Hiva Oa

Anastasia
Phil May and Andrea Twigg
Wed 28 Mar 2012 22:34
It is surprising to think that we have now been in the Marquesas for a week.  A lot of the time has been spent in various restaurants and hotels, celebrating our successful crossing of the Pacific, so perhaps it is not so surprising that the time has flown by.  For all but one day we have been anchored in the small port next to the town of Atuona in Hiva Oa. 
 
The town is small, but despite being on a remote tropical island it is surprisingly well supplied, with supermarkets, hardware stores, bank, post office, two ATMs and a Gaugin visitors center.  Most importantly, it has mobile internet and wifi hotspots just like anywhere else in the world.  Our mobile internet dongle should work in all the Marquesas, Tuamotos and Society islands so we will be able to connect for the next six weeks without having to use our more expensive satellite connection. 
The anchorage is in a river mouth so the water is cloudy, but it is an impressive setting with the backdrop of steep wooded mountains.
The school kids were having PE the day we arrived.  The options were canoeing or fishing.  More fun than cricket.
We didn't see them catch anything despite the teacher having a big knife ready to clean anything they caught.
The supply ship comes in twice a month, and when it is in harbour all yachts must anchor behind some yellow markers placed to give the ship room to swing around.  Even when anchored behind the markers it is a close thing as the ship has to swing its bows around through 180 degrees to exit the harbour.