We dropped our sails and switched on our two motors and set our
instrument display to show the depth in large font as we made our
approach. The small swell breaking on the reef provided plenty of
evidence as to the location of the coral shelf. The conditions were
perfect for our approach with very light wind, bright sunlight to reveal
any hidden reefs, and a calm sea. We motored around the northern tip of
the atoll to the location where the chart showed there might be a pass,
but at first we saw only unbroken reef. We approached closer now, and
then suddenly I announced, "I see it!", "there it is!". There a short
distance down the reef was a thin blue line running from the lagoon
inside the reef out into the see. Like a river of dark blue cutting
through the brown colored coral. What a great feeling. Excitement and
relief. We motored into the opening to the small pass and the depth
gauge registered the bottom at 250 feet. There was a current flowing out
the pass completing the appearance of a river, and sharp clear coral
ledges on either side. I estimate the pass to be about 100 feet wide
with a deeper area wide enough for one Endless Summer, (22 feet wide).

Manjula assumed her perch on the bow to film our entry with the video
camera and scout for shallow objects as we gunned our engines against
the current. We motored in the deep part of the channel indicated by the
darkest blue water which led us closer and closer to the coral edge. At
the lagoon end of the pass there was a sand and coral shoal that closed
off the pass with a narrow channel that appeared deep enough to pass. We
ended up quite close to the edge of the coral on our side as we pushed
into the lagoon and the safety of the protected atoll. We were in!!

We were so excited. We were actually in the lagoon. We were going
to be able to anchor inside protected from the wind and swell and
explore to our hearts content.

Upon entering the lagoon there was a low sand island immediately to our
left. We looked at each other and said, "How often do you actually see a
perfect south pacific sand island. No trees, just white sand surrounded
by liquid blue the color of Sapphire Gin. Further into the lagoon lay
the larger island, a tangle of low trees and palms surrounded by another
white sand beach. The atoll was small enough that we could easily see
the whole measure of it. Shaped in almost a perfect square the two
islands rested on one side of the coral reef. The other three sides were
low, awash with water and scattered with coral rocks that stuck up above
the sea.