10:27S 138:40W

 

What an amazing feeling to arrive in Fatu Hiva’s spectacular Hanavave anchorage at first light this morning after 20 days at sea.  Fellow cruisers had described this as a stunning anchorage and they were right.  Surrounded on three sides by sheer, rugged and jagged volcanic peaks, at dawn they appeared to thrust endlessly up into a curtain of pale creamy sky streaked with red and azure.  The lush lower volcanic slopes are smothered with coconut palm trees. 

 

Our friends Catherine and Peter on Southern Cross were waiting to greet us – even though it was only 5.30am local time!  It was wonderful to edge in slowly beside them and have a brief chat before dropping the anchor into amazingly clear water and putting out 80m of chain.....it’s very deep here!  Southern Cross were off hiking to a waterfall but sleep was our priority and we crashed for a few hours before waking to the exotic aroma of land......sweet tropical vegetation mixed with a dollop of smoke.....something we haven’t smelt for a while.

 

We’ve just had coffee and have a few boat jobs to do before exploring.  First up is to clean the thick brown moustache and beard that Bandit has developed around her waterline.  This growth develops at sea which is astonishing given we’ve constantly been on the move.  It looks hideous and apparently it’s best to deal with sooner rather than later before it hardens. 

 

There doesn’t look like much in the way of life ashore – a small church, a cluster of timber buildings, the usual array of fishing boats and the ubiquitous soccer goalposts.   We were hoping someone would come out selling fresh baguette and pain au raison – we are in France after all – but no luck.  If we were in Haiti or the San Blas we’d be surrounded......but they seem a bit sleepier here.

 

There are 14 boats in the anchorage – most of which we’ve met or seen before....so it will be fun to go around and chat or perhaps meet ashore for an evening drink (now that’s something we haven’t done for three weeks!).

 

We may not update the blog for a few days until we leave for nearby Hiva Ova to officially check in with customs.