Arrival at Fatu Hiva

Our final week at sea was frustrating — we had been averaging 136 miles a day and all of a sudden the wind dropped and we did 101 one day and 116 the next—gone were our hopes of a Tuesday arrival and now we had to slow down so we did not get in until dawn on Wednesday. Oh well what is one more night!! We did lose the wind totally on our last night so ran the engines and recharged our batteries.

Twenty two days after departing the Galapagos we saw the island as the sun rose and could actually smell the earth!! Quite a thrill and as this very small mountainous island arose from the sea we motored around into an idyllic bay which has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful in the Marquesas. The bay is sheltered and hills go straight up from the village with wonderful craggy rock formations.
This is by far the most beautiful place we have sailed and even Cutty Wren who had the crossing from hell has been able to justify it.

We are here with them and a number of boats we had met in the Galapagos and a number of European boats—they outnumber the US boats now.
Que Barbara—another catamaran hosted a harbour happy hour our first night, reminiscent of Mexico --the social groupie thing-- and a lot of fun.
We spent the first day cleaning the tarry substance which has attached itself to the boat—we had thought the open ocean was clean but unfortunately it is not—it is really hard to get off--we still have outside of one hull to finish-- and sleeping.
The next day we went ashore to try and restock our fresh fruit and vegs. You trade for everything and US dollars are not desired in any way. The hottest small trade item is perfume!! I had opted to buy lipstick and nail polish which although acceptable seems to be what everyone else has brought. You just wander up and ask where to “exchanger fruit” or they will just offer as you walk the streets. They are very good at it and although you get a lot of bananas (way too many--banana bread again!!), limes, oranges, papayas and the best of all the HUGE super sweet grapefruit they have managed to get several nail polishes, lipsticks shirts and ball caps. They all trade a little so you end up trading with lots of different people hence the quantities of trade products--I have to remind myself I only paid 50c for the nail polish and$1 for the lipstick it is just that my trading supply is diminishing. There are no vegs on the island but we are enjoying the fruit. I think in the Tuamotus that will diminish as they are just coral atolls and will not be green and fertile like here.

One of the choice trading items has turned out to be the extra jerry cans we bought for $15 in the Galapagos when we bought our extra fuel for this passage and now that the fuel is $7-$9 we will not replace it. As we walk down the street carrying one every man will stop and offer us whatever he has. We have learned to be very frugal with these—no fruit-- and traded one for a tapa—the local craft which had a sell price on for $45 so got a deal with the jerry can. Rum is also valued so will use that for chicken or fish.

Ken wore his fake rolex which he had paid about $45 in China in as he knew that as soon as someone saw it they would want it. Sure enough a man we had been trading for fruit the day before saw it and wanted it. We got two lovely carvings which are worth about $100 each. We tried to tell him not to take it swimming but as it says on the face it is waterproof they were insistent they could so hope it lasts more than one swim!!!!

We are not officially here as this island is not a “port of entry” but if you do not find the local policeman you can stay for 5-6 days and then go on to Hanamoenoa Bay on Tahuatu where you can buy another few days as you are only allowed 90 days in French Polynesia your 90 days becomes100.
We are on our way to the second anchorage now and will do an overnight to Nuku Hiva on Sunday night and check in on Monday when we meet up with Ashley and Aaron.
One highlight was to go with a group of 16 of us--arranged at Que Barbara's happy hour--to Kathy's restaurant for dinner. It was $25--she takes $$$--and you get a pile of food and they play their guitars and sing and the atmosphere was well worth the money. A must do she will cook for up to 16 cruisers.
We went for several hikes in the beautiful lush valley. The flowers are beautiful--the frangipanis at night have a pervasive smell which is wonderful and the sunsets are incredible. One hike took us up to the top after a couple of hours and the view is lovely.

Aaron and Ashley are now in the air coming to join us—I had a last minute SOS to Ashley to get some perfume samples from the Bay and Sears as well as some more lipstick from the dollar store and apparently she got 25 free perfume samples—what a way to a future mother in law’s heart!!!!—lots of brownie points for that effort!!!
Hope you are having some warm weather--it is around 28C here and the nights are cool and the sea warm--what more could you ask for?
I will post photos whenever we find an internet—so far Kristen is putting these on from my sat phone email connection.
Au revoir---oh the French is sooooo dificult after so long in Spanish!!!! My two word sentences have one spanish word and one french!!!