Clear into French Polynesia
Greetings, Two questions;
-Can you clear in to French Polynesia in Pitcairn?
- How do you apply for the permission to enter French Polynesia? Online? How long in advance should you apply for it?
Pitcairn is NOT French Polynesia -
here are the ports of entry for FP
http://pacificposse.com/french-polynesia
Here is the info on Pitcairn http://pacificposse.com/pitcairn
FLEET UPDATE 2022-07-01
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FLEET UPDATE 2022-06-13
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FLEET UPDATE 2022-05-28
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FLOATING THE ANCHOR CHAIN
Where and why we float the chain: At anchorages with (lots of) coral heads to avoid the chain tangling on those coral heads. If the chain would tangle on the coral heads it would have a couple of adverse effects: the catenary effect of the chain is reduced (or even eliminated if tangled very close to the bow of the yacht), lifting the anchor might be difficult or even impossible without diving, the galvanization of the anchor chain chafes off faster, more coral gets destroyed. The adverse effect of floating the chain is obviously to loose the friction of the part of the chain which is floating. The way we position / deploy the buoys we end up with some 10m chain on the seabed. There is obviously a residual risk of even that chain tangling, but less likely given of the length of the chain thereafter and rather stable wind direction of the trade winds.
Which buoyance devices we use: When we arrived in the Tuamotus we started off with fenders as we did not carry anything else. The disadvantage of fenders is that they compress if they submerse, one gets growth on them, etc. Those hard plastique pearl farm buoys are much better. Some people say, they are washed ashore everywhere in the Tuamotus. Well that was not our experience. Kauehi was our first atoll and in any reasonable distance from the village the shore line was cleaned by the locals. Nevertheless, many villagers have their stash of pearl farm buoys in their gardens. So we simply walked to one obviously very friendly fellow and asked whether we could have four of them. He actually picked the four nicest he had, of the same color, including lines attached to them and did not even want to have anything in return. We put on clips/little carabines to the ends of the lines for fast attachment / detachment to/from the anchor chain and were ready to go.
What kind of clips we use: We use little stainless steel carabiners, the size is basically driven by the diameter to fit through a chain link, i.e. it needs to be sufficiently thin (we have a 10mm DIN chain, so carabiners end up being like 4-5cm in length), we use different sorts, i.e. whatever we found in our related spare part bag
Where we position the buoys: Our approach is to put the first buoy typically / normal conditions at 10m plus water depth from the anchor, then a buoy every 5m of chain, after the fourth we let out another 7-8m of chain and then hook the bridle. There are other recommendations which take a multiplier to water depth (like 1.5x or 2x water depth), but we just find that not suitable to accommodate for all ranges of water depths. The 10m basically decides how much chain ends up on the seabed, one could do less if the sandy patch is really small or more if there is a larger sandy patch to anchor (in case one sees that at all).
With this approach we end up with a few meters more chain out than based on our non-floating chain length rule under normal conditions (we apply waterdepth plus 30m) – in bad conditions we obviously deploy more in both cases (non-floating and floating).
How we deploy the buoys: First we explore to find the spot we want to anchor as usual. If possible we would look for a sandy patch for the anchor itself, but despite the clear water, when anchoring in deeper water we are not able to see for good and/or be able to drop the anchor that accurately. We put out as much chain as we feel comfortable to “drive in” the anchor. Then we pull up the chain again to the first spot for the first buoy (the 10m + water depth), then put out 5m chain, attach a buoy, etc. (lifting the anchor is as usual, just stopping at every buoy and unclipping it, it does not really delay the process once one gets the hang of it).
How we clip on the clips: For us it is exactly the same as putting the chain hook / bridle on. So in our case we have to bend over the pull pit and downward to clip them on, but as said, that’s the same as we do with the bridle as well and “normal procedure” for us. If we had a set-up where the chain hook would come through the bow roller, the clips could go through as well as they are way smaller than our chain hook and in our case it would be easy to get a clip and line from the front through the bowroller back on deck. Difficulties I could only see arising if it was – due to bow design / set-up - tricky to get to the chain outside of the bow or the clip from the front through the bowroller back on deck or into the chain locker, but that’s set-up specific, hard to comment in general (in the worst case I would deploy by dinghy).
