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Paw Paw - Log Day 91: Saving the Best for Last



Last night, as the katabatic winds swept down the mountains and over our anchorage, they carried with them the beautiful sounds of Maquesan singing from ashore, allowing us to drift off to sleep as if in a magical place.

Today it was another early start in order to collect our hired car to do some sight-seeing. We started our tour heading east to the paepae called Koueve which is Taiihae's best preserved tohua. After the rains from the night before the trail leading to the archaeological site was rather muddy. We managed to keep our footing until the last 10 ft on the homeward stretch which Roy ceremoniously completed on his rear-end, fortunately, without injury.

Next we headed towards Anaho, passing through the beautiful and most ferttle valley of Nuku Hiva, evident by the numerous waterfalls, the very lush vegetation and the 600 year old Banyan trees. En route we got to explore Paeke, one of the most beautiful archaeological sites of a 12th - 14th century village. In Anaho we enjoyed a seafood platter (Elaine) and a goat curry (Roy) for lunch before exploring this scenic seaside village and it's most unusual church, which in many ways, looked completely out of place, with its towers that resembled a fairyland castle rather than a church.

Our route west took us to Toovii. The high plateau, with pine forests sprinkled with Sandalwood and, what looked like, Eucalyptus trees, had us feeling like we were back in the White Mountains of Arizona driving to our cabin. It certainly was a trip down memory lane as the landscape reminded us so much of Big Bear Lake near Greer.

We completed our tour with a visit to the Cathedral of Notre Dame Des Marquises with her magnificent wooden statues, carved from trees coming from the entire archipelago.

We definitely feel that leaving Nuku Hiva to the end of our sail around the Marquesas, definitely left the best for last!

However, these islands with their melodic Maquesan language, their rhythmic haka dances and songs, their traditional decorative arts of tattoos, beautiful wood carvings, stonework and sculptures, tapas and petroglyphs, as well as her generous and hospitable people will definitely hold a special place in our hearts and, of course, a permanent reminder on our arms by way of our tattoos.

This evening we have returned to Paw Paw to get her ready for our sail to the Tuamotos in the morning.


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