More Marquesas: Hiva Oa, Tahuata, Oa Pou and Nuku Hiva.
Catacaos
Graham Shaw
Mon 6 Jun 2011 19:10
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What dramactic scenery - everywhere it is so
beautiful. We have so far only found one white sandy beach, but that will come
later. It has been fun packed, with a visit to Hanamenu on the north
coast of Hiva Oa, which is a little settlement, two permanent-ish people live
there with lots of weekend houses. They have a lovely fresh water pool,
which was a little chilly, with soap provided for all the smelly sailors that
come visiting. Their main income is from the coconut made into copra oil,
they just package the coconut meat in hessian sacks and take them around to
Atuona when the ship comes in. We were the only boat in the
anchorage, which was a first for us since the Bahamas last year. It
did not last long though: the following day more boats arrived, and there was
yet another gettogether.
We then proceeded to Oa Pou. The sailing was
very changable, from no wind to lots of wind, in many different
directions. We managed to twist our spinnaker round the forestay
which took 40 mins to sort out, going in lots of circles. We caught no
fish, again, and lost more hooks. The town of Hakahau is lovely, very
busy. We managed a good walk around, with a pizza between - the only eatery
here. Everyone drives around in flash 4 x 4, due I understand to the fact
that all these island are subsided by the French goverment, hence the islands
having a very rich feel to them. I am sure as we proceed to further
islands outside French influence we will see a very different
side. Strangley the Polynesians seem to object to being referred in
any way as being connected to France? Anyway, Lucas had a great time on
the beach with the local boys and girls.
Last Saturday night a fete was put on, which was
great as all the cruisers got together and had a night of food and
dancing. I think we all made up about a third of the guests. I'm not
very sure what I ate last night -all was a mistery as we have no translation for
Marquesan. A good time was had by all as you can see the photos
below. An odd tradition in the Marquesas is that the first born
child is always brought up as a girl, regardless of gender, so there
are a lot of transvestites here. I have to say it is very odd, these
very tall women, with big hands, all dressed up with make-up and so
on. They are very feminine as well, more feminine then their female
counterparts. All very strange?
The following day we made a short run to Nuku Hiva,
had a beautiful sail here. We again caught no fish, and
still keep on losing tackle. it must be the big mahi-mahi that we keep
catching!
In a few days We'll be off to the Tuamotu
archipelago, and we are very much looking forward to this. It should
be three-day sail, all down wind of course.
Below, the traditional Polynesian outrigger war
canoes and fishing canoes, paddled as by their ancestors for thousands of
years. Except today the canoes are made of fibreglass, often have
corporate sponsors' logos writ large down the side, and all the paddlers wear
PFDs.
 The settlement of Hanamenu on the north coast of
Hiva Oa.
 This chap is one of the few permanent residents at
Hanamenu. He and his wife tend the wild horses and cattle, and chop
coconuts up (what he is doing here) for copra production. They take
the sacks round to Atuona in their small aluminium open boat once a month when
the copra ship arrives to collect it all. Coconut oil is
extracted from copra, and is used in the manufacture of soap, margarine and
nitroglycerine, amongst many other things.
 Nothing goes to waste - the horses eat leftover
coconut (not sure if they look good on it?), and the shells seem to end up as
building materials.
  Gray and Lucas among ancient ruins at
Hanamenu  A natural spring and pool of the purest water you
could imagine. It was icy cold!
 Catacaos anchored at Hanamenu. The following
day there were about a dozen boats in the anchorage!
 Looking back towards the village at
Hanamenu
 The village of Hanamenu is really only accesible by
sea, yet the modern world is here. The
Polynesian family living here may appear to live as traditionally as their
ancestors did for however many millenia, such as here in this palm-frond hut,
but note the satellite dish on the right!
 After leaving Hanamenu on the north coast of Hiva
Oa we sailed the sixty miles across to the Northern Marquesas and the island of
Ua Pou. This island is famed for its magnificent scenery with
towering mountain spires.
  At the town of Hakahau on Ua Pou
 We may be in remote places, but there is still no
escaping officialdom. There are no Customs or Immigraion officers in the
Marquesas, so one has to check at the Gendarmerie.
 The anchorage at Ua Pou.
 Below there follows pictures from the Soirée
Dansante we attended at the village hall in Hakahau, Ua Pou.
 Gail (s/y Riri) and Chrissy (s/y
Sharkita)
 Chris, Sue and daughter Hilary, of s/y
Salamander
 Sandy and Colin of
s/y Papillon
 Zedanka and Jack, s/y Kite
 Gordon and Joy, s/y Promise
 Gray, and Gail (Riri). Yes, really - Graham
dancing!
 Chief Mate and Cabin Boy, s/y Catacaos
 Don and Kay, s/y Karinya I
 Simon, s/y Sharkita
 Sonia or David - which one is more
drunk?
 Dave and Chris, s/y CD
 Lucas asleep on Daddy, with Tim of s/y
Bonaire.
Finally, below, more of Ua Pou's spires as they
disappear into the distance on our way towards Nuku Hiva.
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