin' life...

By Not a sellout , 10-09-2005

Checking the status - A while back I wrote an angry note to Chris O boat bro (that I had the webmaster delete). I'd just like to say that I haven't been back to the area but from what I hear it's nowhere near the pristine area it once was. I understand that it's helping the local economy and the local surfers, but I still think guys like Vetea D and Raimona and other less known guys really didn't understand the long term effects of attracting all these surfers to their waves. And these waves, or we should more accurately call them "resources", are being exploited mainly by these non-native surf industry sharks that have the connections to bring massive amounts of exposure to areas that haven't had time to balance the influx of people with the environment. It would have been much better for the locals to slowly figure out how to create an industry of surf tourism which would have slowed the pace of exposure and kept the money for the natives. Now the Natives are resentful of other Natives who joined forces with other surf industry sharks that see the potential for exploitation for profit and the ability to surf perfect waves consistently. If you don't believe there is infighting between the natives as a result of this then you will when you get down there. Are you really proud of yourself Chris O Callahan? Don't worry about getting Vetea to beat me up(read prior post), hide behind your money, you'll never see me there again.

By feral dick , 15-08-2005

a total joke - the surf travel industry is really a joke. this makes it official. i have camped in front of the tikehau pass, leaving no traces, and was planning on spending the entire n -swell season there this year. but with three boats there, and with the waterways boat on PERMANENT ANCHOR and on it every time the tide/swell/wind are good, well it might suck. i have camped for years in places in sumatra and nothing makes your heart drop faster than when 10 mates jump over the side of the boat with booties, zinc, and sunhats on all keen to get "there" fill of waves in there 7 day holidays from their anthill lives filled with quiet deperation.

anyway, heres the waterways ad: what a joke. much better to get a cheap flight to papeete, a cargo ship to tikehau atoll, a tent and 50kgs of rice with a fishing rod and laugh at these guys paying thousands. i have much more tolerance for indo charters where its hardcore navigation and moving to hit places on the best wind and swell directions.

this is a joke.

"Our surf packages to the Tuamotus focus on quality and convenience. (read: LAZINESS and LESS GAS = MORE PROFIT)
For the months of January through March we are operating 7 night charters focusing almost exclusively on one atoll with one NW pass. Although the chain is comprised of 78 different atolls stretching over 450 miles (with unlimited potential), it is our experience that the atoll on which we focus is the most consistent and beautiful. In addition, although the conditions for charter in the lagoons and passes is beautiful with flat water, the open Pacific between atolls typically is very rough with strong swell, chop, current and wind making for potentially long uncomfortable crossings. In addition, as the best passes for the standard wind directions face NW, if there is swell at one NW pass there will likely be swell at other NW passes. On the flip side, if there is no swell at the NW pass on which we focus, the likelihood of other N or NW passes having surf is unlikely. This forces one to pose the question: If you have good surf, do you want to make a long movement in search of other surf. If there is no surf, do you want to make a long uncomfortable move if the potential is very slim for a payout? In a rare occasion if the potential for N swell looks extremely poor, we may opt to relocate to an alternate S swell pass on another atoll.

By Tom Curran , 09-08-2005

boat charters are for remote locations - Luts is right. I just read Waterways add for the new surf charter in the area. They plan on staying at Tikihau the whole time. Fly to an island and sleep on a boat. That sounds like fun. What a joke. Don't use these guys and they will go out of business. There are already three boats running surfers around the Tuamotus. This place will be destroyed soon. The land based camps are coming next.

By Lutz Lucien , 02-08-2005

surf charters - I think it is strange that surf charter boats go to places you can fly to. If there is a hotel and airport there is no need for a boat. The tuamotus have many places to surf that are very hard to get to and Ahi, Tikihau, Rangiroa, and Apataki are not them. Chris, please start using the surfspots that have no local surfing population, airport, hotels, ect,ect

By Same guy as two posts ago. , 06-12-2004

Blown off course, sorry I missed the "real" spots. - You could be right about me going to every atoll without surf, mind you I was on a cruising yacht on the "Coconut Milk Run" from the Marquesas. I passed through the Tuamotu's in mid-July, and actually there was a decent break on the Southwest side of Raraka, but that's all the info you'll get from me. No, surfing was not the main point of the voyage you're right but I thought people would have a little more sense than to divulge truely secret spots on the internet and that I would be backed up with locals' silence. Nope, someone takes a shot at my navigational skills even though I helped pilot a yacht across the Pacific Ocean without incident; Typical arrogant surfer attitude that I should have expected. Enjoy the crowds, mate.

By anonymous , 08-11-2004

Pristine Wonderland - Mate you are a pretty ordinary navigator at best
you went everywhere where there arn't waves and also you probably went the wrong time of year
You need experience for these waters bro and to knowhow to look and find

By anonymous , 16-10-2004

Pristine wonderland? - Far from it. Yes the Tuamotus are out of the way, but are they underpopulated? Na not really. Fakarava and Rangiroa are like the major hubs of activity so that is why this break here is crowded and confusing the Americans and Europeans reading the comments. Yeah they're not very crowded but garbage and signs of civilization are everywhere including French met stations, fishing camps and pillaged reefs. I've been around Kauehi, Fakarava, Tahanea, Kitiu and Raraka. The surfing is BS, basically wind chop because of that under sea plateau. I've never heard of the break on Rangiroa probably because I've never been there, but I wondered the whole time where the hell the waves were. Don't waste your time checking out the "pristine" Tuamotus if youre looking for waves. Go to Hiva Oa or Tahuata in the Marquesas or stick to the Societies. Taapuna breaks right off the airport in Faa'a on Tahiti Nui so you dont even need to drive or go anywhere.