The Marquesas…htg
Anchoring at a small island across from Hiva Oa, as the total eclipse continues to shade us, is surreal. Talk about being bombarded by the wonders of nature! Just, WOW! We chose not to anchor in the little bay at Hiva Oa because of the awful roll there as the swell comes in. We can see the masts of boats anchored there rocking wildly, hither and yon. Instead, we drop the hook behind a small island close by. We dinghy over and meet Sandra, our agent, who guides us through customs and then drops us off at the grocery store. The common theme for the grocery stores is very little fresh fruit and vegetables. Thus, we’re stocking up on canned peas, corn, beans. Happy to find fresh garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes and a few tiny tomatoes. Until later, when we found the garlic was infested with worms. Yuck! It felt a travesty to throw precious garlic away! Returning to the boat, we decided to move to an anchorage JaZoFi had discovered on the island of Tuahata, in the picturesque Hapatoni Bay. Several of the other Oysters joined us. That evening, we dinghy over for a walk on shore with s/v Mastegot. A tiny “village” with a few small homes, a quaint church and a small community center/school, as well as a traditional phone booth with a spectacular ocean view, sits nestled by the rocky shore. As we passed, we could see there was a Monday evening, small church service. We heard people begin to sing, accompanied by a single soft skin drum, with a hauntingly mellow tribal sound. In the evening light, with the ocean breaking softly on one side of us and the tall, lush green jungle rising up behind the church, it was a moving scene.
Hapatoni Bay has no beach. The surrounding landscape consists of tall hillsides loaded with large clusters of palm trees and huge mango trees, and tall, lush mountainside beyond. The shoreline is steep and rocky except in front of the little village where the road runs between the ocean and the buildings. We swim from the boat for a pretty snorkel along the wall behind us, hoping to find the resident octopus we’d heard about, but no such luck. On the second morning, we head out on a long hike with the other boats in the bay (Mexican Wave, Mastegot, JaZoFi, Ostara and Ahlam). Rob starts in front of us, planning on running as much as he is able. We walked up a very steep roadside until we decide we’re ready to turn around. Rob continues on over the hillside to the next small village, where we’ve already decided thirty of us would meet for lunch at “Chez Jimmy’s.”
The Chez Jimmy’s experience…. Local food buffet. Surprising this tiny hut is able to accommodate 30 of us. The woman explains in French each dish: white rice, pork in coconut cream sauce, fried bread fruit, gray-colored yam, ceviche, raw crabs. Deciding I need to be adventurous, I take some of everything. Bad idea. The pork has circles of chewy parts, similar looking and texture to large calamari. Definitely not a part I’ve ever tried. One bite was more than sufficient. Ceviche was quite good. The raw crab, as I squeezed the leg, as instructed, had black meat. In cowardly fashion, I put the crab back on my plate. The bread fruit tastes much like a french fry and was a favorite, along with white rice. Ha! We’re not such adventurous eaters after all. Huge, fresh sliced sweet pamplemousse was served as dessert.
The evening was fun - Mexican Wave had all of us over for sundowners, adding Rock Lobster and Aurora. Because there were so many of us, all the crew met on Jolie for drinks, while the owners congregated on Mexican Wave. Once again, we’re reminded what an interesting, fun, lovely group of people we have the fortune to travel with on this trip. The only common denominator in the vast number of places we’re visiting is each other. We return to Jolie to hang out with the crews of the other boats. They stay for another couple of hours and they, too, are easy, pleasant, fun folks. I’m in awe of some of these young people, in their twenties (one is only 19) who are drawn to the ocean and the desire to sail around the world at such a tender age. And, who are so hard working and resourceful, indispensable to the boat owners in which they work. I wonder what they’ll do after this trip? What will be their next big adventure?
We’re expecting a large southern swell to interfere with our smooth anchorage. Thus, we head a few bays down to Hanamoenoa Bay, where we’ll be better sheltered. This particular bay is known to be frequented by manta rays. We see why when we try to snorkel. The water is full of tiny organisms that the manta ray filter feed upon. Unfortunately, this makes for poor visibility for snorkeling or scuba diving. We decide it’s worth giving up the snorkeling to see manta rays!! After our long crossing, I feel the need for a project. Jolie’s gel coat is in need of a good polishing, which has the benefit of allowing me to keep an eye out for manta rays.
