Kiribati MR John's Guide

KIRIBATI
Mr John’s little guide
In the fall of 2010 Mr John went north from Fiji to the

Marshall Islands to escape Hurricane Season and like other
yachts doing the run, we called in at Kiribati (pronounced
‘Kiribas’) along the way going both North and South. This
was my third and fourth visits to Kiribati having done a
similar, up and down, Hurricane Season run in 88/89 with
Mr John IV.
In this guide I will tell you all I know and all I learnt from
other people along the way, we didn’t go to as many islands
as we would have liked so I do not have first hand
information on all the Islands…… I will make it clear to
you what is ‘proven’ and what is not so you can judge for
yourself how reliable the information is.
2
INDEX
3 GETTING THERE
4 Funafuti
5 Nukufetau
6 Nanummea
7 The Weather
9 Winds (and nasty blows from the west)
12 Rules, Regulations and Permits
16 Arriving Tarawa
21 North Tarawa
22 Abaiang
29 Butaritari
36 Maiana
38 Abemama
42 Kuria
43 Aranuka
44 Nonouti
48 Tabiteuea
51 Onotoa
52 Arorea
53 Banaba – Ocean Island
55 Fanning Island
56 Entry Requirements
Visa
Customs
Quarantine
Health
Entry Ports
59 Radio Procedures
Tourist Office/ Provisions / Water / Propane
Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

3
GETTING THERE
First time I went north, I did Apia, Funafuti, Tarawa…. it
was a reach and a blast all the way.
This last time, we went Lautoka, (Rotuma), Funafuti,
Tarawa. It worked out OK but could have been better, we
were looking forward to going to Rotuma and had a Coastal
Clearance from Lautoka with the intention of checking out
there (It has been a Full Clearance Port of Entry for Fiji for
over a year now). Unfortunately as we got close the wind
went around to the Northwest and it promised to increase
above fifteen knots…. that made the main anchorage
untenable and friends of ours, who were there, were bailing
out. Thus we gave up on Rotuma and went direct to
Fuinafuti. That wasn’t bad but we arrived just too late to
get anchored before dark and chose to hang off in the lee
overnight. We put an anchor light on and let her drift,
problem was the current was running and the wind came up
fresh easterly during the night, so by morning we were
almost eight miles off…..it was a tough beat back to the
island and then, when we got there, I didn’t like the look of
the western pass as we would have the morning sun in our
eyes AND I guessed the current would be running out
strong with the fresh easterly wind driving it…..Even had
we been able to motor through the pass against all that, we
would then have been faced with a tough beat / motor all
the way across the big lagoon. SO we tacked north keeping
close up to the reef, went in through the northern pass and
had a close reach down to the anchorage, where we arrived
just after noon. The Northern and eastern passes are quite
easy, even in poor lighting; we found our OpenCPN to be

4
quite accurate through out but not so accurate I’d

recommend moving about in the night.
There may be more to see in Funafuti, the south end looks

interesting and there is a Maritime Park. We had a
‘window’ and moved on quickly.
The Northern Pass was the only one we used… below is

from the anchorage to the Pass
Having been over this route twice I’d trust it with a ‘no
sun’ arrival….Which means we’d probably do it at night
……………but I didn’t say that!!!!

5
Nukufetau looks an interesting place to visit but getting

permission is difficult (to say the least). Boats have stopped
without permission…….I didn’t, but maybe I should have
as I seem to be missing half the Pacific by staying legal!!!!!

6
Nanumea (5°39'S., 176°08'E.), Also part of Tuvalu and

something you may want to look at on the way north, is the
northern most atoll of the Tuvalu group, consists of a coral
reef, with two principal islets, Lakina and Nanumea, about
0.5 mile within its W and SE extremities, respectively, with
a lagoon between them.
There is a small boat

channel, available to
boats at HW, which leads
W of the W arm of
Nanumea into the lagoon.
It has been reported that a
pier, 82m in length,
extends from the village,
and that two other piers
exist in the lagoon.
Reefs extend off the SE
point of Nanumea. !!!!

7
.THE WEATHER….
Maybe it was an odd year, probably not…..
In October / November the Trade winds die away and
everything gets organised for the wet (Hurricane Season).
You really need to get on up north before that happens or
the winds will either drop away or turn northerly on you;
possibly both.
The Trade Wind Pattern looks something like this:

8
By Mid November you are likely to come across this

situation more often:
in fact, we left Funafuti on the 5th of November and we

were lucky to have good conditions all the way up; those
who left a couple of days behind us had a lot of beating in
very light airs as the wind went right into the north for
them.
Funafuti hadn’t seen any rain in weeks when we arrived
and most of Kiribati hadn’t seen any rain in months, I
mention this just in case you were thinking of collecting
any on the way north…. You can get water ashore in both
and if you pay enough it can be quite good but the stuff you
don’t pay for, you may not want to drink!
If you don’t have a good water maker, you’d better carry as

much as you can when leaving (Fiji /Samoa) for this run!

