Plus a little surfing
We were about ready to leave Rangiroa but needed a few provisions to make the 3 day trip to Tahiti. Our anchorage is near the town of Tiputa near Tiputa pass where were we entered the lagoon. We took our dinghy to Tiputa and hailed a taxi to take us the 8 miles to the town of Avatoru. In the 100 mile circle of the atoll, this is the only road and 8 miles is it’s entire length.
Prices were steep but the vegetables looked good and the French bread is great so we got what we needed and asked the taxi driver to take us to the Avatoru pass so we could see if there was any surf. Sure enough there was so we taxied back to Tiputa, dropped off the groceries, picked up the surfboards and taxied back to Avatoru.
A small lunch and 2 hours of surfing later, we taxied back to Tiputa and the boat.
Does this day seem a bit like yesterday - lots of back and forth and not much accomplished?
In a way it was except that Kurt now has a well needed injection of surfing so he is “good to go” for a while longer.
One additional benefit of the trip was we got to see the other pass. When we entered the lagoon, Tiputa pass was pretty hairy. There were standing waves and one scary shallow part. We did not look forward to negotiating that in reverse. Besides, we have heard from the dive shops that the tides into and out of the lagoon are currently not normal. There is a large weather system south of us that has brought a strong south swell. Because the southern part of the Rangiroa atoll is very low, the swells wash into the lagoon causing it to fill above the surface of the surrounding ocean. At the passes, there is currently no incoming tide - only a slower or faster outgoing. The standing waves we saw at Tiputa pass were where the outgoing water meets the ocean. Because Avatoru pass is deeper, this effect is minimized. Now we had an alternative if Tiputa is still rough.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Day 53 The Blue Lagoon
... or practice sailing
One of the sights of Rangiroa is a feature called the Blue Lagoon. Coral has created a lagoon within a lagoon and the depth of the water creates a unique blue color.
For $100 per person, you can get a day tour from the hotel that includes lunch. We decided that since we had our own boat we would make the trip by ourselves.
At 9:00 AM we weighed anchor and headed south across the Rangiroa lagoon. Some parts of the lagoon are well marked but others have coral heads sticking up just below the surface of the water so the trip required at least one lookout in the bow to warn of shallow spots.
The procedure on a sail boat is to use the motor to leave the anchorage. Once safely underway, everyone scrambles about to remove the sail cover and gaskets (tapes that tie the sail when it is down), raise the sail, raise the jib and then get everything tidied up and put away for the sail. When the boat arrives at an anchorage, the process is reversed. You will see in a moment why I mention this.
After 3 hours of sailing we arrived at the Blue Lagoon. From a distance it certainly looked blue but the abundance of coral heads kept us from approaching too closely so we looked for an anchorage from which we could see the it by dinghy. Looking for an anchorage requires dropping the sails as described above.
After an hour of looking at various alternatives, the wind and waves picked up so that anywhere we anchored would put Southern Star at risk of being blown ashore. We quickly decided that we would have to forego this sight so we raised the sail again and headed back to our original anchorage near the hotel.
By the time we returned (and dropped the sail again) it was almost dark.
So what did we do all day? We raised the sails, lowered the sails, raised the sails and lowered the sails. In between we did a little sailing and some anchoring.
Oh well, who said every day would be paradise?
The savior of the day was the “pasta surprise” that Mark made for dinner. It was delicious!
After dinner we watched a movie for the first time in the trip. We had talked about a movie night several times so it was nice to finally have one.
One of the sights of Rangiroa is a feature called the Blue Lagoon. Coral has created a lagoon within a lagoon and the depth of the water creates a unique blue color.
For $100 per person, you can get a day tour from the hotel that includes lunch. We decided that since we had our own boat we would make the trip by ourselves.
At 9:00 AM we weighed anchor and headed south across the Rangiroa lagoon. Some parts of the lagoon are well marked but others have coral heads sticking up just below the surface of the water so the trip required at least one lookout in the bow to warn of shallow spots.
The procedure on a sail boat is to use the motor to leave the anchorage. Once safely underway, everyone scrambles about to remove the sail cover and gaskets (tapes that tie the sail when it is down), raise the sail, raise the jib and then get everything tidied up and put away for the sail. When the boat arrives at an anchorage, the process is reversed. You will see in a moment why I mention this.
After 3 hours of sailing we arrived at the Blue Lagoon. From a distance it certainly looked blue but the abundance of coral heads kept us from approaching too closely so we looked for an anchorage from which we could see the it by dinghy. Looking for an anchorage requires dropping the sails as described above.
After an hour of looking at various alternatives, the wind and waves picked up so that anywhere we anchored would put Southern Star at risk of being blown ashore. We quickly decided that we would have to forego this sight so we raised the sail again and headed back to our original anchorage near the hotel.
By the time we returned (and dropped the sail again) it was almost dark.
So what did we do all day? We raised the sails, lowered the sails, raised the sails and lowered the sails. In between we did a little sailing and some anchoring.
Oh well, who said every day would be paradise?
The savior of the day was the “pasta surprise” that Mark made for dinner. It was delicious!
After dinner we watched a movie for the first time in the trip. We had talked about a movie night several times so it was nice to finally have one.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Day 52 Scuba diving
... and talking on Skype
In front of the hotel is one of three dive shops near our anchorage. I stopped into the Blue Dolphin to inquire about available dives. The guide book raves about the world famous pass dive where divers enter the water on the ocean side of the pass as the tide is going in and float through the pass with the current. While this sounded great, I had mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation. The last time I dove was almost 15 years ago in St. Martin and it was not a successful dive. As I tried to submerge, I could not clear my right ear and it gave me such a feeling of panic I had to abort the dive.
I explained this to the dive master and she said not to worry, they would give me a check-out dive on a reef inside the lagoon called the aquarium. It is relatively shallow and full of fish. This sounded good to me so she took me through the preliminaries of fitting me for a wet suit and weight belt and showing me how to attach the tank, regulator and BC (bouncy compensation vest that holds the other parts). She was thorough and I began to feel more comfortable so I went off to retrieve my mask, fins and snorkel.
When I returned, the manager approached me and asked if I was a good swimmer. I “told it like it is” (I am OK but not great) and she asked if I would consider going to the reef outside the lagoon instead of the original plan. The dive is a bit deeper (60 feet average) with lots of fish and the chance to see larger fish.
Then she asked me if I would mind if the dive was filmed for French Channel 5 television. It seems that the station is doing a one-hour travel special on 5 of the archipelagos in French Polynesia and one part of it (and I am sure a very small part) is diving in Rangiroa. The crew had just arrived and wanted to use this dive as their subject. A local photographer Peter Schneider (originally from Berlin) was going to do the underwater part with his high definition Sony camera. After meeting Alain and Christoph the French crew, I agreed and off we went in two Zodiacs - Katy the dive master, Peter, and Alain and I in one and Christoph with his camera in the other.
The drop off point was about a mile East of the pass. We got all our gear on, Peter went in first to get a shot of us entering the water and the rest of us went over the side. Just like before, I was fine until I tried to descend. My right ear would not clear and I had to resurface. In some ways I would have gladly returned to the boat and let them continue but Katy grabbed my BC and talked me down. It was an amazing experience. Her technique was to tell me in advance to look only at her and to breath deeply. By focusing on my breathing and her calm demeanor, I had no trouble equalizing and soon we were swimming along the reef in 40 to 70 feet of water.
There were corals everywhere - big ones, small ones, blue ones, yellow ones. Several green turtles showed up to eat the sponges and did cartwheels to try to stay in one place against the current. A LARGE barracuda came over to check us out and we swam past hundreds of smaller fish of every shape and size. At 50 bar on the pressure gauge we headed toward the surface and after a decompression stop we came up near the waiting boat.
Diving is always exhilarating but this one was special. As Ian says, “You’ve got to get back on the horse”, and that is what this dive was for me. Thanks Katy for helping me through my anxiety and for treating me to a great dive.
If Francois and Malou are watching Channel 5 some Saturday in June, they may see a smiling diver with white hair who looks familiar.
In front of the hotel is one of three dive shops near our anchorage. I stopped into the Blue Dolphin to inquire about available dives. The guide book raves about the world famous pass dive where divers enter the water on the ocean side of the pass as the tide is going in and float through the pass with the current. While this sounded great, I had mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation. The last time I dove was almost 15 years ago in St. Martin and it was not a successful dive. As I tried to submerge, I could not clear my right ear and it gave me such a feeling of panic I had to abort the dive.
I explained this to the dive master and she said not to worry, they would give me a check-out dive on a reef inside the lagoon called the aquarium. It is relatively shallow and full of fish. This sounded good to me so she took me through the preliminaries of fitting me for a wet suit and weight belt and showing me how to attach the tank, regulator and BC (bouncy compensation vest that holds the other parts). She was thorough and I began to feel more comfortable so I went off to retrieve my mask, fins and snorkel.
When I returned, the manager approached me and asked if I was a good swimmer. I “told it like it is” (I am OK but not great) and she asked if I would consider going to the reef outside the lagoon instead of the original plan. The dive is a bit deeper (60 feet average) with lots of fish and the chance to see larger fish.
Then she asked me if I would mind if the dive was filmed for French Channel 5 television. It seems that the station is doing a one-hour travel special on 5 of the archipelagos in French Polynesia and one part of it (and I am sure a very small part) is diving in Rangiroa. The crew had just arrived and wanted to use this dive as their subject. A local photographer Peter Schneider (originally from Berlin) was going to do the underwater part with his high definition Sony camera. After meeting Alain and Christoph the French crew, I agreed and off we went in two Zodiacs - Katy the dive master, Peter, and Alain and I in one and Christoph with his camera in the other.
The drop off point was about a mile East of the pass. We got all our gear on, Peter went in first to get a shot of us entering the water and the rest of us went over the side. Just like before, I was fine until I tried to descend. My right ear would not clear and I had to resurface. In some ways I would have gladly returned to the boat and let them continue but Katy grabbed my BC and talked me down. It was an amazing experience. Her technique was to tell me in advance to look only at her and to breath deeply. By focusing on my breathing and her calm demeanor, I had no trouble equalizing and soon we were swimming along the reef in 40 to 70 feet of water.
There were corals everywhere - big ones, small ones, blue ones, yellow ones. Several green turtles showed up to eat the sponges and did cartwheels to try to stay in one place against the current. A LARGE barracuda came over to check us out and we swam past hundreds of smaller fish of every shape and size. At 50 bar on the pressure gauge we headed toward the surface and after a decompression stop we came up near the waiting boat.
Diving is always exhilarating but this one was special. As Ian says, “You’ve got to get back on the horse”, and that is what this dive was for me. Thanks Katy for helping me through my anxiety and for treating me to a great dive.
If Francois and Malou are watching Channel 5 some Saturday in June, they may see a smiling diver with white hair who looks familiar.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Day 51 Tiputa Pass
Rangiroa lagoon
The sail from Manihi to Rangiroa was one of the calmest we have had since the trip began. The sea was fairly flat and the wind blew from 5 to 15 knots giving us a respectable speed of 4 to 6 knots. From this we knew we would arrive at two entrances to the lagoon about mid morning. We tried again to calculate the tide but after reading that both passes were deep enough to navigate at any tide, we figured we could go through as long as the tide was not at maximum flow.
From the description of the two passes, we decided to pick the one that was deeper and wider and this was Tiputa pass. I whipped up one of my famous oatmeal breakfasts so we would be ready and we lined up with two large poles in the entrance, just as the book says to do. As we were just about into the pass, a pod of about a dozen very large dolphins came alongside to either check us out or to welcome us. In either event, they were impressive guardians.
About half way through the pass we almost ran over a fairly large turtle. He (or she) looked over his/her left shoulder (do turtles have shoulders?), saw us and rapidly swam out of the way. I did not know they were so quick.
Unlike Manihi with its many coral heads, the 60 to 90 foot deep lagoon at Rangiroa is mostly sand bottom. The coral heads that exist are much larger and many stick up above the surface. This makes anchoring easier. Also, there are free moorings available but after checking out three of them we decided to use our own anchor.
Near the pass we entered, is a luxury hotel with the typical Polynesian huts on land and over the water. As suggested by the guide book, we anchored in front of the Kia Ora hotel so we could use their dock for our dinghy and their excellent restaurant.
The color of the water here is different from the ocean and from Manihi. The water is a bit deeper than Manihi and much clearer giving the water a light blue cast. Over the water, fly white birds that look lime green because of the light reflected from the water. Another curious thing is that the water appears saltier than the ocean. This is probably caused by the fact that the large lagoon is refilled by the sea where more water evaporates than is returned to the ocean.
The atoll itself is very narrow - less than a quarter of a mile - and covered with vegetation which is mostly palm trees. We did not see anything that you could call soil - only ground coral. It’s a tough life for a tree.
The surface of the atoll is also only about 20 to 30 feet maximum above the ocean. Any good sized wave from a hurricane or tsunami would swamp everything manmade. And what about global warming?
Nonetheless, if you have a mental image of a South Sea island paradise, this is it.
The sail from Manihi to Rangiroa was one of the calmest we have had since the trip began. The sea was fairly flat and the wind blew from 5 to 15 knots giving us a respectable speed of 4 to 6 knots. From this we knew we would arrive at two entrances to the lagoon about mid morning. We tried again to calculate the tide but after reading that both passes were deep enough to navigate at any tide, we figured we could go through as long as the tide was not at maximum flow.
From the description of the two passes, we decided to pick the one that was deeper and wider and this was Tiputa pass. I whipped up one of my famous oatmeal breakfasts so we would be ready and we lined up with two large poles in the entrance, just as the book says to do. As we were just about into the pass, a pod of about a dozen very large dolphins came alongside to either check us out or to welcome us. In either event, they were impressive guardians.
About half way through the pass we almost ran over a fairly large turtle. He (or she) looked over his/her left shoulder (do turtles have shoulders?), saw us and rapidly swam out of the way. I did not know they were so quick.
Unlike Manihi with its many coral heads, the 60 to 90 foot deep lagoon at Rangiroa is mostly sand bottom. The coral heads that exist are much larger and many stick up above the surface. This makes anchoring easier. Also, there are free moorings available but after checking out three of them we decided to use our own anchor.
Near the pass we entered, is a luxury hotel with the typical Polynesian huts on land and over the water. As suggested by the guide book, we anchored in front of the Kia Ora hotel so we could use their dock for our dinghy and their excellent restaurant.
The color of the water here is different from the ocean and from Manihi. The water is a bit deeper than Manihi and much clearer giving the water a light blue cast. Over the water, fly white birds that look lime green because of the light reflected from the water. Another curious thing is that the water appears saltier than the ocean. This is probably caused by the fact that the large lagoon is refilled by the sea where more water evaporates than is returned to the ocean.
The atoll itself is very narrow - less than a quarter of a mile - and covered with vegetation which is mostly palm trees. We did not see anything that you could call soil - only ground coral. It’s a tough life for a tree.
The surface of the atoll is also only about 20 to 30 feet maximum above the ocean. Any good sized wave from a hurricane or tsunami would swamp everything manmade. And what about global warming?
Nonetheless, if you have a mental image of a South Sea island paradise, this is it.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Day 50 Under way again
Passage to Rangiroa
Each atoll is somewhat different but the guidebook specifically states that the sandy bottom of the Manihi lagoon has a large number of coral heads. These are mushroom shaped growths that are the size of large rocks to the size of large busses. Cruisers are warned to be careful when anchoring.
Cruising sailboats use chain to connect the anchor to the boat. After the anchor touches the bottom, 3 to 5 times more chain is let out. This has several functions. The chain cannot be cut by rocks or coral. The chain is heavy and acts like an anchor of its own. The chain rests mostly on the bottom but if there is any wind, the boat will pull up enough to act as a shock absorber.
We had been at anchor for three days and several of them were windy. Each time the wind changed directions, the boat would pull the chain with it. As a result, when we tried to raise the anchor, we could not. Our chain was snagged 60 feet below the boat - a bit too deep to free dive. Fortunately, we received some help from Eric who has scuba gear aboard Far Niente. With Kurt and Andy in the water and me at the bow to relay messages to Mark at the helm, Eric descended and proceeded to unwind the chain from the many coral heads it had entangled. After about 30 minutes we were able to retrieve the anchor and all of our chain. Without the scuba gear, this might not have been possible.
The last remaining challenge was to clear the shallow water at the lagoon entrance. Again, it was about 7 feet deep. Close, but we knew it would be enough.
We then set a course to arrive at Rangiroa the next morning. Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the Tuomotus and the second largest in the world. At 45 miles by 18 miles it could surround the entire island of Tahiti. There are two entrances and from the book, it appears they are deeper than Manihi and the bottom does not have the coral entanglements.
Each atoll is somewhat different but the guidebook specifically states that the sandy bottom of the Manihi lagoon has a large number of coral heads. These are mushroom shaped growths that are the size of large rocks to the size of large busses. Cruisers are warned to be careful when anchoring.
Cruising sailboats use chain to connect the anchor to the boat. After the anchor touches the bottom, 3 to 5 times more chain is let out. This has several functions. The chain cannot be cut by rocks or coral. The chain is heavy and acts like an anchor of its own. The chain rests mostly on the bottom but if there is any wind, the boat will pull up enough to act as a shock absorber.
We had been at anchor for three days and several of them were windy. Each time the wind changed directions, the boat would pull the chain with it. As a result, when we tried to raise the anchor, we could not. Our chain was snagged 60 feet below the boat - a bit too deep to free dive. Fortunately, we received some help from Eric who has scuba gear aboard Far Niente. With Kurt and Andy in the water and me at the bow to relay messages to Mark at the helm, Eric descended and proceeded to unwind the chain from the many coral heads it had entangled. After about 30 minutes we were able to retrieve the anchor and all of our chain. Without the scuba gear, this might not have been possible.
The last remaining challenge was to clear the shallow water at the lagoon entrance. Again, it was about 7 feet deep. Close, but we knew it would be enough.
We then set a course to arrive at Rangiroa the next morning. Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the Tuomotus and the second largest in the world. At 45 miles by 18 miles it could surround the entire island of Tahiti. There are two entrances and from the book, it appears they are deeper than Manihi and the bottom does not have the coral entanglements.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Day 49 The pearl farm
Pearls from Mississippi?
We went ashore with No Regrets to find Enrique and try to arrange the pearl farm visit.
Because there were heavy rain squalls crossing the lagoon, we had to wait several hours. During that time we learned a bit about island life.
With 350 people on the island, everyone is related. The pearl farm is owned by Enrique’s mother. His father is the president of the island. Transportation to the farm was provided by his cousin... etc., etc., etc.
Because everyone is related, it is necessary for young men to go off to Tahiti for wives so that there is not too much intermarriage, Nonetheless, this island, like the others we visited in the Marquises, had at least one person who looked like the unfortunate result of inbreeding.
There are over 10 religions on the island including Protestant, Buddhist. Mormon, Catholic, Adventist, and several others we had never heard of before. Enrique belongs to a church that is a split-off of the Mormon church that we understood was unique to Polynesia. Several times we saw two caucasian young men in white shirts and black ties on bicycles who looked like Mormon missionaries.
Finally at around 11, we boarded a wooden boat with Enrique and his cousin Mario. Kurt called the boat a “rasta” boat because of it’s red, orange and yellow color scheme. These practical boats are flat bottom with outboard motors (90 HP) and are driven from the front with two levers. One controls the speed and the other direction. The driver sits in a “box” at the bow. It was interesting to watch Mario squeeze his Polynesian size in.
The pearl farm is a series of sheds on stilts in the middle of the lagoon. Half a dozen workers perform the seeding and harvesting operation that produces about $4,000 per month of revenue. (I took a lot of pictures so Loring can add this to his business). While we were there they were only seeding and we saw no completed pearls.
There are two stations that look very clean and professional. Each is equipped with tools that open the oyster, cut the tissue inside and insert a bead and a small piece of oyster flesh. The 1 mm bead is yellow and comes from Mississippi. We believe it is made from shells (sometimes the language barrier makes explanations less than exact). The ½ mm piece of oyster flesh that is inserted is removed from another oyster and is a piece that is adjacent to the black lip of the animal. This is what gives the pearl its black color that is unique to this atoll.
Each oyster shell has two holes drilled into it and a fishing line is attached that is used to hold the shell onto a cargo net like frame. These are suspended from metal frames and left in the water. After 9 to 18 months, the oysters are opened and the pearls are harvested.
At the end of this interesting visit, we headed for shore and got caught in one of the downpours we had seen all morning.
After drying out on the boat, we shared a nice dinner with Eric and Gisele from Far Niente.
We went ashore with No Regrets to find Enrique and try to arrange the pearl farm visit.
Because there were heavy rain squalls crossing the lagoon, we had to wait several hours. During that time we learned a bit about island life.
With 350 people on the island, everyone is related. The pearl farm is owned by Enrique’s mother. His father is the president of the island. Transportation to the farm was provided by his cousin... etc., etc., etc.
Because everyone is related, it is necessary for young men to go off to Tahiti for wives so that there is not too much intermarriage, Nonetheless, this island, like the others we visited in the Marquises, had at least one person who looked like the unfortunate result of inbreeding.
There are over 10 religions on the island including Protestant, Buddhist. Mormon, Catholic, Adventist, and several others we had never heard of before. Enrique belongs to a church that is a split-off of the Mormon church that we understood was unique to Polynesia. Several times we saw two caucasian young men in white shirts and black ties on bicycles who looked like Mormon missionaries.
Finally at around 11, we boarded a wooden boat with Enrique and his cousin Mario. Kurt called the boat a “rasta” boat because of it’s red, orange and yellow color scheme. These practical boats are flat bottom with outboard motors (90 HP) and are driven from the front with two levers. One controls the speed and the other direction. The driver sits in a “box” at the bow. It was interesting to watch Mario squeeze his Polynesian size in.
The pearl farm is a series of sheds on stilts in the middle of the lagoon. Half a dozen workers perform the seeding and harvesting operation that produces about $4,000 per month of revenue. (I took a lot of pictures so Loring can add this to his business). While we were there they were only seeding and we saw no completed pearls.
There are two stations that look very clean and professional. Each is equipped with tools that open the oyster, cut the tissue inside and insert a bead and a small piece of oyster flesh. The 1 mm bead is yellow and comes from Mississippi. We believe it is made from shells (sometimes the language barrier makes explanations less than exact). The ½ mm piece of oyster flesh that is inserted is removed from another oyster and is a piece that is adjacent to the black lip of the animal. This is what gives the pearl its black color that is unique to this atoll.
Each oyster shell has two holes drilled into it and a fishing line is attached that is used to hold the shell onto a cargo net like frame. These are suspended from metal frames and left in the water. After 9 to 18 months, the oysters are opened and the pearls are harvested.
At the end of this interesting visit, we headed for shore and got caught in one of the downpours we had seen all morning.
After drying out on the boat, we shared a nice dinner with Eric and Gisele from Far Niente.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Day 48 Another day of fun
And another Pearl Spa Resort
Manihi, Tuomotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
We went ashore in the morning at the village of Paeua where Pat and Carly had met a young man who spoke English the night before when they went ashore for some supplies.
Enrique is the 20-something son of the president of this atoll. He spent two years as a Mormon missionary in Kansas City so his English was quite good. His uncle operates a pearl farm so he was able to set up a free tour(which is cheaper than the hotel’s $25 per person) but not until Wednesday.
In addition to being the local tattoo artist, Enrique works as a fireman at the airport near the Pearl Spa resort so he offered to take us there on his way to work. This is the same resort that we visited in Hiva Oa and Nuka Hiva. Access to the Internet is a good reason to visit every one of the Pearl Spa Resorts we have come across so we made sure Manihi would be no exception.
Manihi is a slow paced island where half the 350 person population works in the pearl farms. There are two places to buy food but one was not open any time we went there and the other is Chinese take-out from a small grocery store. While this is quite tasty and nourishing, the only place to sit down is on the benches under the tree in front of the store.
The Pearl Spa Resort offers a restaurant, a beautiful pool and the slowest Internet we have seen so far. I think I got one message off to Tim with a blog update but I am not sure it went and this one message took almost an hour.
Somehow a contest developed to see who could swim the furthest underwater in the pool. I came in last. Dave was second but the younger lads all made it one length and Kurt bested everyone by returning underwater for a total of two lengths whereupon his breath was totally exhausted and we had to help him to the side. Nonetheless, we declared him the clear and easy winner.
At one point, the manager came over and introduced himself. He had heard from the manager in Nuka Hiva that we were coming and was instructed to give us a warm welcome. We must be spending enough money although not as much as the guests who spend hundreds of dollars a night to rent the over-water private bungalows.
After a day of eating, swimming and playing cards, we returned to the boat.
Manihi, Tuomotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
We went ashore in the morning at the village of Paeua where Pat and Carly had met a young man who spoke English the night before when they went ashore for some supplies.
Enrique is the 20-something son of the president of this atoll. He spent two years as a Mormon missionary in Kansas City so his English was quite good. His uncle operates a pearl farm so he was able to set up a free tour(which is cheaper than the hotel’s $25 per person) but not until Wednesday.
In addition to being the local tattoo artist, Enrique works as a fireman at the airport near the Pearl Spa resort so he offered to take us there on his way to work. This is the same resort that we visited in Hiva Oa and Nuka Hiva. Access to the Internet is a good reason to visit every one of the Pearl Spa Resorts we have come across so we made sure Manihi would be no exception.
Manihi is a slow paced island where half the 350 person population works in the pearl farms. There are two places to buy food but one was not open any time we went there and the other is Chinese take-out from a small grocery store. While this is quite tasty and nourishing, the only place to sit down is on the benches under the tree in front of the store.
The Pearl Spa Resort offers a restaurant, a beautiful pool and the slowest Internet we have seen so far. I think I got one message off to Tim with a blog update but I am not sure it went and this one message took almost an hour.
Somehow a contest developed to see who could swim the furthest underwater in the pool. I came in last. Dave was second but the younger lads all made it one length and Kurt bested everyone by returning underwater for a total of two lengths whereupon his breath was totally exhausted and we had to help him to the side. Nonetheless, we declared him the clear and easy winner.
At one point, the manager came over and introduced himself. He had heard from the manager in Nuka Hiva that we were coming and was instructed to give us a warm welcome. We must be spending enough money although not as much as the guests who spend hundreds of dollars a night to rent the over-water private bungalows.
After a day of eating, swimming and playing cards, we returned to the boat.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Day 47 Too much adrenaline
"Two" close for comfort
The guide book reminds sailors that the Tuomotos are atolls that may only be a few feet above sea level. The highest point is often the tops of the palm trees thus they may only be visible from a few miles away. This is a big change from Isles Marquises that tower thousands of feet above the sea and are visible from over 40 miles away.
Not long after sun-up we spotted the rough outline of land on the horizon. Without the GPS it would be very difficult to see which outline was our destination. Finally we were able to pick out Manihi and to see the separation between it and its neighbors.
As we approached closer we saw birds flocking near the water so we put out the fishing gear and headed for the birds. As we passed through the flock, we had a large strike and quickly lost one lure. After tying on a new one, we headed back through the flock. This time Andy wanted to be the one to land any fish we caught. His wish was granted quickly as the pole bent down with a new fish. Andy fought him to boat and got him close enough to see that it was a nice tuna but at the last moment, the fish dove under the boat and got away.
With that piece of business out of the way, we headed for the pass into the atoll. We had read all of the instructions we had available and determined the best time when the tide would be slack (between one flow and the next). As it turns out, our calculation was not correct. To complicate matters, just before we approached the entrance, a squall passed by and the sea was stirred up with whitecaps. Mark steered past the entrance and then turned East so we were virtually surfing on the incoming waves. Under engine power, Southern Star can do about 6 knots through the water but with the strong following sea we were doing over eight.
The pass is very narrow and there is coral on both sides so the entrance is tricky under the best of circumstances.
As we entered the narrowest part, suddenly we saw a large dump truck on a flat barge coming toward us. Could we have both made it? We will never know because at the last moment, the barge turned off and was out of our way.
