position S08 55.000 W140 05.900

Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Wed 20 Sep 2017 19:13
Wednesday 19th September. Nuku Hiva

A full days exploration with the hire car yesterday- a little suzuki 4 x 4 which did very well. We drove to Taipivai -a valley at the south-east corner where there is a re-constructed tohua site with gift shop and then a walk up the hill to Tiki Paeke which was like a mini Columbian lost city in the jungle.  Herman Melville stayed in Taipivai and wrote 'Typee' about it. We shall have to see if Amazon have it. We picked up a canadian girl who was climbing the steep road with a very large back pack. She had been travelling for 5 years after graduating with a spell working in Australia. She was heading for Hatiheu on the north coast which was our next target so we were able to speed her progress considerably. She admitted she does O.K for lifts  so probably doesn't have to walk too far before someone takes pity.  On the way down to the village we explored a couple of very impressive Tiki sites-one with a masssive multi pillared tree.  After a lunch of about half a goat in curry sauce in the village restaurant we left canadian/cherokee Jacky -and set off on a wet rainy walk to the next valley of Anaho. We asked directions- follow the concrete road then straight on when it finishes. At the top of the road there was a slight right fork and a slightly more leftish fork. Assuming he meant to take the straighter of the two we forked right and climbed and climbed on a gradually diminishing path the through the woods. The path was strewn with piles of coconut husks and we met a group of wild pigs- some tethered and looking at us hopefuly. Diana interpreted their looks as full of malintent as if they would eat her at 1st opportunity. Eventually the path vanished and we lost the way back for while thrashing around in undergrowth. Diana unsure whether she was going to die of starvation in the woods, or being eaten by insects or attacked by pigs. At last having exhausted all options a climb back up to the last recognisabe spot revealed the path back and with relief we descended back to the car. We could see back from the shore that the left fork was obviously the right choice - how we could ever have thought right was right we didn't know. Rather than return defeated we had a quick swim and then followed the left fork  to the crest to gain a magnificent view of the next 3 bays. Anaho is cleary a popular yacht stop with 5 yachts at anchor.  We didn't have time before dusk to descend the other side to Anaho bay but at least we had seen it.

We drove back to Taiohai in the dark- I think I only managed 3rd gear a handful of times on the entire trip as we negotiated the hairpin bends up and down dale.

A day of provisioning and relaxation today, maybe back to Hakaui for the waterfall walk tomorrow beofre moving on to another island.