9
4.39 Winds—Weather.—The Southeast Trade season

extends from March to November. It is characterized by
more or less steady trade winds blowing from ESE and
little rainfall. There is no actual doldrum period and no
definite time of calms and squalls, although calms and cat’s
paws do occur quite often in June and July.
4.39 The average wind force during the day is about 12
knots, but occasionally a good fresh trade will blow up to
30 knots. After sunset the wind will fall to 3 to 6 knots,
freshening again in the morning about 3 hours after sunrise.
Occasionally, a fresh breeze or squall will be experienced
in the morning or evening.
4.39 The westerly season extends from November to
March, or more precisely, westerlies very seldom occur
before the beginning of November or after the end of
March. It is not certain that a westerly will occur in any one
year during these months, but there have been exceptional
cases in which westerlies have lasted throughout the entire
year. In these exceptional cases, gales do not occur, winds
are light, and the atmosphere is sultry. Such an unusual
year might be encountered once in every decade.
4.39 There is some variation in the trades between the N
and S Gilberts. In the N group, consisting of Apiang, the N
part of Tarawa, Marakei, Butaritari Atoll (Makin Atoll),
and Little Makin, the islands come under the influence of
the Northeast Trades at certain times of the year.
Apparently the border line of the trades is along this belt. In
the S group the trades blow ESE, while in the N group from
the E to just a little SE. In the westerly season, winds in the
N group will blow ENE, with an occasional NE squall.

10
The westerly gales usually give 24 to 36 hours notice of

their approach. The first indication is a bank of high cirrus
working up slowly from the W. This is followed by a
coppery haze in the afternoon, and a swell from the W.
When these phenomena are observed it is fairly definite
that a westerly gale will hit the island group within 36
hours.
The gale itself is heralded by a low bank of dark, nimbus
clouds approaching on the W horizon, usually in the form
of a horseshoe. The gale comes up fairly fast, and breaks
with thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and a rush of wind. The
gale may attain a rate of 50 miles per hour, and in localized
instances in excess of 60 miles per hour. A very violent
gale may last only 5 or 6 hours, but usually it is 3 days
before the wind subsides. The wind then starts chopping
from the SW and NW. The sky breaks, the wind and swell
subside, and within 24 hours normal conditions return.
The "line island" squall, which is also encountered in
thesewaters, is not to be confused with the westerly gale.
These squalls may occur in any season and generally strike
toward sunset. Their approach is often heralded by a cloud
banking up among the trade wind clouds to windward. This
cloud then spreads and forms a dark horseshoe bend on the
horizon.
Heavy rain and a very strong gust of wind follows, with a
force of about 50 miles per hour at the heart of the squall.
The squall may last for an hour, or perhaps an hour and a
half, but it has no lasting effect and good weather soon
follows.4.39
The climate in the Gilbert Islands is warm to hot, and drier
in the S part of the group than in the N. Except on calm

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days, which are somewhat oppressive, the heat is tempered

by the trade winds. The nights are cool and pleasant.
Mr John IV and Vega lay at anchor in Betio Hr. 1988
Situation normal for Kiribati..going ashore at LW is fun!

12
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS:

When proceeding to Kiribati (Main Group), there is only
one place to check in ….Betio Harbour, TARAWA and
you are expected to proceed there directly. Vessels that stop
on route WILL have problems and you may even loose
your boat.
When you have cleared into Kiribati at Tarawa you MAY,

at the discretion of the Immigration Department and
Customs, be granted permission to visit one or more of the
outer islands. This permission may limit the amount of time
you can spend in any one island; no account is taken for
weather, size of vessel, number of people on board or time
taken on passage.
You have to make a request in writing before you will be

issued a permit.
Example of request:
From: 30th March 2011
British Yacht “Mr John VI”
Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
For the kind attention of:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
Bairiki
Tarawa
Dear Sir.
With regard to the above vessel, I wish to thank you for the permission that you granted
us to visit ABAIANG, this visit was most successful and we are most grateful for the
time we spent amongst the amazingly friendly people of the island.
I now respectfully request that we may be permitted to visit ABEMAMA, for tourism and
sight seeing, whilst on route south towards Rotuma / Fiji, for a period not exceeding two
weeks.

13
We are particularly looking forward to visiting ABEMAMA to see the historical sites and
experience the rich cultural history which makes this a unique tourist destination.
My wife and I understand difficulties of issuing this permit but we would be most
grateful if you would take account of the small size of our sailing boat and the great
difficulty we have, battling strong winds and currents to arrive at even one of the above
islands. We have in fact sailed half way around the world to visit these beautiful islands
and would gratefully appreciate any time that we are able to spend in them.
It is our intention to be in Rotuma by the 24th April and have advised the Fijian
Immigration Services (FIRCA) of this. It will take us about ten days of sailing to reach
this destination thus the request for a two week stop over.
Whilst in ABEMAMA we will maintain contact with the local Police and advise them of
our departure outwards for Fiji so that you may also be informed. On arrival at our next
port outside of Kiribati I will take the necessary steps to inform you / your department
that this vessel has indeed departed Kiribati and safely arrived in Fiji.
Thanking you for your co-operation in this matter
Ko rabwa
John Wolstenholme
Master
The above request was refused…..!!!!!!

The Immigration Officer in charge…Ioane Anerika…. told
us that “under no circumstances would any yachts be
granted permission to stop / visit any islands after they
had cleared out, If we wished to visit any outer island we
would have to return to Tarawa to take Clearance –out”
This was on the way southbound…. in the end it didn’t

matter, as it was blowing so hard that we couldn’t get up to
windward enough to visit any of the Kiribati islands south
of Tarawa and we went directly to Rotuma, a trip which
should be possible (easy’ish) for any yacht headed for Fiji.

