Now THIS is cruising! Marquesas

Here we sit anchored in the tranquil and serene Anaho Bay, Nuka Hiva, Marquesas for the start of our third hard earned relaxing week after our decision to delay the continued journey. Now THIS is cruising!

To recap…..

Many boats dragged into each other.........



.....because of all the flotsam coming down the river into the
anchorage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zenna arrived in Hiva Oa needing significant ‘repairs, and ongoing maintenance’. The biggest task was repairing the main sail which began in the Atuona anchorage, amidst a national disaster rain event which saw Zenna narrowly escape numerous collisions,  was completed over 2 weeks, in Hanamoenoa, Tahuata.

Dinghy raft up in Tahuata, a great way to end the day watching
the sunset!

Now this was a great anchorage; rainbows on the golden white beach, swimming with manta rays, watching dolphins amongst the yachts, and relaxing to sunsets where Marion saw multiple ‘green’ flashes.

....swimming with Mant(r)a rays.

Sunset just before a green flash!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We didn’t want to leave but having changed plans for my birthday celebrations, now not in Bora Bora but starting in Marquesas and finishing in Bora Bora, and advising Mum to catch another plane from Tahiti to Nuka Hiva we had to get our skates on.

Luckily there are not too many islands in the Marquesas with Fatu Hiva being the first one, and an upwind leg to get there. Back to Atuona we motored to achieve a better angle to sail and to grab some baguettes, have pizza, and an early 0330 hour departure the following day to Bay de Virges, Fatu Hiva.

Fatu Hiva, Baie de Virges!

 

The crossing took about 10 hours with favourable, if not exhilarating, winds. We were rewarded with an extremely picturesque anchorage, a close look at the rock outcrops reveals why this was called the Bay of Penises prior to being changed by the missionaries to Bay de Virges. The villagers were friendly supplying us with sweet grapefruits as big as soccer balls along with dried and fresh bananas, all for a bottle of Panamanian rum! Having had a good look around, including a 3 mile dinghy trip along the coast, it was time to move on.

Guess where…yep, we just had to stop back in Hanamoenoa once more.

Rainbows on the beach, Hanamoena.

A pleasure stop this time, before our passage to Ua Pou, all downwind! We left for Ua Pou at 0300 hours to ensure we would arrive in daylight. We arrived at Ua Pou with the best dolphin welcoming committee we have ever seen. Leaps of 4 metres in the air with barrel rolls and somersaults were repeated in succession by one of the energetic youngsters.

We decided to anchor on the west side of Ua Pou for protection of the easterly wind and swell, not realising that the swell actually wraps around the island quite a way so it was not the most pleasant anchorage. This was made up by the hospitable locals however, one old gent asked us to wait as we were walking down the road while he fetched his mango stick and supplied us with all the large mangoes we could carry free of charge. Nice place this. Only two days were spent here as we needed to get to Nuku Hiva, scope the village out, and prepare for Mum’s arrival.

The crossing to Nuku Hiva was the most challenging we have had in our 4 years of cruising. All looked fine but when we got an hour into the resultant 4 hour crossing we could see the dark clouds bearing down on us…..we were going to get wet! A rule on the boat is; if we think about reefing (letting some sail down) then we reef. I thought about it, we did it. Storm jib up only and 3 reefs in the main, just in time as we got hit with 30 knots sustained gusting to 36 knots winds in 3-4m seas with driving rain.

No time for mucking around, this is serious!

Zenna let out a few bangs and creaks but got up and sped along achieving 12 knots speed over ground at one stage. This was followed by another 2 squalls the final one lasting an hour.

After much provisioning and preparation Mum arrived in Taiohae Bay, the boat has never been so clean! The first morning on board saw us set out for a short blustery sail out to sea to give Mum a feel for our way of living. Mum held in tight but a couple of the waves got the better of her, sending her screaming to the other side of the cockpit. I looked at Marion and we both knew what we were thinking…..we still have too much sail up! So we bore away heading for the protection of Daniels Bay. A quick anchoring amongst a few boats and Mum was off the back for a swim. I couldn’t really tell her this bay was a breeding ground for hammerhead sharks, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Back on board and a couple of ‘mantra’ (as Mum calls them) rays came by and performed to everyone’s delight. Magnificent!



Keep coming, you're nearly there!

Exploring ashore, including wading across a river, we found a nice local family that invited us for lunch; local coconut prawns, banana fritters and smoked breadfruit followed by a variety of seasonal fruit. The Marquesas are well known as a place where the fruit is so abundant it just rots on the ground!

Lunch...



....local coconut prawns, banana fritters
& smoked breadfruit!

Back to Taiohae Bay we found the July celebrations continuing with the nightly and constant beat of a drum, and nightly activities over the weekend inclusive of Marquesan and Tahitian dancing.




there was the constant beat of a drum.....

..and impressive Marquesan dancing!

 For my birthday meal we dressed up in our glad rags, downed a quick bottle of bubbly, before dinghying into shore which saw the dinghy capsize in a freak wave generated by the incoming swell. Lucky no one was on board. Off came the glad rags and in I jumped to quickly right the dinghy, take the motor off, strip the motor down, wash it out and reassemble it to prevent any damage, all before heading to the restaurant 2 hours late. You have to love this cruising lifestyle!

Ohh yeah baby!

Although rushed, the food at the restaurant was superb with the best Foie Gras we have ever had, or maybe it was the papaya chutney that went with it. The following day saw Mum leave, with Marion and I considering our options.

 

Anaho Bay! (Zenna is the boat in middle)

Our new friends, Valentina and Thor from Yum Yum, organised a car for a day and we took a well deserved trip around the island, brilliant. There was only one bay we couldn’t get to, Anaho Bay, and yep this is where we have decided to chill for a while (we still cannot leave for the Tuamotus due to the strong winds there). So here we sit at anchor doing those odd jobs, nothing big yet, interspersed with snorkelling over the surrounding reef, swimming with ‘mantra’ rays off the point, walking along the deserted beaches or trying to chat with the locals. Going to the village involves a three hour round trip walk over the mountain pass, gathering mangoes along the way, to get any supplies. We even heard a tourist say at the pass if this is the only way over to Anaho Bay how can people live here. Brilliant, it really is, such an exclusive little community.



Mark at the farm!




and the walk 'home' with the
shopping.

There is also a farm in the other direction being only an hour and a half round trip to gather fresh fruit and vegetables. There is not many cruisers here and the pace is certainly a lot slower than we are used to but, THIS is cruising! All the past 4 years of yacht preparations are now paying off.

PBN (Post Blog Note): 28/8/13 Mum inadvertently gave me a pinky purple feather boa for my birthday. Little did she know this was going to be extremely useful in enhancing my fishing lures resulting in landing ‘Wally the Wahoo’, the biggest fish I have ever landed! Thanks Mum.

'Wally' the Wahoo

Now THIS is a fish!