Aitutaki

The Cook Islands

Roam and friends moored in Aitutaki’s new harbor. Cook Islands.

We leave Aitutaki for Tonga via Niue in the morning. There's always a nervous energy the night before a long passage—thinking about the weather, the route, the sea state, the sail configuration, the things to check before we pull the lines. These are big crossings—600 miles of open ocean. Just the two of us, relying on each other.

Arutanga Harbor, Aitutaki, Cook Islands. Roam (center) with nine friends rafted up and stern-tied to the land berm behind us. The harbor is a work in progress. Last year, the island discouraged yachts from visiting in order to finish the dredging.

It was a long night. We had strong westerlies with squalls. We are rafted up with nine other boats—all of us with lines and anchors off our sterns onto the land berm behind us. We had mid-20 knot winds gusting to 44 knots during the squalls. It was enough to break loose our stern anchor, which was wedged between two boulders. It rolled one of the boulders completely up and out.

Our French “FOB” anchor serves as a grappling hook keeping us tethered to the harbor wall.

The wind pushed us onto our neighbors. We were all up at 4:00 a.m. Jacob and Kyle from next door went ashore and reset our stern anchor. They tied off a second line to a boulder. I tended the lines boat-side, using the starboard engine in full reverse and the electric primary winches to grind us back into position. It all worked out. Morning arrived with all the boats in good shape. The roar of the wind, the fitful sleep, and the stress of it are tiring.

Morning skippers meeting to work out the mooring details for the impending stormy weather. I love how the cruising community comes together to look after each other.

The Cook Islands are to New Zealand what Hawaii is to the US. They are a popular tropical vacation destination. If the island of Rarotonga is Oahu, Aitutaki is Kauai, the low-key, cool little brother. The islanders here like it that way. These are remote places—halfway along the 1,600 mile stretch between French Polynesia and Fiji. The difference is that 10.1 million tourists visit Hawaii in a year. 130,000 visit the Cook Islands. Most visit Rarotonga. Only 30,000 of those make it all the way out to Aitutaki.

We intended to stay for only a few days. The early season South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) had other ideas and cooked up some adverse winds and seas. We waited 11 days for good weather. We were glad we did. The locals universally love having the “yacthies” (their term) visit.

The Cook Islands lie along the 1,600 nautical mile stretch of ocean between French Polynesia, Tonga and Fiji.

We found great prices due to the New Zealand dollar exchange rate—especially compared to the cost of everything in French Polynesia.

We enjoyed great coffee (yay), and good eating. We met quite a few New Zealand travelers. The Kiwis have a strong sailing culture. The tourists we met all wanted to talk sailing. Many rode their rental scooters out to the harbor to chat with us from shore.

The island is dog-free. Not a single dog anywhere. Consequently, the resident roosters are quite full of themselves. It’s the first place we’ve been without a big population of street dogs.

What began as a way to break up the long haul to Tonga wound up a highlight.

A Few Photos

The newly dredged pass into Arutanga Harbor, Aitutaki. It’s about 4 meters deep. Yachts drawing more than 2 meters won’t have much room to move once inside the harbor.

Cheeseburger on arrival. New Zealand’s influence causes these people to put beets on their cheeseburgers. Yes. Beets.

Going scuba diving. Our neighbors Kyle and Sass, ran a dive charter in the Florida Keys before taking off to go cruising. They are always rounding up a bunch of us to go diving. L-R: Mikayla (Forty-two), Jim, Jacob (Forty-two), Christopher (Strumis), Kyle (Forty-two).

Spectacular coral canyons just outside the pass. Bull sharks, tiger sharks, giant turtles, and a manta ray. Amazing diving. You have to be mindful of the depth. The water is so clear and the coral is endless. It can pull you deeper than you want to go. Kyle (Forty-two) leads the way.

Captain Peter took us for a tour of Aitutaki’s lagoon. On weekends (no school) his wife and son often accompany him. Young Alistair wants to be a pilot—an A380 captain. I didn’t get into the nuances of airline route strategy but the A380’s days are numbered. Maybe an A350!

The Island Council carefully controls access to the lagoon. You can’t putter around on your own like you can in French Polynesia. You have to have a guide.

Red-tailed Tropicbird. They nest on the sand all over the outer motus. They are unimpressed with human hikers.

Pam swims with the Giant Trevally. The New Zealanders call them “GTs.” This one weighs more than Pam!

Giant clams are everywhere in the lagoon. You can look right down into their soul. Eerie.

Grilled chicken and fish for lunch on Maina Island.

Our ongoing quest for decent pizza in faraway places. Restaurant Tava’e, Aitutaki.

Aitutaki’s version of fish tacos. Also, the best coffee on the island. Avatea Cafe.

A beach stroll on “Honeymoon Island,” Aitutaki.

Post storm lunch with the neighbors. L-R: Mia, Christopher (Strumis), Jim, Mikayla, Jacob (Forty-two), Jimmy (Strumis), Kyle (Forty-two), Pam, Dorina (Strumis). Bacon, egg, and cheeseburger. No beets, please.

Clearing customs and immigration in preparation for our departure from Aitutaki.

Highlights

• Pacific Resort. Great restaurant. Friendly service. Excellent couples massage. Good pool.

• Avatea Cafe. Best coffee on the island. Breakfast/brunch.

• Restaurant Tava’e: Happy hour and pizza. Great view from the deck

• WokKai. Stir fry take out

• MVA Tunu 2nu: Food truck. Bacon, egg, and cheeseburger

• BoatShed: Sushi! and a good bar

• Teking Lagoon Tour: Snorkel Safari. Three snorkel stops and BBQ lunch.

Fees for Visiting Yachts

• Health inspector: $20NZD ($40NZD on weekends). He will lightly fumigate the boat and clear your quarantine flag.

• Bio Security Inspector: $20NZD

• Customs/Immigration Departure Tax: $80.80NZD per person ($57 additional for weekends)

• Island Council Anchoring Fee: $20NZD per night

Excerpts from the Ship’s Log

Landfall Aitutaki, Cook Islands

Sat May 03 2025 22:45UTC, 18 49.041s 159 45.979w, Log: 6701

All is well. We are currently med-tied to the berm that forms the newly constructed harbor here in Aitutaki. We enjoyed a brisk 503nm three-day passage. This is the longest passage we’ve made with just the two of us. The boat performed well. The first two days on the ocean are always a little tough for me, and this passage was no exception.

We were reaching mainly with a full-to-reefed main and the Code 65. We decided to follow the weather routing models and depart from the rhumb line going well south to stay in the breeze. It paid off despite the wind pooping out in the wee hours and having to motor the last bit.

The Cook Islands are our third country aboard Roam. Friendly people. The NZ dollar is about half the USD, so prices are astoundingly cheap–especially compared to French Polynesia, where we have been for the past year.

We’ll be here for a week or so, letting some bad weather pass through.