14
We did however visit Butaritari on the way north, but we

did that with a permission from the Customs, without the
Immigration knowing about it……At the time, we didn’t
know that Island Visits were under the jurisdiction of the
Immigration department and didn’t think to ask them about
it…..Customs had said it was OK… we went…. we
enjoyed…we moved on to Majuro. It wasn’t until we were
headed south that we discovered that this visit was not quite
kosher.
On the way north Customs gave other yachts permission to

call at both Abaiang and Butaritari…..which they did and
there were no repercussions.
I wanted to do it legal on the way south and made sure I
was getting the official version…..
Some friends of ours found a way to get around the

regulations and still have a permit in hand even though
officially ‘cleared out’. You may be able to do similar but
the risk is yours to take.
I do however offer the following which was sent to me by
the yacht Brick House:
“different subject... I think you heard that Tom on Running

Tide checked out a few weeks ago from Tarawa to go to Fiji
and he claims that Immigration SUGGESTED to him that he
stop somewhere on the way to Fiji - so he got a permit to
stop at Abemema from immigration. He didn't even talk to
Customs about it. Then a few days ago, Summer Sky got a
permit to cruise several islands while still checked in, and
were given a permit that allowed 5 days in each of the 4
islands that they named, with a set of dates for each of the 4

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islands, with no transit time in between. So they decided to

just check out and leave. They asked immigration about
stopping at one or two of the islands on the way out, and
immigration told them no. Then they said that they were
allowed to last time they came to Kiribati, some phone calls
were made, they waited a few more hours, and then were
given a letter to allow them to stop in Kuria and Tabiteuea on
the way south after checking out. They are checked out and
ready to go tomorrow - Saturday.”
So there you have it…… you may get to spend time in

Paradise, you may have sailed a couple of thousand miles
to be disappointed.
Whilst this state of play exists…… Kiribati is NOT a great

cruising destination although it could be once they decide
to clear yachts at the northern and southern end of the
group. Maybe they will come up with some clear cut
guidelines on the permits that they will issue to
Immigration, Customs and publish via the Tourist board,
that way we can all be working on the same page.
If however, you are going this way anyway….. then it is

certainly worth calling in and doing whatever you can /
what ever they allow you to do. The people and the culture
of the outer islands is something special and we had a
GREAT time and met some really NICE people here.
The toughest thing about visiting the islands is finding nice

ways of politely refusing all the stuff they want to give you
but really can’t afford to part with!!!

16
ARRIVAL IN TARAWA:
The reef at the SW of

Tarawa extends well
offshore but, for
yachts, does not
shelve steeply so once
you get down to thirty
feet, just follow the
contour around and
follow it north till you
see the fairway buoy.
The unlighted buoy is easy to spot in calm conditions, less
so when it’s blowing but not a bad radar target.

17

18

19

20
Anchoring outside the harbour is fine in good weather but

when the trade winds blow, even from the SE, the swell
curves around and under the outer jetty causing some
uncomfortable pitching. Being a small boat we were forced
to sleep in the saloon as we were almost shipping water
over the bow. It does go down somewhat at night but it’s
still uncomfortable.
In 88/89 I went inside and anchored….. It was fine but you
needed half water to attempt the channel with over six feet
of draft and I’m sure my keel went into the mud at low
water. They may have done some dredging since then as
our friends with Brick House (a Valiant 40) went in and
anchored May 2011, reporting a $20 / month charge and
plenty of water.
The local authority has put a large rubbish tip just west of
the Harbour (What would you do with prime waterfront?)
and whilst this is downwind I’d be careful of rats if
anchoring in the harbour. Also, there were some 40gal
drums dotted around on the bottom, used for moorings, to
try not to move around at speed….especially when going
astern! Going to temporary anchorage inside, just to get the
clearance done, makes good sense, especially when you
have a little dinghy like mine.
Whilst we were there, another cruiser had his engine stolen
off his dinghy….. this is unusual, but if you want to leave
your dinghy tied to the dock whilst you party till 0400hrs
then its best to leave it near the watchman on the west shore
and maybe make an arrangement that he watch over it.
During the day we left our dinghy near the steps in the SE
corner and used a stern anchor to keep it clear; the steps are
well used by the locals so don’t block them.

21
North Tarawa is quite some distance down the lagoon, we

just hired a car to go down there this trip; however on my
previous visit some friends with seven foot draft went and
laid some way off the runway (Airport) and spent an
enjoyable couple of months there.
You can get ashore at either location and Taxi/Jitney rides

are frequent. This end of the island is less crowded, much
cleaner and well sheltered, so if you want to spend some
time in Tarawa this should be considered. Getting there,
just motor up the southern shore, 200yds off the reef,
(which is clearly visible) with the sun above and behind.

22
ABAIANG:
If you don’t go anywhere else, at least go to Abaiang which
lies only five / six hours sail to the north; most of which is
an easy reach in flat water.
The Bingham Channel is not a big problem and as you
generally leave Tarawa in the morning (having got your
permit the day before), you will be off the channel in the
early afternoon with the sun overhead and behind.
The last time I did it was all
wrong; we left Tarawa just
before midnight (Japan
Tsunami warning) and
arrived the Bingham
channel early morning.
Getting in and out of
Tarawa in the dark is fun,
it’s not the worry of running
aground, it’s all those
unlighted buoys!!!
We had the sun in our eyes at Abaiang all the way in to the
anchorage and I swear I went over just about every reef in
the lagoon on the way; Didn’t see less than eight feet under
the keel (I draw 4’).