Just as our hearts began beating again; we squirted through the pass and all we could see around us was the bright aquamarine of shallow water. There was no place to go so Mark headed straight at the orange mid-channel marker. As we passed the shallowest part, the depth gauge read just a little over 7 feet. Our draft is approximately 5 feet. Two feet to spare is too close for comfort.
Immediately, the depth began to increase quickly until it reached around 60 feet and we were safely in the atoll. Mark went below for a change of underwear and came topside again to guide us to safe anchorage.
No Regrets was anchored close to the only village and about one-quarter mile from the entrance. After a little exploring, we finally joined them. We were the only two sailboats in the lagoon. We later learned that the last boat to visit was 3 weeks ago.
The view around the atoll was very unique. The 17 mile length is long enough so you cannot see the other side. The shore is only 300 feet wide and while it is relatively calm in the lagoon, the sea on the other side may be surging. It is easy to see that if the ocean rises from global warming, many of these atolls will disappear. The lagoon itself is multicolored - dark blue where the water is deep, aquamarine where it is shallow and brown where the coral heads are just below the surface. Houses on stilts are scattered around the landscape. These are the pearl farms where the black pearls are grown. Tomorrow we hope to visit a farm.
With enough excitement for one day, we retired early.
The guide book reminds sailors that the Tuomotos are atolls that may only be a few feet above sea level. The highest point is often the tops of the palm trees thus they may only be visible from a few miles away. This is a big change from Isles Marquises that tower thousands of feet above the sea and are visible from over 40 miles away.
Not long after sun-up we spotted the rough outline of land on the horizon. Without the GPS it would be very difficult to see which outline was our destination. Finally we were able to pick out Manihi and to see the separation between it and its neighbors.
As we approached closer we saw birds flocking near the water so we put out the fishing gear and headed for the birds. As we passed through the flock, we had a large strike and quickly lost one lure. After tying on a new one, we headed back through the flock. This time Andy wanted to be the one to land any fish we caught. His wish was granted quickly as the pole bent down with a new fish. Andy fought him to boat and got him close enough to see that it was a nice tuna but at the last moment, the fish dove under the boat and got away.
With that piece of business out of the way, we headed for the pass into the atoll. We had read all of the instructions we had available and determined the best time when the tide would be slack (between one flow and the next). As it turns out, our calculation was not correct. To complicate matters, just before we approached the entrance, a squall passed by and the sea was stirred up with whitecaps. Mark steered past the entrance and then turned East so we were virtually surfing on the incoming waves. Under engine power, Southern Star can do about 6 knots through the water but with the strong following sea we were doing over eight.
The pass is very narrow and there is coral on both sides so the entrance is tricky under the best of circumstances.
As we entered the narrowest part, suddenly we saw a large dump truck on a flat barge coming toward us. Could we have both made it? We will never know because at the last moment, the barge turned off and was out of our way.
Just as our hearts began beating again; we squirted through the pass and all we could see around us was the bright aquamarine of shallow water. There was no place to go so Mark headed straight at the orange mid-channel marker. As we passed the shallowest part, the depth gauge read just a little over 7 feet. Our draft is approximately 5 feet. Two feet to spare is too close for comfort.
Immediately, the depth began to increase quickly until it reached around 60 feet and we were safely in the atoll. Mark went below for a change of underwear and came topside again to guide us to safe anchorage.
No Regrets was anchored close to the only village and about one-quarter mile from the entrance. After a little exploring, we finally joined them. We were the only two sailboats in the lagoon. We later learned that the last boat to visit was 3 weeks ago.
The view around the atoll was very unique. The 17 mile length is long enough so you cannot see the other side. The shore is only 300 feet wide and while it is relatively calm in the lagoon, the sea on the other side may be surging. It is easy to see that if the ocean rises from global warming, many of these atolls will disappear. The lagoon itself is multicolored - dark blue where the water is deep, aquamarine where it is shallow and brown where the coral heads are just below the surface. Houses on stilts are scattered around the landscape. These are the pearl farms where the black pearls are grown. Tomorrow we hope to visit a farm.
With enough excitement for one day, we retired early.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Day 46 More sailing
Sights at sea
Position - S 11º57 X W 143º54 (@ 0500 UT 4/21)
Sailing - Last night we encountered more squalls with winds over 30 knots but this is now within the envelope of a normal day at sea.
Kurt has re-installed the lee cloth on his bed after falling out 3 times the night before. If you sleep on the high side of the boat - in this case the left or port side - the bed is always tilted toward the floor. To prevent falling out, a heavy fabric is tucked under the mattress and tied to fittings on the ceiling. The weight of the sleeper keeps the cloth from being pulled out thus preventing the fall-on-the-floor phenomenon.
Birds - One of the delights of sailing is to watch the birds. Near any harbor the pelicans put on a show of diving for fish. This maneuver is about as graceful as watching a ten ton dump truck dropped from a hundred feet. It is hard to imagine they do this on purpose.
The frigate birds are much more graceful with their angled wings and forked tails. They can soar endlessly without flapping their wings. At one of the anchorages we watched them swooping just above the water to catch flying fish in mid air. Then they would gain altitude, swallow the the fish and return to the surface for a quick drink on the fly.
Occasionally we see a graceful white bird which I think is a sooty tern. They are slight of build and rapid flyers but always seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere.
My favorite are the boobies. They are very graceful and soar just above the wave tops. Our boat must disturb the bait fish as the boobies will spend hours making graceful figure eights around us.
Position - S 11º57 X W 143º54 (@ 0500 UT 4/21)
Sailing - Last night we encountered more squalls with winds over 30 knots but this is now within the envelope of a normal day at sea.
Kurt has re-installed the lee cloth on his bed after falling out 3 times the night before. If you sleep on the high side of the boat - in this case the left or port side - the bed is always tilted toward the floor. To prevent falling out, a heavy fabric is tucked under the mattress and tied to fittings on the ceiling. The weight of the sleeper keeps the cloth from being pulled out thus preventing the fall-on-the-floor phenomenon.
Birds - One of the delights of sailing is to watch the birds. Near any harbor the pelicans put on a show of diving for fish. This maneuver is about as graceful as watching a ten ton dump truck dropped from a hundred feet. It is hard to imagine they do this on purpose.
The frigate birds are much more graceful with their angled wings and forked tails. They can soar endlessly without flapping their wings. At one of the anchorages we watched them swooping just above the water to catch flying fish in mid air. Then they would gain altitude, swallow the the fish and return to the surface for a quick drink on the fly.
Occasionally we see a graceful white bird which I think is a sooty tern. They are slight of build and rapid flyers but always seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere.
My favorite are the boobies. They are very graceful and soar just above the wave tops. Our boat must disturb the bait fish as the boobies will spend hours making graceful figure eights around us.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Day 45 The flood
Oh my God!!!
Position S 10º48 X W 141º54 as of 0500 UT 4/20
The Deluge - I had gotten a little behind in my blog so I was in the cabin sitting at the navigation table. The boat was on a port tack meaning the wind was blowing from the left side and the boat was listing to starboard (leaning to the right). We were on a broad reach with the wind behind us so the waves would catch up to us and slowly pass us by. This is the same position we sailed in for four weeks during our first passage from PV to Isles Marquises. The autopilot was driving and Mark and Kurt were playing backgammon.
When the wave hit the boat, the sound caused me to turn my head to the left in the direction of the open window of the head (bathroom) about 10 feet away. Immediately I was hit in the face with a bucket of sea water. I kept my eyes open just enough to see the water gushing through the open window. About five gallons of salty water went in my lap, onto the computer and onto the floor. My next words are not suitable for publication.
Mark, Kurt and Andy were in the cabin in a flash. Sponges and buckets went into action followed by soapy clean water to remove the salt.
While the clean up of Southern Star took very little time, the recovery of my Macintosh touch pad took a day of soaking in the sun and careful cleaning with alcohol.
I am hoping I was able to fully repair any damage but not 100 % confident so cross your fingers for me.
Position S 10º48 X W 141º54 as of 0500 UT 4/20
The Deluge - I had gotten a little behind in my blog so I was in the cabin sitting at the navigation table. The boat was on a port tack meaning the wind was blowing from the left side and the boat was listing to starboard (leaning to the right). We were on a broad reach with the wind behind us so the waves would catch up to us and slowly pass us by. This is the same position we sailed in for four weeks during our first passage from PV to Isles Marquises. The autopilot was driving and Mark and Kurt were playing backgammon.
When the wave hit the boat, the sound caused me to turn my head to the left in the direction of the open window of the head (bathroom) about 10 feet away. Immediately I was hit in the face with a bucket of sea water. I kept my eyes open just enough to see the water gushing through the open window. About five gallons of salty water went in my lap, onto the computer and onto the floor. My next words are not suitable for publication.
Mark, Kurt and Andy were in the cabin in a flash. Sponges and buckets went into action followed by soapy clean water to remove the salt.
While the clean up of Southern Star took very little time, the recovery of my Macintosh touch pad took a day of soaking in the sun and careful cleaning with alcohol.
I am hoping I was able to fully repair any damage but not 100 % confident so cross your fingers for me.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Day 44 The second passage
Back to sea
Position 9º35 X 141º30 (as of 0500 UT on 4/19)
Passage - It was strange to think that a 450 mile trip across open ocean was no big deal. We had learned that the autopilot only works when the main sail is reefed and the jib furled. Remembering back to our first passage we also recalled that by deploying the staysail, we could limit the hull’s reaction to the ocean waves. These two factors did not eliminate being tossed about but our experience with this environment made it easier.
We also had more experience with provisioning for sea passages. Rather than trying to cook every meal, we stocked up on hard boiled eggs. Using a hint from Golden Lion, we cooked several pounds of mini hamburgers and put them in the freezer. With these ingredients and the fresh vegetables we were able to purchase in Oa Pou, we could put together a reasonable meal without spending too much time in the galley. The combination of hunger and a good galley lashing is bound to lead to seasickness eventually.
Time - We changed our clocks by one-half hour. Of course there are theoretically 24 times zones circling the globe with the starting zone passing through Greenwich, England. This is called the “Prime Meridian” or simply Greenwich time (also UT for universal time or Zulu time). Each time zone is related to UT by a plus (if you are East) or a minus (if you are West). San Francisco standard time it UT - 8 or 8 hours behind Greenwich time. Honolulu is UT - 10 or two hours later. Most of French Polynesia is in the same time zone as Honolulu but Isles Marquises are just far enough East to make sunrise and sunset occur too late so their time zone is UT - 9½. At first we had trouble believing that there was a time zone that is a half hour from its neighbors but this one is.
Radio net - At 0500 UT every day, the Puddle Jumpers in this part of the Pacific sign on to the SSB (single side band) ham radio frequency 8.188 Mhz. This way we can check on each other, learn what is ahead, chat, and generally catch up on each other’s activities. We report our position, the weather, waves, ship sightings and anything else of interest. We know that Dirigo caught a big tuna, Surprise got their rudder repaired (did you know FedEx delivers to Hiva Oa?) Far Niente is on their way to Manihi, Dream Keeper arrived in Fatu Hiva, etc. It is nice to keep in touch with this interesting community of travelers.
Position 9º35 X 141º30 (as of 0500 UT on 4/19)
Passage - It was strange to think that a 450 mile trip across open ocean was no big deal. We had learned that the autopilot only works when the main sail is reefed and the jib furled. Remembering back to our first passage we also recalled that by deploying the staysail, we could limit the hull’s reaction to the ocean waves. These two factors did not eliminate being tossed about but our experience with this environment made it easier.
We also had more experience with provisioning for sea passages. Rather than trying to cook every meal, we stocked up on hard boiled eggs. Using a hint from Golden Lion, we cooked several pounds of mini hamburgers and put them in the freezer. With these ingredients and the fresh vegetables we were able to purchase in Oa Pou, we could put together a reasonable meal without spending too much time in the galley. The combination of hunger and a good galley lashing is bound to lead to seasickness eventually.
Time - We changed our clocks by one-half hour. Of course there are theoretically 24 times zones circling the globe with the starting zone passing through Greenwich, England. This is called the “Prime Meridian” or simply Greenwich time (also UT for universal time or Zulu time). Each time zone is related to UT by a plus (if you are East) or a minus (if you are West). San Francisco standard time it UT - 8 or 8 hours behind Greenwich time. Honolulu is UT - 10 or two hours later. Most of French Polynesia is in the same time zone as Honolulu but Isles Marquises are just far enough East to make sunrise and sunset occur too late so their time zone is UT - 9½. At first we had trouble believing that there was a time zone that is a half hour from its neighbors but this one is.
Radio net - At 0500 UT every day, the Puddle Jumpers in this part of the Pacific sign on to the SSB (single side band) ham radio frequency 8.188 Mhz. This way we can check on each other, learn what is ahead, chat, and generally catch up on each other’s activities. We report our position, the weather, waves, ship sightings and anything else of interest. We know that Dirigo caught a big tuna, Surprise got their rudder repaired (did you know FedEx delivers to Hiva Oa?) Far Niente is on their way to Manihi, Dream Keeper arrived in Fatu Hiva, etc. It is nice to keep in touch with this interesting community of travelers.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Day 43 Oa Pou
A pleasant last day
Hakahau - We did a little exploring in the town of Hakahau and met some interesting folks including:
Xavier is a retired Frenchman living on the island. He had been an English teacher and I suspect he overheard us talking and sought us out to practice. He also raises rabbits but we declined to buy one (although hassenpfeffer sounded pretty good at the time)
As I was finishing lunch, a well-dressed woman asked if she could sit down with her coffee. She turned out to be a judge from Papeete who was on an assignment to help out in the upcoming elections. Since Isles Marquises are part of the French Republic, they participate in the French national elections which are scheduled for Sunday April 22. Her role was to provide consultation and to answer questions on several of the islands.
Passage - I learned that a voyage is a trip where you return to the starting place whereas a passage is a trip from one place to another. Thus we departed Oa Pou on our next passage to Manihi in the Tuamotu archipelago.
