Marquesas –Nuuk Hiva 27 May 2024 – Crew Change

We woke in Baie Tai Oa in nice sunny/cloudy conditions and we had a nice breakfast of fruit from Monette’s garden and it was great. We got ourselves ready for an early start as we were heading back to Baio Taiohae.

The wind was stronger than we were used to and the swell as we excited the bay was a good 3 meters. We made water as we were underway and although the wind was 20-23 kts we could not really sail due to the direction. We therefore motored and within an hour we were beginning to enter the bay again. We came in and anchored quite close to where we were before.

Mark was unfortunately leaving today and he packed and got himself ready. He made a sandwich and when he was ready we went ashore. Mark deposited himself in the café and had a drink waiting for his taxi which was about 12.30pm. We are very sorry to see Mark leave after a number of months and he will be surely missed. Keith and Fiona went to the Air Tahiti office to check flight availability from different islands. Joyce and I went to the chandlery and we also collected the washing we had put in. We then met Keith and Fiona at the supermarket and we did a reasonable shop and they drove us back to the quay with our provisions. We returned to Stormbird and put away the provisions and had some lunch. We did a stock take and then made a list of further things to buy.

We returned ashore and then did some further shopping.  We were again given a lift to the dinghy which was helpful. We returned to Stormbird and emptied the jerry cans into the tanks. We will refuel tomorrow and I have been waiting for a duty free certificate.

We had a rest and then went ashore for supper. Mark has left and Andy Marshall joins us tomorrow. We had a nice supper and today was one of those jobs type days. The weather was mixed. It was hot and hunid and we had some rain and quite a lot of cloud. We bought a machete at the supermarket to help with coconuts and fish etc.

Picture – eating fruit at Monette’s house.

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