23
We went up to Abaiang using the Guide put out by the

Kiribati Tourist Office but I didn’t stick to it, I went left of
track thinking the Admiralty might be right for a change…
Wrong move…..
When we came out I was horrified to see

that out inward track seemed to go over,
or very near, some very shallow stuff. So the
guide may be OK and I offer it incorporated
into route 2.
However, if I was going back, I’d take my
preferred route as below; it’s simple and
keeps you away from all the dangers that
can actually rip off your keel.
PREFERED ROUTE FOR ABAIANG
BUT PLEASE LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING

24
The above route is shown in yellow on the chart here. The

red line indicates the original route and track, which you
should avoid and the black line is the route incorporating
the waypoints given in the guide (route 2 below).
Route 2 which incorporates the waypoints given in the

guide…..I don’t like this as it ‘cuts’ the missing beacon…

25
OK…. So you are inside and you make for the anchorage
indicated. There were some patches on the way down and
one is shown on the chart, however I feel confident that
there was nothing the average yacht could hit …. you
should of course watch the depth sounder on the way down;
the good news here being that the shallow patches don’t
seem to come up abruptly (like the Tuamotu’s) and most of
them seem to be hard sand rather than coral…..
This was our favourite anchorage; it was most protected
from the ESE but was good for winds from S to NE.
Although anchored some ways offshore (a normal event
throughout Kiribati due to the extent of the internal reef
shelf) the Palm Trees ashore do take away a lot of the
breeze (hence we were
surprised to find so much
wind outside when we
eventually left!). Getting
ashore two hours either side
of LOW WATER is really
not possible and you have to
time your day around the
tides.
Here, you are at the southern
end of Tanimaiaki Village;
the last ‘house’ on the beach
side of the road belonged to
Teaoka & Banrenga with
their family.
Patrick off Brick House

caught this inside the lagoon

26
They were very good hosts to us and spoke good English so

we enjoyed the communication.
Going ashore we
could walk north,
past the little
medical clinic, to the
village where there
is a school and
where we met Esta,
one of the local
teachers. In this
direction we were always greeting and being greeted,
heavily into socialising as everyone wanted to talk to us.
Walking south, there was very little until the next village a
couple of kilometres away, thus we could step out and get
exercise (which we badly needed) without interruption.
There were a couple of days when it blew so hard we didn’t
fancy going ashore, still it seemed a safe anchorage in
about ten feet of water with a sandy mud that sucked the
anchor in and wouldn’t let go…..Very relaxing!
Abaiang Offers good protection and even were it to blow

from the west, you could find shelter in the SW corner. The
main thing for us was the absence of swell, something we’d
found annoying at times in many other Pacific Island
groups. However, when the wind blows fresh from S of SE
it causes a small sea to run right up the shore of most of
the island and there is little protection from it N of the
Government Station at Taburao (anchored at 01 48.858N
173 01.080E).

27
Up near the northern end we found a little shelter at

Tebunginaro where there was a pretty little village ashore
and a hook of land to anchor behind; still some swell got
around the point with the SEly honking but you could
probably move in a little closer than we did (anchor posn:
01 55.011N 172 56.564E).
Right up at the northern end is Ribona, which requires a NE

wind for a comfortable visit; that didn’t happen this year
but I was up there in 88/89 and found it delightful, lots of
pools in extensive shallow areas; great for exploring……....
‘Going native’ in Ribona in 88
Through binoculars it looked a little more ‘built up’ since

that visit and Brick House, who went down for a look see,
said it didn’t look that inviting and moved on.

28
Another anchorage was off Koinawa (Posn: 01 52.368N

172 58.959E); where the conspicuous church makes a good
landmark.
You used to be able to climb to the top of the belfry for

panoramic photos over the island, unfortunately the steps
are now giving way and this is no longer possible.
It is however a pretty village (mission) with some
interesting (big) Manaba; the people were also most
hospitable and this is your best bet for getting some Fresh
Water if they have some to spare.

29
BUTARITARI
It is a fairly slow
overnight sail to
get to Butaritari
from Tarawa.
As it is almost
due north, it is
possible to get a
good window,
either way, for
this trip almost
any week of the
year
There are some

over-falls to the
north of Abaiang
and the current
can set strongly
to the west
between them.
DON’T leave Tarawa too early as you don’t want to arrive

until close on midday, so as to get the sun behind and
above for the entry. As usual, most of the marks / beacons
on the chart are missing so don’t expect to see any stakes
until you get close to the anchorage.
Both the Admiralty and Open CPN were well out, Kiribati
is not great for Electronic Charting!!!!

30
On arrival we had the way-points from the Cruising Guide

and they worked quite well, problem was we had the sun in
our eyes, twenty plus knots of Ely wind and about 3knots
of current going out and some lumpy little seas. Under
power alone we were not going in so we did a bit of
tacking.

31
Butaritari Entry…There are a few things around to hit and

we went over a couple of patches on the way in however
we never saw less than 12feet under the keel
You should really try and have the sun above and behind
when moving inside this Atoll, there are many more coral
patches than shown on the chart.
AS YOU CAN SEE on the charts above, both the admiralty

and Electronic Charting is some ways out and you have to
be some ways north of where the chart says you should be.
Whilst my line shows us going north of the recommended
track, we were actually on it and past that coral patch to
Port, we actually tacked right up to its SE extremity before
going about; in any light at all, the reef is quite easy to see.