The following day, the only other American boat, Aurora, anchors nearby. We invite Bob and Gakyung, along with their crew, Ed and Cat, over for a drink. Hermione and Distraction anchor while we’re visiting. In true, spontaneously fun, Distraction style, Mike, Emma and Will jump in and swim over to say hello, and join in for Happy Hour. Mike and Will depart with attempts at back flips off the side of Jolie and swim back to Distraction.
We meet the following morning on the beach for Gym Club, led by Emm. This time, her husband Mike joins us, as well as lovely Sarah, from Hermione. Cardio exercise on solid ground followed by a plunge in the ocean felt wonderful! It’s been a month since we’ve met to work out and we’ve missed it! Throughout the day, more boats move into the bay seeking a calmer anchorage. Another lazy day passes waiting out the swell, polishing the boat, watching for mantas. The beach has a tricky shoreline that makes it difficult to beach the dinghy, so all the Oysters in the bay decide to meet for a dinghy flotilla for sundowners. We anchor the dinghies outside the swell, tie together, sip on cocktails, chat and forget to watch the sunset! Lol! Phillip, from Hermione, has seen numerous mantas around his anchorage. He shows an amazing underwater video of at least five them swimming below him. Stunning! I so want to see them!! We talk about how these encounters with nature are so impactful, in a way we hadn’t anticipated. It sounds so cliche to say we feel at one with nature, but maybe it’s that we feel truly a part of it? Immersed in it in a way that we aren’t able to be at home. It’s almost like it touches your soul. Hard to discern yet what the sense is, but we have time to figure it out!
The following morning, (April 15th), we motor to Fatu Hiva, to the Bay of Virgins (my sister asked if we thought they’d let us in?). We’re anticipating this anchorage because everyone who’s been here has said it was their favorite place in the Marquesas. These bays are becoming increasingly difficult to describe. Photos don’t do them justice because the sites are so expansive. Lush, rainforest jungle lines the valleys and the deep, green low growing foliage (minus the tall trees) carpets the steep, jagged rock cliffs and mountains in the distance. Tall, narrow ridges that drop off dramatically on each side descend from the high cliffs. Tall, bare, gray granite figures tower over each side of the sea front leading into the valley where the small town resides. These figures loosely resemble the tall hoodoos we’ve seen at Bryce Canyon in Utah, only much wider. The namesake for the bay, we presume. High on the green hillside to the right sits a sweet, white solitary cross that overlooks the bay. Aurora invites us to join them for dinner at a local person’s home - there are no restaurants here. Poi creates a very nice meal for us under his carport. Ceviche, rice, goat in coconut cream sauce, grilled chicken, bread fruit and fresh mango for dessert. We pay him 2,000 Polynesian francs each. He informs us there are 200 people living in his town and another 500 living in the town over the hill. Small, intimate communities. Most people that live there are born there.
The water in the bay is murky, full of nutrients that the manta rays thrive on. The following morning, Rob and I decide to try a shallow dive along the rocky shoreline on the right side of the bay. We are pleasantly rewarded with a beautiful descending slope of coral with a variety of fish. Later, we hike up to a waterfall (really more of a trickle) through a shaded, muddy jungle path, lined with a variety of trees including tall palms and huge mangos. We decide to hike further up on the road to see the views from above the bay, passing a roadside fountain with the Virgin Mary flowing with cold, refreshing water. Steep walk up the road overlooks a gorgeous view of the valley and the sleepy town below. We return to the boat for a refreshing swim and then Ellie’s delicious butter chicken curry and early bedtime - really early, like 8 pm!
