Marquesas –Nuku Hiva – Baie D’Anaho 11 June 2024

It was a reasonable morning when we woke and over breakfast it improved. Joyce had made porridge and Keith bacon and the purple mash left over from the night before.  There had been a bit of rain in the night, but it was now dry.

The main cabin now had a large bag on the table which contained the Blue Baron. We had dried it out and as we were not going to be able to use it for months I felt it best to put it away. Andy, Keith & I had wrested it into its bag and had manhandled it into the cabin. As we are not using the table it is ok but it looks a bit odd. However, we should cope.

As we were having breakfast the couple on a catamaran with a yellow mast came by. I had met the man the day before and we had been chatting about the Tuomutus and charts etc. He said his wife was very good  with it. He must have spoken to her and she offered to help. I agreed to go over to their boat when we had had our breakfast. I had some software called Open CPN and this enables you to display certain charts. I had this software but the charts were not working. I also had a GPS it of kit which I put in the computer, but it was not working.

I went across and they were very welcoming and she got the GPS working quickly and then she got the charts working and gave me ones she had. I was shocked to discover they do not have a chart plotter and only use their computer and an Ipad. They said that our Navionics on our chart plotter would be fine and that the Open CPN would be a backup. This gave me greater confidence and also I asked why the computer was showing me in Auckland all the time and the reason was that Starlink has a base there and we must be connecting to that.

Once I was done we decided to go ashore and have a walk and try to go up the track to the other bay. We anchored the dinghy and walked along the bay again and bought some dried banana. We then started on the track and began to  climb the track which went up through initially people’s gardens and then we were into the woods and began to climb up through the trees- mango trees, orange trees etc. It was hot and humid but the shade from the trees helped. The climb was about 650 feet but the path zigzagged which was longer. It was a path that horses clearly took due to their droppings. The ladies did not make it to the top, so the guys continued and eventually after about an hour of climbing we came to the top of the pass where there was a mobile phone mast.

The views from the top were amazing – see the picture of the day. It was great to see across to the other bay to the North. Due to the trees we could not see into the other valley. Having taken a number of pictures we decided to descend and this took some time. Joyce had dropped her hat which I found. We carried on down and eventually got to the bottom and walked along the valley and found Fiona and Joyce having a drink under a tree by the shack we are going to eat at tonight. We also had a drink after our trek and relaxed. We then needed a swim and went to snorkel in the coral channel and we saw the same variety of fish which was great. I also saw a turtle but when it saw me it took off and I could not keep up with it. This snorkel cooled us down and we then headed back to Stormbird for lunch.

After lunch it started to rain and we all had a rest and the afternoon span out. I charged the batteries, but the rain continued and became heavy. We were due to eat ashore for a local meal and with the rain tipping down it did not seem appealing. However, by about 6.00pm we had to go so we all braved the weather it our wet weather gear. In the dark we went ashore in the dinghy and had to wade in the last 30 yards. We tied up the dinghy on the rain and walked to the shack where we eat inside. It was a nice meal of fresh tuna ceviche with pickles and pork with tarrow and rice. They had Hinona beer which was great and some white wine as they did not have any red. There were crews from two other boats as well which had braved the weather and it was worth it.

When we returned the rain had stopped briefly but once on board the rain returned. It had been another varied day and with weather we were not used to.

 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