32
If the weather is good you may want to start at the eastern

end of the lagoon, up at Kuma Village….
In which case you can reverse my route outwards given
below…..but if you do… start at 0061 as the last two WP’s
tend to north; towards Majuro ( ignore the forth digit in the
table, it gets added when the WP is used more than once).

33
If you do go to Kuma Village, they always need School

Supplies…. They are on the far end of the supply chain
from Tarawa. Also, BEWARE of the overwhelming
hospitality; you may never want to leave!!!!!!
As can be seen on the first map, we went to Butaritari

village first, this was a great anchorage, eight feet under the
keel at low water in a fine sandy mud, great holding! We
went ashore on the dock… stern anchor and long painter
required; low tide was best avoided……
Take your passports and permit as the policeman likes to
see them, turn right at the end of the dock and it’s about
200 yards on the right. The jail was interesting; you can get
a picture taken in there if you like!
The jetty at Butaritari Village

34
Don’t forget your stern anchor…..
When we left Butaritari anchorage for Tubukintetau (the

government centre), this is the route we took.
We didn’t get ashore here, the tides were all wrong and the
wind was blowing strong….It looked interesting and you
could get your dinghy up near the bridge.
Anchor Posn: 03 06.660N 172 53.178E 12ft mud / sand,
good holding and protection from S to ENE.

35
If you take the coast up to Kuma from here watch out for
the extended reef patches that you can see we went around
on our track… You could try getting inside of them???

36
THE PLACES WE DIDN’T GET TO. The Southern Group

But I’ll give you what I have……
MAIANA
Very few people take yachts to Maiana….there’s a reason
for that……unless you have very shallow draft you’ll have
to anchor way off and it’s rolly with a long distance to
shore.
There are many dangers in the lagoon, which is shallow
and has not been surveyed.. Lots of Coral Heads all over.

37
There is a small boat passage, which dries 0.3m, and leads

through the reef near the N extremity of the atoll to the
island of Tebikerei (1°00'N., 173°01'E.), on which there is
a village. The passage is marked by "perches" standing in
piles of stones which cover at HW. A shoal, with a depth of
3.7m, lies about 0.5 mile WNW of the entrance to this boat
passage.
Another passage used by the local ferry boats to Tarawa
has reported depths of 1.8 to 5.5m and lies about 7 miles
SW of the N extremity of the island. This passage is/was
marked by perches, and goes up to the government station
on the SE side of the lagoon where there is a small jetty and
some conspicuous buildings.
If you want to try this it may be best to anchor off the
entrance until the Ferry comes over from Tarawa….then
follow it…… A lot of the beacons are missing!
WATCH OUT…that shoal on the SW of the island goes a

long way out; seas break on it even in moderate conditions!

38
ABEMAMA….
Means “Land of the Bright Moon”; that’s what it’s shaped
like also and gives perhaps the most all-round protection of
any of the Kiribati Islands.
This is a slow overnight from Tarawa in light or NE

conditions…..however there is a strong west going current
between the islands (A friend of mine got swept sideways
onto the reef of Maiana one a dark night in 88; how he got
his boat across the island and back in the water on the other
side was a feat of seamanship beyond most of today’s
cruisers).
WATCH OUT FOR THE CURRENT

39
Route from Tarawa anchorage…. I’ve included WP’s you

need to stay clear off the SW point of Tarawa.

40
North (above) and South (below) anchorages on Abemama

41
>In 2011, the yacht ‘Brick House’ reported that they

anchored at: 00 27.310N 173 51.931E, They said that it
was the most ‘wealthy’ of the islands they’d visited, the
natives were extremely friendly and that they were the first
boat since 2006……. apparently they had 7 or 8 a year
before then….<
Maybe that has something to do with the Permit System???
“BH” also made some comments about going to the

southern anchorage as it would be calmer…With the SE
trade wind honking anything north of the Kariatebike area
may get a bit lumpy…. the reef stretches well offshore so
you are anchored a fair way out into the lagoon. Plenty of
wind in the wind generator and a little privacy…….

42
KURIA
‘BH’ was here on their way to Abemama….took them

24hrs to bash and crash up to windward from here against
the current….they left in the morning thinking they could
do it in daylight….Maybe it would be better to leave late
evening and do it as a slow overnight.
Quote “BH”
>IN case you too end up here in Kuria: Our anchoring
position is: 00 13.466N 173 24 147E in 35 feet, sand

bottom. Not as comfortable as Abaiang at its best, but not
as bad as other places we have been… definitely better than
Tarawa most of the time; A tiny bit rolly with about 20
knots of wind. Can’t get ashore that we can see unless at
high tide...a big dry reef to go over at low tide...very far
from shore...maybe different on other parts of the island-
we are about 1/3 of the way from the top.<

43
The Policeman was out to see their permit soon after

arrival, his name was Taboose ( pronounced like Caboose)
and he was very very nice to Brick House (they did have a
permit!). When they went ashore they found the island
Very Tidy and everyone most friendly….. They get about
one yacht per year and BH was the first that year.
ARANUKA
If you try this, you’ll be a pioneer…………..

However, beware; there is a vicious current and a few
obstructions in the Pass on the way in. It would be best to
anchor off the pass, which is anyway the best yacht
anchorage on the island and take the dinghy for a good
look-see at Low Water.

44
FURTHER SOUTH
NONOUTI (0°40'S., 174°27'E.)

The next island south of Aranuka is Nonouti which is
seldom visited by yachts due to its long and tortuous
entrance. There is no real lagoon as such so protection from
anything westerly is limited, there are plenty of reefs
however and this dampens any seas / swells from that
direction. The (semi) marked passage leads from Archer
Entrance to an anchorage off the Government Wharf. They
claim that vessels of 150ft in length and 13feet draft can
make the passage; however that would require ‘extensive’
local knowledge……(and a small miracle!).