If Isles Marquises are the youngest archipelago of the five that make up French Polynesia, the Tuamotus are geologically the oldest. Here the volcanos have long since eroded and sunken into the sea leaving behind only the coral reef that once encircled them. Some are barely above sea level and may not be visible from more than a few miles away. For this reason, they were called the “dangerous islands” by early explorers. The advances in charts and the invention of GPS has improved this situation but sailors are warned to never approach these islands at night and to maintain a bow lookout when entering the lagoons. Most of the 77 islands are atolls with a coral reef encircling a lagoon. Manihi is 450 nm (nautical miles) southeast of Ua Pou so we expect a trip of about 3 ½ days. The atoll is 28 km long by 8 km wide, has only one entrance and is know for its farms of black pearls.
Sea life - I was in the cabin when the fish took the lure on our static line. This is an imitation squid lure that looks like a hula dancer. It is attached to a short 50 foot 200 pound test fishing line. As soon as the dorado realized he was hooked, he took to the air and with one giant wrenching move, he was free. The report from those who saw him said he was as big as me with a head over a foot in diameter and brightly colored yellow sides. Sorry, no pictures of this one, so it will remain a fish story but from what remained of the lure, the fish must have been large indeed.
I start my watch soon after dark and stay on deck until 10 PM. Usually everyone else is usually sleeping in preparation for their turn.
At about 9 PM, I saw the first glow in the water. Mark and Andy had reported weeks earlier seeing dolphins that left a luminescent trial in the water so at first I thought this is what I was seeing. Before long the one glow had turned to many and I could see these were not following the boat the way a dolphin would but were floating in the water and lighting up as we passed by. The lights all began as circles over a foot in diameter but some lengthened if they remained glowing long enough. Some lit up only once while others lit multiple times. The show lasted for about 40 minutes and I could easily be convinced that these were the aliens from the movie Cocoon but more likely, they were phosphorescent jellyfish that were excited by the turbulence of our passing hull.
The sea is an amazing place.
Hakahau - We did a little exploring in the town of Hakahau and met some interesting folks including:
Xavier is a retired Frenchman living on the island. He had been an English teacher and I suspect he overheard us talking and sought us out to practice. He also raises rabbits but we declined to buy one (although hassenpfeffer sounded pretty good at the time)
As I was finishing lunch, a well-dressed woman asked if she could sit down with her coffee. She turned out to be a judge from Papeete who was on an assignment to help out in the upcoming elections. Since Isles Marquises are part of the French Republic, they participate in the French national elections which are scheduled for Sunday April 22. Her role was to provide consultation and to answer questions on several of the islands.
Passage - I learned that a voyage is a trip where you return to the starting place whereas a passage is a trip from one place to another. Thus we departed Oa Pou on our next passage to Manihi in the Tuamotu archipelago.
If Isles Marquises are the youngest archipelago of the five that make up French Polynesia, the Tuamotus are geologically the oldest. Here the volcanos have long since eroded and sunken into the sea leaving behind only the coral reef that once encircled them. Some are barely above sea level and may not be visible from more than a few miles away. For this reason, they were called the “dangerous islands” by early explorers. The advances in charts and the invention of GPS has improved this situation but sailors are warned to never approach these islands at night and to maintain a bow lookout when entering the lagoons. Most of the 77 islands are atolls with a coral reef encircling a lagoon. Manihi is 450 nm (nautical miles) southeast of Ua Pou so we expect a trip of about 3 ½ days. The atoll is 28 km long by 8 km wide, has only one entrance and is know for its farms of black pearls.
Sea life - I was in the cabin when the fish took the lure on our static line. This is an imitation squid lure that looks like a hula dancer. It is attached to a short 50 foot 200 pound test fishing line. As soon as the dorado realized he was hooked, he took to the air and with one giant wrenching move, he was free. The report from those who saw him said he was as big as me with a head over a foot in diameter and brightly colored yellow sides. Sorry, no pictures of this one, so it will remain a fish story but from what remained of the lure, the fish must have been large indeed.
I start my watch soon after dark and stay on deck until 10 PM. Usually everyone else is usually sleeping in preparation for their turn.
At about 9 PM, I saw the first glow in the water. Mark and Andy had reported weeks earlier seeing dolphins that left a luminescent trial in the water so at first I thought this is what I was seeing. Before long the one glow had turned to many and I could see these were not following the boat the way a dolphin would but were floating in the water and lighting up as we passed by. The lights all began as circles over a foot in diameter but some lengthened if they remained glowing long enough. Some lit up only once while others lit multiple times. The show lasted for about 40 minutes and I could easily be convinced that these were the aliens from the movie Cocoon but more likely, they were phosphorescent jellyfish that were excited by the turbulence of our passing hull.
The sea is an amazing place.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Day 42 On to Oa Pou
The last Isles Marquises visit
Kurt had missed the the helicopter ride the day before and we convinced him he could not leave without the experience so we packed up while he took in the island from the sky.
Before lunch we were on our way to our last destination in Isles Marquises, the island of Uo Pou. This is one of the smaller islands at 8 miles by 6 miles but rises to almost 4,000 feet. It is the site of the earliest inhabitants estimated to have settled in 150 BC.
Oa Pou (pronounced almost like wapoo) is noted for its 12 basalt pinnacles which are visible from 25 miles away. As we approached the island, I could not stop taking pictures. We had been impressed with the view of the Bay of Virgins on Fatu Hiva, but Oa Pou took the prize as the most spectacular overall sight. At one point, I could swear I saw King Kong lurking behind one of the spires. (If I have been unable to post the pictures by the time you read this, you will be unable to imagine the awesomeness of this)
The afternoon was waning as we anchored so there was time before dark to go ashore and find one last dinner before our next passage. For several of us, that turned out to be a delicious steak.
Kurt had missed the the helicopter ride the day before and we convinced him he could not leave without the experience so we packed up while he took in the island from the sky.
Before lunch we were on our way to our last destination in Isles Marquises, the island of Uo Pou. This is one of the smaller islands at 8 miles by 6 miles but rises to almost 4,000 feet. It is the site of the earliest inhabitants estimated to have settled in 150 BC.
Oa Pou (pronounced almost like wapoo) is noted for its 12 basalt pinnacles which are visible from 25 miles away. As we approached the island, I could not stop taking pictures. We had been impressed with the view of the Bay of Virgins on Fatu Hiva, but Oa Pou took the prize as the most spectacular overall sight. At one point, I could swear I saw King Kong lurking behind one of the spires. (If I have been unable to post the pictures by the time you read this, you will be unable to imagine the awesomeness of this)
The afternoon was waning as we anchored so there was time before dark to go ashore and find one last dinner before our next passage. For several of us, that turned out to be a delicious steak.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Day 41 Chopper ride
Nuka Hiva by air
DSL (kind of) - By mid morning, they had finished installing DSL and the Internet was back on. The connection was much slower than we were used to but worlds faster than we had seen previously on Isles Marquises.
I was not successful at uploading the blog with all of the pictures so I used Skype to call the Apple technical support line. In case Apple is looking for a good demonstration of its level of customer service, this was it. I am on an island in the middle of the Pacific and the Apple tech is talking me through a manual upload of my blog to the dotMac server. After performing a test, he determined that the connection was too slow for the automatic upload from the iWeb program on my computer so he showed me how to take the blog apart into pieces that can be manually uploaded. While this worked, it was also very slow so I was unable to get much uploaded in the two hours I was on line.
So for those reading the text version, text is all you are going to get until we get to Tahiti on May 7th. I am expecting I will find a faster connection in “the big city” but even that could be proven wrong.
Helicopter - The guidebook said “don’t miss the helicopter tour of Nuka Hiva” so several of us decided to sign up. All of the Marquisian islands are the remains of relatively recent volcanos so they tend to have remarkable basalt spires such as those we saw in Fatu Hiva. By comparison, the island of Nuka Hiva looks rather tame from the sea view.
When we climbed into Captain Jean Pierre Fabas’ twin rotor Ecureuil, I sat in the front because I had the biggest camera. The captain said he spoke only a little English. The plane was very noisy and we were wearing ear protectors so normal speaking would have been difficult anyway. Nonetheless, the captain knew how to show off for the camera. He would tap me on the shoulder, point to his eyes and then to the scenery ahead. Then with his hand he would indicate that he was going to bank in for a closer look. The net result was a combination sightseeing trip and amusement park ride. For anyone uncomfortable with small planes and heights (I could look straight down through the plexiglass under my feet) this might have been very uncomfortable but I thought is was fantastic.
Have you ever looked straight down over the edge of a 1200 foot waterfall. Well, we did - just before dropping into the canyon into which it fell. Hoowee!!
The island lived up to it’s billing. From the air, you get a view of spectacular spires, vertical canyons and the jagged remains of a very large crater. The guide book was right. This was a trip not to miss.
DSL (kind of) - By mid morning, they had finished installing DSL and the Internet was back on. The connection was much slower than we were used to but worlds faster than we had seen previously on Isles Marquises.
I was not successful at uploading the blog with all of the pictures so I used Skype to call the Apple technical support line. In case Apple is looking for a good demonstration of its level of customer service, this was it. I am on an island in the middle of the Pacific and the Apple tech is talking me through a manual upload of my blog to the dotMac server. After performing a test, he determined that the connection was too slow for the automatic upload from the iWeb program on my computer so he showed me how to take the blog apart into pieces that can be manually uploaded. While this worked, it was also very slow so I was unable to get much uploaded in the two hours I was on line.
So for those reading the text version, text is all you are going to get until we get to Tahiti on May 7th. I am expecting I will find a faster connection in “the big city” but even that could be proven wrong.
Helicopter - The guidebook said “don’t miss the helicopter tour of Nuka Hiva” so several of us decided to sign up. All of the Marquisian islands are the remains of relatively recent volcanos so they tend to have remarkable basalt spires such as those we saw in Fatu Hiva. By comparison, the island of Nuka Hiva looks rather tame from the sea view.
When we climbed into Captain Jean Pierre Fabas’ twin rotor Ecureuil, I sat in the front because I had the biggest camera. The captain said he spoke only a little English. The plane was very noisy and we were wearing ear protectors so normal speaking would have been difficult anyway. Nonetheless, the captain knew how to show off for the camera. He would tap me on the shoulder, point to his eyes and then to the scenery ahead. Then with his hand he would indicate that he was going to bank in for a closer look. The net result was a combination sightseeing trip and amusement park ride. For anyone uncomfortable with small planes and heights (I could look straight down through the plexiglass under my feet) this might have been very uncomfortable but I thought is was fantastic.
Have you ever looked straight down over the edge of a 1200 foot waterfall. Well, we did - just before dropping into the canyon into which it fell. Hoowee!!
The island lived up to it’s billing. From the air, you get a view of spectacular spires, vertical canyons and the jagged remains of a very large crater. The guide book was right. This was a trip not to miss.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Day 40 Hospital, pharmacy and provisions
Tiki Revenge re-defined
L’hopital - The first stop for Mark, Kurt & Denny was the hospital, a modern facility with an orderly line of patients. In typical French fashion, one must first see the administrative secretary to get checked in, then wait in line again to see the nurse and finally, if you still need further attention, you get to see the doctor. For our crew this took all morning.
The diagnosis was very interesting. The infections are a form of staphylococcus but of a type particular to the South Pacific so we have no natural immunity. The sore starts with the bite of the “nono” a small sand fly found on beaches in Isles Marquises. Unlike a mosquito, this fly chews to get blood to flow and the infection is started from the bite. If you happen to be the kind of person who attracts biting insects (and I am not) you are likely to get more wounds. The next part of the infection involves the sea. Because these are open sores, once you go into the warm water, you are further infected with more unfamiliar microbes. According to the doctor, neither alcohol nor hydrogen peroxide do an adequate job of stopping the infection. The answer is Betadine followed by an antibiotic cream called Sicizine plus a systemic antibiotic if the topical treatment needs a boost.
Provisions - While half the crew was being doctored, Andy and I shopped at the grocery stores and eventually made a trip to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions and buy bandages and salves. These stores were reasonably well stocked but expensive so we bought the minimum. After our first passage we had a better idea of what things were most practical when the sea is lumpy and cooking is a survival challenge.
Laundry - While we finished shopping, Kurt and Mark brought the laundry to shore and repeated our routine of wash, rinse and hang. This is now quite an efficient operation made easier by the abundance of fresh water available at the harbor. From our experience in Hiva Oa, we have learned to bring lines (ropes) from the boat for drying. I think this would make a good entry into the Funniest Video TV program.
Chores - The island is awaiting the arrival of the Aranui and there is currently no gasoline and no butane. In all of French Polynesia, butane is used as the bottled gas fuel instead of propane. There was also no Internet as the island was in the middle of a DSL install. With no other convenient excuses, and an abundant supply of fresh water, we ended up cleaning the boat.
L’hopital - The first stop for Mark, Kurt & Denny was the hospital, a modern facility with an orderly line of patients. In typical French fashion, one must first see the administrative secretary to get checked in, then wait in line again to see the nurse and finally, if you still need further attention, you get to see the doctor. For our crew this took all morning.
The diagnosis was very interesting. The infections are a form of staphylococcus but of a type particular to the South Pacific so we have no natural immunity. The sore starts with the bite of the “nono” a small sand fly found on beaches in Isles Marquises. Unlike a mosquito, this fly chews to get blood to flow and the infection is started from the bite. If you happen to be the kind of person who attracts biting insects (and I am not) you are likely to get more wounds. The next part of the infection involves the sea. Because these are open sores, once you go into the warm water, you are further infected with more unfamiliar microbes. According to the doctor, neither alcohol nor hydrogen peroxide do an adequate job of stopping the infection. The answer is Betadine followed by an antibiotic cream called Sicizine plus a systemic antibiotic if the topical treatment needs a boost.
Provisions - While half the crew was being doctored, Andy and I shopped at the grocery stores and eventually made a trip to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions and buy bandages and salves. These stores were reasonably well stocked but expensive so we bought the minimum. After our first passage we had a better idea of what things were most practical when the sea is lumpy and cooking is a survival challenge.
Laundry - While we finished shopping, Kurt and Mark brought the laundry to shore and repeated our routine of wash, rinse and hang. This is now quite an efficient operation made easier by the abundance of fresh water available at the harbor. From our experience in Hiva Oa, we have learned to bring lines (ropes) from the boat for drying. I think this would make a good entry into the Funniest Video TV program.
