Overview
Temae is a right-hand reef barrel on Moorea, hugging the coralline shelf right in close to shore near the airport on the island's eastern point. When it turns on, it delivers a barrel spectacle on par with Backdoor, only much longer, with air drops into multiple caverns as the wave parallels the shoreline. It breaks over live coral and gets shallower and uglier as it peels inside out.
When It Works
Temae draws swell from east through south to southwest (E-S-SW), with south swell the best match, and it works from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 3 m / 10 ft. Moorea picks up plenty of decent surf through the south swell season, and when it's big enough, southeast to southwest lines slip through the Chenal de Moorea and wrap around the eastern point by the airport. The wave is somewhat inconsistent and only really comes alive once the trade winds back off, so good days don't come around often.
Wind and Tide
Look for southwest offshore wind. The reef works on mid and high tide, with a rising tide the better call.
Local Tips
This is an expert-only wave, breaking fast and shallow over live coral before turning inside out. Expect a busy lineup when it's on, and the locals covet this right, so tread lightly and be sure of your abilities before paddling out.
