Leaving Hiva Oa and arriving at Nuku Hiva
Nickanddenisesailing
Thu 1 Jun 2017 18:20
Here is a bit of an update over the last few days.
We decided to spend a few more days in Haniapa after making the decision that we wouldnt travel down to Fatu Hiva because the weather just looked too unsettled. Apparently they are experiencing strange weather at the moment (something we hear everywhere). They should be in their summer months right now but they are still in winter weather - which means its pretty crazy and rains a lot. Tropical hot, sweaty, full power to windy and squally to nothing and then sunshine crazy rainy days.
So with the Sun of Moondance guys we organised to do a tour around the island with a guy who came highly recomended by some other crusing friends. We met Robert O'Connor / Pifa in the morning after he had just come from chrurch. He is 36, a massive guy, 7ft and as wide- built like a brick s*$t house you might say - wearing a large carved bone necklace made with tusks from a 90kg boar his cousin killed. Despite looking quite intimidating he was super friendly and we had a great time with him touring around the island. He took us to quite a few historical sites as well as a great place for some local food for lunch. We learnt a lot about the old tribes and were shocked about all the gory details of the human sacrifices that were regularly made back in the day. We saw a rock that hangs off the cliff where they used to sacrifice the most beautiful girls in the tribe by first slitting their throats and then letting them fall way down into the shallow water below where there were m
any
sharks. One was killed each year to ensure a good harvest. Others were killed to bring wealth and prosperity to the tribe, many crazy stories and many ominous looking rocks in the mist of the tribal areas. At the end of the trip he made sure that we were full to the brim with all kinds of fruit. We left him laden with heavy bags of pomplemouse (amazing large sweet grapefruit type fruits), star fuit (very orange and sweet), bananas (a whole bushel (again!) which NIck clambered down a cliff to retrieve after he chopped the tree down), limes. chillies, guavas and some pomme anise (strange hard apple like fruit). We got back to the boat prety tired only to be invited to a pot luck dinner with all the boats in the bay that night! We have been very sociable!
While we were in that bay a boat pulled up that was identical to ours 'Monkey fist', with an Australian couple on board. They have been sailing on their boat for 8 years all over the world- even high latitude stuff. We were invited over to their boat for dinner and it was amazing to check out all of the improvements they had made. We got lots of good advice from them and made some new friends.
After a 5am start on Monday we left Haniapa and sailed to the other main island in the Marquesas - Nuku Hiva. The trip was a full day sail, which we did with 4 other boats that were in the same bay as us (including Sun of Moondance and Monkey fist). There was a lot of life on the way - 2 beautiful pilot whales (about 1/2 the size of the boat) stayed with us for about 15 min and we had a large pod of dolphins with us on and off for the whole day. We had a bit of a slow trip over as it was dead downwind and our pole had broken in the last days of our crossing so we couldn't use it. The other boats sped ahead and we got in after dark. Hilariously some of our other kiwi friend boats who we haven't seen for a while were in the anchorage already and saw 'Monkey fist' come in. Seeing that it was the same boat as ours but not realising it wasn't us we were promptly radioed and asked over to dinner. As we were still a few hours away and due to get in after dark we radioed back to say
thanks
but no thanks - but that we would see them tomorrow. We got a short curt reply as they were on their boat looking at what they thought was our boat thinking ' those buggers - if they didn't want to come over for dinner all they had to do was say - no need to lie about it!' Then after another boat went over (to what they thought was us) they then met the Aussies on Monkey fist, they have now been warmly accepted into the kiwi boat friend circle as well (and they have even been forgiven for being Australian haha).
So we are in Taiohae bay where we have been able to catch up with lots of friends and do some provisioning. We can't get any food, disel, and potentially water in the Tuamotos so we have to make sure we are well stocked up before we leave. There is a severe lack of veggies on the island at the moment as the rain has flooded out a number of they key farms. So yesterday morning I got up at 4.30am and went to wait for the market to open. I met a group of mostly middle aged women outside all politely chatting. The gates of the market opened and there was only one stall with any veggies (all the others were fruit). Everyone charged in and I was left at the back thinking about how crazy the whole situation was. Somehow I was hussled to the front and my days of buying things in African markets kicked in and I started grabbing up veggies left right and centre. The night before we had heard of cauliflower going for $40 (US) and half a cabbage for $15 (US) so I was pretty wary but it
wasn't
really in a situation where I could check. Deciding that I would just see what the final bill was and then back track from there if I needed to. Then a market lady pulled out some lettuce - there was a gasp from the crowd- and I found myself with 3 small gem lettuces in my bag. The bag was then handed to the check out lady and the bill was $26 for a full bag so I decided to get on with it. Meanwhile over to my right the other ladies were very politely but forcefully bidding and competing for the last of the lettuce. I tried to offer up one of my little gems but was politely declined in the way that only the British do so well. Then after a trip to get some fresh baguettes and some pastries I was on the way back to the boat for 6.30am. Overall one of the stranger shopping trips of my life. I am now apparently the talk of our mates in the bay as 'Denise has lettuce' haha what a weird life we lead.
Anyway yesterday finished up with jobs and some more bits and pieces (I even found some carrots in one of the little supermarkets a good walk away). We treated ourselves to a rare night of just the two of us for dinner and watched a movie. We will stay here today and then leave tomorrow to do some more exploring.
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