Chores - The island is awaiting the arrival of the Aranui and there is currently no gasoline and no butane. In all of French Polynesia, butane is used as the bottled gas fuel instead of propane. There was also no Internet as the island was in the middle of a DSL install. With no other convenient excuses, and an abundant supply of fresh water, we ended up cleaning the boat.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Day 39 The capital of Isles Marquises
Nuka Hiva
Dolphins - It is not unusual to have a dolphin escort at night. I suspect that as our boat goes through the water it creates a disturbance that either attracts or repels small fish. I get the sense that the dolphins are not just visiting to be friendly but are showing up for a snack. Most of the time these are the smaller variety that Mark calls “spinners” because sometimes when they jump they also combine a full twist resulting in a spinning leap out of the water. This probably also has a function which may be to look around and see what is going on around them. Birds are also attracted to our passing but more on that later.
Nuka Hiva - This is the largest island in the archipelago and its major town Taiohae is the administrative capital of the Marquises. One of its main tourist sights is a 350 meter tall waterfall reputed to be one of the world’s tallest. This attraction is several hours by boat and hike from the town.
We arrived in time for lunch so we dinghied to shore and walked up to the Pearl Resort. This is the same chain that we had visited in Hiva Oa. They have a dozen locations throughout French Polynesia and some are quite luxurious and exotic. The attraction of this one was a pool and an Internet connection right next to the restaurant. We spend the afternoon trading spots at the computer to check e-mail and cooling off in the pool.
By the time the day was done, we had eaten a few meals, done a few boat chores and played some cards. We decided that since it was Sunday, we deserved a day off.
Dolphins - It is not unusual to have a dolphin escort at night. I suspect that as our boat goes through the water it creates a disturbance that either attracts or repels small fish. I get the sense that the dolphins are not just visiting to be friendly but are showing up for a snack. Most of the time these are the smaller variety that Mark calls “spinners” because sometimes when they jump they also combine a full twist resulting in a spinning leap out of the water. This probably also has a function which may be to look around and see what is going on around them. Birds are also attracted to our passing but more on that later.
Nuka Hiva - This is the largest island in the archipelago and its major town Taiohae is the administrative capital of the Marquises. One of its main tourist sights is a 350 meter tall waterfall reputed to be one of the world’s tallest. This attraction is several hours by boat and hike from the town.
We arrived in time for lunch so we dinghied to shore and walked up to the Pearl Resort. This is the same chain that we had visited in Hiva Oa. They have a dozen locations throughout French Polynesia and some are quite luxurious and exotic. The attraction of this one was a pool and an Internet connection right next to the restaurant. We spend the afternoon trading spots at the computer to check e-mail and cooling off in the pool.
By the time the day was done, we had eaten a few meals, done a few boat chores and played some cards. We decided that since it was Sunday, we deserved a day off.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Day 38 Next stop Nuka Hiva
Infections getting worse
Dreamkeeper - A new boat, Dream Weaver arrived from the Galapogos bound for New Zealand with Rick & his wife Judith aboard. He is British and she if from New Zealand but they have lived the past dozen years in Southern California. They lived aboard their boat in Marina Del Rey for the past 2 ½ years and then sailed south. They loved Ecuador but thought the Galapagos was a tourist trap disguised as an ecological preserve.
Rick had been in the travel business specializing in Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific. Judith was very knowledgeable about treking in New Zealand so I got out the Lonely Planet guide and she marked the best hikes. This should be very helpful when I get to our destination.
Tiki Revenge re-defined - Kurt, Mark, Denny and I have developed some skin infections that do not seem to heal. They start out as a small red-rimmed blister and then grow to a sore that looks a bit like a boil. I have two small ones on one leg but Mark and Kurt have several on their arms and legs. The swelling can include the whole area as the infection progresses. We have tried the normal antibiotics but the only thing that seems to help is soaking the wound in hot water with epsom salts. Even then, the sore does not heal but only is arrested from further growth. A doctor visit seems likely in the future
Departure - Andy and Terry seemed well enough to travel so we prepared to leave in the evening so we would arrive in Nuka Hiva in the morning the next day. We have always planned to arrive at a new anchorage in the daylight.
As the sun was setting, we saw the cruise/cargo ship Aranui approach. This ship makes a circuit once a month from Papeete to several islands in the Marquises bringing passengers and supplies such as fuel and foodstuffs. They also load locally grown products for the markets in Tahiti and elsewhere.
To our surprise, the Aranui dropped anchor in this small uninhabited bay. We later found out that this brief stop was to allow the ship to arrive at its next anchorage in the daytime rather than coming in at night. Many of these harbors are narrow, unlighted and unmarked so a night time approach is too risky.
By 8 PM we were underway to Nuka Hiva with Kurt on board Dirigo and No Regrets in the lead.
Noni and Pampelmous - Isles Marquises has several crops that are exported. The most common is copra which is coconut meat that is sold to processing plants that extract the oil. The two most unusual products are noni and pampelmous.
Noni is a spiny oval green fruit that is shipped to Salt Lake City, Utah where it is processed into a health food supplement. The Marquisians say it is good for the skin.
Pampelmous is apparently a type of grapefruit. It is larger than the grapefruit found in the U.S. and green in color. The fruit is very juicy and the taste is sweeter than grapefruit with just enough tang to be refreshing and delicious. The fruits are used as barter between the Marquisians and tourists. We traded several tee shirts for a wheel barrow full that we shared between several boats.
Dreamkeeper - A new boat, Dream Weaver arrived from the Galapogos bound for New Zealand with Rick & his wife Judith aboard. He is British and she if from New Zealand but they have lived the past dozen years in Southern California. They lived aboard their boat in Marina Del Rey for the past 2 ½ years and then sailed south. They loved Ecuador but thought the Galapagos was a tourist trap disguised as an ecological preserve.
Rick had been in the travel business specializing in Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific. Judith was very knowledgeable about treking in New Zealand so I got out the Lonely Planet guide and she marked the best hikes. This should be very helpful when I get to our destination.
Tiki Revenge re-defined - Kurt, Mark, Denny and I have developed some skin infections that do not seem to heal. They start out as a small red-rimmed blister and then grow to a sore that looks a bit like a boil. I have two small ones on one leg but Mark and Kurt have several on their arms and legs. The swelling can include the whole area as the infection progresses. We have tried the normal antibiotics but the only thing that seems to help is soaking the wound in hot water with epsom salts. Even then, the sore does not heal but only is arrested from further growth. A doctor visit seems likely in the future
Departure - Andy and Terry seemed well enough to travel so we prepared to leave in the evening so we would arrive in Nuka Hiva in the morning the next day. We have always planned to arrive at a new anchorage in the daylight.
As the sun was setting, we saw the cruise/cargo ship Aranui approach. This ship makes a circuit once a month from Papeete to several islands in the Marquises bringing passengers and supplies such as fuel and foodstuffs. They also load locally grown products for the markets in Tahiti and elsewhere.
To our surprise, the Aranui dropped anchor in this small uninhabited bay. We later found out that this brief stop was to allow the ship to arrive at its next anchorage in the daytime rather than coming in at night. Many of these harbors are narrow, unlighted and unmarked so a night time approach is too risky.
By 8 PM we were underway to Nuka Hiva with Kurt on board Dirigo and No Regrets in the lead.
Noni and Pampelmous - Isles Marquises has several crops that are exported. The most common is copra which is coconut meat that is sold to processing plants that extract the oil. The two most unusual products are noni and pampelmous.
Noni is a spiny oval green fruit that is shipped to Salt Lake City, Utah where it is processed into a health food supplement. The Marquisians say it is good for the skin.
Pampelmous is apparently a type of grapefruit. It is larger than the grapefruit found in the U.S. and green in color. The fruit is very juicy and the taste is sweeter than grapefruit with just enough tang to be refreshing and delicious. The fruits are used as barter between the Marquisians and tourists. We traded several tee shirts for a wheel barrow full that we shared between several boats.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Day 37 Swimming
Relaxing Polynesian Style
The bay was very inviting so we swam to Dirigo and Mark & Denny proceeded to swim to shore, a distance of about a quarter of a mile. I started but decided that I was a bit out of shape so I returned. Later Denny reported that it was a long swim for him as well. I’ve got to get back into shape. The water is almost too warm for swimming hard but it is refreshing as long as you rinse off the salt when you come out.
Denny arranged with Mark to borrow Kurt for the passage to Nuka Hiva as he had only Terry to help him.
We did a few minor boat chores and planned to leave that evening. By the late afternoon, both Terry & Andy took sick so we deferred our plan for one day.
The bay was very inviting so we swam to Dirigo and Mark & Denny proceeded to swim to shore, a distance of about a quarter of a mile. I started but decided that I was a bit out of shape so I returned. Later Denny reported that it was a long swim for him as well. I’ve got to get back into shape. The water is almost too warm for swimming hard but it is refreshing as long as you rinse off the salt when you come out.
Denny arranged with Mark to borrow Kurt for the passage to Nuka Hiva as he had only Terry to help him.
We did a few minor boat chores and planned to leave that evening. By the late afternoon, both Terry & Andy took sick so we deferred our plan for one day.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Day 36 Tahuata
Hana moe noa harbor
At 0630 we weighed anchor, said goodbye to beautiful Fatu Hiva and set sail to Hanamoenoa Bay on the West side of Tahuata Island. This small island is 2.5 miles south of Hiva Oa and makes a nice stop on the passage from Fatu Hiva to Nuka Hiva. Hanamoenoa Bay is uninhabited and has a smooth white sand beach.
MOB drill - No Regrets followed us for a while and called to say that Dave wanted to come aboard Southern Star. We set our boat in a position called “heaving to” where the mainsail is slack and the jib and rudder act in opposition to each other. The effect is that the boat slowly slides sideways in the water. This allowed No Regrets to catch up and as they sailed past us on the lee side, Dave jumped overboard. Mark had rigged a small block and tackle off the boom. Dave swam to our boat, grabbed the loop at the end of the rig and Andy was able to easily hoist him aboard. This whole exercise took less than two minutes and was a good demonstration of how a “man overboard” might be retrieved if necessary.
Fish - Once under sail again, we noticed a large flock of birds feeding so we headed for the spot. Sure enough, the fishing pole registered a strong strike. Before we could set the hook, the fish was gone but almost immediately, we had another strike on the drag line and pulled in an 18# yellowtail tuna. Kurt went into sushi chef mode and we sat down to a nice lunch.
Hanamoenoa Bay - Arriving just after lunch, we anchored near No Regrets and near Golden Lion who was already there. Dirigo and Far Niente arrived a bit later.
The water and white sand beach were inviting so we snorkeled to shore where we found a lot of coconuts. Andy husked a few so we could have fresh coconut milk.
The surf was also right for body surfing and everyone was having a great time until a wave swept over Dave and took his glasses. We spent some time trying to find them and finally realized with all the waves and stirred up bottom it was futile.
We all had a great dinner that night on the tuna and the remains of a wahoo we had bought in Fatu Hiva (even though Dave could not see what he was eating).
At 0630 we weighed anchor, said goodbye to beautiful Fatu Hiva and set sail to Hanamoenoa Bay on the West side of Tahuata Island. This small island is 2.5 miles south of Hiva Oa and makes a nice stop on the passage from Fatu Hiva to Nuka Hiva. Hanamoenoa Bay is uninhabited and has a smooth white sand beach.
MOB drill - No Regrets followed us for a while and called to say that Dave wanted to come aboard Southern Star. We set our boat in a position called “heaving to” where the mainsail is slack and the jib and rudder act in opposition to each other. The effect is that the boat slowly slides sideways in the water. This allowed No Regrets to catch up and as they sailed past us on the lee side, Dave jumped overboard. Mark had rigged a small block and tackle off the boom. Dave swam to our boat, grabbed the loop at the end of the rig and Andy was able to easily hoist him aboard. This whole exercise took less than two minutes and was a good demonstration of how a “man overboard” might be retrieved if necessary.
Fish - Once under sail again, we noticed a large flock of birds feeding so we headed for the spot. Sure enough, the fishing pole registered a strong strike. Before we could set the hook, the fish was gone but almost immediately, we had another strike on the drag line and pulled in an 18# yellowtail tuna. Kurt went into sushi chef mode and we sat down to a nice lunch.
Hanamoenoa Bay - Arriving just after lunch, we anchored near No Regrets and near Golden Lion who was already there. Dirigo and Far Niente arrived a bit later.
The water and white sand beach were inviting so we snorkeled to shore where we found a lot of coconuts. Andy husked a few so we could have fresh coconut milk.
The surf was also right for body surfing and everyone was having a great time until a wave swept over Dave and took his glasses. We spent some time trying to find them and finally realized with all the waves and stirred up bottom it was futile.
We all had a great dinner that night on the tuna and the remains of a wahoo we had bought in Fatu Hiva (even though Dave could not see what he was eating).
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Day 35 Dinner native style
Serge and Cathy
After breakfast, we donned snorkel gear and explored the shoreline. The appearance above the water line that the island drops off precipitously into the sea is borne out in the under water view. There are amazing columnar lava flows in the rocks.
We saw many small fish of which the neon blue and tangerine varieties were the most colorful.
After our refreshing dip, I went ashore with Dirigo and Far Niente to see a demonstration of Tapa making. There is certainly many hours of work in each one.
Yesterday, the Tapa maker had asked if we wanted to have a native dinner so we had arranged for a dinner prepared by Cathy and her sister Rose. These are obviously not their real Marquisian names but the ones they use with tourists.
At 1730 the 11 puddle jumpers from the four boats arrived at Serge and Cathy’s house to find a sumptuous spread of rice, chicken, poisson cru (raw tuna marinated in lime and coconut milk), breadfruit, banana cooked in coconut milk and a salad of shredded green papaya. This latter dish looked a bit like cole slaw but was delicious with a surprising honey mustard dressing.
The house of Serge and Cathy was simple but clean and pleasant. Our table was set on a concrete “patio” in front of the house. Also present were their three sons, a daughter and a 2 ½ year-old granddaughter.
