position S08 56.600 W140 09.800

Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Sat 23 Sep 2017 04:39
Friday 21st September. Nuku Hiva

We were met on the beach this morning by a dead goat being set upon by crabs. It was the 2nd dead goat to cross our path in 2 days- the other was guarding the dinghy dock floating in the harbour at Taiohai . There must have been a goat cull  somewhere resulting in washed up goats. I know that goats were a problem in the Galapagos where they were culled to give the tortoises a free run of the vegetation but as far as I know goats here are prized for a meaty treat and so why a sudden flotsam and jetsam of goat I don't know.

Our walk up to the waterfall was very pleasant-walking up the valley alongside the fast flowing river under the shade of coconut palms and banyans and passing stone ruins of former settlements. The path didn't let us down and even had some white painted arrows in places where the path could have been confused with crossing tracks.  Disapointingly the path terminated with a sign warning of rockfalls before reaching the waterfall but by taking a plunge in a cool river pool we got a good view of the very very high falls.  

Back at the bay we had lunch at the house of the friendly tattoed gent who had been happy to sit and chat with us a few days ago. This time however his wife was home so he was making a show of working hard in the garden clearing leaves and washing down the pots. Evidently the wife runs a tight operation and there is no room for slacking when she is about. We were fed with a rather plain dish of rice, yam and chicken- made more disapointing by the wifes proud report that the american boat yesterday had been fed with fish in a special ginger and coconut sauce.
Whereas the husband had plied us with free fruit the wife had a much more commercial approach and  sold us some oranges and a massive bunch of bananas which I struggled to carry back to the dinghy in the next bay.

There was an Australian flagged yacht anchored in the bay and just as we finished our afternoon cuppa  the skipper hailed us and invited us over for tea. The yacht looked substantial from distance but was massive once on board. A 60ft centre cockpit ketch with a deck saloon you had to shout across to be heard the other side. The  skipper was typically ozzy and his wife a glamorous american- they were celebrating their wedding aniversary and were keen to tell us how they met and became full time liveaboard sailors. They bought the boat as a bit of a wreck in the Carribbean and restored her themselves. They seemed to know everyone  else sailing in the area and had visited every Marquesas island. He lent me his cruising guide for the islands which is much more detailed than mine- I have photographed many of the pages and wll return it shortly.