Nuku Hiva exploring
Nickanddenisesailing
Sat 10 Jun 2017 04:34
Its been a week since we last wrote so I thought I would send an update before we leave for the Tuamotos tomorrow.
So after some planning with our buddy boat 'Sun of Moondance' we decided to both head up to a bay on the north east corner of Nuku Hiva (where the GPS coordinate above is from). They left the afternoon before we planned to head up the next morning. Unfortunatley they got strong wind and waves on the nose and decided to head back and try another bay along the southern coast. We decided that we would still give it a try, and in the lighter winds in the morning we made it up to the bay. We had lots of dolphins with us on the way and spent a lot of time marvelling at the incredible dramatic coastline.
We anchored up in Anaho bay and sat back and just looked up and around. Holy moly. Imagine a lord of the rings style castle x1000. Sheer cliff faces and towering pillars of rocks. Incredible. We just sat and stared around us for hours. The photos cant nearly do it justice. I went for a bit of a paddleboard look around and a walk on the beach. We then had the guys from 'Monkey Fist' around for meatballs to repay them for the lovely dinner they had cooked for us previously.
They are involved in a recylce for sight' project where they take bags of second hand glasses around with them everwhere they go. They test peoples eyes and give them free glasses. In these remote areas it is incredibly hard for people to get access to glasses let alone aford them. They invited us to come with them to the next door village the following morning. It had been a bit unsettled so Nick stayed with the boat and I volunteered to help.
It was an amazing experience getting to meet so many people from the village - we gave out over 40 pairs of glasses. People were so grateful and their reactions at being able to read after years (in some cases) was unforgettable. We quickly became a hit in the village and people came from all over to bring fuit to us. This was piled into a pick up truck which one of the elders of the village (Amile) had comendeered. I had planned to walk back over the saddle to the bay where I had left Nick that morning (we sailed around the corner on Monkey Fist) - but as Amile was sneeking loads of heavy fruiits into my backpack and demanding I carry a bushel of bananas - the villagers decided that it was a terrible idea for such a 'petite fille' to go on her own. I protested heavily explaining in my broken french that I loved to walk and that I was strong (gave them a quick gun show haha). I started removing the heavy fruit from my bag explaining that I was happy to walk. This promted a qu
ick
meeting with the elders that were standing around. I had tried to explain and make them understand that Paul and Francis (from Monkey Fist) were not my parents and my boat was in another bay with Nick on board). They then said that they had had a very 'bon idea' - that I should take all the fruit and Monkey fist should take me back to my boat. They were very pleased with them selves. Poor Francis and Paul then gave in and offered to take me back around to our boat. Upon hearing this decision a large cheer went up from the crowd and the loading of sacks and sacks of fruit were loaded into the dingy - with 2 boys who were instructed to help off load the many large banana bushels, giant papayas, sacks of pomplemouse and limes. We bade our farewells to the locals, which involved a great many kisses on each cheek and large hugs from many large smiling people.
I got back to the boat to find Nick playing with 5/6 (maybe more) manta rays - just off the back of the boat. We had briefly seen them that morning but they had stayed around the boat with Nick all day. Amazing to see.
The next day we enjoyed a bit more exploring and catching up with some people from the few houses in the bay where were were (they had been given glasses the day before and were very helpful). Will filled up with beautiful clean spring water and then got the boat underway to get back to Taiohoe bay to make the tattoo appointment I had made for the next morning.
I dont have any tattoos and have spent many years thinking about what I might get and when and where. My amazing mum had one done on their trans Pacific trip a number of years ago and it tells a story of her adventures and about our family. I loved the idea of this so had been trying to plan to get something in a similar vain. We had heard of Moana through other boats who had recently had tats done. He did such fine beautiful work with them so I decided to go for it. So after long talks with him about who I am and the story of my family and what makes me, he designd a tattoo to go on my spine. After a few adjustments and more chatting and a few rums (for me) it was decided and I lay down to get my tattoo. I am so happy with it and if anyone is interested I am happy to send photos and a full description of what all the parts mean.
Anyway the day after the tattoo excitement and getting the last of our provisions done we headed a couple of bays around along the south coast to Daniels bay. Again another breathtakingly beautiful bay. We anchored up and hiked upto the waterfall that is deep into the valley. Apparently the highest on the island. There were also ruins of an old settlement there and the most giant yellow speckled eel you have ever seen. Friendly too .......... too friendly..... Over a meter long and about as round as Nicks thigh it was quite intimidating. We were told that it was one of the guys in the villages grandma..... still i didnt fancy that river crossing.
So we had a night in Daniels before heading over to the last island in the Marquesas before our sail over to the Tuamotos. We are anchored up in a nice bay in Ua Pou at the moment. We have had a busy day of preparing the boat and lots of food for the 3 day crossing over to the beautiful atolls of the Tuamotos. We have also spent some time unsucessfully trying to diswade the very friendly locals that we dont need any more fruit and dont want one of the dead goats they had in their canoe. We now have 3 more sacks of fruit 4 banana bushels and some goat in the fridge. Maybe my French isnt going so well......
I will be back onto the daily passage emails as we go - from tomorrow onwards.
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