General experience: In general, the boat swings easier than with a non-floating chain, due to the missing friction of the chain length towards the yacht. In places where the wind is dominant anyways and is stable trade wind from the same sector all the time, that’s no issue at all. In places, where swinging is dominated rather by current or tide, one obviously has to check for the space.
In our case only the buoy closest to the yacht is floating on water level in a low wind situation, the others are submersed. We actually measured in one instance the depths of the clips on the anchor chain on an anchorage where the anchor was at 11.5m depths: the clips of the buoys were at 7m, 4m, 2m and 0m water depth respectively (starting from the anchor) at low wind.
BY IBEX FLorian and Vick SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE '22
FLEET UPDATE 2022-05-13
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FLEET UPDATE 2022-03-17
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🇵🇫 FRENCH POLYNESIA 🏝 118+
MARQUESAS
Hiva Oa
Nuku Hiva
Hakahau (Ua Pou)
TUAMOTUS
Rangiroa
GAMBIERS
Mangareva
AUSTRALS
Mata’ura, Tubuai
Moerai, Rurutu
Raivavae
SOCIETY ISLANDS
Papeete
Bora Bora
Huahine
Raiatea
ENTRY EXIT REQUIREMENTS
Yachts are cleared for 36 months without subject to Custom Duties –
Immigration however has 3 different categories .
US, UK, NZ, AUSTRALIANS and Canadians will get 90-day visas on arrival at their first landfall.
These CANNOT be extended in the islands. If you want to stay longer you need to file for a long stay visa ( and have it issued ) before you arrive .
French Polynesia is not part of the EU (via France) or Schengen Area, but facilitated regulations are applied to these countries’ citizens.
EU and Schengen countries’ nationals can travel to French Polynesia for an unlimited time period.
Yachts clear in or out of FP with the “gendarmes” offices at the ports of entry. Immigration formalities will be processed by these Gendarmes. Registration can be done by e-mail. Document F09.01 Avis d’Opération Nautique Petite Plaisance sent to:
trafficmaritime@portppt.pf cc sp@portppt.pf cc marinadepapeete@portppt.pf
Customs declaration is legally binding and the customs boat monitors and inspects boats throughout the islands
checking for infringements on arms, drugs, alcohol, prescription medicines and pearls
Upon clearing you are allowed to cruise all of FP except for Tahiti where you must check in with the Harbormaster.
MONEY
American Dollar to 🇵🇫 CFP Franc XPF
COST OF LIVING
Per Person estimated monthly living costs are $ 1,200
Cost of living is 40+ % higher than in United States
more >>
CHARTS
- 606 Tonga to Archipel des Tuamotu ↴
- 607 French Polynesia ↴
- 6033 Archipel de la Société – Îles sous-le-Vent ↴
- 6280 Partie Nord de Raiatea – Port dUturoa ↴
- 6281 Partie Sud de Tahaa ↴
- 6282 Passes entre les Iles Raiatea et Tahaa ↴
- 6283 Ile Tahaa ↴
- 6284 Partie Sud de Raiatea ↴
- 6320 Makatea ↴
- 6418 Ile Mangareva – Rade de Rikitea ↴
