09:48.2S 139:01.9W We're in the Marquesas Isles

Babe!
Paul & Trish Ducker
Wed 10 Apr 2013 03:29

Hi all,

 

After 16 days at sea we’ve finally arrived in Hiva Oa in the Marquises early morning on Friday (5th), wow a massively fast trip! We were originally intending to go to Nuku Hiva but decided to go to one of the southern islands first for a little explore! But before we chat about that lets fill you in on the last few days of sailing….

 

As I say were fast, very fast, overtaking most other boats of comparable size and if you take account that we were actually in the last group of boats to leave the Galapagos  (not quite there were 4 others who left after us) we were probably the fastest overall (with the possible exception of Pandemonium the 72 footer and Lush the 85 footer) – another notch in Babe’s record book.

 

The sail wasn’t without its toll though – had the cruising chute up for 3 days and could hear the block at the top of the mast creaking from day 2, so checked it visually from the deck and thought all was OK, next night on my shift just popped below when there was a ping noise, came up and could see the stars all around - cruising chute was no longer there! guys, Guys, GUYS I yelled with increasing volume fearing would be wrapped under the boat or worst still several miles behind us, which in the dark would have been the end of that. Fortunately it wasn’t and was being dragged along the side of the boat so a big haul out jobby, still fearing it would be in shreds, but wasn’t and with a fair bit of effort we managed to get it back aboard. On inspecting the MPS halyard had completed snapped, hence must have been wearing it’s way through at the top of the mast. Its a new fitting (in Antigua) so suspecting they may have used a smaller block – we’ll get up and check when in Nuku Hiva. Fortunately only lost about 1.5m of halyard, so have re-made the end off, complete with thimble and shackle which is looking good.

 

The better news is that after 14 days of not even getting a bite we managed to catch and land a BIG tuna, not sure exactly what weight but guessing around 30llbs (I think they still weigh fish in pounds, but about 15Kg). Have attached a picky. Was so much meat on it and there’s only so many dishes you can make (e.g. tuna steaks, ceviche, kebab’s, fish cakes, etc) so have already given about half of it away and still have lots left!

 

Otherwise boat stinks, as you’d probably expect after 16 days at sea, even on a shower a day in 30-35degree’s and 70% humidity can’t help but sweat, especially at night . Was hoping to get laundry done in Hiva Oa, but it’s a weekend and a local boat racing week, which brings us onto the islands (or Hiva Oa anyway).

 

What a beautiful island Hiva Oa is. Very green and tropical and rugged. The people are very friendly and as expected are very Polynesian. Only real issue is they speak French and many of the women actually look like guys (big, butch and even their faces look manly). Nevertheless a picture postcard place (photo’s attached just don’t do the place justice) with a population of only a few thousand. Spend Friday looking around, well only took a short time as it ain’t no big town and whet on an island tour on the Saturday looking at Tiki’s (those weird stone carvings of people that look like modern art), ancient and current villages, bays etc and even more impressed with the place – more than we had hoped. Island is loaded with wild fruit that you can just pick, including – banana’s, grapefruit, mangos galore, breadfruit, some sort of apple, guava, starfruit and chilli’s (yea I no it ain’t no fruit, but red hot miniature jobbies which is fortunate cuz had run out on the crossing). We also stopped for a meal, which was interesting, comprising: a tuna ceviche, a goat stew, a stringy pork disk, breadfruit chips (which were stunning){well ok) and dried banana’s in coconut milk. (none of which was my cup of tea - Trish)

 

It ain’t cheap! Small can of beer in the shop = £3, bottle of Desperado = £5, bottle of Vodka (not that I drink the stuff) = £70, oops not that booze was the only thing we were looking for, just can’t remember the prices of foodstuff’s, but was equally expensive, oh yea Kit Kat = £3.50, jar of cappuccino’s£10.50 . Taxi from dock to town cost £3 each (3km), and its per person, so a jeep with 8 of us in it cost £24. Mind you most islanders are running around in big young pick-ups so clearly there making a bit of money (though ain’t much of a tourist industry). Apparently Copra is there main industry (dried coconuts which are used for oil and soap and presumably bounty’s?).

 

