Marquesas –Nuku Hiva – Back to Baie Taiohae 12 June 2024

It was a bit cloudy and grey when we woke and we got up the dinghy and had some breakfast and coffee. We put down the solar panels and prepared to leave. We were returning to Baie Taiohae so that Keith and Fiona could get their fight home and so we could provision and prepare for leaving for the Tuamotus.

We upped the anchor and headed out of the bay. It had been a lovely, sheltered anchorage and the calmest we had found in the Marquesas. We had enjoyed our few days here. As we left the bay we were straight into the swell and wind and it was quite rolly with 2-2.5m swells and quite a lot of water coming down the deck and draining through the deck drains with a slurping noise as if someone was sucking the last bits of a milkshake through a straw. We continued round a few headlands enjoying the views of the coast and the light on the stunning cliffs. Some dolphins also came to say hello and there were lots of birds at various points on the sea where there was no doubt an abundance of fish.

Eventually  we got to a stage where we could get out some mainsail to help us along and to give us some stability. When we changed angle again we got out tthe staysail (front sail) as well as the wind was 17-25 kts. This helped us in terms of stability and meant we could turn the engine off and sail properly which was satisfying. This meant sailing along the north coast until we could turn south along the east coast down toward Baie Taiohae. The waves were still about the same height but when sailing this dampens down the severity of the swell. It was not that long before we came to the northeast corner and then we could turn south. We decided to put away the main and just go on genoa. This was fine and then suddenly a catamaran was coming toward us. We passed by and waved and then sailed on and then headed toward and into our bay.

We motored in and the found a suitable anchorage. There was lots of yachts in the bay some of which we recognised from our last visit. We had some lunch and then went ashore as we wanted to book the restaurant for Keith and Fiona’s last night. We got rid of our rubbish which was good and walked along. Everything was closed. The bank ATM was working and the Chandlery was open which was good as Keith bought a new boathook which disappeared over the side in Tahuata.

The restaurant was shut so we walked along the bay further than we ever walked and past the bakery and then on. We eventually came to a celebration park with lots of Tiki’s and huts etc. We found a third supermarket and none of the supermarkets we had passed had eggs or bread. We wanted to get a drink and the only place we could think of was the Nuku Hiva Hotel (quite posh and expensive) at the end of the bay. This was about a 30-minute walk, and we passed a number of horses and horse riders – all riding bareback.

We walked up to the hotel and it had a nice bar overlooking the whole bay and it was a great setting. We had a cocktail as it was happy hour and looked at the magnificent view before us.  We got a taxi back and the driver booked the restaurant Moah Nui for us. We came back to Stormbird and changed and then headed out again to go to the restaurant. We parked the dinghy and was walking along when the heavens opened so we hid under the bank roof. Luckily within 10 minutes the downpour had finished and we got to the restaurant dry – compared to last night it was an improvement!!.

We had a lovely meal thanks to Keith and Fiona for their generosity. We then headed back and the rain did not return. It was good to be back, but we have a lot to do before we head off to the Tuamotus.    

Crewing Opportunity

We have arrived in the Marquesas in French Polynesia and will explore these islands and then move through to the Tuamotu’s before getting to Tahiti about the end of July 2024. There may be some space on Stormbird during this period should any sailor/reader be interested in joining for this period or part of it in what must be one of the most distant and beautiful places in the world.

Year Two

In addition, in year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and probably across the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we move through French Polynesia and beyond.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com  I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk