Hiva Oa

Since our Chronicler David for the pacific crossing has returned home, Cindy and I need to resume our full duties as chroniclers.

David, Erik, and I left Fatu Hiva the morning of April 21^st and arrived in Hiva Oa late in the afternoon where we dropped anchor in a rather crowded anchorage. The port is rather small. There is one dock for small passenger vessels and supply ships. There are no docks for sailboats. You must anchor. There was a supply ship at the dock when we anchored. Fortunately we anchored in a spot that gave the ship enough room to leave. You can see where the ship is docked, leaving the dock, and squeezing out behind us.

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The next day we had an agent that picked us up at the dinghy dock and took us to the local gendarmerie where she helped us check-in. The check-in is for our visa and customs processing. Once we check-in, we get a 90 day visa for all of French Polynesia. The clock starts ticking and I’ll need to depart French Polynesia in 90 days. After check-in we came back to the boat. Erik departed in the afternoon. He had arranged for a hotel for a few days before his flight out. David stayed on the boat where he worked remotely. I made some assessments of items on the boat that needed work after our crossing.

April 23^rd was a day for anchor practice! Some other boats anchored near us and we had to move location several times. I didn’t keep track but I think we moved about 10 times trying to find a safe place to anchor. Found what finally seemed a good spot only to find that we were in the way of a Passenger Supply ship that came in at 3AM on April 24^th. We had to weigh anchor along with about 7 or 8 other sailboats to get out of the way. After the ship got to the dock, I dropped anchor in the same spot knowing I would need to move the next day at some time.

Later on April 24^th was not as bad. I lifted anchor and moved to a new location further back in the bay. Was kind of close to a couple of boats but it seemed like a location I could stay at for some time. Took me 4 tries to get the anchor placed well. More anchor practice.

By the end of the day, a couple of boats seemed a little close. I wasn’t inclined to move but didn’t feel comfortable leaving the boat alone. David and I had made reservations for dinner but I decided to cancel. After his work day was done, David ended up going into town on his own to explore. I dropped him off at the dinghy dock around 3pm. It’s about a 35 to 40 minute walk to town from there. I hung out on the boat to keep an eye on the boats around me. In the end, iut ended up being fine in that I didn’t swing too close to any boats and could have gone with David. He ended up grabbing dinner in town and getting back to the dock around 8pm where I picked him up with the dinghy. Most of the restaurants and supermarkets will give you a ride back to the dock after shopping or eating. The people here are extremely friendly.

The next day, April 25th, I dropped David off at the dinghy dock to catch his taxi to the airport for his flight to Tahiti. I came back to the boat and raised the anchor to move it about 50 feet as I was still swinging a little close to other boats. I just relaxed for the day on the boat and started cleaning and rearranging, getting ready for Cindy’s arrival on the 30^th.

April 26 was another day at the same anchorage spot although another boat came in an anchored close by. I decided to stay put and see how the day went. I continued to relax and work on boat cleanup and organizing. Towards the end of the day, I was getting close again to the other boats. I decided to stay in place for the night but I slept in the cockpit so I could keep a close eye on things. I also got the boat hook ready and a couple of fenders in case I need to fend off a boat that came too close. Made it through the night but it’s exhausting sleeping in the cockpit and continuously waking up to check surrounding boats.

April 27 I decided to move Quid Sea to an anchorage location outside the breakwater. The swells out there cause the boat to roll a lot more but there is a lot of space between boats. The water is also much cleaner in the outer harbor so I was able to start the water maker and make water. I decided to stay in the outer anchorage until Cindy arrives. Over the next couple of days I topped off fuel tanks and made some repairs. I carry 20 gallons of spare diesel onboard in four 5 gallon jerry cans. I emptied the 4 cans into the fuel tank I used when running the motor during the crossing from Mexico to French Polynesia. The 20 gallons topped off the fuel tank. It was all we used on the crossing. I then took 4 jerry cans ashore and refilled them. In most places out here there is no fuel dock to tie up to so refueling means ferrying those jerry cans ashore on the dinghy, filling them, and bringing them back to the boat.

April 30^th, Cindy Arrives!! Her flight from Tahiti to Atuona was late by two hours. She finally made it to the dock about 2:30PM. Yay!!
We are still in the outer anchorage at this point and the boats rolls a lot. We did not sleep well Cindys first night.

The next day, a few boats moved out of the inner harbor and we decided to try again anchoring inside. Found a good spot and we ended up staying there until our departure from Hiva Oa.

We went into town to do some grocery shopping and to introduce Cindy to Atuona. That evening we had dinner at the Hanakee Lodge Hotel. We were away from the boat most of the day, leaving Quid Sea alone. She did great and we are finally at a stable anchorage with no concerns about neighboring boats. Peace at last!

May 2^nd was check-in day for Cindy which went very smoothly. She now has permission to be here for 90 days.