45
Archer entrance is located about 9 miles south of the

northern tip of the island and you should stay 2 miles off to
the west all the way down due to the extensive reef system
Offshore, along the western coast, currents may run up to
2 kts either N or S parallel to the coast.
There is not a lot to see until you get close in and any of the
landmarks that show up are most likely different from what
is on the Admiralty Chart.
BEST bet is to load up the route below… taken from

OpenCPN , head in and when you get to your first mark
(not the buoy…which, if there, has probably been shifted
numerous times!), establish your position and apply the
Manual Offsets (Note them). As you proceed inwards
adjust the offset if required; making notes where you did it
and the amount applied.

46
The Route above should be taken as general guide of where

you may find passage, This passage will almost certainly
require the sun overhead but behind and a good lookout at
all times. If the wind is fresh it could take you almost four
hours to get in so best not to leave it too late; however there
are many places on the way in that you could just anchor
until there was enough light to proceed.

47
At the Southern end of the lagoon passage may be found

in which is a little shorter and a little easier for a small
yacht

48
TABITEUEA
This island lies about 24 miles SE of Nonouti and could be
done as a day-sail if you cover the ground fast enough. The
sun would be rising behind you as you leave and setting
behind you as you arrive. Watch however, as some nasty
over-falls and tide rips have been reported N and NW of
Tabiteuea and they may appear as surf from a distance!
Peacock Anchorage, sounds great on the Admiralty Chart

but means little to yachts, it’s just an area way offshore
where a ship my anchor with depths of 10 to 22mtrs.
Tabiteuea is actually a chain of islands and reef some 32
miles long and there are several places you can get inshore
for anchoring and shelter but none of them are ‘easy’!
There is a lagoon of sorts at the southern end and a passage

into it marked by occasional stakes. It is said to be deep
enough for 8feet of draft…..
This is Known as West Passage and it starts at a position
with the north end of Buariki (1°28'S., 175°04'E.), bearing
254 degrees at 13.5miles. It’s another tortuous trip through
coral heads and ‘Local Knowledge’ is advised.
Whilst in this area make sure to avoid Nautilus Shoal
(1°34'S., 174°55'E.) and a nasty rock, awash at LW, called
The Breaker (+/-1°29'S, 174°51'E). There are other shoals
around this rock, close E and SE
Another ‘BOAT’ passage which lies 2 miles W of Umai Ataei

(1°33'S., 175°00'E.), the southern most islet and it starts with the
islet bearing 085° and proceeds in an easterly direction.

49
Eanikai (1°10'S., 174°43'E.), the N island of the atoll, has

several mission stations and villages. A beacon, 18m high, and
a flagstaff are useful landmarks on the island.
Shoal water and breakers were sighted by a ship (1966) at a

position about 12 miles S of Tabiteuea. THAT may be worth
looking out for if you go S from here to Onotoa
IN 2011 the yacht ‘Auspice’(draft a little over 6 feet)

reported anchorage off Tabiteuea at 01 12.7S 174 43.9E
Apparently the water starts to shoal almost 15 miles to the
east and runs down to 2 feet about 2 miles offshore. He
threaded his way in “through a minefield of coral heads”!
Soon after arrival two uniformed police came out to check
for the permit etc.
Based on the above… here is a route from Peacock

Anchorage.
This just gives a general direction…. please avoid the coral

heads!
As can be seen below the charts are not a great help…….

50
The Admiralty didn’t do much better either!

51
ONOTOA
This island lies about 31 miles SE of Tabitauea
At LW, it is possible to walk all the way around the
islands in the lagoon so clearly you would have to real
shallow in draft to get in here and you’d have to rely on the
tide. You could probably find a place to anchor off but it
would be rolly at best.
There are two boat channels leading through the reef.

The N channel is S of Temuah Island (1°47'S.,175°29'E.)
and leads to the jetty on the W side of Tanyah Island,
which is the northern most island, where there is a coral
rock jetty with enough water to lay afloat at all states of
tide (if you have a draft of less than 6 feet). It has been
reported that the N channel is hazardous.

52
Looking at the Admiralty Chart, the north channel seems

not so bad to me and I’d certainly be up to give that one a
go……..
The South channel (N of the SW island), leads to the

lagoon and the village on the S island. The tidal rise is
about1.8m. so if your draft is less, you may just squeeze in.
There is a conspicuous stone beacon with a white top on
Temuah Island, at the NW extremity of the atoll.
AROREA……
NOT REALLY…….…..
For some of you that
statement alone may be a
good reason to try it, in
which case I admire your
sense of adventure!

53
BANABA or OCEAN ISLAND
This is no longer a port of entry and not a great place for

yachts, I was here in 69 when they were going full blast
with the Phosphate exports…..
Ships went on moorings close offshore and the sport of the
day was watching the locals, nimbly jumping from their
boats to the buoys to attend our mooring lines, whilst all the
time the sharks circled waiting for one to slip off….
The Harbour was for the work boats and I’m not sure you
would want to be in there even in calm conditions!

54
There is always talk about the plant starting up again and

for a while there were some limited exports…. you should
check the situation before going. The island has little of
interest on in…. just a load of big holes where they tore the
guts out with no plan of what they were going to do
afterwards…….
Some of the old moorings could well be still out there…

if so they could provide a temporary place to hang on.

