May 17

Needn't have worried about arriving in Anaho Bay early as wind died for and hour and a half in the middle, then again turning NE corner of Nuku Hiva. After sailing across the Pacific without cranking the thing once, diesel seemed a particularly obtrusive clatter. Trying to hoard fuel as Tahiti, with duty free, next reasonable fuel stop. A fill-up in Taiohae (Nuku Hiva's main port) requires a boat mortgage or your first born male child.

Dropped the hook at 0730 in a very well protected anchorage and snoozed until noon. With a good snorkeling reef inshore, a village 45 minutes over the hill and another bay east, will probably hang here for a couple of days before working around to bioluminescent Hanga Haa Bay at Taipivai. Cruisers who just arrived from there saw the perfect illuminated outline of a hammerhead shark as it swam by. Herman Melville wrote "Typee" after deserting his whaling ship and escaping to the kind attentions of cannibalistic Marquesans in the Taipi valley.

Took Dave & Jaqui on shore to explore. Found a few houses, a small chapel, four incredibly affectionate dogs and kittens (two each) and the most humongous lime tree on the planet, the size of a giant oak with itty bitty limes (iti in Marquesan means small). Jacksters invited me over for curried something dinner. It was excellent because it was delicious, but any meal someone else prepares has a leg up on greatness.

Jack