Location: Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Duration: 1 night (21st – 22nd November 2019)
Cost: calculated on the length of the vessel, $2.30NZ per metre per day.
Facility Keys: $15.00NZ refundable
NB There is no access to power or water dockside.
This a commercial harbour with high concrete wharves and you will be required to dock Mediterranean style. (We requested to berth side onto the wharf but this request was denied). There are super sized used tyres secured to the concrete wall at various points, at low tide the stern of our boat fell well short of any protection these offered. Two metal ladders allowed access to the wharf and main road. We were berthed very close to one of these ladders, but even so getting on and off our boat was really tricky depending on the tide and the swell. So much so that one of the local government officials was drenched from head to toe after falling into the water on leaving our boat! Just as importantly, if there is any form of northerly swell you are likely to sustain damage either against the concrete wall or the metal ladders. Even with the anchor set, four stern and two back spring lines and our largest fenders across each transom, we sustained damage to the swim ladder and transom on the starboard side overnight. Sandra spent a couple of hours on Saturday morning on ‘fender watch’, adjusting and moving the fenders to limit any further damage to the stern of the boat. When Peter returned to the boat, we pulled up the slack in the anchor and he put both engines on, port idled whilst the starboard engine was slightly engaged forward and this limited the movement of the boat towards the concrete wall. This bought us some time while Peter finalised clearing out procedures with the relevant authorities and we prepared the boat for departure.
Port Staff
Port/harbour staff are located in a central office on the wharf and can be contacted via VHF Channel 16. Port staff were on hand to assist with lines on arrival and departure.
Amenities
Secure access: No, members of the public can access the wharf at anytime.
Secure parking: No.
Wifi: Unavailable.
Bathrooms: Separate men’s and women’s toilets (2 stalls) and shower (1 stall) facilities are located on the ground floor of the marina office. These facilities are very basic and cleanliness was iffy.
Laundry: Unavailable.
Fuel Dock: Unavailable.
Pump out: No.
Chandlery: Unavailable though there is a hardware store literally across the road which may have what you are looking for. Located on the main street which runs parallel to the wharf.
Noise: We didn’t encounter any problems during our short stay.
Restaurant/Bars: There are a number of eateries close to the wharf offering both dine in or take away options, one of which is literally on the wharf and very popular with locals. We enjoyed local fish and chips, and the fish was absolutely fresh and delicious.
Supermarket: Two large supermarkets are located within walking distance of the wharf, one to left and one to the right as you exit the harbour. Both are located on the main road. We reprovisioned at the CITC supermarket (turn right on exiting the harbour) which had an excellent range of meats, fruit, vegetables, and other groceries. A local market selling local produce and crafts and with a range of small food outlets operates on Saturday morning, and is a short walk to the left of the harbour.
Transport: Options include local bus, hire car/scooter/bicycle.
Overall we rated this harbour 2/10.
For more insights about the town of Rarotonga click here http://seagoddessadventures.com/france-to-australia-cook-islands/ .