We sat down with Jimmy Camuzet, captain of the 47-metre explorer yacht Amika, to talk about what makes cruising French Polynesia so special, and how to get the very best from a charter across the Society Islands and the Tuamotu atolls.
Jimmy took command of Amika when her owner purchased the yacht, stepping across from the explorer yacht Maoro, where he was also captain. His career has been built aboard capable, go-anywhere vessels, including the Heesen explorer Unexpected, and that expedition pedigree shapes the way he runs Amika today.
What first drew you to French Polynesia, and what keeps you here?
“I came for a season and never really left. There is something about these islands that gets under your skin, the light, the colour of the water, the warmth of the people. As a captain you spend your life chasing beautiful places, and yet very few compare to waking up at anchor in a Tuamotu lagoon with nothing around you but reef and sky. After all these years it still stops me in my tracks.”
Amika is on quite a journey, isn’t she?
“She is, Amika is essentially making her way around the world, and right now we are fortunate enough to be in French Polynesia. The owners love cruising these waters, so we are staying a while to make the most of the Society Islands and the Tuamotus. But she won’t be here forever; after this we point the bow west, towards Fiji and then on to Australia. That is the beauty of an explorer yacht, the horizon keeps moving, and there is always a new part of the world waiting ahead.”
What makes it such a rewarding place to cruise?
“It is the variety. In a single charter you can go from the drama of Bora Bora and the green peaks of the Society Islands to the wild, remote atolls of the Tuamotus. Every day feels different, and there is always another lagoon, another pass, another motu to discover. Aboard Amika we have the range and the comfort to take guests well beyond the usual routes, which is a real privilege, we can reach places most visitors never see.”
Where do you love to take guests in the Society Islands?
“Taha’a is a favourite, the coral gardens there are extraordinary, and the vanilla plantations give a real sense of the islands and their rhythm. Raiatea, just alongside, is steeped in Polynesian history and worth taking time over. Of course Bora Bora never loses its magic, but I always try to find the quieter anchorages, away from the resorts, where it is just the yacht, the water and the mountains. That contrast, the icon and the hidden corner, is what makes an itinerary here so special.”
And the Tuamotus? That feels like a bigger step.
“That is where the adventure really begins. Fakarava and Rangiroa are world-class for diving, drifting a pass with hundreds of sharks around you is something you never forget. The atolls demand respect and good timing with the tides; you read the water, you watch the light, and you plan your passes carefully. But that is exactly what makes them so special. Few places on earth feel this untouched, and reaching them under your own keel is a completely different experience to flying in for an afternoon.”
How do you plan a passage between the archipelagos?
“Weather and swell come first, always. We watch the trade winds and the forecasts closely and stay flexible, if conditions favour heading north a day early, we go. The passes are the key: you want to transit at slack water or on a gentle incoming tide, ideally with good overhead light so you can read the coral. Good preparation is what lets the guests relax completely. They see a calm, effortless day; behind it there is a lot of quiet planning from the crew.”
What is Amika like as a yacht for this kind of cruising?
“She is built for exactly this. As an explorer she has the range, the stability and the storage to be self-sufficient for long stretches, which matters when you are far from a marina. At the same time she is genuinely luxurious, the beach club, the jacuzzi, the space on deck. Guests can spend a serious day diving or exploring and come back to real comfort. That balance of capability and refinement is rare, and it is what lets us say yes to almost any itinerary.”
Is it a good destination for families and first-timers?
“Absolutely. The lagoons are warm, calm and shallow, so children and nervous swimmers feel safe, and there is always something to do, snorkelling with rays, paddleboarding, a beach barbecue on an empty motu. You do not need to be an experienced sailor to love it. The crew takes care of everything; you just have to be open to the experience.”
Finally, your advice for guests planning a charter?
“Give yourself time, and stay flexible. The best moments here are often unplanned, a manta gliding past at anchor, a sunset no one expected, an invitation ashore from a local family. Trust your crew to follow the conditions and the wildlife rather than a rigid schedule, and you will have the trip of a lifetime.”
Amika is available for charter across French Polynesia. Contact our team to enquire.
