Fakarava was like having a coffee shop for sailors who all need laundry and wifi so congregate on the porch of Fakarava Yacht Services and talk sailing, weather, destinations, plans and back up plans etc. It’s a very popular atoll and many boats were anchored in the north part of the lagoon when we arrived. As the next Maraamu was predicted the boats started moving to more protected anchorages and the north anchorage began to thin out. Besides needing to find protection for the next round of howling winds ourselves, we had visa paperwork and other reasons to head back to Tahiti so we only spent 2 days in Fakarava.