05/06/2007, Hanamoenoa Bay, Tahuata, Marquesas
Today I went ashore and gathered some limes and pamplemoose (type of grapefruit). The mangoes were not ripe. I wanted to hike up a hill to take some photos but the growth was too thick and I could see no path. There was evidence of a hut near the beach but the place was uninhabited. Fortunately, there were no bugs.
The snorkeling was unremarkable although the visibility was perhaps 40 ft. Not much coral, mostly sand and rock. Tomorrow I will leave for Hanamenu Bay on the island of Hiva Oa, only about 12 miles away.
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05/05/2007, Hanamoenoa Bay, Tahuata, Marquesas
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.
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05/04/2007, Traitors Bay, Hiva Oa, Marquesas
My laundry is getting well rinsed hanging in the rigging, dripping from the constant parade of rain storms for the past 24 hours. Today I am hoping for a break so I can fill the fuel tank, buy some bread and get out of Dodge. The supply ship is in today so maybe there is a better selection of produce at the market. All else is well. There are 20 boats in the anchorage now, about 10 coming in yesterday.
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05/03/2007, Traitors Bay, Hiva Oa, Marquesas
There are a few stores in the near-by town of Atuona where I checked in with the Gendarme yesterday. I was able to buy eggs, some vegetables, apples, cheese and baguettes. The baguettes were cheap but everything else was extremely expensive. Fortunately, I am still well-provisioned with staples from Mexico. Not far from the anchorage there is a fresh water spigot and a petrol station with diesel. The only internet service I can find is at the post office and it is very slow, busy, and US$26/hour!
The check-in process went very well, mostly because I used the services of an agent who charged me US$360 (ouch!). The process involves customs clearance (everything onboard is "ship's stores"), visa extension from the normal 30 days to 90 days, and bond exemption which means the agent guarantees that I will leave the country within 90 days. They are very sensitive to foreigners out-staying their welcome. Now I can go to the Tuamotus without worrying about being in Papeete, Tahiti within 30 days to renew my visa.
There is no good reason to stay here beyond the time it takes to buy supplies and check in with the Gendarme. The bay is not extremely attractive and it is noisy. Tomorrow I will leave for the neighboring Island of Tahuata where there is reported to be an excellent anchorage offering very good snorkeling with 100 ft visibility. We will see.
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05/02/2007, Hiva Oa, Marquesas
The 8 hour passage from Fatu Hiva to Hiva Oa was uneventful except for the landing of a 30 lb mahi mahi caught on a handline. Ninety percent of the fish was given to other cruisers in the anchorage and some local people who came by to give me some grapefruit. My friends on "Bold Spirit" from Seattle, also anchored in the bay, had me over for dinner. This is one of the main benefits of sharing the catch. Today I go to the gendarmarie to check in with the authorities.
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05/01/2007, 17 miles southeast of Hiva Oa, Marquesas
Sand Dollar weighed anchor at 4:45 AM for the 45 mile trip to the next island, Hiva Oa. The Dutch boat departed shortly before I did. I expect to arrive sometime after 1 PM. Today is Labor Day so all government services are closed and I will have to clear in tomorrow.
All is well but I am anxious to find an internet cafe.
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