- 6420 De Mataiva à Rangiroa et Makatea ↴
- 6434 Huahine ↴
- 6461 Îles Gambier ↴
- 6462 Îles Gambier – Partie Sud ↴
- 6463 Île Mangareva – Passe de lOuest ↴
- 6464 Îles Mangareva – Rikitea – Totegegie ↴
- 6525 Abords de Port Phaeton ↴
- 6604 De Mururoa à Fangataufa ↴
- 6605 Pointe Vénus à Mahaena ↴
- 6657 Baies de Cook et d’Opunohu ↴
- 6658 Île de Moorea – Côte Nord-Ouest de Tahiti ↴
- 6688 Îles de la Société – De Manuae à Tahiti ↴
- 6689 Îles Tuamotu (Partie Ouest) – De Tahiti à Rangiroa et Makemo ↴
- 6690 Îles Tuamotu (partie centrale) – De Makemo à Tatakoto ↴
- 6691 Îles Tuamotu (partie Est) – De Hao à Fangataufa ↴
- 6692 Des Îles Tuamotu aux Îles Gambier ↴
- 6717 Port Phaeton (Teauaa) – Tapuaeraha ↴
- 6740 De Maraa à Faaa ↴
- 6828 Atehiti à Maraa ↴
- 6955 Approches des Îles de Tahiti et de Moorea – Îles de Maiao et de Tetiaroa ↴
- 6956 De la Passe de Mahaena à la Baie de Taravao ↴
- 6957 De la Baie de Taravao à la Passe dAiurua ↴
- 7213 Maupiti ↴
- 7248 Apataki ↴
- 7260 Apataki à Fakarava ↴
- 7261 De Fakarava à Makemo ↴
- 7262 De Makemo à Marutea Nord ↴
- 7281 Hao ↴
- 7293 Manihi ↴
- 7305 De la Passe dAiurua à la Passe Havae ↴
- 7314 Ahe ↴
- 7329 Kauehi ↴
- 7346 Takaroa et Takapoto ↴
- 7353 Ua-Pou et Ua-Huka ↴
- 7354 Fatu-Hiva, Baies de Hiva-Oa et de Tahuata ↴
- 7355 Hiva-Oa, Tahuata et Mohotani – Hiva Oa, Tahuata, Mohotani, FatuHuku ↴
- 7356 Eiao, Hatutaa, Motu One ↴
- 7357 Îles Marquises (Fenua Enata) ↴
- 7368 De lÎle Malden aux Îles de la Société ↴
- 7369 Des Southern Cook Islands aux Îes de la Société et Australes ↴
- 7370 De Mururoa à Ducie Island ↴
- 7371 De Tahiti aux Îles Marquises ↴
- 7372 Fakarava ↴
- 7373 Rangiroa ↴
- 7453 Makemo ↴
- 7454 Faaite ↴
- 7456 Toau – De Niau à Fakarava ↴
- 7457 Raroia et Takume ↴
- 7458 Aratika ↴
- 7459 Tikehau ↴
- 7460 De la Passe de Taapuna à la Passe d’Arue ↴
- 7461 De Taapuna à la Pointe Vénus ↴
- 7466 Bora-Bora ↴
- 83020 Iles Marquises Islands ↴
AGENTS
MARQUESAS
Mr. Kevin Ellis
Yacht Services Nuku Hiva
BP 301 Taiohae, 98742 Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
+689 87 22 68 72, YSNukuHiva@hotmail.com
VHF 72, Monday – Friday 0800-1400
GUIDES AND RESOURCES
US CONSULATE
The Tahiti Cruisers Guide
download TAHITI CRUISERS GIUDE >>
brought to you by Julien Desmont from Xperimental and Chuck Houlihan from Jacaranda. Starting as an idea based on the very successful Panama City Cruisers guide, it has evolved into 200+ pages of information on vendors and services throughout French Polynesia.
EMERGENCY
Emergency numbers
SMUR (service médical d’urgence): 15
Fire fighters : 18
Police : 17
Sea rescue : +689 40 42 12 12
Private physicians (SOS Médecin 24/7) : +689 40 42 34 56
Central hospital of French Polynesia :+689 40 48 62 62
SAR (SEARCH AND RESCUE)
JRCC Tahiti
Tel: +689 40 54 16 16
contact@jrcc.pf
View / Hide More Info
Telephone+689 40 54 16 16 info: 689 40 54 16 15
Email contact@jrcc.pf
Fax+689 40 42 39 15
JRCC TahitiWebsite http://www.jrcc.pf
INMARSAT582-422799192