Tepoto Atoll (Tepoto Sud), or Ti Poto, is a small atoll of the

Tuamotu Archipelago The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, officially ) are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extendin ...

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of French ...

. It is located southwest of

Makemo Makemo, Rangi-kemo or Te Paritua, is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago in French Polynesia. History Makemo is the home of legendary Polynesian hero Moeava. The first recorded European to arrive to Makemo Atoll was English pearl merchant Jo ...

Atoll. Tepoto Atoll is almost round in shape. It measures in diameter. Its lovely turquoise-blue lagoon is connected to the ocean by a narrow channel in the north-east. This atoll is sometimes called Tepoto Sud in French, to distinguish it from the island of Tepoto, approximately to the northeast in the

Disappointment Islands The Disappointment Islands (french: Îles du Désappointement) are a subgroup of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. They are located towards the northeast, away from the main Tuamotu group. The Disappointment Islands are a small gr ...

. The small group formed by Tepoto Sud, Hiti and Tuanake is also known as the "Raevski Atolls". The

Tuamotu reed warbler The Tuamotu reed warbler (''Acrocephalus atyphus'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Acrocephalidae. It is found only in French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Re ...

and the

Polynesian ground dove The Polynesian ground dove (''Pampusana erythroptera'') or ''Tutururu'' is a critically endangered species of bird in the family Columbidae. Originally endemic to the Society Islands and Tuamotus in French Polynesia, it has now been extirpated ...

are found in this area. Tepoto Atoll is permanently uninhabited. According to articles in

Ireland's Own ''Ireland's Own'' is a family magazine published weekly in Ireland. For many, it is a national treasure. It was launched on 26 November 1902 by John M. Walshe of People Newspapers, and originally cost just 1d. 'Tis a lovely, gentle, gentle thi ...

and the

Times Educational Supplement ''Tes'', formerly known as the ''Times Educational Supplement'', is a weekly UK publication aimed at education professionals. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in ''The Times'' newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 19 ...

Website, the atoll is identified by Tony Crowley as being the site of buried treasure stolen during the 19th century by four adventurers from a church in

Pisco Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternativ ...

, Peru. Over the years, people have searched for the treasure without success, though an Australian visitor to the atoll discovered a cache of medallions, the contents of which indicated they came from South America.

History

Tepoto Sud was sighted by French explorer

Louis-Antoine de Bougainville Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville (, , ; 12 November 1729 – August 1811) was a French admiral and explorer. A contemporary of the British explorer James Cook, he took part in the Seven Years' War in North America and the American Revolution ...

in 1768, but the first European to land was Russian explorer

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen Fabian Gottlieb Thaddeus von Bellingshausen (russian: Фадде́й Фадде́евич Беллинсга́узен, translit=Faddéy Faddéevich Bellinsgáuzen; – ) was a Russian naval officer, cartographer and explorer, who ultimatel ...

in 1820.

Administration

Tepoto Sud belongs to the commune of Makemo, which consists of the atolls of Makemo, Haraiki,

Marutea Nord Marutea, or Taunga tauranga-e-havana, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 24 km to the southeast of Makemo Atoll and 30 km southwest of Nihiru Atoll. Marutea Atoll measures 42 km in length with a maxim ...

, Katiu, Tuanake, Hiti, Tepoto Sud,

Raroia Raroia, or Raro-nuku, is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located 740 km northeast of Tahiti and 6 km southwest of Takume. Administratively it is a part of the commune of Makemo. The oval-shaped atoll measures 4 ...

Takume Takume or Pukamaru is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located 790 km northeast of Tahiti and 6 km northeast of Raroia and to the west of Fangatau. This elongated atoll measures . Its lagoon has an area of Takume ...

, Taenga and Nihiru.

References

Notes

Sources

Tuamotu reed-warblerPolynesian Ground DoveAtoll names

External links

Atolls of the Tuamotus {{FrenchPolynesia-geo-stub