We were so fortunate to spend a week on Fatu Hiva. This outermost island in the Marqueasan island group is known for the most dramatic in landscape, with it's volcanic moai-looking spires, and razor edged ridges jutting out of palm covered hill sides, with a 5,000 foot mountain range providing the back drop. However, most cruisers miss it because, coming from the north as they do, it is a windward sail as the trades blow from the southeast.  Fortunately for us, coming from the south as we were, it was, well, a windward sail as well as the trades had switched to the northeast, but it was well worth it.

The village of Hanavave is a quarter of the size of Rikitea, and barely visible from the anchorage as it is tucked beneath the trees and hidden behind volcanic narrows. There is absolutely no evidence of commercialism or tourism that we could see. There are no signs advertising stores or businesses as they are all part of peoples homes. The church, school and mayor's office are the only public buildings. The locals we encountered at the concrete dock and along the main road greet us with a friendly bonjour and smile but alas that is about the extent of our limited French. We did have a couple of extended interactions. Once when we were approached by a man asking if we had any batteries to trade for fruit. We said yes then rowed back to the boat and gathered a variety of different kinds not knowing exactly which ones he needed and what for. Mike returned to shore expecting  a quick exchange but was lead back to the mans house and learned that the batteries were for a head lamp
that was actually broken. Taking on the challenge, Mike offered to try and fix it and return it the next day at 10:00am. True to form, Mike-guiver fixed it and the next day the exchange was made with a few well chosen French words, hand gestures and lots of smiles.

We also were invited to a lunch put on by a local couple, Desire and Jaques, at their home for the cruisers in the anchorage. It was a traditional Marquesan Luau where locally hunted goat, pig and chicken are wrapped in banana leaves and placed in a pit over hot coals, covered with cloth tarps and more banana leaves then cooked for seven hours. In addition there was a variety of marinated fish in coconut, roasted bananas, baked breadfruit, rice with dried fruit, and salad from the garden. It was a delicious feast except for the bread fruit which tastes like wet cardboard no matter how you disguise it. Conversation with Jaques and Desire was in French through Isabel and Jeff who are from France, and in English between the German cruisers Adam and Judy and Mike and I. After lunch  and before nap time we had arts and crafts like in kindergarten, where Desire taught us how to weave palm serving platters, my souvenir from Fatu Hiva.

Getting off the boat was limited to a few trips into town and a couple of very steep hikes, with jaw dropping views which changed like a kaleidoscope as the rays of sunshine through the clouds spotlighted a different area. Snorkeling we found out wasn't such a good idea due to the number of sharks spotted hanging out around the rocky shores.  Being anchored in Hanavave felt like being on the set of Jurassic Park and from Rum Doxy, anchored in the middle of the bay, we got the full Sensurround experience, minus the dinosaurs which was a little disappointing, but with a little imagination you could see the pterodactyls flying overhead.