Marquesas –Nuku Hiva – Final Preparations 14 June 2024

This was our day before we set off for the Tuamotus and we all woke at a reasonable time. Joyce made porridge and we set ashore about 7.30am to see what we could get in terms of provisioning. The fruit market was open but there were no tomatoes or lettuces. When we were tying the dinghy to the dock the fisherman were cutting up the fish and throwing entrails and heads etc into the bay. There were several large sharks (see picture) swimming around and contesting for this booty. It kind of puts you off swimming here.

We moved on to the supermarkets and found some lettuces but no tomatoes or other vegetables other than Aubergines. We bought frozen meat and what cheese we could and some frozen veg. Who knows what we may be able to buy in the Tuamotus. There was no yoghurt etc. It is odd as they grow so much here so why is it not for sale unless it is just used by the restaurants etc. We did find our eggs reserved and bread which was good. The thing is everything is so expensive here. We took everything back and stowed it and then Andy and I emptied the diesel from the jerry cans (100 lts) into the tanks and set ashore to the one petrol station. We refilled them and we also refilled our petrol cans for the outboard and headed back to Stormbird.

The next job was to change the oil on the main engine. We got everything ready but when we came to use the oil pump it was not working. We checked the wiring and there was no power to the pump. We checked the switch at the electric panel and it had power. We unscrewed the switch at the pump and once I removed the cover and pressed the inner switch it worked. It was the button that was faulty. We at least were able to pump out the oil and replace it. This was 25 hours before I needed to but we will be relying on our engine so it was best to do it here where we can get rid of the old oil. I then charged the batteries with the generator but I have to watch the coolant and had bought some more at the petrol station.  

We headed ashore as we planned to have a pizza lunch but when we got there at 1.45pm it was shutting!!. We did collect our washing so we returned to Stormbird and decided to go for an early supper at 6.30pm. We got everything ready as we planned to leave about 5.00am tomorrow and the passage is about 500nm and should take us just over 3 days. We had a rest and headed ashore about 6.00pm and had a good pizza at Moana Nui who are getting to know us now as we have been a number of times.

We walked back and thought this would be the last time we will do this. Will we ever come back to the Marquesas? Who knows but our minds are focused now on the Tuamotus. It has been just over 3 weeks since we arrived and we have had a very interesting and varied time and we feel we have seen most of the islands and their beauty.  

Crewing Opportunity

We are about to leave the Marquesas in French Polynesia and depart for 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