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Exody - Days 77-82 - Fatu Hiva +Tahuata



Allegro, the last World ARC boat arrived in the delightful (ie first with classic sand, turquoise water,palm trees etc versus black boulders!) Baie Hanamoenoa at the northwest of Tahuata at midnight last night Wednesday 1st April (8 days after ourselves) and all boats here (APlus2, Aretha, ourselves) convened on Makena to give them an early morning welcome before they headed across the channel to Hiva Oa to formally clear in. From the 'viewing platform' of Makena we had a great view of the five local manta rays, a lone turtle and a small school of dolphins. Juno had left early on for the 500 mile crossing to the Tuamotus and we have since been joined here by Ayama and Afar 6. It's been good to reconnect with the front of the fleet and the rear. We plan to leave tonight for an overnight 85 mile sail to Nuku Hiva in the northern Marquesas where we'll spend a few days and restock -free cruising now for three weeks until the 23rd April rendezvous in Tahiti.


We left Hiva Oa on Saturday 28th after some difficulty with our tripping line (adjacent French catamaran had to partially lift his kedge) - for a close hauled sail south to the iconic anchorage of Hanavave (Bay of Virgins) on Fatu Hiva. The dramatic volcanic towers surrounding the anchorage with lush hills behind and very little swell contribute to its deserved reputation. Though holding is reported poor, our anchor held. We saw the church-going procession ashore and heard the singing in the distance but spent Sunday on board tackling odd boat jobs. Hugur hosted ARC happy hour to celebrate a 40th wedding anniversary and we went ashore for a locally home-produced meal (poisson cru, barbecued chicken, stewed goat). The night was showery but nothing compared to the torrential showers that continued for the whole of the following day (Monday 30th) and night, breaching a dammed river ashore ,turning the blue water brown and bringing much floating debris- the like of which we haven't seen since the 'tormentas' in Tenerife. Our plan to hike to the nearby waterfall was abandoned both days and we spent most of Monday availing ourselves of the newly discovered pay as you go internet hotspot serviced by aerials high up on the nearby cliff.

The World ARC rendezvous at Tahuata was scheduled for 09.30 on Wednesday 1st so we set off on Tuesday after Ayama and Aretha for the 40+ mile reach back north - a good sail and we were pleased to maintain pace with Aretha (53 feet to our 39!). Anchored at the north end of Hapatoni bay we spent an edgy night with the multidirectional >30 knot downdrafts from the adjacent high cliffs and mountains - I was up from 03.30 on anchor watch but she seemed to be well dug in and we were reasonably comfortable to leave for the several hours of South Pacific welcome festivities ashore a couple miles south. Others weren't so lucky with some boats dragging in the adjacent bay and some having difficulty getting their anchors satisfactorily set.

We were welcomed ashore at the quay with a traditional Polynesian welcome - singing and live music, garlanded and treated to local dance displays in national dress (grass/leaf skirts and adornments). This followed by helpful explanations of the culture and history, handiwork and craft displays and a whole lot more dancing and music some of it by children as young as three and four - altogether a touching welcome from an island with only 200 inhabitants. We saw the Marquesan oven (hot rocks in a hole in the ground) where our goat,pork and local vegetables had been cooking in multiple banana leaf baskets all in a larger metal basket that took four men to lift. After the skippers briefing on cruising in French Polynesia, few of us had the energy for games of Petanque and lessons in weaving baskets - so we took the water taxi back to Exody mid afternoon and concurred with APlus2 and Juno that a more relaxed night might be had at Hanamoenoa three miles away where we came in at the beginning of this log.

Peter(Skipper)

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