MV Dirona travel digest for Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia 2013

Spitfire checking out the anchorage.

4/15/2013: At anchor

At anchor in Baie de Taiohae with our quarantine flag flying as we head in to clear through.

4/15/2013: Dinghys

Position: -8°54.88'S, -140°5.75'W

Lots of dinhgys tied off to the wall.

4/15/2013: Cafe

Position: -8°54.85'S, -140°5.72'W

Taking a break after walking through town.

4/15/2013: Bonjour

Position: -8°54.91'S, -140°5.69'W

View to our first French Polynesian anchorage. Dirona is just visible in the background directly to our right.

4/15/2013: Hinano

Position: -8°54.70'S, -140°5.97'W

Local Tahitian beer Hinano on the veranda at Pension Moana Nui. We had a delicious pizza there the following night.

4/16/2013: Pamplemouse

Delicious local grapefruit with breakfast.

4/16/2013: WiFi

Getting caught up.

4/16/2013: Crane repair

After launching the dinghy at Nuku Hiva, the crane sprayed hydraulic oil. One of the hoses had failed. Fortunately we had a spare and are operational again.

4/16/2013: Tank maintenance

Replacing a failed O-ring in one of our scuba tanks.

4/17/2013: Fueling

Position: -8°55.27'S, -140°5.72'W

We took on 1,170 gallons of diesel at the fuel dock, but wanted 1,364. They were short on fuel, so we couldn't quite fill. The fuel dock has a cement wall and the surge was substantial, so a side-tie risks damaging the boat. Instead, boats needing small amounts of fuel often ferry them by dinghy in jerry cans. Those needing larger amounts typically med-moor to the wall, where the boat is anchored and backed into the dock and tied standing a few feet off the wall. We've got a 75-foot line from each stern corner to a bollard ashore, and a large Aere inflatable fender protecting the swim platform. The fuel hose runs from the dock, over the swim platform and into the cockpit on the far side of the fender.

4/18/2013: Beer and baguettes

Position: -8°54.97'S, -140°6.24'W

The local grocery store has a huge supply of baguettes, but sells out daily by around 7am. So we did a run around 6am for some staples. We did get a few other things, but this alone would keep us happy for a while.

4/18/2013: Anse Hakatea

At anchor in Anse Hakatea, Baie do Taioa. The bay also is known as Daniel's Bay after a longtime Marquesan resident. Three sailboats were at anchor there when we arrived, and two more came later. We anchored outside them all with plenty of swing room. Swell was a little higher were we were, but it was fine with the flopper-stopper.

4/19/2013: Dinghy secure

Our small dinghy locked to a palm tree. In Hawaii, we bought a 6' 7" Mercury 200 inflatable dinghy and a 2.3HP Honda engine for a light package we could land through the surf and carry ashore. So far, its worked out well. We'd landed to make the 2-hour hike to Vapipo waterfall. The cascade falls 2,000 feet and is the third highest in the world.

4/19/2013: Telephone booth

The route initially led through a small village along a beautifully-maintained country road. The area is extremely rural, so we were surprised to see a working telephone booth.

4/19/2013: Garden

A carefully-tended garden along the way.

4/19/2013: Along the path

The valley we're heading to is directly behind that tall palm. Once we'd left this tended path, the trail through the forest was still quite easy to follow.

4/19/2013: Streams

We had to cross a few streams along the way. They mostly weren't too difficult, but apparently after big rains they can be thigh-deep.

4/19/2013: At the falls

Rain hadn't fallen for a while, so the falls weren't flowing much, but the valley was spectacular with steep shores enclosing a tranquil pool. James is standing just to the left of the pool.

4/19/2013: Anchorage

Looking into the anchorage from the south shore after we'd returned back out from the falls.

4/19/2013: Beach

A lovely soft-sand beach heads the northeast basin, where Daniel's house is.

4/19/2013: Baie Hooumi

Position: -8°53.65'S, -140°1.47'W

We left Anse Hakatea after returning back from our hike and anchored all alone at Baie Hooumi in the late afternoon. We anchorage felt secure and snug, with steep shores on either side. Some swell did reach us, but we were fine with the flopper-stopper out. We're able to deploy and retract it within ten minutes, so it's not a bother.

4/20/2013: Baie D'Anaho

Position: -8°49.29'S, -140°3.86'W

Serrated cliffs along the south shore of Baie D'Anaho, on the north shore of Nuku Hiva. We also has this beautiful and tranquil anchorage all too ourselves. The waters were calm too--the first at Nuku Hiva where we've not even considered the flopper-stopper. A few houses ringed the shore and it night local music drifted across the water.

