We left early for our next island Fatu Hiva, it was about a 4 hour sail with perfect wind and was a lovely sail across to this stunning island. The lush green vertiginous scenery was really dramatic as we entered the bay, called the Bay of Virgins now, but used to be known as the Bay of Penises. The huge eroding rock formations explain it all. This is the more remote island of the Marquesa archipelago, and we were surprised to find it rather crowded with 11 other boats!
We sailed from the red pin on Tahuata island to the blue dot of Fatu Hiva. The other map is to show where we are in relation to Tahiti. Papeete is where we will leave PolePole after visiting the atolls of the Tuamotu islands.
Sailing past interesting landscapes
Happy to be sailing again
Downpours
Dolphins escorting us briefly
Approaching Fatu Hiva
Bay of Penises, now Bay of Virgins
The 4 Arc boats with young kids, were all here, including the enormous Catamaran Pachamama, which had all it’s toys out. The two South American boats Pachamama (Argentinean) and Mororo (Mexican) were rafted together. The other two Arc boats are Swedish, all four boats have kids between the age of 6 and 12 and they were all having an absolute ball. Amazingly all the kids speak English to communicate, a much better way to learn another language than at school. After a lot of false attempts we finally anchored in a good hold right behind the two cats. We were later reassured to hear that Mororo took 4 hours to anchor! Renegade who followed us in a few hours later anchored right in front where we had tried, but they too had to move after dragging their anchor.
Finally parked behind Pachamama and Mororo the South American Catamarans
The island ferry
Rain coming
It was incredibly hot so we enjoyed having a good splash about in the water. Later in the afternoon we headed into the village to have a walk around. It really is a dramatic setting, the locals are so friendly, sadly our French is severely lacking for any good communications but we still managed to chat to many locals along the way. We stopped at the only little supermarket and found some bread and onions, and when I admired a beautiful fresh flower wreath they immediately gave it to me. We established that the locals were all heading up to a gathering point to do a religious parade back down through the town. We walked behind enjoying listening to them sing. The village appears very well kept, and seems so prosperous, with out much obvious source of income other than the huge amount of enormous pamplemousse (grapefruit) growing wildly everywhere. Amazingly there is not a single bar or restaurant, I’m sure it preserves the harmonious atmosphere. We met Rosa along the way, in her church best with her sister, and in her broken English and our smattering of French we established she was inviting us to eat at her house tomorrow evening. We readily accepted!
A Tiki at the little harbour
The harbour
Walk into the village
Trees heavily laden with enormous pamplemousse
Bread fruit
View up the valley
The stream running through the village
All the homes have beautiful fragrant flowers
The rock formations looks like Mount Rushmore with its faces
Pigs and mangoes everywhere
The fading sunlight catching the rocks at all different angles
Incredible ridge lines
Amazing basin in the mountain
The village parade
It was a stunning sunset with the red sky bouncing off the rock formations. it was back to PolePole for a delicious pumpkin and aubergine curry with fresh coconut sambal that the girls created, just we forgot Nevil doesn’t like aubergine and there was no meat which put him into silent mode for the rest of the evening.
Sunset light catching the rocks
The bay at sunset
My flowers I was given and my seed necklace I bought in Hiva Oa
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