Rangiroa Tiputa Pass

About This Anchorage

Tiputa Pass is Rangiroa's second navigable pass — 8nm east of Avatoru — and is world-famous for the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins that surf the pass current both on flood and ebb. Watching 50–100 dolphins riding the tidal bore at dawn or dusk in the Tiputa Pass is one of the great wildlife spectacles of French Polynesia. The pass current rules are identical to Avatoru — enter ONLY at slack water (3–6kt current on flood/ebb). Tiputa village is smaller than Avatoru with fewer facilities but a charming, quiet atmosphere. The anchorage inside the pass has good sand patches in deep water with the same bommie navigation challenges as the rest of the Rangiroa lagoon.

Hazards

• !TIPUTA PASS CURRENT — 3–6kt on spring tides; ENTER AT SLACK WATER ONLY; the resident dolphin pod should not distract from pass timing
• !Deep anchorage (8–20m) with bommies — snorkel to verify sand placement
• !Limited facilities — carry all provisions from Avatoru (8nm west) or Papeete
• !Atoll low profile — approach on GPS waypoints only

Skipper's Tips

• →Position yourself at the pass entrance at dawn or dusk during the tidal change to watch the dolphin pod surfing the current — extraordinary
• →The Tiputa dolphins are a resident population of 50–150 bottlenose dolphins that have lived in the pass for decades
• →Time your pass entry immediately after the dolphin show — the dolphins are most active at peak current and the slack follows shortly after
• →Tiputa village is quieter and more authentic than the more touristic Avatoru — worth the 8nm lagoon transit

Nearby Anchorages