Sat. May 5, 2007 - Tahuata Island
05 May 2007 | Hanamoenoa Bay, Tahuata, Marquesas
Don
Sand Dollar finally got out of Hiva Oa. It was getting crowded with about 20 boats in a very small bay. A German guy in a Bavaria 36 settled right over my anchor unbeknownst to either of us. He was off running errands when I got ready to leave so, with the help of 3 other cruisers, we spent a good hour and a half setting another bow anchor, abandoning the first bow anchor and 270 ft of chain with a float tied to its end, setting a stern anchor, and then coming back to pick up the chain with the windlass. Moral of the story? Use an anchor float so everyone knows where your anchor is (this is rarely done), protect your anchoring circle at the risk of losing friends, and beware of the Europeans who are used to much more crowded conditions than the Americans, anchor extremely close to other boats, and use very little scope (anchor line).
The cruise to the next island was very short, only about 10 miles but the ice-cold Heinekin waiting for me was especially well deserved after the anchor recovery fiasco. In fact, I had two. A neighboring boat told me not to go ashore until morning as the bugs were horrendous in the evenings. I took their advice. Tomorrow morning I will go for a hike and take some photos of the bay. There is no one living nearby but there are abundant fruit trees. The snorkeling is reported to be excellent. I will let you know.
All else is well.