55
FANNING ISLAND (Tabuaeran)
Situated at 3°51’ 36”N 159°21’52”W. It is a relatively

large ring type atoll, 11 miles long and 7 miles wide, with a
total land area of 7900 acres divided into three main islands
by channels, the deepest of which has a least depth of 16
feet.
The lagoon has a mean depth of 16 feet.
It lies within the equatorial convergence zone, has an
average rainfall of 82 inches.
As the beautiful remote island is now part of the Republic
of Kiribati, Gilbertese is the native language, art and
culture of Fanning. The last population census (in 2005)
estimates to 2539 people dispersed over 9 villages, the
capital being called Paelau(formerly known as Napia).
One of the main tourist attractions is to Catch and SURF
one of the world’s largest waves…. I’m not sure that

56
cruising yachts and surf boards should share the same

wave!
CHECK OUT the following
www.deepwaterventures.com
Please contact Clerk to Fanning Island www.svkwai.com
Council for bookings and further details
Things to See & Do
Chuck Cobbert Guesthouse - overview tour of the island by
truck, Email: motorbike, bicycle wdb5608@sailmail.com
Email: FHTA@sailmail.com - bird watching and camping
Website: www.fanning-island.com
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Please note I have shortened this Official version where
I thought fit and have added a few comments in
brackets where I thought they were needed.
1. Immigration / VISA
Visitors Permit: Visitors may apply for a visitor’s permit
upon arrival entitling them to stay 30days in Kiribati
provided they hold a Visa (if required) and have sufficient
funds for maintenance during their stay.
Extension of Visitors Permit & Cost: Visitors may
request for an extension of their stay in Kiribati for an
extended period of 4 months only applicable for one (1)
year only and at a cost of
AUD$60.00.
Contact: Immigration Division (Head Office – Tarawa)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI)

57
(Office located on Bairiki)

Tel: (+686) 21342
Fax: (+686) 21466
Email: secretary@mfa.gov.ki
bkaririki@mfa.gov.ki
2. Customs Requirements
For yachts, motor sailers & motor cruisers arriving in
Kiribati waters
On entering Kiribati waters, contact Marine Radio Ch 16
on arrival. They will contact boarding party officers which
include CUSTOMS to arrange clearance.
Cost of clearance:
Mon- Fri
WH 8.15am :4.15pm no charge
AH $5-00 per customs officer per hour.
Sat- Sun $10- per customs officer per hour.
• Clearance involves processing of crew and passengers,
intercepting dangerous goods, collecting any revenues
applicable and issuing or withholding clearance.
The Master is required to produce the following
documents:
• Clearance from last port (Zarpe)
• Crew List and passengers
• Crew declarations
• Arms and ammunition – (may be secured on board or
temporarily seized and held by
police until departure.)
• Yacht particulars.

58
3. Quarantine Requirements
Strict quarantine laws govern the import of plants, or parts
of plants, e.g. fruits, tubers, seeds, cuttings, plant products,
and vegetable matter of soil, clay or earth, animals and/or
animal products.
3. Health Requirements
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from
travelers coming from infected areas. Once
in the country, visitors are advised to drink boiled water.
There is no pharmacy on Kiritimati Island
so be sure to bring in your own supply of medicine. For
your convenience there are medical
clinics on the island.
4. Kiribati Entry Ports

It is a requirement under law that all yachts travelling to
Kiribati must clear with the nearest entry
port when. Kiribati has four (4) Entry ports.
1. Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands Group– Betio Port
2. Kiritimati Christmas Island in the Line Islands Group–
Ronton (London) Port
3. Fanning Island (Tabuaeran) in the Line Islands Group
4. Kanton (Canton) in the Phoenix Islands Group
5. Yacht Way Points & Safe Anchorage

Tarawa: Anchorage is west of the Pier, amid anchored
ships. It is in 15-25 ft of water with a sand bottom and good
holding. The anchorage has the potential to be choppy. Do

59
not get to close to the atoll or the wrecks on the beach as

the tide shallows quickly.
Radio Procedures: On entering Kiribati waters, contact the

following on VHF range channel 16
• Port Betio Tarawa “Tarawa Radio” – Tango 3 Charlie
• Port Ronton - Kiritimati Christmas Island “Christmas
Radio” – Tango 3 Charlie
• Port Fanning Island (Tabuaeran) “Fanning Radio”
• Port Kanton “Kanton Radio”
Facilities Available
Touring and Accommodation: visit the tourism office a
block left from the wharf for a comprehensive guide to
Tarawa and the Outer Islands
Water: water can be in short supply, however is generally
available. Drinking water should be boiled. 18 Litre water
bottles of pure drinking water can be purchased at the
Tarawa Motors in Antenon on Teaoraereke (Tarawa). For
enquiries contact – Tel: 21451, Fax: 21451.
Extra info: 2011 reply to my enquiry: For your information
Tarawa Motors is the only retailer in Tarawa for pure water
which they offer pure water in 11litrs and 18ltrs bottles and
also they do refilling bottles
Price breakdown
11ltrs bottle only - $25
to refill the 11ltrs bottle - $11
Thus 11ltrs bottle plu water - $36
18ltrs bottle only - $30
to refill the 11ltrs bottle - $13
Thus 11ltrs bottle plus water - $43