Paul has been promising me a romantic meal since Panama, for one reason of other it hadn’t happened so one the way to ‘Hiva Oa’, Paul finds in the Oyster rally guide book that there is a lovely boutique hotel with the best restaurant on the island, shall we go there on Saturday love, oh yes please darling say’s me. Well Friday half hour after we arrive in Hiva Oa the 3 members of Lippy (another yacht that we see often (not an Oyster) were headin our way in there tender, (holding in their hands s glass already full of whatever dirty beer of choice) on board they come - we already have a bottle of champagne open celebrating the end of our 16 day Pacific crossing (YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE) but Nelius’ s 20th birthday as well, 3 hours later off went Lippy and Yantina then arrive and we all head over to land to meet Sandra (we found Maria Jo instead who took us into town for a wonder and the bank (none of us had any local currency) 50,000 local francs later (all now felling like Rockefeller) we ask Maria Jo if she can recommend I nice place to eat, Pizza’s place booked back to the boat for a while then meet back with Maria Jo for our lift up the hill. In the mean time we booked our tour of the island for 9am the next morning (Saturday) Pizza’s place was ok (sold other food choices) but the booze was better and hammered we all became (some more than most (em let me think – who could that be (it didn’t begin with a T) although not far behind)) the tour was good although too much time spent in the 4 x4 not the comfiest ride in the world) On the way back Paul has now invited all on Yantina for drinks back on Babe (we are supposed to be going for this romantic dinner, although not booked yet) on the way back to be in the tender we spot Sotto Vento and head over to say hello – bit of banta re how fast we are and you going into the town later, it transpires that they have booked the restaurant that we/are also going to (silently oh great says me) As Paul is saying oh we are going there for a romantic dinner (last part said so quietly no one else heard) we could share the taxi up, (which is at 7pm – an hour away) that’s sounds great says Richard (we have a pattern emerging here J) back on board a scurry of activity as nibbles are created, more beer, and booze moved from cupboards to fridge, are we booking this restaurant or not bothering going (yep a few heated words were exchanged J) but restaurant booked for 8pm taxi picking us up at 7.30 for the boat dock, Paul showered and ready to meet the guest as he clambered into a clean pair of shorts, me reading my book throwing a strop, while Paul and Nelius play host I went for a long shower got change and eventually join the rest on deck who were already 3 sheets to the wind. 15 mins later Ian says what time is the taxi, 7.30 its nearly that now say Ian, Paul if we are going we need to go now – oh ok Nelius can we have a lift please @ ‘yep where’s the tendert keys’ ‘don’t know says Paul’ spare set dug out of cupboard and off we go (everyone else still on our boat drinking) we spot the taxi from afar heading the general direction, getting closer and closer and watch it start to drive away with us yelling we here stop ( he does) we pull up at one of the boat ramps I clamber out, Paul follows and Nelius sets of back, I start walking up this ramp – oh shit it’s blooming slippery and trying to walk up in flipflops  was 1 tentative step forward 2 slips back ‘ Paul it’s really slippey’ ‘ I know you ok love’ ‘em yep think so – giggling ’ I’ve stopped at this point to look for the best rout up having found it I have moved sideways to the edge and have safely made my way up without falling over turned around and there’s Paul still at the bottom bent over with his hands on the ground slipping back towards the water, trying to walk back up on all fours then trying to stand up but just kept slipping back, go sides wards to the edge I’m yelling, off he goes and arrives at my side all dry with us both laughing, in the taxi safe and sound 10 mins 5mins later we have arrived at the restaurant, it looks good, lovely setting, hand in hand we go, greeted by a member of staff, showed into the restaurant and told we can choose our table, outside on the terrace Richard and Sue are waving, we wave back and our now seated at our romantic table for ………….. 6 J      

 

So after 3 nights decided to move on so were currently on our way to Nuku Hiva via an overnight anchor on (or should that be at) the island of ‘Ua Pou’ (pronounced waapoo apparently). Fresh bread made so it looks like beans on Toast tonight for dinner, or maybe chip butty – wow we live it up! We had chicken soup. After 12 hours we arrived not without adventure to an anchorage spot with Yantina and not our first try at a bay for either of us, trying to anchor with a pitch black sky is not easy, the first choice of bay for either of us was not a good choice. Yantina’s anchor wasn’t holding (it never does first time round) radio call later we’re coming to your anchor not happy here, em hold on Ian not sure we like it here much we say. We were trying in the next bay up, Paul at the helm, Nelius at the anchor and me in the middle relaying status between the to (oh what joys at midnight) (talk to me guys, what we like up front, where’s that bloody rock, CAN’T HEAR (all Paul) all good, don’t know (Nelius in a South African accent with his back to us, then getting a bit stroppy, cause I keep shouting Nelius turn around and shout I cant hear to relay to Paul, your shouting at the mountain. (I was fast becoming stroppy in the middle of an even stroppy sandwich) ok enough lets just go to the anchorage choice we made before we left, off we go a bit further up the bay (2 babe crew now ready to become good old fashion mutineers, biscuits at the ready mehearties   ohaar) we are now following Yantina 10 mins later at are 3rd bay, Radio call babe babe this is Yantina are anchor is down and we’re holding – big sigh of relief can be heard from the 7 souls on board, in we go and yes not long after a the sigh of relief can be heard from all on babe, stayed up for a while then off to bed for me, Nelius decided to sleep on deck (didn’t like that big ass rock out there) Paul went to his favourite place for a couple of hours the ships computer to start the blog. All good will be up bright and early to finish the 30nm to our final destination in the Marquieses, Nuku Hiva. 

 

OK now arrived in Nuku Hiva & will update re our adventure here soon.

 

So Piccies attached:

0.       Catch of the day

1.       Arriving in Marquises

2.       Approaching Hiva Oa

3.       Anchorage with a view

4.       Locals playing

5.       A walk in the jungle

6.       Nice View

7.       A long way down

8.       Trish looking fab

9.       Traditional game of pass the coconut

10.   Sacreficial stone

11.   Tiki monument – the one on the left

12.   Trish and the fertility stone

13.   Dangerous fruit / paul responding to the fertility stone

14.   Ed the Nana

15.   Fruits of the forest

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