Hi from Clare, No 9, More Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Monday 22nd
June 2015
It has been a
week of saying goodbye to old friends as they travel west to Tahiti
and beyond. Some of these friends we will never see again, all we
can do is treasure the memory of our times together.
CHANGE OF PLANS
We have decided
not to travel west to the Tuamotu Islands in the coming weeks as the
trip back to the Marquesas would be 500 miles to windward. Recently
we have learnt that the trade winds are strongest in July and August
and so the trip back would be very difficult. We also received
confirmation that our long term Visas for French Polynesia will be
arriving in Huka Hiva this Wednesday. It is worth staying around to
physically receive these to avoid any complications when flying from
Australia back to Tahiti. The island’s cargo ship carrying diesel,
petrol and cooking gas arrived this week after supply was delayed in
Tahiti due to a strike. The locals and the cruisers descended upon
the fuel wharf and the island was out of gas again in one and a half
days. We are well stocked on Eye Candy.
THE DAYS RUN
TOGETHER
We seem to have
done a lot of waiting this week but we have managed to fill in time.
We sailed around to Daniels bay on the south west corner and anchored
for a couple of days. We went on a beautiful walk from our bay
across to the next bay. You can see by the photos the vegetation is
very tropical and the surrounding mountains make for a very dramatic
back drop. We crossed a little knee deep creek and walked across a
small farm with coconut trees, banana palms and many fruit trees. We
stopped and chatted to the owners who were very welcoming. When we
asked if we could walk around their property and go down to the
waterfront they said “Of Course”. The island people certainly
have a very relaxed attitude. I think the term “trespasses
prosecuted” has never entered their minds.
 |
| Daniels Bay |
We left Daniels
bay yesterday and sailed around to Controllers Bay on the south east
corner of Nuku Hiva. We came here to say good bye to Geoff and
Alison on “Saraoni” who are heading out for Tahiti. We had
drinks and dinner on Eye Candy last night and spent a very enjoyable
evening together. Today it is raining yet again. The deck is
sparkling clean and the water maker is having a rest. We just leave
the cap off the water tank at the rear of the boat and the rain water
runs down the deck and straight in the tank; it’s great to have
unlimited water supply, the Water Nazi has retired. The downside to
all this rain however is mosquitoes. Both Andrew and I, although we
use plenty of mosquito repellent, have numerous itchy bites and are
presently reluctant to go for another walk in this tropical paradise.
SO WHAT’S NEXT
Once we have our
Visas in hand we will sail to another island in the Marquesas. Of
course we will have to wait for the right weather window – so just
waiting, waiting.
love Candy xx
