Position           08:52.74S 140:02.95W

Date                1600 (French Polynesian Time UTC -10½) Monday 31 March 2014

Distance run – 24nm over the ground, 25 .5nm through the water

During our time in Baie D’Hatiheu I checked the hydraulic connections to the defunct main engine gearbox and found that contrary to my original visual inspection the couplings on the gearbox and cooler ends were the same size and thread.  I was therefore able to take the output pipe from the gearbox and attach it to the input of the gearbox and the same on the cooler, effectively short circuiting the lubricant flow.  Two flushes of the gearbox with petrol (not sure if that is a good thing but it was what we had available) and a refill of oil and a new filter and we had a working solution if only for short periods due to the lack of cooling.

It was a shame to break up the Amel gathering but we wished to make our way to the main harbour of Nuku Hiva via way of Controller Bay at the south east corner of Nuku Hiva, thus shortening the legs given our absence of fully working engine.  There was a good wind but from a distinctly unfavourable direction.  The 24 miles seemed to take a very long time as we tacked back and forth against the wind and the current trailing Flomaida.

Once again we enjoyed the magnificent scenery and strange rock formations.

And carefully avoided the large rock ½ mile off this headland the tip of which just broke the surface and which in rough weather kicked up somewhat of a sea, so the Pilot tells us.

Using our engine for the last mile into the anchorage allowed us to anchor alongside Flomaida and we made our way ashore for a walk around the village.  With the benefit of hindsight we could have dinghied up the river and landed at a jetty.  Our version was much more exciting and helped by two workmen who were waiting for a boat on what we thought was the town jetty.

We are not sure what exactly provides the income for the local population, possibly agriculture and copra but the village was well kept and the motor vehicles new and shiny.  The local shop was very well stocked and opened at 0500 in the morning if you wanted fresh bread.

Two youths demonstrated a unique concept in mobile Hi-Fi.

One wheel barrow for the boom box and one wheel barrow for the batteries and deck.  And yes it was fully functioning as it wheeled passed.