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NUKA HIVA   MAIN ANCHORAGE MARQUESAS

UA POU ISLAND MARQUESAS

BUYING BANANAS  IN UA POU

WATERFALLS FATU HIVA MARQUESAS

CHINK THOSE CHAMPAGNE GLASSES AFTER 22 DAYS AT SEA,DID WE MENTION WE WERE THE FASTEST IN OUR FLEET?? 

BEAUTIFUL CHURCH TAHUATA ISLAND MARQUESAS

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LOCAL WOMEN WANTING TO TRADE BANANAS FOR RUM...YOU MUST BE JOKING!

photo update Marquesas

BAY OF PENISES (ORIGINAL MARQUESAN NAME) FATU HIVA  ( RENAMED BAY OF VIRGINS BY THE MISSIONARIES!

OUTRIGGER CANOE RACE  HIVA OA MARQUESAS FLOWER GARLANDS FOR ALL RACERS

KING ARTHUR AND QUEEN GUINIVEIRE CONQUER THE MIGHTY PACIFIC.......WELL A BIG CHUNK OF IT!

Moving On (23/04/09)

Position 09 21S, 140 02W.
Now on island Oa Poa. Arrived this morning after overnight sail from Hiva Oa.
Very steep mountains dramatically soaring from ocean, anchorage to ourselves. Will do some hiking today, and try and barter for a bunch of bananas when the clouds roll in and cools the place a little.

Enjoying the lush tropical Marquesas

Position 09 54S, 139 06W Tahuata Island.
Loving the breezy and cloudy weather. The tall mountains "catch" the clouds so its rainy, lush and green. Keeps the heat down too.
There are fruit and flowers everywhere - its so green. We hiked to a waterfall the other day, muddy and wet, but spectacular.
The island people are, on the whole, friendly and give us fruit, especially the huge grapefruit called pamplemoose; they are sweeter than usual and massive.........yum yum.
Just taking our time ambling along the island chain. Lots of other boats arriving now, so new faces to meet, new boats to look at,k and new stories from the long passage.

KEEPING BUSY IN PARADISE (12/04/09)

Lat.10 27 south, 138 40 west.
Currently anchored in the Bay of Penises on Fatu Hiva Marquesas, so named for the huge phalic looking rock formations.....photos to follow when internet available.
Having to anchor using bow and stern anchors due to small bays, some bays very deep too, so it's challenging but we are doing OK so far. One boat drifted out to sea the other night and woke up 2 miles out!! They had no radio on and never heard everyone shouting and hooting horns; good grog on that boat eh? Make sure we don't anchor next to them though.
Been doing some good hikes around the islands, and trundelling around on our folding bikes with fresh baguettes under our arms.

WE MADE IT

Hurray arrived at Atuona Marquesas islands on April 4th at 0600.
After 22 ½ days
Total distance 3061 nautical miles
Distance as the crow flies from isla Isabella Galapagos to Atouna Marquesas 2924
Hours sailed 470 distance sailed 2604
Hours motored 70 distance motored 457
Highest mileage 24 hours 170
Lowest mileage 24 hours 89
6 days with mileage over 150
14 days with mileage 100-150
2 days with mileage less than 100
Average speed 5.6 knots
Showers 1 per person per day all with water caught from squalls!
Thrilled to be here, also its Neil’s birthday so double celebration. Scenery absolutely stunning huge mountains soaring up from the sea, tropical flowers, swaying palm trees, blue skies. We are bow and stern anchored close into the shore so its calm The town is a couple of miles walk around the bay stores full of French baguettes, fresh vegetables and fruit………….bliss.

LAND AT LAST (03/04/09)

Position 09 54S, 137 33W.
Distance to Marquesas 76 nm.
Distance from Galapagos 2971 nm.
Distance in last 24 hours 122nm.
Last night we had the Southern cross crisp and clear high in the sky to south, the moon shimmering on the water to the north. Camelot bounding onwards; seems like she could go on forever, but the crew are ready for a good rest in the bay. We'll have to "heave to" tonight (stop the boat) and go slow so we arrive in daylight Saturday morning (also Neil's birthday). Can't wait to see the tall majestic mountains rising up from the ocean, the new scenery will be welcome.
Strange how you learn to adapt and live moving along constantly, over a ludicrous amount of miles and ridiculous slow speed.
We haven't thought too much about the whole vastness of it all; too busy focused inwards on the boat, making it go, keeping it going, and taking care of ourselves. Everything is very time consuming as stuff moves about while you are trying to work with it. Ourselves included - we've all been flung across the cockpit and galley a few times, not to mention the "head" toilet!
Anyway LAND HO....................after 22 days, not actually a bad time from the Galapagos.

Almost There (02/04/09)

Position 09 54S, 135 07W.
Distance to Marquesas 215 nm.
Distance from Galapagos 2826 nm.
Distance in last 24 hours 113 nm.
Well the boat is very clean from all the rain we are having. Very stiff necks and joints from all the rocking and rolling. Spending our time reading and looking at glossy pictures of tropical anchorages.
Still have east wind 10 - 12 knots from behind.

Squalls and more Squalls (01/04/09)

Position 10 00S, 133 15W.
Distance to Marquesas 326 nm.
Distance from Galapagos 2715 nm.
Distance in last 24 hours 145nm.
Rain and windy squalls are all that's keeping us moving forward so as we said before, we're friends with any wind that comes our way.
We are hot footing it into the anchorage to get a good spot as we've heard on the radio a whole Armada of boats (that left from Mexico) are converging on the same island, and we'll all want a nice calm spot after the days of rocking and rolling.