Day 80: Galapagos to Hiva Oa, Marquesas – 26/03/10

After another unsuccessful night’s sleep (thank goodness it’s the last one) we finally cross the finish line at just gone 11 am and arrive into the bay at Atuona on the island of Hiva Oa.

   

Photos:  Land ho!  Arriving at Hiva Oa, the Marquesas

The anchorage is quite crowded with WARC boats already.  We are the seventeenth boat to cross the finish line and finding a spot to anchor is quite difficult.  Mike motors around the whole of the bay before heading to the outer end of it which is less crowded but more open and rolly.  At least on a cat you don’t heel over at anchor.  We decide to put out the stern anchor just in case as some of the boats are turning 360 degrees, and we don’t want our anchor to pull out.  The new stern anchor is smaller than the one we ‘lost’ in the Galapagos, but the chain that Rolando gave us us much heavier, and it takes the two of us to heave it from the bow locker to the back of the boat and into the dinghy.  At least when it’s down, we are secure.

We go ashore to complete the customs and immigration formalities and it looks like being a ‘near death by dinghy’ experience, but Paul is there to grab my hand as I alight.  We are each presented with a beautiful, scented garland of flowers by one of the local ladies.  How lovely.  I feel like getting onto my knees and kissing the ground.  How wonderful that it doesn’t move!  Mind you, after 19 days at sea, I feel a bit wobbly.

Photos:  Adorned by sweet smelling garlands, we have arrived!

The formalities are handled by an agent and he makes a potentially messy and time consuming job a painless one.   After that, we have our orientation and tourist information given to us by Paul.  While we are listening, Marie treats me to a chilled coconut water which is simply delicious.

Back on the boat, Mike catches up on some sleep, and I lie next to him and wriggle, unable to do the same.  We go back on shore in the late afternoon for a fruit tasting session and a demonstration of local singing and dancing.  I loved this.  The Polynesian style is very much like the New Zealand Maories, but without the sticky out tongue business.

Photos:  Traditional singing and dancing

Mike and I manage to escape the part where they drag the tourists out to join them – we suffered that embarrassment in Panama, thank you!

We arrange to go out to dinner with Susan and David, but once we are back on the boat for a shower, all the energy just leaves us and we long for an early night.  I think it’s better to give up one evening of socialising and get over the passage, so that’s what we do.

 

Our position is:  09 deg 48 min S, 139 deg 02 min W

Distance so far:  5569  nautical miles