The family was reserved at first but after dinner, when the topic turned to music (Patrick said he played several instruments including the guitar) Serge brought out an 8 string Marquisian ukulele and proceeded to show off some rather amazing skill. His son played the drums and his daughter sang and danced. Patrick took a turn on the ukulele and the evening turned into mutual entertainment. We all agreed it was a unique and wonderful experience.
After breakfast, we donned snorkel gear and explored the shoreline. The appearance above the water line that the island drops off precipitously into the sea is borne out in the under water view. There are amazing columnar lava flows in the rocks.
We saw many small fish of which the neon blue and tangerine varieties were the most colorful.
After our refreshing dip, I went ashore with Dirigo and Far Niente to see a demonstration of Tapa making. There is certainly many hours of work in each one.
Yesterday, the Tapa maker had asked if we wanted to have a native dinner so we had arranged for a dinner prepared by Cathy and her sister Rose. These are obviously not their real Marquisian names but the ones they use with tourists.
At 1730 the 11 puddle jumpers from the four boats arrived at Serge and Cathy’s house to find a sumptuous spread of rice, chicken, poisson cru (raw tuna marinated in lime and coconut milk), breadfruit, banana cooked in coconut milk and a salad of shredded green papaya. This latter dish looked a bit like cole slaw but was delicious with a surprising honey mustard dressing.
The house of Serge and Cathy was simple but clean and pleasant. Our table was set on a concrete “patio” in front of the house. Also present were their three sons, a daughter and a 2 ½ year-old granddaughter.
The family was reserved at first but after dinner, when the topic turned to music (Patrick said he played several instruments including the guitar) Serge brought out an 8 string Marquisian ukulele and proceeded to show off some rather amazing skill. His son played the drums and his daughter sang and danced. Patrick took a turn on the ukulele and the evening turned into mutual entertainment. We all agreed it was a unique and wonderful experience.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Day 34 Finally a waterfall
More Fresh Water
After our disappointment at not finding the waterfall on Hiva Oa, we were determined to find Hanavave’s “Cascade”. At 0800 the crews of Dirigo (Denny and Terry), Far Niente (Eric and Giselle), No Regrets and Southern Star headed up the only road in Hanavave in search of the waterfall listed in the guide book.
Before setting off, we stopped into the school to drop off some gifts. The teacher spoke quite good English (in addition to French, Spanish, Marquisian and Tahitian).
The classrooms were covered with learning materials consistent with the age of the children. To say this was a rich environment would be an understatement. The teacher stressed that there was an emphasis on providing as broad an exposure as possible since the island was limited in this respect. She also mentioned the stress on the culture of respect for people and property (thus the cleanliness of the tiny village).
Mark gave them some balloons, a book and a puzzle which was graciously accepted. Each child filed by to shake hands, say hello and thank you and to say their French names. They also have Marquisian names but use the French with visitors.
We left the school impressed with the emphasis put on learning at this tiny island community. The teacher said that students go on to Hiva Oa for high school and then to Papeete for higher education. Unfortunately, few return to the island as there is no opportunity for employment.
After the school, we headed for the waterfall.
After two sweaty hours of following a path of diminishing size through the heavy vegetation, we came to a opening where a man and woman were clearing away the brush. Giselle had the best French skills so she was able to determine that we were not going the right way but with a little bushwhacking we could make it back to the right path. The woman led us on an almost unrecognizable path over very rough terrain until we finally emerged onto a trail that was only slightly wider. She then gave us specific directions to the cascade.
Terry tried to tip her but, as it says in the guidebook, giving money is not done in the Marquises. Finally Denny dug into his backpack and found a tee shirt which she gracefully accepted in trade for her help. I had the sense that even this was not necessary but the gesture was well received.
The rest of the trail was even more rugged than before, climbing over fallen trees and clambering over slippery rocks but there were stone markers to follow so we knew we were going in the right direction.
When we finally reached the cascade we found a vertical rock with a trickle of water and a very refreshingly cool pool. The swim was very welcomed at that point.
The day ended early as everyone was tired from the hike.
I returned to shore for one last fresh water shower at the end of the day and thought a bit about the nature of this adventure. No luxury hotel. No hot water. No plush towels. Only a shampoo and suds under a cold water tap on a rugged shore under the stars. Pretty cool!
After our disappointment at not finding the waterfall on Hiva Oa, we were determined to find Hanavave’s “Cascade”. At 0800 the crews of Dirigo (Denny and Terry), Far Niente (Eric and Giselle), No Regrets and Southern Star headed up the only road in Hanavave in search of the waterfall listed in the guide book.
Before setting off, we stopped into the school to drop off some gifts. The teacher spoke quite good English (in addition to French, Spanish, Marquisian and Tahitian).
The classrooms were covered with learning materials consistent with the age of the children. To say this was a rich environment would be an understatement. The teacher stressed that there was an emphasis on providing as broad an exposure as possible since the island was limited in this respect. She also mentioned the stress on the culture of respect for people and property (thus the cleanliness of the tiny village).
Mark gave them some balloons, a book and a puzzle which was graciously accepted. Each child filed by to shake hands, say hello and thank you and to say their French names. They also have Marquisian names but use the French with visitors.
We left the school impressed with the emphasis put on learning at this tiny island community. The teacher said that students go on to Hiva Oa for high school and then to Papeete for higher education. Unfortunately, few return to the island as there is no opportunity for employment.
After the school, we headed for the waterfall.
After two sweaty hours of following a path of diminishing size through the heavy vegetation, we came to a opening where a man and woman were clearing away the brush. Giselle had the best French skills so she was able to determine that we were not going the right way but with a little bushwhacking we could make it back to the right path. The woman led us on an almost unrecognizable path over very rough terrain until we finally emerged onto a trail that was only slightly wider. She then gave us specific directions to the cascade.
Terry tried to tip her but, as it says in the guidebook, giving money is not done in the Marquises. Finally Denny dug into his backpack and found a tee shirt which she gracefully accepted in trade for her help. I had the sense that even this was not necessary but the gesture was well received.
The rest of the trail was even more rugged than before, climbing over fallen trees and clambering over slippery rocks but there were stone markers to follow so we knew we were going in the right direction.
When we finally reached the cascade we found a vertical rock with a trickle of water and a very refreshingly cool pool. The swim was very welcomed at that point.
The day ended early as everyone was tired from the hike.
I returned to shore for one last fresh water shower at the end of the day and thought a bit about the nature of this adventure. No luxury hotel. No hot water. No plush towels. Only a shampoo and suds under a cold water tap on a rugged shore under the stars. Pretty cool!
Monday, April 9, 2007
Day 33 Fatu Hiva
A day of sailing
The Tiki Gods of Hiva Oa finally decided we were safe and sound so they released us for the next leg of our journey. I am well, the rudder post is tight and the cooling water leak is repaired. We have donated our dinghy anchor to the bottom of the bay but otherwise we are complete and shipshape.
At 0630 we pulled up the hook and motored out of the harbor on a Southern heading for Baie de Hanavave on Fatu Hiva. Most of the islands in the Marquises have the word Hiva in their name. The explanation of this is a bit hard to understand with the differences in language but from what we can tell, each island represents a part of a house - the house of the Marquises. Fatu Hiva is the roof.
Hanavave Bay is one of the most photographed anchorages in Polynesia due to the spectacular pillars of stone that remain from the original crater. According to the guide book, “the bay was originally named Bay des Verges by early explorers because of the shape of the rocky pillars. Supposedly the missionaries disapproved and inserted an “i” making it Bay des Vierges which translates to Bay of Virgins.”
Fatu Hiva is also one the remaining places where Tapa is made. Tapa are stylized ink drawings on bark paper. The inner layer of bark of the mulberry, breadfruit or banyon tree is moistened and pounded with a special wooden mallet until it is very thin and about 5 times larger than its original dimension. This paper thin material is then bleached with tapioca and dried. Horse hair brushes are used to created traditional designs of tikis, fish, birds, mountains or heavily tattooed people. They are very beautiful and sell now for about $50 to $150 in Fatu Hiva and more when they are exported to Tahiti.
Tattooing is also very popular in the Marquises with each island having its special designs. All the men and some of the women wear intricate decorations representing some part of their identity or a favorite animal, fish or bird.
Another mark of the Marquises are the racing outrigger canoes. Most are one person craft that look like sleek kayaks with an outrigger. They are beautifully painted and the men who race them look like body builders with huge arms, shoulders and backs - and of course tattoos depicting boats.
We covered the 35 miles in a little over 6 hours. Speedy No Regrets beat us to the anchorage and we were later joined by Dirigo and Far Niente. There was a small Dutch boat already there and the 5 of us crowded into the tiny harbor.
Fatu Hiva is a small island (7 miles by 3 miles) that rises abruptly out of the sea to a height of over 3000 feet. Most of the shoreline is nearly vertical offering no chance for a boat to land. Hanavave Bay is hard to pick out from the sea but once you get close, the tiny (half-mile wide) opening looks like the home of King Kong.
Fatu Hive has about 350 residents and most of them live at the other harbor a few miles south. There are about 20 houses in Hanavave plus a church, a primary school, a post office and a store. These last two are 10’ X 15’ buildings. There is also a wonderful fresh water tap at the harbor. The word harbor is maybe a bit of an overstatement. There is a breakwater and a concrete wall onto which one can tie a dinghy. Next to is it a small boat ramp and that’s it.
The entire village is VERY clean. Everyone’s property is well maintained and there is no trash at all. House construction is minimal but in keeping with the climatic needs.
We spent the late afternoon and early evening setting anchors and cleaning the bottom of Southern Star.
The Tiki Gods of Hiva Oa finally decided we were safe and sound so they released us for the next leg of our journey. I am well, the rudder post is tight and the cooling water leak is repaired. We have donated our dinghy anchor to the bottom of the bay but otherwise we are complete and shipshape.
At 0630 we pulled up the hook and motored out of the harbor on a Southern heading for Baie de Hanavave on Fatu Hiva. Most of the islands in the Marquises have the word Hiva in their name. The explanation of this is a bit hard to understand with the differences in language but from what we can tell, each island represents a part of a house - the house of the Marquises. Fatu Hiva is the roof.
Hanavave Bay is one of the most photographed anchorages in Polynesia due to the spectacular pillars of stone that remain from the original crater. According to the guide book, “the bay was originally named Bay des Verges by early explorers because of the shape of the rocky pillars. Supposedly the missionaries disapproved and inserted an “i” making it Bay des Vierges which translates to Bay of Virgins.”
Fatu Hiva is also one the remaining places where Tapa is made. Tapa are stylized ink drawings on bark paper. The inner layer of bark of the mulberry, breadfruit or banyon tree is moistened and pounded with a special wooden mallet until it is very thin and about 5 times larger than its original dimension. This paper thin material is then bleached with tapioca and dried. Horse hair brushes are used to created traditional designs of tikis, fish, birds, mountains or heavily tattooed people. They are very beautiful and sell now for about $50 to $150 in Fatu Hiva and more when they are exported to Tahiti.
Tattooing is also very popular in the Marquises with each island having its special designs. All the men and some of the women wear intricate decorations representing some part of their identity or a favorite animal, fish or bird.
Another mark of the Marquises are the racing outrigger canoes. Most are one person craft that look like sleek kayaks with an outrigger. They are beautifully painted and the men who race them look like body builders with huge arms, shoulders and backs - and of course tattoos depicting boats.
We covered the 35 miles in a little over 6 hours. Speedy No Regrets beat us to the anchorage and we were later joined by Dirigo and Far Niente. There was a small Dutch boat already there and the 5 of us crowded into the tiny harbor.
Fatu Hiva is a small island (7 miles by 3 miles) that rises abruptly out of the sea to a height of over 3000 feet. Most of the shoreline is nearly vertical offering no chance for a boat to land. Hanavave Bay is hard to pick out from the sea but once you get close, the tiny (half-mile wide) opening looks like the home of King Kong.
Fatu Hive has about 350 residents and most of them live at the other harbor a few miles south. There are about 20 houses in Hanavave plus a church, a primary school, a post office and a store. These last two are 10’ X 15’ buildings. There is also a wonderful fresh water tap at the harbor. The word harbor is maybe a bit of an overstatement. There is a breakwater and a concrete wall onto which one can tie a dinghy. Next to is it a small boat ramp and that’s it.
The entire village is VERY clean. Everyone’s property is well maintained and there is no trash at all. House construction is minimal but in keeping with the climatic needs.
We spent the late afternoon and early evening setting anchors and cleaning the bottom of Southern Star.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Day 32 Happy Easter
If it’s not one thing it’s another
The little hose - Mark always gets up at least once during the night to do a walk around inspection. After seeing everything in “normal” condition so many times, it is easier to spot anything that is not normal. Somewhere on the trip from PV he noticed that the engine was loosing a small amount of coolant.
He also noticed a small amount of coolant in the well under the engine and by cleaning off the engine, he determined that the small hose that feeds the “transmission oil heat exchanger” was leaking slightly.
This is a little like noticing that the water in your car radiator is down a bit every now and then. You probably would also notice there was a rusty stain on your driveway under where you park at night but unless there is a big puddle, you would just add a little water every now and then and leave it at that.
At 3:30 AM Mark jiggled “the little hose” (credits to Oksana) as he had done for the last 20 some days just to see if everything was tight. This time it wasn’t. The whole thing broke off in his hand. The rest of us were quickly rousted and spent the next two hours draining the system and finally removing the broken part. We got back to bed again at about 5:30.
So much for leaving for Fatu Hiva.
Mark was off to No Regrets at 7:30 to see if they had some parts we might use and by 9 he was back with the part repaired and with breakfast (plus Dave, Pat and Carly).
Had this part failed at sea, we would have had no engine, no electric power to charge the batteries and no way to make fresh water (unless it rained). This also would have made anchoring in a strange harbor with unknown currents, tides and winds a very risky proposition.
Hiva Oa must not want us to leave.
More cleaning - The trip to Fatu Hiva takes 5 to 7 hours and we do not want to enter an unknown harbor at night so leaving today was not possible. This meant we could do laundry. Oh joy.
It is amazing how quickly laundry builds up in the tropics. The heat and humidity not only causes sweating but everything (like the dish towels) gets musty quickly. The ocean looks and feels refreshing but that does not last long if there is no fresh water to wash off the salt. Salty skin and clothing is sticky and never gets completely dry.
