Hi from the Marquesas Islands

by Peter  28 May 1999

Hi from the Marquesas Islands which are a lot further from Panama than you might think unless you've travelled there at walking speed (4000 miles at 3.x mph = 6 weeks!!)

Anyway we spent a day and a half recovering on the astonishing island of Fatu Hiva where 35 knots of wind gave us a hard time anchoring so we've shifted to Tahuatu where there is a yacht with a sail mender on board who will carry out some serious sail repairs after the hard time they took flogging backwards and forwards into he big seas/light winds of the Pacific crossing.  We arrived at dusk last night and were just in time for a Marquesan celebration on the beach which included roast pig, goat stewed in coconut milk and impromptu hakas (as done by the all black rugby team, but more spontaneous.

Tomorrow I hope to fill in some of the details of our arrival here in the Marquesas.

One week later! (7 June 1999)

Ta Huata was great. We arrived at dusk and anchored in the crowded bay near our friends, then quickly got the dingy down and went ashore. On the beach there was a massive fire with local Marquesans sitting around. They helped us get the dingy up in the big breakers on the beach without getting too wet, then we were ushered inland a bit to a long hut. Inside there was a long table covered in banana leaves, with more meat on it than we had seen in weeks. Also there were many of our friends who we had not seen in a long time, but who we had been talking to on the radio, it was great to see them all again. We paid our $10 and set in to the food. One of the locals explained in broken English what it all was. There was goat and fish in coconut milk, roast pork, raw and roast fish, whole bread fruit, cooked and cut open, pasta salad, grape fruit and bananas, and these Islands being French there was French bread. To us who had just been at sea for so long, it was like heaven and we ate as much as we could. We also so got a chance to catch up with everyone, and learn about the places people had visited so far. It was very interesting, everyone said that the places they had seen were all spectacular, and that the people were all so friendly. After all the food, everyone went and sat on the beach around a kerosene lamp. There were people from all nations, Locals, Americans, English, Irish, Canadian, French and Swedish: It is amazing that even though you don't speak the same language, how well you can get on. We all sang songs, The Maquesans knew Happy Birthday, and sang it very slowly, and as if they were not happy at all! The Irish guy, Colley, got up and sang a song he had written. It was about George The Lonely Tortoise, a tortoise that they had seen in the Galapagos, it is the last one of it's kind, they have tried breeding it with others of similar breeds but so far it has failed. The story is sad, the song was hilarious, all about George not really managing to get it together with female tortoises, with references to rubbing shells by moon light and Viagra! Typically Irish he sang it with such style. Others got up and did there part, the Swedes got up and sang a strange song about a young frog who has no ears and no tail, with all the actions, it was bizarre. The locals were then persuaded to get up again. He did a Haka (you know like the New Zealand All Blacks do!) This guy had the traditional tattoos across his chest and down his arms, it was sort of frightening to watch; especially as people on these Islands still ate people up until the 1940's, and they had invited us up to a feast, to fatten us up! But Seamus, the other Irish guy was oblivious to this and for his 'party piece' he got up and did his version of a Haka. I think the Locals took this as a challenge so three of them came back and did a more serious one. It was really amazing, I can imagine if a hundred years ago if you arrived here and they all started to do this it would really freak you out.

But it was a great night, and we managed to get back to the boat without being eaten, but were still very full and slightly wet.

We stayed in this bay for a few days as there were lots of people there and we thought we deserved a rest. We spoke to a sail mender about our sail, and he promised to fix it for us. We had a good time, meeting new people and having various parties. But it was time to move on, people were leaving and we had to get to Nuku Hiva to meet the sail mender again, and to book my flight back to the UK. We went on to Mananenu on Hiva Oa (these island have been nick named 'The land of too many vowels' by our friend!) This is a small, fairly empty bay but was only a day sail away from where we were. Here we met Pegasus III again, and Ustupu, a Canadian boat we had not heard of before. We invited them both over for a game of Trivial Pursuits, the game was an English version so they were all at a disadvantage. But anyways it was good fun. That evening we moved on, as we needed to get to Nuku Hiva and it was an over night passage. It was easy sailing, but then that's all ways been the case for us in the pacific, we wouldn't have minded a bit more wind. We arrived in Nuka Hiva the next evening just getting in in the light. We sat in the cockpit with a glass of wine and some nuts that we hadn't realised that we had, and marvelled at the things we could see like car head lights, the first we seen in two months! It was strange to be back in civilisation again, we smelt some one Barbecuing some meat, and decided that first thing the next morning we would go and but food, no matter how expensive.

We did, this island is green and mountainous, like all the others. They are all beautiful. But this one had roads and buildings! I had to wear shoes for the first time in ages, and they killed! We found a shop that sold bread and croissants, then went to a converted container to have a late breakfast. Well it turned out more like lunch, I had an Ice cream Sunday, everyone else had burgers and chips!

Everyone was invited to happy hour at Rose's bar. Everyone turned, much more than she expected. But it was fun, she has kept log books of all the boats that have been through here in the last ten years. It was very interesting, there were even some boats we recognised. I got talking to some people who are crewing on a massive yacht, and actually got a job, that I am still thinking about taking!

The Marquesas are wonderful Islands that not many people get to see, even though over the last twenty years they have apparently changed a lot. But the people are very friendly and unthreatening, I realised that this is the first place that I have been to since the Canaries that I have felt totally happy about walking around by myself. The mountains are spectacular, they are volcanic islands like most ones out in the middle of no where but they also have some special feature. The waterfalls are supposed to be amazing, and I hope to see one before we leave.

So this is our story so far, I am enjoying the trip the most that I have so far, maybe because we are now travelling with people we know and where ever we arrive we know some one. Maybe because the places are more friendly, or maybe I've just relaxed more.