After 20 days at sea we are closing in on our "Landfall in Paradise" STOP PRESS: Greg sees land from our position 09 deg 59 min South; 138 deg 07 min West.

YES WOOPEEE he's right!!! Fatu Hiva is very high and at the moment it's a very bluey grey colour and it's right on our bow 35 miles away. We found land, right on our nose, he's a good navigator Captain Greg, even if it's done these days with computers, GPS's, advanced plotters and radars.

"Volare" will be making her landfall at Hanavave Bay also known as "Bay des Vierges" (Bay of Virgins). According to the book: In this beautiful bay erosion has sculptured pillars of rock surmounted by giant protrusions that bring to mind virility. The bay was originally named "Bay des Verges" (Bay of Phalli). When the Missionaries arrived they disapproved, and inserted an"�" making it "Bay des Vierges" - Bay of Virgins.

We are due to get into the anchorage about 12:30 tonight, so depending how the Skipper feels, we may just stooge around and wait till sunrise. Yet again we may get sick of stooging around and just go in under radar. Trouble is tonight there is very little moon, so of course it will be quite dark. The entrance is clear of any obstructions so it's an easy one. It also depends on how many lights on boats we can see and whether we feel it's safe to anchor with other boats around. We have heard that quite a number of yachts have arrived from the Galapagos Islands in the last few days. Whether they have come here we're unsure as this is not a clearance port. It is the most natural and unspoiled Island in the Marquesas Group and doesn't have an airport or in fact any organised transport to it. Many yachts make it the first point of call as coming from Mexico or the Galapagos, the wind points you straight to it. If you go north to the other two islands to check in you have to bash to wind ward to get back here. We have been warned we just have to deal with the customs boat which apparently comes around and says "When are you leaving to check in"? and you say tomorrow and they say OK. The next day when you're still there. they say "When are you leaving to check in"? you say tomorrow and they say OK. Our American friends on Talerra and Bold Spirit are waiting to see what sort of reception we get as apparently the officials give Americans a more difficult time. Yachts entering from EU countries plus a few others including Australian and New Zealand automatically receive a 90 day visa whereas they will only give Americans a 30 day Visa and then they have to go to Papeete to apply for an extension.

Well, we've had our last sundowners in the cockpit, on this leg of our voyage, The Gypsie Kings version of "Volare" is blaring in the internal and external speakers, it's a fabulous version. By the way, we play this as we welcome our friends aboard for cocktails or dinner, very appropriate.

This will be the longest passage we will make on the whole trip. So as we've made it through this the next passages will prove a breeze. We've found "Volare"to be a fast, incredibly comfortable sea boat. Our friends on "Talerra" still have another 6 - 8 days ahead of them (they crossed the equator last night at 1-45am.) Our other friends on "Bold Spirit" that left the same day as us have still approximately another 8 - 10 days ahead of them. All their pineapples will definately be finished by then.

More tomorrow on this amazing bay which has the reputation of being unique in it's natural beauty.