With four people washing and rinsing, we set up a production line and knocked off $50 worth of laundry in less than an hour. We quickly drew up a business plan to see if this would support us if we stayed on Hiva Oa forever but unfortunately the financials did not hang together so we decided the best we could do was enjoy the clean clothes and get ready to leave tomorrow.
The little hose - Mark always gets up at least once during the night to do a walk around inspection. After seeing everything in “normal” condition so many times, it is easier to spot anything that is not normal. Somewhere on the trip from PV he noticed that the engine was loosing a small amount of coolant.
He also noticed a small amount of coolant in the well under the engine and by cleaning off the engine, he determined that the small hose that feeds the “transmission oil heat exchanger” was leaking slightly.
This is a little like noticing that the water in your car radiator is down a bit every now and then. You probably would also notice there was a rusty stain on your driveway under where you park at night but unless there is a big puddle, you would just add a little water every now and then and leave it at that.
At 3:30 AM Mark jiggled “the little hose” (credits to Oksana) as he had done for the last 20 some days just to see if everything was tight. This time it wasn’t. The whole thing broke off in his hand. The rest of us were quickly rousted and spent the next two hours draining the system and finally removing the broken part. We got back to bed again at about 5:30.
So much for leaving for Fatu Hiva.
Mark was off to No Regrets at 7:30 to see if they had some parts we might use and by 9 he was back with the part repaired and with breakfast (plus Dave, Pat and Carly).
Had this part failed at sea, we would have had no engine, no electric power to charge the batteries and no way to make fresh water (unless it rained). This also would have made anchoring in a strange harbor with unknown currents, tides and winds a very risky proposition.
Hiva Oa must not want us to leave.
More cleaning - The trip to Fatu Hiva takes 5 to 7 hours and we do not want to enter an unknown harbor at night so leaving today was not possible. This meant we could do laundry. Oh joy.
It is amazing how quickly laundry builds up in the tropics. The heat and humidity not only causes sweating but everything (like the dish towels) gets musty quickly. The ocean looks and feels refreshing but that does not last long if there is no fresh water to wash off the salt. Salty skin and clothing is sticky and never gets completely dry.
With four people washing and rinsing, we set up a production line and knocked off $50 worth of laundry in less than an hour. We quickly drew up a business plan to see if this would support us if we stayed on Hiva Oa forever but unfortunately the financials did not hang together so we decided the best we could do was enjoy the clean clothes and get ready to leave tomorrow.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Day 31 Turning turtle
Waves hitting the shore
More swells - After No Regrets was safely in their new location, I went back to bed to try to recover. Mark, Kurt and Andy stayed on deck to make sure we were safe from the swells. At about 1:30 a wave broke in front of us. White water came onto our deck and Southern Star lunged upward to ride the wave. Our dinghy was tied to the port (left) side and was thrust upward so violently that it capsized; spilling its contents into the bay.
Andy quickly donned his swim fins and was in the water for the second time that night. He rounded up everything that floats including our Crocks (shoes) and a few miscellanea. Mark and Kurt righted the dinghy but the motor had been submerged and would not run. By now we were all on deck to survey the scene. Our only real loss was the dinghy anchor but it was clear that remaining in that anchorage was too risky. We recovered our stern anchor by backing down to it using the boat’s engine. Then we motored forward and wound in the main anchor.
By the time we were safely anchored next to No Regrets, it was 3:30 in the morning.
Within an hour, we were joined by Dirigo and Surprise. Surprise had suffered damage to their rudder when one of the large swells tossed them first upward and then slammed them into the bottom. Far Niente lost their stern anchor in the melee but was able to stay on their position. Little Golden Lion, the smallest boat in the “fleet” at 39 feet, had no problems but they also put their dinghy to work helping others get settled in the night.
By the time we got back to bed, it was 5:30 and Mark remained on deck until 7:30 to ensure we were safe.
A new day - The serene anchorage we entered 6 days ago had turned into surf city.
No Regrets found their dinghy on the rocks. One of the two pontoons had deflated and had several punctures and the motor was under water.
Kurt saw the surfers and began unpacking his board just as Nick from Piña Colada came on deck with his board. Kurt hitched a ride and spent the next 3 ½ hours getting the kinks out and riding some waves with the locals. I think he and Nick (from New Zealand) out shined the local boys.
Mark took the dinghy to the Mobil station and came back a few hours later rowing. We worked on the motor together for another hour and finally got it running better than it had since PV.
Far Niente spent half the day looking for their stern anchor and almost capsized their dinghy in a breaking wave. Eric reported later on the radio that he thought they were certainly going over. He had pointed the bow into the wave and gunned the engine. Their little inflatable tipped up to a 70º angle and thankfully crested the wave just in time.
We did another boat clean up in preparation for an early departure on Easter Sunday.
On shore there was party to celebrate a fishing competition. There was fantastic live music and the fisherman who had gone out at 4 AM were preparing for the judging. Mark and Andy went ashore to have a look (I had to stay within running distance of the head). They reported that the winner had caught two grouper weighing about 145 pounds each.
During our hurried move last night, we bent the shank on our stern anchor. This is a piece of steel about two inches wide and ¼ inch thick and it was bent at a 30º angle. They took it to shore and asked if anyone had tools to straighten it.. One of the locals - a rather large sized Polynesian lad - jammed it into some pipes and bent it back by hand. Only in Polynesia.
Kurt came back from surfing, tired, sore and satisfied.
Everyone was in bed at 8:30 as we prepared to leave early the next morning for Fatu Hiva.
More swells - After No Regrets was safely in their new location, I went back to bed to try to recover. Mark, Kurt and Andy stayed on deck to make sure we were safe from the swells. At about 1:30 a wave broke in front of us. White water came onto our deck and Southern Star lunged upward to ride the wave. Our dinghy was tied to the port (left) side and was thrust upward so violently that it capsized; spilling its contents into the bay.
Andy quickly donned his swim fins and was in the water for the second time that night. He rounded up everything that floats including our Crocks (shoes) and a few miscellanea. Mark and Kurt righted the dinghy but the motor had been submerged and would not run. By now we were all on deck to survey the scene. Our only real loss was the dinghy anchor but it was clear that remaining in that anchorage was too risky. We recovered our stern anchor by backing down to it using the boat’s engine. Then we motored forward and wound in the main anchor.
By the time we were safely anchored next to No Regrets, it was 3:30 in the morning.
Within an hour, we were joined by Dirigo and Surprise. Surprise had suffered damage to their rudder when one of the large swells tossed them first upward and then slammed them into the bottom. Far Niente lost their stern anchor in the melee but was able to stay on their position. Little Golden Lion, the smallest boat in the “fleet” at 39 feet, had no problems but they also put their dinghy to work helping others get settled in the night.
By the time we got back to bed, it was 5:30 and Mark remained on deck until 7:30 to ensure we were safe.
A new day - The serene anchorage we entered 6 days ago had turned into surf city.
No Regrets found their dinghy on the rocks. One of the two pontoons had deflated and had several punctures and the motor was under water.
Kurt saw the surfers and began unpacking his board just as Nick from Piña Colada came on deck with his board. Kurt hitched a ride and spent the next 3 ½ hours getting the kinks out and riding some waves with the locals. I think he and Nick (from New Zealand) out shined the local boys.
Mark took the dinghy to the Mobil station and came back a few hours later rowing. We worked on the motor together for another hour and finally got it running better than it had since PV.
Far Niente spent half the day looking for their stern anchor and almost capsized their dinghy in a breaking wave. Eric reported later on the radio that he thought they were certainly going over. He had pointed the bow into the wave and gunned the engine. Their little inflatable tipped up to a 70º angle and thankfully crested the wave just in time.
We did another boat clean up in preparation for an early departure on Easter Sunday.
On shore there was party to celebrate a fishing competition. There was fantastic live music and the fisherman who had gone out at 4 AM were preparing for the judging. Mark and Andy went ashore to have a look (I had to stay within running distance of the head). They reported that the winner had caught two grouper weighing about 145 pounds each.
During our hurried move last night, we bent the shank on our stern anchor. This is a piece of steel about two inches wide and ¼ inch thick and it was bent at a 30º angle. They took it to shore and asked if anyone had tools to straighten it.. One of the locals - a rather large sized Polynesian lad - jammed it into some pipes and bent it back by hand. Only in Polynesia.
Kurt came back from surfing, tired, sore and satisfied.
Everyone was in bed at 8:30 as we prepared to leave early the next morning for Fatu Hiva.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Day 30 Troubles and heros
When “Swell” isn’t swell
Decisions - We planned to leave this afternoon for Fatu Hiva so Mark and I went to the hotel on top of the hill to use the Internet one last time. We have been unable to send from the boat for several days so a working connection, even if it is a slow dial-up is quite a luxury.
Before I went to bed last night I began to feel ill. Fever, achy joints and a touch of “Polynesian revenge.” As the morning progressed, I began to feel worse and Mark decided we should wait a day since the medical facilities on this island are better than Fatu Hiva. If I began to feel worse, it would be better to be here.
That decision led to some good and some bad outcomes. The good was that I was able to talk to Tim, Jordan and William on Skype. We had tried to Skype when I was in Mexico but could not get a good connection. Here, the connection was clear and by using “radio” language, we had a great talk.
Over, Over - What is radio language? When two people talk on the ham radio, they cannot both talk at the same time (like you can on a telephone) or they cancel each other out. To avoid that, when each person is finished speaking they say “over” and that signals to the other person that they can talk. With Skype, there can be a significant delay between when you talk and when the other person hears you. This results in the same kind of canceling as the radio so by using “over” you can control the time lag and each person can hear what the other is saying. It takes a little time to get used to but it is very handy and it works. (We did not go so far as to use the radio terms “copy that” and “roger that” but maybe we will the next time)
Swells - The bad outcome was that by nightfall, some significant swells built up in the anchorage. Ocean swells are the result of weather or storms that might be hundreds or thousands of miles away. They are long parallel sets of waves that are quite far apart. As they approach shallower water, the mass of the wave top catches up with the slowing bottom water and the wave breaks. For surfers, this is what you live for, but for an anchored sailboat, this can be trouble. The force of these waves can throw an anchored boat around and cause the anchor to drag pushing the boat closer to shore and to shallower water.
I had gone to bed early as I was not feeling well and Mark, Kurt and Andy were on deck getting ready to turn in when a large wave broke over the bow of No Regrets tearing their dinghy from its place in their stern. It was about 10:30 and cloudy so it was very dark even though the moon was almost full. We radioed No Regrets and got them up just as another wave hit and tossed them violently about. Southern Star was anchored slightly in the lee of the breakwater so we did not get the full force of either wave. By the time everyone was awake enough to react, their dinghy was gone and No Regrets was in trouble so they started their engine with the intent of pulling up their anchors and moving. While the rule says “never put your motor into gear when you have a stern anchor out” it is easy to forget such rules when you are being slammed by one wave after another. Needless to say, in a second, the anchor line wrapped around their prop and stopped their engine. In a a flash, Mark and Andy grabbed snorkel gear, jumped in our dinghy and flew to the rescue. In the dark - with the sailboat heaving in the surf, Andy performed an act of heroism by jumping into the shark inhabited water and unwrapping the tangled rope from their prop. It is easy to speculate that without motor power, the next thing to happen could easily be the bow anchor dragging and their sailboat going ashore.
No Regrets was able to move to a safer location in the area which commercial ships use that is safely behind the breakwater.
Read on about the continuing adventure that happened after midnight.
Decisions - We planned to leave this afternoon for Fatu Hiva so Mark and I went to the hotel on top of the hill to use the Internet one last time. We have been unable to send from the boat for several days so a working connection, even if it is a slow dial-up is quite a luxury.
Before I went to bed last night I began to feel ill. Fever, achy joints and a touch of “Polynesian revenge.” As the morning progressed, I began to feel worse and Mark decided we should wait a day since the medical facilities on this island are better than Fatu Hiva. If I began to feel worse, it would be better to be here.
That decision led to some good and some bad outcomes. The good was that I was able to talk to Tim, Jordan and William on Skype. We had tried to Skype when I was in Mexico but could not get a good connection. Here, the connection was clear and by using “radio” language, we had a great talk.
Over, Over - What is radio language? When two people talk on the ham radio, they cannot both talk at the same time (like you can on a telephone) or they cancel each other out. To avoid that, when each person is finished speaking they say “over” and that signals to the other person that they can talk. With Skype, there can be a significant delay between when you talk and when the other person hears you. This results in the same kind of canceling as the radio so by using “over” you can control the time lag and each person can hear what the other is saying. It takes a little time to get used to but it is very handy and it works. (We did not go so far as to use the radio terms “copy that” and “roger that” but maybe we will the next time)
Swells - The bad outcome was that by nightfall, some significant swells built up in the anchorage. Ocean swells are the result of weather or storms that might be hundreds or thousands of miles away. They are long parallel sets of waves that are quite far apart. As they approach shallower water, the mass of the wave top catches up with the slowing bottom water and the wave breaks. For surfers, this is what you live for, but for an anchored sailboat, this can be trouble. The force of these waves can throw an anchored boat around and cause the anchor to drag pushing the boat closer to shore and to shallower water.
I had gone to bed early as I was not feeling well and Mark, Kurt and Andy were on deck getting ready to turn in when a large wave broke over the bow of No Regrets tearing their dinghy from its place in their stern. It was about 10:30 and cloudy so it was very dark even though the moon was almost full. We radioed No Regrets and got them up just as another wave hit and tossed them violently about. Southern Star was anchored slightly in the lee of the breakwater so we did not get the full force of either wave. By the time everyone was awake enough to react, their dinghy was gone and No Regrets was in trouble so they started their engine with the intent of pulling up their anchors and moving. While the rule says “never put your motor into gear when you have a stern anchor out” it is easy to forget such rules when you are being slammed by one wave after another. Needless to say, in a second, the anchor line wrapped around their prop and stopped their engine. In a a flash, Mark and Andy grabbed snorkel gear, jumped in our dinghy and flew to the rescue. In the dark - with the sailboat heaving in the surf, Andy performed an act of heroism by jumping into the shark inhabited water and unwrapping the tangled rope from their prop. It is easy to speculate that without motor power, the next thing to happen could easily be the bow anchor dragging and their sailboat going ashore.
