We arrived yesterday about 8.00am Tuesday 7 June 09.48.21S 139.01.91W. We had slowed down as much as possible without ending up rolling and heaved too just as it was getting light due to a small rain shower squall. About 2.00am we had a boat of our port side which we guessed would be Ocean Oasis. We managed the stern anchor ok but pulled it up and moved it later when we had the dingy down as no one came to our aide. Glen and Pat were ashore checking in as the Garndarmier is only open 7.00am -10.00am. A stern anchor is needed at the dingy dock as it is a high concrete platform and the dinghies tend to drift under it at low tied and then get battered and then trapped. The scenery is spectacular with high ground covered in lush greenery, its a case of "what not up is down". We went into the village which is 3kilmoteres away but you stick out the thumb and locals will pick you up (sometimes!) We bought essentials of wine and beer, very expensive, cheese was £12 for a block about 6"x 1.5"x 1.5". We have bought some but it will have to last! The bread is lovely, I don't even want to know how much it was. We checked in today, no problem for us as we are EU, only problem was that we had to walk there and back. The Canadians and Americans have to pay a bond equivalent to a flight home or they pay and agent named Sandra who stands surety for the bond but costs $90 per person, bond is refundable $90 is not! All we've seen so far in regard to propane is big canisters that look like exchange. We've seen one boat with one and they were decanting, we haven't got the equipment to decant so not sure yet what we will do. Don't know yet the price of fuel but you can get a paper to give you fuel at tax free price about 40c per liter cheaper but don't know how you get this other than the agent gives it to you but we don't need $180 worth of fuel. We used 15gal of diesel and 15gals of petrol coming over so not bad as most of that was for topping up the batteries.
Our plan now is to reprovision and fuel and move to somewhere a little less crowded and rolly so that we can clean the boat which is a mess. We also have a tare in the main sail which will need a small patch, Jim found this today whilst tidying up round the boat.
The locals are friendly and look like the people that used to be in Hawaii 5 O. the mark in the Marquises is the black tattoos that are in square patterns and look very impressive. Some of the younger women do wear a flower behind their ear but there is WIFI at $5 per hour.
