Melon-headed Whales and vicious NoNo's....
Quartermoon
Mike Share & Sammy Byron
Fri 28 May 2010 17:45
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And so it came to pass that QM's time was drawing
to an end in the Marquesas..... Truly a landfall in paradise (Nauseating as
it may sound!). We could happily spend another month exploring these
islands; it's easy to lose a week at any of the secluded jaw droppingly
beautiful bays, throw in some body surfing, snorkeling with hundreds of melon
headed whales, goat curry and trees dripping with fruit...why would you
want to leave?!
   It's not all been perfect though. There is a
particularly vicious small fly called a nono which has devoured Sammy's back in
at least 80 places alone! They itch like you wouldn't believe and last over a
week ;-(
Also this last 4 days we have been stuck in
Tahoia Bay, which although beautiful, is very rolly so lots of slamming and
quite uncomfortable, especially at night. I have discovered that communications
in these parts is about as bad as can be. Internet - ok at 4am, landlines always
busy outside the island, mobile - local calls
only, sat phone - highly irregular as there appears to be nothing warranting
satellites down here (except perhaps the French nuke installations (and even
they seem to have got the hint)). As a result of this and Morgan Stanley's total
and utter incompetence, I have lost a small fortune since being here so am
very happy to be moving on.
  We did however get a very rare opportunity to stop
the boat mid-sail and jump overboard to snorkel with 100's of melon-headed
whales and their bambinos. We took it in turns to hold on to a rope and get
dragged along slowly whilst they came right up to us to investigate. It was
amazing and probably up their with the Fish Rock Cave sharks as one of the most
incredible underwater experiences yet. Sammy bailed as she was convinced 6 of
them were "planning an attack".....
 Today we are finally off to the Tuamotu's, a few
days after our friends and looks like we missed the good wind again (blaming
this too on Morgan Stanley). These atolls are the kind you don't think
really exist except on postcards. Crystalline lagoons surrounded by huge coral
rings with maybe one or 2 passes in and out (did I mention currents up to 9
knots and entry/exit possible maybe once a day if conditions permit?! Just what
you need after 500 miles on passage!....) We were set on Makemo but we will just
have to adjust as the wind sees fit - the diving is supposed to be some of the
best in the world for big stuff - sharks, rays, pelagics etc so we are VERY
excited to get there. Gav where are you?!
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