Warren attempting to climb
Then there were six boards
Sunset Fatu Hiva
Sunset at Hanaiapa
Omoa Fatu Hiva
Benui Falls
Lloyd the Warrior
Lloyd swinging
Ivaiva Tahuata
Mistress to Tahuata
Hanavave Fatu Hiva
Hanaiapa Grandma
Dolphins of Fatu Hiva
Charlie surfing Fatu Hiva
Private left hander
It’s now 11 days since we made landfall at Hiva Oa in the Marquesas. I am always amazed how the transition from days on end of ocean sailing slips seamlessly into a distant memory the very moment one gets to explore and discover a fascinating new world, especially one such as the Marquesas Islands.
These magical and yet seemingly mysterious islands are sometimes referred to as the most remote islands in the world due to their physical distance from any Continental landmass. It is perhaps one of the reasons that Thor Heyerdahl chose Fatu Hiva as the island where in the 1930’s he endeavored to live a subsistence life, turning his back on the world he knew in Europe. His social experiment was an incredible hardship, largely driven by the physical challenges of living on such a remote and seemingly hostile island. I recommend reading his book (Fatu Hiva) it is an amazing story.
After the formalities of clearing into French Polynesia the day of our arrival, we spent a second day in Taahuku doing the usual obligatory chores of laundry, topping up fuel, a few provisions and of course communicating with family and friends via landlines and faster speed broadband.
I always find it such a contrast that after not seeing another yacht or vessel for 18 days, we needed to squeeze into a marginally protected harbour with significant swell amongst another 20+ cruising yachts. To make matters worse, the rain seemingly fell non-stop from the minute we arrived and while certainly not cold, we were always damp. Hence after 48 hours we could not get the anchor up fast enough and head west around the island to the north (leeward) and hopefully sunny side of Hiva Oa.
The geography of the Marquesas Islands is stunning. Much like Kawai in the Hawaiian Islands, these volcanic islands have been heavily eroded over thousands of years by the ravages of wind and water. Trade wind borne seas having travelled thousands of miles smash relentlessly against sheer volcanic cliffs. Water laden clouds rise up thousands of feet on the windward mountain peaks, lashing the islands with seemingly continuous rain. Rivers of water and cascading waterfalls roar from the peaks back to the sea completing an endless cycle of erosion. The islands windward valleys are lush and bountiful in all types of tropical fruit and vegetation a striking contrast to the leeward sides that are dry and desolate as any continental desert.
The final brush stokes to complete the dramatic picture of these islands is unquestionably the soaring volcanic spires and peaks that defy gravity and somehow remain standing vertical when all around them has crumbled away. When viewed from sea and rolling in the backwash of Trade Wind swells these peaks leave one feeling powerless against the forces of nature and simply in awe of the landscape towering overhead.
Our first anchorage was in Hanaiapa Bay and the accompanying village on Hiva Oa’s north shore. What a contrast to Taahuku. The water was absolutely clear, on anchoring we were the only yacht, the sun was shinning and we for the first time we all felt we had truly arrived in the South Pacific. Even the young lads were excited, as this bay is well known for it’s surf breaks in the winter months. Unfortunately we were too early in the surf season, but it didn’t stop Lloyd and Charlie from waxing up their boards and going for a paddle…..the waves looked great…..only it’s size was a problem!
We explored the shoreline and village that is scattered up the lush valley floor meandering upwards towards the ever present towering volcanic peaks. We met an elderly Marquesan woman living on one of the few shore side homes. We did the internationally accepted conversation…..‘speaking English while she spoke French’, routine….This conversation always makes me laugh…..it is as though if each person says it often enough they truly believe that the other person will understand what they are saying……and of course in fact that is what usually happens. She was very gracious and wanted us to have a guide for our village tour so instructed her Grandson and his friend to do just that. Both these lads (probably 20 years old) without any reluctance or the slightest hint of disrespect to their elder became our village guides.
Our walk took in the amazing productivity of this land. Every property was incredibly well tended and tidy. No fences between houses, just well trimmed grass and flowering hedges and trees. Houses were simple in construction, mostly timber with tin roofs and big overhangs with open walls in many instances. Washing hung in the shelter of the roof eves and while we could hear voices most residents were likely busy in the shade of the homes. Every garden had the full variety of tropical fruit….grapefruit, mango, lemons, limes, bananas, breadfruit, and of course coconut palms towering overhead. These villagers live largely a subsistence lifestyle, working the sea and the land to provide for themselves. The only blight on what was a most picturesque landscape was the ever present satellite dish pointing skyward on the outside of virtually every home….
