We have had a wonderful time exploring Nuku Hiva with our friends, Gord and Debbie Ritchie, over the last two weeks. They joined us in Taiohae, the main town on the island on Thursday, May 22. Their timing was perfect, as Taiohae was hosting a Music and Dance Festival starting the following day. The site had been set up for the 1989 Marquesas Festival and contained a large platform (paepae), Tikis and sculptures from the various Marquesan Islands, as well as Easter Island. The whole island was excited; a stage and tents had been set up and decorated with woven palm fronds and flowers. The festivities started with speeches welcoming everyone, including the cruisers "who had come from across the seas"'... then the drums began to beat. Four young boys were lifted onto stacked chairs so they could reach the drums, and how they could play! Then the dancers moved into the centre - tattooed men and women, young girls and boys, all dressed in traditional costumes and the dancing and singing began. It was absolutely wonderful to see; the pride in their culture was so evident and we felt so privileged to experience it. What made it so special was that this festival was a celebration of the people and for the people, not a tourist extravaganza. The dancing was followed by music with contemporary bands from all the Marquesan Islands.
Sunday was devoted to sail repairs, as we tackled the re-stitching of the UV cover on the foot of the sail. In the end the full length of the foot needed to be re-done, so it was a great help to have two additional sewers. Our work was interrupted by cries for help when a cruiser fell off his boat and needed to be rescued. It turned out to be alcohol related and after being dumped onto the dock, he was taken to hospital in an ambulance. Our group sewing efforts were rewarded by going out for delicious pizza at a local restaurant. Monday we shopped for produce at the local market, then returned to the boat to complete the sail repairs. In the afternoon, Ted, Gordon and Debbie hiked over to Collette Bay and enjoyed a swim, while Pam baked Banana Bread on board. On Tuesday, we rented a truck and drove around the island. We were treated to magnificent scenery, visited two archaeological sites and the village of Hatehua; then drove the rugged and beautiful north coast on an equally rugged dirt road! We arrived back on pavement just at dark and carefully made our way back over the island to Taiohae. As it was late, we decided to go out to supper at Keikahanui Nuku Hiva Pearl Lodge; it was a delicious meal, topped off by a decadent dessert plate. One additional small section requiring repair had been discovered, so Ted finished the last of the sail repair that night until 1 am. The next morning, put up the repaired genoa and set sail for Anoho Bay on the NE side of the island. We bashed into with head winds along the south coast, then had nice sailing for the rest of the trip. A large pod of dolphins came to visit us, to the delight of Gord and Deb. The water beckoned once we arrived in beautiful Anoho Bay and we quickly donned snorkelling gear and set off to explore the reef. There were seven boats in the Bay, including the Canadian bost, Fluenta. Ted and I kayaked around to visit our friends on several of the boats. Early Thursday morning, we hiked over to Haatuatua Bay to visit the farm there and purchase fresh veggies and fruit. Marie and her husband were delightful; they showed us around their farm and treated us to fresh Coconut and bananas. They grow the only tomatoes on the island, so we stocked up with a couple of kilos, plus fresh green beans, papayas, cucumbers, peppers and pamplemousse. Marie's husband was impressed with Ted's strength and named him "Bucheron" (lumberjack) - a name that may stay with him! On Friday, we went snorkelling again in the morning as the light was good. The reef contains a good selection of corals and many diverse types of fish at quite shallow depths. There was less plankton in the water and the visibility was quite good. Once back on board, we made a split-second decision to up anchor and motor round to Hatehui Bay. When we asked at the store if the attached restaurant was open that evening, we were told no. Just then, Yvonne, the lady we had previously met on our road tour, came into the store; she remembered us and said she would be happy to open the restaurant for the four of us for dinner! We wandered the town until supper time. Along the way, we met a couple sitting on a bench enjoying the beautiful sunset. After a brief conversation, the lady realized that we were the guests that she would be cooking for that evening. What a meal she prepared for us - Lobster flambé, goat in coconut milk, pork in rum and a mixed seafood plate. Afterwards, we joined a party on the Australian boat, Moana Roa, and spent a delightful evening with group of cruisers we had not met before. On Saturday, we attempted to find a route up to the Virgin Mary statue which tops the rock spire above the bay, but no trail could be found; so we hiked up to the col overlooking Anaho and Haatuatua Bays for a glorious view of the three bays. We collected a bag full of delicious wind-fallen mangoes on our way back - what a treat! Sunday morning we left early and motor-sailed along the north coast in light winds. It was interesting to see the view from the water after travelling along the coast by road. When we reached the airport, several planes landed and took-off on the narrow runway. Ted decided to fish and soon had a big fish on the line. Unfortunately, the Bonito got away while we were fetching gloves and gaff. We will be better prepared next time! Ted set out the line again and we were suddenly surrounded by dolphins, so the line came in again and that was the end of the fishing. The winds were flukey as we rounded the NW corner of the island and then turned to blowing directly at us from the south at 20 kts and rising. We hammered our way south to Hakaui Bay (better known to cruiser's as Daniel's Bay). After a wild ride round the corner and into the bay, we entered calm waters, but were surprised to see 17 boats there already! We managed to find a spot beside our friends on Code Blue. It was fun for Gord and Debbie, because they now recognized the names of many of the boats and felt like they were part of this cruising community. The next morning we left early again for the famous hike to the falls (the highest in French Polynesia). We were surprised to find the valley inhabited with ten families. It was like hiking through a botanical garden - the path was lined with a well-trimmed flowering hibiscus hedge, ti plants and other colourful foliage; groves of coconut, bananas, papayas, mangoes and chestnut trees filled the valley bottom. We met a young couple working along the trail and they described their life to us and told us that it was harvest time and they were very busy collecting a variety of crops for shipment to Tahiti. They offered to sell us fruit, but our supplies were full from our trip to Haatuatua. We met the young woman's grandmother and she invited us to come to her house for a meal on our return from the falls. We agreed and continued on our way. Once we left the village, the trail became a rugged path, crossing the river at least four times. We gained some altitude up the side of the valley and at an opening in the dense forest had a great view of the falls. We continued on down, passing through the site of an ancient village with walls and paepae and finally came into the narrow, steep-sided canyon with the waterfall. What a dramatic location! The boys clambered through a tunnel to the pool at the base of the falls, but the water was too muddy for swimming. We made our way back to the village and lunch. The retired couple had outdone themselves and we were treated to poison cru, beef in coconut milk, rice, green papaya salad and fried bananas - all absolutely delicious. Ted ran back to the boat to fetch money to pay for our lunch, while Gord, Deb and I had a lengthy conversation with them about their life. They had retired to the village 17 years earlier and their grand-daughter and her husband, whom we had met on the trail, lived nearby. They enjoyed inviting hikers to join them for a meal and it gave them an opportunity to make a bit of money too. Solar power ran their freezer, lights and telephone. We presented them with a solar garden light and they were absolutely delighted with the gift; in return, we left with four huge pamplemousse. Tuesday morning we left early for Taiohae, so that Gord and Deb could arrange their flight back to Tahiti. We spent the rest of the day catching up on emails, planning the rest of their holiday and chatting with other cruisers. Gord and Deb kindly took us to dinner at Rose's restaurant to celebrate a wonderful holiday together. We saw them off to the airport this morning on the next leg of their trip to the Society Islands and perhaps the Tuomotus.