Marquesas –Ua Pou-Fatu Hiva 31 May 2024

We had a good night and woke to a sunny/cloudy day with the pinnacles at the top of the island pointing into the clouds. Keith had a swim to the beach and I looked at the weather with Andy and our options for our next island. The weather was looking good– a steady 10-16 kts from the east. We were also beginning to think about the information we required for the Tuamotus and getting through the passes. We chatted things through over a cup of tea and proposed an overnight sail to Fatu Hiva which would mean we were then at the end of the Marquesas and we could then work our way back up to Nuku Hiva for the 12 June 2024. This would mean leaving about 2-3.00pm and we would then arrive early to mid-morning the next day. We all agreed to this suggestion and it was about 105nm. The birds were fishing all around us and you could see the boobie type diving in and the frigate birds would then try to steal their catch. There was also the odd dinghy with fisherman catching their fish in the bay.

We had breakfast which included delicious mango and passion fruit. They taste so good here. Fiona cooked some bacon and egg as well. We went ashore about 10.00am as we had not visited the craft centre which had lots of carvings in wood and stone and jewellery. It was a hot day and we went to the bank to get some more cash as there is no cash machine in Fatu Hiva.

The craft centre had a good selection of wood and stone carvings of turtles, rays and whales and knives. There were also Tiki – statues and plenty of necklaces and bracelets.  In addition there were also people making tie die patterns in sheets and you could use stencils or leaves, fish etc to add to the patterns.

We went over to the Boulangerie and bought some baguettes and cake and then wondered up to the supermarket to get a few things. The pizza restaurant was open so we thought it would be good to have a pizza before we go. We therefore had a good lunch and returned to the quay to get our dinghy. The ferry had come in and lots of people and goods were getting off. We returned to Stormbird to prepare ourselves for departure. The challenge for us would be getting the stern anchor up.

We chatted it through and unfortunately we did not have a tripping line (line attached to the anchor to pull it out the bottom) we could use. I thought we would take the dinghy and pull on the line and chain and gradually drag it up and into the dinghy. We tried this and started to get some chain into the dinghy but then it came too hard for both Andy and I to pull it. We were at this stage near the stern of Stormbird and I thought we could use the pulley on the crane arm. This meant tying a line through the anchor chain and then pulling through the pulley. We got some up and then lowered the crane down and attached that to the chain and pulled up. We could then release the line and tie it further down the chain and pull up again. Alternating the rope and chain worked and then the anchor released from the bottom and it made pulling it up easier. It was covered in mud, so we cleaned it up. We were then able to lift it over the stern and on to the back deck. We put the chain in its bag. Job done but it was hard work. We then lifted the dinghy on to the davits and then put the anchor back into the lazarette and tidied everything away.

It did not take us long to do the final bits and as we were ready to go the helicopter from Nuku Hiva landed on the wharf and I guess they were taking someone who needed hospital treatment. Once it had left we upped anchor and motored out of our bay- see the picture of Baie D’Hakahau which we have been anchored in for a few nights. It had been a good spot with a very attractive vista.

The wind was on the nose as we headed east to get to the eastern point of the island and our course to Fatu Hiva which takes us right past Hiva Ova and Tahuata islands which we will return to explore in due course. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and the eastern part of the island was red to yellow coloured rock with little vegetation at all. There were a couple of small islands just off the eastern end which no doubt part of the island in the past.

Once past the end we took out the sails and we were pretty much on a beat with 50 degrees off the wind and our course was 119 degrees all the way to Fatu Hiva. The wind direction was supposed to be 090 degrees, but it ranged between 025 and 065 which helped us. Initially the wind was 10-12 kts which was forecast, and we were only doing about 4.5-5 kts which was fine. As time progressed the wind increased to 14/15 kts and we were on wind vane mode (sailing to the wind so if the wind moves we move with it to maximise our use of the wind). The wind then increased further to 18/19 kts so we put two reefs in the main and a small reef in the genoa. It is difficult sometimes to slow Stormbird down, but we did not want to go too fast as I wanted it to be comfortable and we did not want to arrive too soon.

I decided to have 2-hour watches of which there would be 4 and if anyone needed anything I was to be woken. I toot the 3-5.00pm first watch and then I handed over to Andy. I had a rest and whilst resting Keith caught a tuna and they would it in and just as they were about to bring it on board the top of the rod broke and the tuna got away.

We sailed on well and then it got dark. Fiona had made a spaghetti bolognaise sauce before we left and Keith warmed it up and we had this with some pasta in our sailing bowls. It was like we were on a long passage again. We settled down for a dark night as there was quite a bit of loud cover and we had to watch out for the rain clouds.

It felt good to be moving on and to be visiting another island. Fatu Hiva is supposed to be the most attractive of the Marquesas so we look forward to exploring it and to see whether that is true.

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