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Misto - Days 77-82: The Amazing Marquesas



I'm not really sure where to start with this blog as the Marquesas have far surpassed expectations. The dramatic landscape with sheer, green vegetated cliffs falling into the ocean, the eerie archaeological sites and the amazing, friendly people have made this a true gem.

From Hiva Oa we motored to Tahuata where we spent a night in each of three bays: Hanamoenoa (that I mentioned in the last blog), Vaitah and Hapatoni. In Vaitah we attended church on Sunday morning where the melodious Polynesian singing was most moving. In Hapatoni we anchored beneath towing cliffs and dinghied to the dock across the bay. Our dinghy motor played up and later we discovered that one of the spark plugs was causing the problem. The village folks greeted us with the same enthusiasm we had encountered elsewhere and we got directions to the artisans as we knew the village is well known for its carvers. In the process we discovered that the crew of Sandvita had arranged lunch with a local lady called Tahuta(?), whose sister did all the cooking and we were able to join.

The food was incredible and the table was overloaded with raw tuna marinaded in coconut milk, sushimi, breadfruit dishes including one cooked in sauce with fish, chicken curry, local beef, pumpkin and other delicacies. We ate far too much and then went to view the carvings. They were of excellent quality and we purchased some necklaces and a beautiful carved Tiki made from the bill of the swordfish and bone of a cow. The following day we were invited back to collect fruit and we were showered with avocados, lemons and papaya. We took a gift of a bottle of wine to replace one that had been drunk at lunch the previous day.

That afternoon we went to the north side of Hiva Oa to Baie Hanamenu where we anchored for dinner before departing for Ua Huka. The anchorage was rolly and the seas around the headland were lumpy with opposing wind and current. We departed in the early evening for a night sail expecting benign conditions, according to the grib file. However by 7.30 pm we were putting 2 reefs in the main as the wind was up to 20 knots, and frankly we were progressing too fast as we wanted to make landfall at first light. The night was full of squalls and we arrived off Ua Huka in a grey dawn. 

Hane Bay was disappointing - you need very settled weather to enjoy the beautiful bay and the prior night's wind created swells going in and out of the bay. The cliffs surrounding the picturesque bay also created swirling winds that had us circling our anchor. There was surf on the shore making a dinghy landing difficult. We enjoyed breakfast, a nap and then decided to proceed to Nuku Hiva and Baie Taiohae. The 35 nm trip started well with the parasailor up, but squalls dogged us for the second half of the trip and we arrived in drizzle.

This is the administrative center of the Marquesas and the welcome here was the warmest yet and I will write a separate account of our time here.

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