The most memorable impression from our brief visit was the politeness and respect that was shown by the villagers amongst each other. Our local guides wanted us to meet William, a local village personality who provides visiting yachties a bountiful array of fruit and vegetables in return for the signing of his ‘Yacht Club’ book. In trying to find William we went to two different properties before tracking him down. On the second property the young men quietly approached the house and from a considered distance and politely called out. It was not until they had confirmed that indeed William was there and that it was okay for them and us to approach that they encouraged us to go up to the home. The actions of these young lads highlighted that within this small island community there is a high value placed upon respecting the space and property of ones neighbors, something that is so often lost in our own modern urban environments.
Given that aboard Mistress were seven surfboards and two extremely keen and skilled young surfers, it is not surprising that our route through French Polynesia was going to be largely dictated by the ‘best waves’. Prior to leaving NZ Charlie spent hours on Google Earth, surf blogs and emailing those ‘in the know’ looking for where we could find the waves. These volcanic islands are surrounded by sheer cliffs, not ideal for generating surf waves. Fatu Hiva does however have one unique geological formation that Charlie discovered online purely by chance. On the South West corner of the island a huge chunk of a cliff face has collapsed into the Pacific creating a shallow shelf that approaches the vertical cliffs above. The result is a perfect left hand wave that would excite all surfers, but no more so than two lads who have been boat bound for weeks with only the quarter wave generated by Mistress’s hull to look at! As fortune would have it there is a marginal anchorage just 1 mile north of this beautiful wave off the village of Omoa where we dropped our anchor after a great day sail from Hiva Oa. The lads were in surf heaven and over a few days managed to get in plenty of waves. They were in constant awe of having such perfect waves and not another sole to have to share them with……
Our last anchorage on Fatu Hiva was Hanavave Bay (or the Bay of Virgins) that is described by some as the most dramatic anchorage in the world. This description is due to the striking volcanic pillars that rise above the bay creating a physical setting that would be hard to equal. We were entertained for hours watching the wild goats cling seemingly effortlessly the sheer vertical volcanic rock in search of vegetation that grows from the cliff faces. Our fascination was largely driven by waiting to see if one would fall……and of course they never did.
The main mission in Hanavave seemed to be to find Vai’ e’ enui Falls, the 300’ free drop waterfall that cascades into a refreshing swimming hole. Our first attempt to find the trail to this destination was met with dismal failure. After an hour of scrambling through dense tropical vegetation with Havaianas struggling for traction on steep mud laden slopes, we gave up and beat a hasty retreat. The following day armed with a rough drawn map by a local we successfully hiked to the Falls. Our reward was to be cooled by the gravity fueled torrent of water that cleaned both body and soul.
On our last night in Hanavave, we were treated with a rare view of the local villagers life. Song and dance is a mainstay within their culture and on this evening the entire village descended upon the waterfront volleyball courts and community hall for their weekly practice session. This was no South Pacific costumed tourist show but instead an entire community doing something they love and are passionate about. The girls seductive, rhythmic shaking of their hips blended with the foot pounding chest thumping warrior shouts of the men, all kept in perfect time by skinned drums and stick beaten hollowed logs. It was hypnotizing and we were cast under its spell for over an hour before we felt conspicuous by our gaze and quietly slipped back into our dinghy and rowed away in time to the beat of their drums.
Our sail northward to Tahuata yesterday was one out of the box. We didn’t start sailing till mid morning due to the lads wanting one last surf on their private break…..When we finally cleared the lee of Fatu Hiva we were rewarded with a 20 knot Easterly Trade wind that allowed Mistress to really stretch her legs. With Gennaker and full main drawing hard on a reach just aft of the beam, we blasted along at a steady 9 knots. This was champagne sailing at it’s very best and it was with considerable disappointment that the 40 mile passage ended as we sailed into the lee of Tahuata. We dropped anchor off an empty white sand, palm lined bay on the NW corner of the island that looked exactly what our imagined South Pacific paradise would be. Ashore the surging waves on the very purest sand was too hard to resist, and we pretended we were lone corks being washed seaward then shoreward wave after wave……
Tomorrow we return to Taahuku on Hiva Oa, time to restock on a few essentials pick up the balance of our laundry and most importantly to collect Lesley, Warrens wife who is joining us for whatever unfolds next on the Mistress Voyages…..
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