I, (Cindy) arrived Hiva Oa by plane on April 30th, about 12 days after Tracy and his crew. It took them just under 23 days and it only took me two days, so hard to complain. 🙂 We are happy to be together again!

Lying northeast of Tahiti, Hiva Oa is one of the two largest of the Marquesas Islands. The village of Atuona with its bay of black sand is the last resting place of two world famous artists: the painter Paul Gauguin and the singer Jacques Brel. It is the second largest island in the Marqueses with population of about 2200. Subsistence agriculture, a combination of fishing, pig and chicken farming, and the cultivation of staple crops such as breadfruit, coconut, yam, taro, sweet potatoes and bananas, remains the basis of the island’s economy. Copra is grown for export and is the dried, white flesh of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted. Tourism has so far existed only to a small extent, but is economically important, as otherwise there are few jobs on the island. The currency is the CFP franc, which is pegged to the euro. Source: Wikipedia

We learned France provides subsidies to the Marquesas Islands which are part of French Polynesia. These subsidies support the islands’ legal system, healthcare, education, and security, according to Triptahiti. Additionally, French nationals living and working in the Marquesas Islands receive a 1.8% higher salary than they would in France, a measure also extending to other Europeans. This system of subsidies has been in place since the early days of French Polynesia’s settlement, reflecting the challenges of attracting and retaining a population in a remote area. 

Atuona, the main village and port of the Marquesas Islands, located in Taaoa Bay, is the starting point for many visits to the island.  It is hot and very humid! So far, this is our biggest challenge. It zaps your energy and sanity. haha. Fortunately, it cools off at night so we are able to sleep. The people are very nice and common languages spoken are French and Marquesan. Thankfully, most speak a little english and we are able to get by. The 30 boats in this port are from all over the world and US. We met people from Germany, Australia, England, Florida, Arizona, Seattle, and other locations.

Tracy made dinner reservations for May 1st at one of the hotels in town. I think there are only 3 and the one he chose is Hanakee Lodge. The restaurant offers shuttle service which makes it easy since we don’t have a car. Dinner was great and felt quite elegant after leaving the boat. We discovered they also offer a sailors package and for $42 dollars, we get lunch, access to the pool and WIFI, from noon to 4:00 PM. We took advantage of this offer on May 2nd and enjoyed the break from the heat and use of the beautiful pool with fabulous view. Lunch was pretty good too!

On May 3rd, we took a guided tour around the entire island. It included seeing the archeology sites with the original Tiki statues. During the tour we visited a local family who’s business is creating tiki statues and other artistic carvings using the natural wood found on the island. This is typically oceania rosewood (Miro), oceana walnut (tou), and ironwood (aito). The coconut tree (tumu ha’ari or tumu ‘ehi) is also sometimes used. 

The Husband was taught this art by his father & grandfather and they were taught by their ancestors. He has now taught his wife and they are teaching their 2 young children to carry on this practice and way of life.The end of the tour included a meal at a local spot, where we were served goat and boar dishes with a few vegetables. The feast also included white fish ceviche, and french fries made out of bread fruit–delicious! Two different desserts made out of bananas were also part of the menu. It was all very tasty!

In Hiva Oa’s history, tiki represent a powerful blend of spiritual and ancestral significance. They symbolize the connection between the Marquesan people and their gods, ancestors, and the natural world. Hiva Oa, and the Marquesas Islands in general, are known for their many tiki sculptures, which are often found at sacred sites and are believed to hold mana, or spiritual power. 

Tiki are often depicted as half-human, half-god, reflecting the belief in the power of ancestors and their connection to the divine. They can represent important chiefs, priests, or other individuals considered sacred. For example, the Takaii tiki, the largest in the Marquesas, is believed to be a representation of a powerful chief and warrior. 

Tikis are not just representations of ancestors but also symbols of power, knowledge, wisdom, and wealth. They are believed to hold mana, a spiritual energy that connects the physical and spiritual worlds. Some myths suggest that tikis act as protectors, guarding sacred sites and warding off evil spirits. They can also guide and protect individuals in their daily lives.  Source: Wikipedia.

On May 4th, we pulled anchor to head to Nuku Hiva–our next stop before the Atolls. On our way we stopped at a small island called Tahuata. It’s known for white sandy beaches and manta rays. We planned to spend a couple of nights before continuing to Nuku Hiva. However, not too long after we arrived, Tracy noticed a potentially serious issue with our anchor chain. There was some excessive corrosion on the links connected to the anchor. It was concerning enough that we ultimately decided on going back to Hiva Oa to consult with experts. The majority of places we intend to go require use of an anchor as there are no marinas or docks so any potential issues need to be dealt with. Luckily we were able to get some good suggestions and Tracy ended up just removing the corroded links with an angle grinder and reattaching the anchor to fresh links. That’s it for now. Next stop Nuku Hiva!