No Regrets was able to move to a safer location in the area which commercial ships use that is safely behind the breakwater.
Read on about the continuing adventure that happened after midnight.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Day 29 The hike
Tikis and Petroglyphs
Hidden waterfall - We wanted to stretch our legs, get some exercise and see some of the sights and we had heard there was a waterfall up the valley. “Just walk up the road to the airport and when you see a big sign on the left, walk two hours up the trail by the stream”.
The guidebook said that hiking trails were hard to follow but we decided with such clear directions, how could we miss it.
The big sign said “Petroglyph site” so we followed the trail. After 2 hours, we came to an ancient site of stone walls and a large stone-paved area that was marked with a description in French and English. At one time this was a village and some of the rocks were decorated with petroglyph images.
At this point the trail ended and we never found the waterfall. The guide book was right. We were looking forward to a swim and shower in the waterfall but had to settle for the shower at the marina.
Land Legs - One strange thing is that even after 5 days of being on land, at least part of the day, the solid ground still rocks back and forth whenever I close my eyes. It is “trippy” and a little annoying.
Local cuisine - We had dinner at a local restaurant that is in the front room of a house. Dinner was cooked by the wife, served by the daughter and entertainment was provided by the kids - aged 7 and 9. The little boy was very precocious and everyone enjoyed his energy.
Dinner was goat, fish (wahoo), banana, rice and breadfruit. Breadfruitd is quite unique. Carly from No Regrets described it as being identical to Play Dough. While I have never eaten Play Dough myself, I suspect her description was probably quite accurate.
At the end of the dinner, the husband took us back to the marina in his truck. Like I said, a family restaurant.
Hidden waterfall - We wanted to stretch our legs, get some exercise and see some of the sights and we had heard there was a waterfall up the valley. “Just walk up the road to the airport and when you see a big sign on the left, walk two hours up the trail by the stream”.
The guidebook said that hiking trails were hard to follow but we decided with such clear directions, how could we miss it.
The big sign said “Petroglyph site” so we followed the trail. After 2 hours, we came to an ancient site of stone walls and a large stone-paved area that was marked with a description in French and English. At one time this was a village and some of the rocks were decorated with petroglyph images.
At this point the trail ended and we never found the waterfall. The guide book was right. We were looking forward to a swim and shower in the waterfall but had to settle for the shower at the marina.
Land Legs - One strange thing is that even after 5 days of being on land, at least part of the day, the solid ground still rocks back and forth whenever I close my eyes. It is “trippy” and a little annoying.
Local cuisine - We had dinner at a local restaurant that is in the front room of a house. Dinner was cooked by the wife, served by the daughter and entertainment was provided by the kids - aged 7 and 9. The little boy was very precocious and everyone enjoyed his energy.
Dinner was goat, fish (wahoo), banana, rice and breadfruit. Breadfruitd is quite unique. Carly from No Regrets described it as being identical to Play Dough. While I have never eaten Play Dough myself, I suspect her description was probably quite accurate.
At the end of the dinner, the husband took us back to the marina in his truck. Like I said, a family restaurant.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Day 28 More chores
Atuona
We spent time again doing chores around the boat and exploring the town.
The High School - The high school is at the waterfront on the bay. There is a beautiful black sand beach and a row of shade trees and then the soccer field shown above with the 3500 ft mountain towering over it. This could make the cover of the recruiting brochure.
Behind the bleachers shown in the picture, there was a large building in which dozens of kids were engaged in a ping pong tournament. We watched for a while without feeling like intruders.
Cruise ship - There was a cruise ship in the harbor called the Paul Gaugin. In comes every two months with 300 people from Tahiti. From the people we saw in town, they appear to all be French tourists. A motor launch brings them to shore in groups of about 20 and they are met with flower leis, a group of local musicians and a bus to take them the 2 miles to Atuona.
The Pearl - Yesterday, I got a ride back to the marina with the manager of a restaurant that is above us on the hillside. She said they had an Internet connection we could use if we bought a drink. We did better than that. We bought both drinks and dinner. The Pearl Resort and Spa has 30 cottages that rent for $230 per night. They have a magnificent view of the harbor and the place is quite elegant. The Internet was reasonable and the food good, but a bit expensive.
I had forgotten the European plug for my computer so I asked at the reception for a plug and gave the girl the AC adaptor for my Macintosh. To my amazement, the manager came out with a Mac plug rather than a generic adaptor. He said he was the 10th person in France to own an Apple computer and he had upgraded every time Apple introduced a new model. Who would believe a “Mac head” on an Island 3000 miles from home.
We spent time again doing chores around the boat and exploring the town.
The High School - The high school is at the waterfront on the bay. There is a beautiful black sand beach and a row of shade trees and then the soccer field shown above with the 3500 ft mountain towering over it. This could make the cover of the recruiting brochure.
Behind the bleachers shown in the picture, there was a large building in which dozens of kids were engaged in a ping pong tournament. We watched for a while without feeling like intruders.
Cruise ship - There was a cruise ship in the harbor called the Paul Gaugin. In comes every two months with 300 people from Tahiti. From the people we saw in town, they appear to all be French tourists. A motor launch brings them to shore in groups of about 20 and they are met with flower leis, a group of local musicians and a bus to take them the 2 miles to Atuona.
The Pearl - Yesterday, I got a ride back to the marina with the manager of a restaurant that is above us on the hillside. She said they had an Internet connection we could use if we bought a drink. We did better than that. We bought both drinks and dinner. The Pearl Resort and Spa has 30 cottages that rent for $230 per night. They have a magnificent view of the harbor and the place is quite elegant. The Internet was reasonable and the food good, but a bit expensive.
I had forgotten the European plug for my computer so I asked at the reception for a plug and gave the girl the AC adaptor for my Macintosh. To my amazement, the manager came out with a Mac plug rather than a generic adaptor. He said he was the 10th person in France to own an Apple computer and he had upgraded every time Apple introduced a new model. Who would believe a “Mac head” on an Island 3000 miles from home.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Day 27 Isles Marquises
Our Plan
We reconnoitered the town of Atuona but it is very small and everything closes from 11:30 to 1:30 each day so in one day, you pretty much have it.
The setting, however, is truly spectacular. Behind the town a mountain rises up to 2500 feet and is always topped with a cloud. The hillsides are lush and defy the initial impression we got as we sailed by the island. Hibiscus is everywhere as is coconut, mango, lime, breadfruit, and hundreds of other plants and flowers we could not name.
Everyone smiles. There is no prettier smile than the round brown face of the Polynesians with their big brown eyes. We have never walked all the way from the marina to town. A car or pick-truck will stop and offer a ride. Many speak no English (and my French is meager at best) and tipping is considered a minor insult.
Asking for help or directions elicits a immediate positive response and extra people show up to add their input. Of course unless you can find someone who speaks a little English it becomes a bit of an play but that’s always fun anyway.
Is it paradise? I can’t say exactly, but it must be close.
We reconnoitered the town of Atuona but it is very small and everything closes from 11:30 to 1:30 each day so in one day, you pretty much have it.
The setting, however, is truly spectacular. Behind the town a mountain rises up to 2500 feet and is always topped with a cloud. The hillsides are lush and defy the initial impression we got as we sailed by the island. Hibiscus is everywhere as is coconut, mango, lime, breadfruit, and hundreds of other plants and flowers we could not name.
Everyone smiles. There is no prettier smile than the round brown face of the Polynesians with their big brown eyes. We have never walked all the way from the marina to town. A car or pick-truck will stop and offer a ride. Many speak no English (and my French is meager at best) and tipping is considered a minor insult.
Asking for help or directions elicits a immediate positive response and extra people show up to add their input. Of course unless you can find someone who speaks a little English it becomes a bit of an play but that’s always fun anyway.
Is it paradise? I can’t say exactly, but it must be close.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Day 26 First day on land
Atuona, Hiva Oa, French Polynesia
We set to work with some essential chores:
Showers - On shore there was an overhead pipe that brought from the stream and delivered a robust shower of fresh water. I don’t think I have ever had a more satisfying shower in all my years.
Laundry - Following the instructions posted on the little shack on the shore, we called Marie Jo and she came in her truck and picked up 8 bags of laundry. At $4 per kilogram, this totaled over $25 when she brought it back clean and folded the next day. Oh, the glory of clean clothes after a shower.
Cleaning - Southern Star needed a thorough cleaning inside an out with fresh water. Over the next 3 days, we scrubbed the floors and counter tops, cleaned out the fridge and the food locker, picked marine growth off any parts of the boat above the water line. Mark decided to go in the water and inspect the bottom but leapt back in the dinghy when he got bumped twice by curious sharks. The travel brochure was right.
Provisioning - Supplies were very expensive (except the baguettes) but we needed a few essentials and we HAD to have an ice cream. Ummm! We will wait until we get to the larger island to provision until Tahiti.
Maintenance - Oh yes, did I mention that thing break on boats? In some ways we got off light. No Regrets destroyed their “whisker pole” (used to hold the jib) and Dirigo displace the bottom of their mast.
We tried (unsuccessfully) to get the generator working and spent 3 days trying to tighten the rudder post seal (the source of a leak the put about 12 gallons of water into Southern Star every day we were under way. After 3 days of taking turns in the hot, cramped aft locker, Dave from No Regrets volunteered to try it. In 5 minutes he had the job done. As he said, a new set of eyes sometimes tackles the problem differently. That was well said.
We set to work with some essential chores:
Showers - On shore there was an overhead pipe that brought from the stream and delivered a robust shower of fresh water. I don’t think I have ever had a more satisfying shower in all my years.
Laundry - Following the instructions posted on the little shack on the shore, we called Marie Jo and she came in her truck and picked up 8 bags of laundry. At $4 per kilogram, this totaled over $25 when she brought it back clean and folded the next day. Oh, the glory of clean clothes after a shower.
Cleaning - Southern Star needed a thorough cleaning inside an out with fresh water. Over the next 3 days, we scrubbed the floors and counter tops, cleaned out the fridge and the food locker, picked marine growth off any parts of the boat above the water line. Mark decided to go in the water and inspect the bottom but leapt back in the dinghy when he got bumped twice by curious sharks. The travel brochure was right.
Provisioning - Supplies were very expensive (except the baguettes) but we needed a few essentials and we HAD to have an ice cream. Ummm! We will wait until we get to the larger island to provision until Tahiti.
Maintenance - Oh yes, did I mention that thing break on boats? In some ways we got off light. No Regrets destroyed their “whisker pole” (used to hold the jib) and Dirigo displace the bottom of their mast.
We tried (unsuccessfully) to get the generator working and spent 3 days trying to tighten the rudder post seal (the source of a leak the put about 12 gallons of water into Southern Star every day we were under way. After 3 days of taking turns in the hot, cramped aft locker, Dave from No Regrets volunteered to try it. In 5 minutes he had the job done. As he said, a new set of eyes sometimes tackles the problem differently. That was well said.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Day 25 We arrive in Hiva Oa
Land Ho
This morning we decided to fix the spinnaker pole we broke while we sailed the last 40 miles to Hiva Oa. We were working diligently when suddenly we looked up and there was the island.
French Polynesia contains 4 island groups or archipelagos. They were all formed by volcanic activity related to the seams in the tectonic plates. The Marquises are the youngest group so they have no coral barrier reef. Instead, the islands, which are the remains of ancient volcanos, rise steeply from the sea bottom. As you will see in the photo page, there are few shallow bays and the island is very steep and rugged.
Hiva Oa is one of the two islands that has a French Polynesia administrative office where visitors must check in and secure a visa.
Total population is about 1500 people of which 1000 live in the major town Atuona. The anchorage for small boats is in a bay that is 2 miles by road from Atuona. The bay has a small stream at the end and the beach is black volcanic sand. One general rule in French Polynesia is that white sand beaches are safe but black sand attracts sharks. The guide book recommends no swimming. (more on that later).
We arrive in the harbor in the late afternoon and set a “Mediterranean Anchor”. This technique is used to ensure that the bow of the boat always faces the oncoming waves. The main anchor is set from the bow and the boat is turned seaward then “backed down” to set the anchor in the bottom. Once the dinghy is in the water, a second anchor is carried astern about 5 times further than the bottom is deep. This is dropped and secured. Now the boat can ride the incoming waves without swinging around and without getting closer to shore. When we arrived, there were three other boats but over the next couple of days as more boats crowded into the small harbor, this anchorage was necessary to keep them apart.
No Regrets was already at anchor so we invited them over and toasted our mutual success at making the passage.
This morning we decided to fix the spinnaker pole we broke while we sailed the last 40 miles to Hiva Oa. We were working diligently when suddenly we looked up and there was the island.
French Polynesia contains 4 island groups or archipelagos. They were all formed by volcanic activity related to the seams in the tectonic plates. The Marquises are the youngest group so they have no coral barrier reef. Instead, the islands, which are the remains of ancient volcanos, rise steeply from the sea bottom. As you will see in the photo page, there are few shallow bays and the island is very steep and rugged.
Hiva Oa is one of the two islands that has a French Polynesia administrative office where visitors must check in and secure a visa.
Total population is about 1500 people of which 1000 live in the major town Atuona. The anchorage for small boats is in a bay that is 2 miles by road from Atuona. The bay has a small stream at the end and the beach is black volcanic sand. One general rule in French Polynesia is that white sand beaches are safe but black sand attracts sharks. The guide book recommends no swimming. (more on that later).
We arrive in the harbor in the late afternoon and set a “Mediterranean Anchor”. This technique is used to ensure that the bow of the boat always faces the oncoming waves. The main anchor is set from the bow and the boat is turned seaward then “backed down” to set the anchor in the bottom. Once the dinghy is in the water, a second anchor is carried astern about 5 times further than the bottom is deep. This is dropped and secured. Now the boat can ride the incoming waves without swinging around and without getting closer to shore. When we arrived, there were three other boats but over the next couple of days as more boats crowded into the small harbor, this anchorage was necessary to keep them apart.
No Regrets was already at anchor so we invited them over and toasted our mutual success at making the passage.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