60
Gasoline and Diesel: Both are available can be purchased

in drums at the KOIL (Kiribati OilCompany Ltd.), located
at the wharf in Betio on Tarawa Atoll. KOIL has also small
branches located on the outer islands, Kiritimati (Christmas
Island), Fanning and Kanton.
Provisions: There is a relatively good assortment of canned
goods and fish is freely available. Imported fruit and
vegetables are in limited supply - however local fruits and
vegetables -bananas, watermelon, pumpkin, cabbage,
cucumber, coconuts and breadfruit are (NOT REALLY)
readily available and a lot are available on Butaritari and
South Tarawa (I TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT!).
Propane: Propane or gas can be bought at KOIL in Tarawa

(Betio at the wharf) and on Kiritimati Christmas Island.
Laundry: can be done at Mary’s motel/Betio Apartments or

by arrangement. Ask at the tourism office for more
information. (AND ASK WHAT THE SALINITY OF THE
WATER IS THAT THEY INTEND TO USE)
Maritime Maps: can be purchased at the Marine Guard

Division (Ministry of Communications,
Transport & Tourism Development). Main office located to
your left from road out of the wharf.
Maps are AUD$70.00 each.
Marine Facilities (Slipway): slipway for dry docking
located at the wharf in Betio is out of operation
until further notice.

61
Outer Gilbert Islands

The KNTO recommends travelling to either Abaiang atoll
or Butaritari Atoll within the Gilbert Island Group. Both
atolls offer different perspectives of I-Kiribati life.
butaritari (the greenest island) also has a plentiful supply of
fruit and vegetables grown on the island that can be
purchased by visiting travelers. More information on each
island can be provided by downloading the Abaiang Atoll
and Butaritari Atoll Fact Sheets.

62
AUTHORS NOTE
There is a ton of stuff left unsaid……

You could find Kiribati a perfect cruising destination….
You may just take one quick look and leave……
A nicer account of our time is available on our web page /

Blog….if you wish to wade through it.
If you are really into it, you could write and ask my wife
about her fantastic DVD…..
This is only a guide at best and whatever you do here you

should do with caution, always have the sun high and
behind you, wear Polaroid’s and look where you are going.
I must say, if Kiribati were closer I’d go again BUT going

north for the Hurricane Season is not something I’d want to
repeat. It was harder work than I thought it would be!
Many thanks to all those who gave input to this guide..

Google of course…..the best thing since the GPS.
All our yachty friends: Patrick and Rebecca off Brick
House, Jim and Kim off Auspice and others….and The
Kiribati Tourist Office.
Also all those that went before, where I shamelessly stole

all your best info and inserted it here…..
THIS document is available FREE all over. There is no
charge, thus copy write does not apply….I hope this
information helps you out and you have a really good
cruise where ever you go

63
A little background about The

Author:
John and Paula Wolstenholme with “Mr
John VI” in the Bahamas
Early days with “Mr John” in Vilamoura -

1979 various cruises – UK and the western
Med
“Mr John II”, a Sigma 33C, did four Atlantic

crossings in the early 80’s Cruising the
Caribbean and U.S. E. Coast.
“Mr John III”, a Sigma 36,

was the bigger sister of “No.
II” did one Atlantic, UK to
Rhode Island on the
northern route then cruised
the NE Coast of the U.S.A.
“Mr John IV”, a UFO34, took us into the

Pacific, and an eleven year circumnavigation
(via the Suez Route).
“Mr John V” was a 40ft Steel Cutter that we

bought in Durban SA, sailed up to the
Caribbean, across to Europe; back to the
Caribbean, the U.S. east coast and
eventually sold in Annapolis.

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KIRIBATI

Mr John’s little guide

In the fall of 2010 Mr John went north from Fiji to the

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

quite accurate through out but not so accurate I’d

There may be more to see in Funafuti, the south end looks

The Northern Pass was the only one we used… below is

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Nukufetau looks an interesting place to visit but getting

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Nanumea (5°39'S., 176°08'E.), Also part of Tuvalu and

There is a small boat

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

The Trade Wind Pattern looks something like this:

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

By Mid November you are likely to come across this

in fact, we left Funafuti on the 5th of November and we

If you don’t have a good water maker, you’d better carry as

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

4.39 Winds—Weather.—The Southeast Trade season

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

The westerly gales usually give 24 to 36 hours notice of

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

days, which are somewhat oppressive, the heat is tempered

Mr John IV and Vega lay at anchor in Betio Hr. 1988

Situation normal for Kiribati..going ashore at LW is fun!

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

THE RULES AND REGULATIONS:

When you have cleared into Kiribati at Tarawa you MAY,

You have to make a request in writing before you will be

For the kind attention of:

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Thanking you for your co-operation in this matter

The above request was refused…..!!!!!!

This was on the way southbound…. in the end it didn’t

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

We did however visit Butaritari on the way north, but we

On the way north Customs gave other yachts permission to

Some friends of ours found a way to get around the

“different subject... I think you heard that Tom on Running

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

islands, with no transit time in between. So they decided to

So there you have it…… you may get to spend time in

Whilst this state of play exists…… Kiribati is NOT a great

If however, you are going this way anyway….. then it is

The toughest thing about visiting the islands is finding nice

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

The reef at the SW of

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

Anchoring outside the harbour is fine in good weather but

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com

North Tarawa is quite some distance down the lagoon, we

You can get ashore at either location and Taxi/Jitney rides

Yacht “Mr John VI”…….2010 / 2011 www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com