Next morning I drop Rob off at the dock. He’s planning on walking to the next town - a mere 18 km of severe up and down road. On the other hand, we decide to take the driving tour with Poi to the other town. He stops the car by the Virgin Mary fountain for a minute of prayer for safe passage over the mountains and then crosses himself. We stop often to get out and appreciate the breathtaking views, but never catch up with Rob who is walking the same route. Once we arrive in the larger town, we finally spot Rob looking exhausted after his strenuous walk. Poi takes us to visit his grandmother, who creates tapas (artwork on a canvas type medium made from the inside section of bark from bread fruit and banyan trees). She demonstrates how they are made and shows us a variety that are for sale. After our purchase, she creates flower/plant arrangements which she puts in our hair. Sweet lady, evident even with our language barrier. Locals all speak a mix of French and local Polynesian dialect. Poi then drives us around the small town and we visit the sculpture garden of rock carved tiki figures that sits along the shoreline. Many of the people of these islands are Catholic, but they also embrace their Polynesian heritage. We all climb back in the car, including Rob, and return to Jolie.
Later in the afternoon, we leave beautiful Fatu Hiva and sail through the night to Nuku Hiva, anchoring in the busiest bay, Taiohae. We immediately went into cleaning mode - Ellie and I washed down the boat, while Rob and Calvin cleaned the water line and below. Drenched with sweat, Ellie and I jump in the water to cool off and just enjoy chatting as we swim. Calvin climbs onto the boat and yells to us that a big manta ray is swimming past us!! We scramble to get our masks and then search for him through the murky water. Calvin spots it again and we’re finally able to see it as it effortlessly swims below us, fins flying slowly, gracefully.
We follow above it until it dives deeper and fades from our sight. Wow!! I’m thrilled to finally see one and actually swim along with it! That is, until we climb back in the boat and someone mentions we’ve been advised not to swim in this bay because it’s so full of sharks. And the local fisherman feed them fish remains at the docks. Well, I’m still super excited to have seen the manta ray, but won’t be swimming here to look for them again! Completed the day with a sunset dance lesson on the waterfront. A group of us women met with a local instructor, who attempted to teach us Polynesian hula dancing. We watched as she and her two young (middle school aged?) helpers moved their hips in an impossible fashion to mimic. Fortunately, she quickly assessed our lack of ability and slowed down the motions. It was an entertaining way to watch the sunset! And prepared us for the Oyster sponsored dinner dance with the local people scheduled for the following night.
Produce and eggs are especially limited in these islands. We arise early to head to the market by the docks. Along the water, fisherman clean their catch to sell. There’s a Goliath Grouper, as large as the man who caught it, hanging from a tree branch. Local farmers have fruits on display in a nearby market. We have a large choice of stalks of bananas, huge pamplemousse (grapefruit), limes, coconuts, mangoes, and passion fruit. No lettuce or greens of any kind are available. We’ll make do - Ellie is great at throwing together meals out of very limited supplies.
The excitement is building for the evening dinner/dance with the locals. Everyone piles in their dinghies and jockeys for a spot near a ladder at the dock, often climbing over other dinghies to reach it. The community center is set up for all the owners and crew to share a meal in a u-shaped seating area. We’re directed to go outside where some local men, dressed in loin clothes, chant as they excavate the pig that has been smoking underground. Dinner followed and the anticipated dance. The men and women perform separate dances as they sing and chant together. Their voices are very powerful, moving. Most of the dances are ancient and have specific themes - like the pig dance or the dance for a hunt or a safe journey. A woman invites the Oyster women out to follow her instructions for a dance. The Oyster men follow and are pulled to the dance floor, without shirts, to follow the lead male as he demonstrates their dance. Very fun! And wonderful how most everyone was willing to participate! The entertainment concluded with a fire dance outside, in which the solitary dancer drew a mouthful from a bottle of flammable liquid and then ignited it as he blew it into the air. He also twirled and tossed a bar lit with fire on each end. More drinking and dancing followed into the late night hours.
