Nuka Hiva
Journeys of Aardvarc
Ed
Fri 11 Apr 2008 02:23
<<DSC03702.JPG>> We <<DSC03723.JPG>> a <<PICT0039.JPG>> re now one day
into our journey from The Marquesas to the Tuamoto Islands.
We expect these to be completely different with low-lying coral atolls,
a few coconut trees, white sand beaches and very clear water with lots
of fish.
Will let you know if they are truly so.......anticipation is a great
thing!!
Just a couple more photos from Nuka Hiva and North of Hiva Oa ( the shot
of the boat from the beach).
Once more on Nuka Hiva we set off to find a waterfall, quite a long walk
and when we got there there had not been much rain so was not quite as
spectacular as we had hoped ( 3rd highest in the world when in full
flow).
Some French people we met told us to swim in the pool at the base of the
waterfall and that we may see some eels ( "anguilles" I think en
francais) and crayfish.
We had seen the crayfish before, about 4 inches long and like little
lobsters complete with claws.
After a hot walk along the river valley and fording it twice ( see
picture of Sam looking proud after completing crossing) we were feeling
hot so I decided on a dip. Just after getting in I saw something move at
my feet......then it started to swim....it was a huge eel..5 feet long (
no exaggeration) and the thickness of my calf....help!!!
I moved away fairly quickly and tried to convince myself that the French
people had said they were harmless. Later while under the waterfall
something nipped my toe and I shouted rather loudly......echoing all
round the valley...think it was just a crayfish though, but for a
moment...wuss!!
Sharks seem to have taken a liking to me also...the last two times I
went down the boarding ladder off the back for a dip I was startled to
see firstly two reef sharks appear within a minute, just coincidence,
but no, next time I went in it happened again....just the one though. (
it's enough for me!) I'm getting good at climbing the ladder quickly.
The vague picture of something black in the sea is a Manta Ray, about 6
feet across and with a huge mouth for filtering plankton, swam to 20ft
from the boat ( it's OK, they are veggie's)
Food in Nuka Hiva was quite limited, a favourite was called poisson cru.
This is raw fish marinated in lemon juice and coconut milk, usually
served with rice. Tastes much better than it sounds.
Our poor dinghy took a bashing, when tied up alongside the quay it took
some big swells which surged it forward so that it caught on a jagged
ladder and tore a 3 inch hole in the fabric, deflating one chamber. A
rope also caught on the engine and ripped the cover off. When we
returned to find it, it looked a wreck. Fortunately we were helped by a
very able bloke called Jan off another boat (he was from Madagascar and
living on a 35 ft yacht with his wife (Veronique) two young girls ( 4
and 7 ish) and two dogs, one a poodle!).
He had the right tools for the job and patched the dinghy so that within
24 hours we were up and running again. Engine is patched and awaiting a
full repair when we get to Tahiti.
Seems quite calm (relatively) now that we are out at sea...
tbc
