Hanaiapa Bay - July 3 to 8, 2019
13 July 2019
Hanaiapa Bay is similar to Hanamenu Bay between tall cliffs. But out of the desert zone now and lush with tropical vegetation and filled with its rich aromas.The anchorage is large and well protected for most of the year ( according to a local). We used a stern anchor to keep from getting crossways to the swell. You can use the cement dock to tie to if you drop a stern anchor. There is a small community here. The gardens and along the roadsides are manicured immaculately. We met a man in town called William who we had heard about. He is in his 70s has 5 �"kids�" and 17 grandkids and has been welcoming sailboats who stop in the bay for 30+ years. We visited with him a few times and traded a few things for grapefruit, bananas and mangoes. We were also able to pick up some windfall coconuts, mangoes, limes and tropical apples. The water is blue and the snorkelling good, although with the run off from the cliffs you must find a good spot. There is a good trail on the east side of town to the next bay. July is festival month in the Marquesas so we were treated with drumming practice on the beach in the evenings.. We plan to skip the next anchorage on the north side as its supposed to be hard to get to shore. We'll go around the north eastern tip of Hiva Oa to get a better angle on the wind toward Fatu Hiva