Calvin and Ellie took the weekend off with Ed and Cat, from Aurora. With the boat to ourselves, Rob and I moved over early, to Daniel’s Bay(Baie de Taina), a secluded, well protected anchorage hidden around the other side of a rocky peninsula. When we arrive, there is only one other boat. Peaceful, gorgeous. It has a similar topography as the Bay of Virgins - low area crowded with palms with a backdrop of very steep cliffs, lush with green foliage. Within a few hours, a number of other boats have joined us. We plan a hike up to a waterfall with Distraction and Martina from Altaia. After some confusion regarding how to make it to the trailhead, we finally determine there’s a shoreline path to the little “town” of Hakaui, where we pay our 1000 franc fee each to use the path. We begin the walk up the grassy trail about 1 pm. Thankfully, we all brought water! This “flat” hike, which involved wading through the river 4 or 5 times, climbing up a rocky, muddy trail through dense jungle, ended up lasting 5 hours! By the time we made it back to the waterfront trail, the path in front of us was barely visible in the dark. Regardless, the adventure was so worth it!! The waterfall is one of the tallest in the world. At one point in the climb, the jungle opened up to reveal a distant view of the falls. A magical vision of a thin, white cascade falling a huge distance straight down through the green of the cliff face. Later, wading past the sign warning us not to enter the canyon area to reach the base of the falls, we couldn’t resist trying to get closer to the final cascade of rushing water we could hear in the distance. Unfortunately, the view at the base, was obstructed by a rock cliff, to a small portion of rushing water at the bottom of the fall. We were still pleased to have made it that far. Realizing day light was beginning to fade, we quickly turned around and made as hasty a return to the base as safely possible, with on quick stop at the bottom to cool off.
As we walked toward the shoreline path, a woman called to us as we passed her home, inquiring if we’d like some bananas. We stopped to see what she had to offer. This older Polynesian woman proceeded to pick up her machete and lead us into her back yard to select a banana bunch, as they hung high in the trees. I wondered how she could possibly reach the bananas - they were well out of her grasp. Rob pointed out the bunch he preferred and she smoothly swung her machete into the tree trunk, watched as the tree fell, and gracefully caught the tail of the bud hanging off the bottom of the banana bunch to prevent the bananas from smashing into the ground. Another swing of the machete severed the stem of the fruit from the tree. In one fluid motion, she effortlessly harvested our bananas for us. Watching her repeat the process for the other boats was impressive! These bunches of bananas are heavy - about 30 lbs each. Rob hoisted ours over his shoulder while I hefted a bag of pamplemousse on my hip.
As we made our way in the dark, along the shore line path, we suddenly heard rustling all around us in the underbrush. As our eyes adjusted to the dusky light, we could see hundreds of large white bulbous-bodied crabs scampering off the path, holding up large open claws threateningly. Eerie!
We rewarded our weary selves on our return to Jolie with cocktails, along with Distraction. They brought over Dark and Stormy ingredients, which Emm concocted into some powerful refreshments. A wonderful day!!
We awoke to another gorgeous morning. The morning light lends an even greener, lusher cast to the myriad of greens in the landscape. We plan on staying to enjoy the area until later afternoon, but our plans are altered mid morning by a very strange interaction with a local woman and man. We’d spoken to the woman the day before about possibly having lunch at her home. She wanted at least 10 people. Since we knew only the two of us wanted to come, we told her we’d see if any of the other Oysters in the bay wished to join us. She said she’d come by Jolie the following morning to see how many would be attending. When she and her man motored up to Jolie, Rob told her no one would be available (he’d WhatsApped everyone in the bay and all were departing). They both became very angry at Rob yelling at him that he said there would be 10 people. So strange. The whole interaction made us feel uncomfortable staying, so we decided to make our way back to Taiohae Bay where we’d pick up Ellie and Calvin, as well as stock up on provisions before we depart the following day for the Tuamotu Islands. We’re also excited to welcome James aboard, the professional photographer that Oyster acquired to follow us all through the rally. He will be with us until we reach Tahiti. Very pleasant young man.
On Monday, Rob and I get up early for our first run into town to attempt to find fresh vegetables and fruit. Rob runs in first and then returns for the rest of us. We’re informed that the people of the Tuomotus are desperate for citrus and are willing to trade fresh fish for any citrus. We stock up on citrus, other fruit and are really excited to find cabbage and a bunch of green beans! We’ve been on the hunt for eggs for a couple of weeks and are thrilled (really) to find eggs! We may not see any for a month, and pick up 5 dozen. All is well in the world again. We feel well provisioned and ready for the 4 day passage to the Tuomotu Islands, along with the weeks following, where there will be little opportunity to provision. Once everything is stored in any available nook, we’re off!
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