4/21/2013: Motuarahi

Position: -8°49.29'S, -140°3.84'W

Sunrise over Motuarahi. We left early for a run to Ua Pou.

4/21/2013: Ua Pou

Position: -9°19.52'S, -140°3.05'W

A view to the distinctive spires on Ua Pou. The scenery in the Marquesas is spectacular, and keeps getting better at each island. We were lucky to see the spire tops so clearly--apparently clouds often hide them.

4/21/2013: Baie d'Hakahau

Anchored in Baie d'Hakahau with those amazing spires in the background. We were able to find a space with just enough swing room between the three transient boats anchored behind the breakwater. A couple of the boats were using a stern-anchor to keep their bow into the swell, but conditions were relatively calm and we didn't even bother with the flopper-stopper.

4/21/2013: Downtown

We're anchored right "downtown" at the the main village on Ua Pou, Hakahau

4/21/2013: Sunday swim

We'd arrived on a Sunday around noon, and the harbor was filled with swimming kids. Everyone seemed to be having a good time--the whole society here seems very friendly and fun-loving.

4/21/2013: Carving

The Hakahau craftsman are skilled carvers. This pension sign was one of many examples.

4/21/2013: Painting

Carving isn't the only artisan skill on display.

4/21/2013: View to harbor

We followed the road up to a cross mounted on the hilltop east of the harbor. This is the view to the harbor partway up the hill.

4/21/2013: Anaho Bay

Anaho Bay, the next bay east of the harbor, has a lovely sand beach at the head

4/21/2013: View from the top

Sweeping views from the cross.

4/21/2013: Hakahau

The view southwest across Hakahau towards the spires. The village is much larger than we were expecting.

4/21/2013: Enjoying the view

Looking down into the bay from the base of the cross.

4/21/2013: Eglise Saint-Etienne

After hiking to the cross, we walked through the village. The pulpit in Eglise Saint-Etienne is amazing--it's carved from a single piece of tou in the shape of a boat's prow above and intricate carvings below.

4/22/2013: Point Matahiva

Position: -9°19.52'S, -140°3.05'W

Sunrise behind Point Matahiva as we leave Ua Pou for Tahuata.

4/22/2013: Muffins

Position: -8°52.02'S, -139°59.76'W

Chocolate chip muffins for breakfast

4/22/2013: Last view to spires

Position: -8°57.10'S, -139°59.88'W

One last view to the Ua Pou spires

4/22/2013: Gray Matter

Position: -9°54.18'S, -139°6.82'W

Approaching Baie Hanamoenoa, where our good friends Christine Guo and Mark Mohler are anchored aboard Nordhavn 62 Gray Matter. We last saw them in San Francisco, where they'd arranged a slip for us at their marina in Redwood City. And now, both boats having travelled over 5,000 miles since then, we're finally back together again.

4/23/2013: Baie Hanatefau

Both boats made the "big" run to Baie Hanatefau the next morning. The anchorage was beautiful, with torquoise waters and steep slopes. We initially had the basin all to ourselves, but half a dozen other boats eventually stopped there too. The small village of Hapatoni is in the background at the south end of the bay.

4/23/2013: Diving

The four of us went diving at the bluffs just north of the anchorage. The fish life was amazing: diverse and plentiful. The large school passing below us in the photo turned several times and swam all around us.

4/23/2013: Happy Hour

Happy Hour with Mark and Christine on Dirona, as the sun sets in the background.

4/24/2013: Engine maintenance

Fixing a minor leak at the transmission oil temperature sensor probe. In the background, just behind the wing engine, we're running a large Dayton fan. With the engine room temperature just over 110F, the fan makes working in the engine room substantially more comfortable.

4/24/2013: Refueling

Our standard refueling process is to use the crane to lift one of the two 29-gallon gas tanks from the boat deck and gravity feed from the tank. It's fast and easy.

4/24/2013: More gasoline

We've used more gasoline on this trip than expected so ran the dinghy 12 miles to Atuona on Hiva Oa to refill the deck tank. The channel between Hiva Oa and Tahuata was rough, with wind against current and standing waves, but it was a good test of the dinghy in those conditions. It did well, and overall this was less hassle, and much faster, than taking Dirona.

4/25/2013: Small engine maintenance

Regular oil change and maintenance for all our gasoline engines: the fire pump and both dinghy engines, all Hondas.

4/26/2013: Sunset

Enjoying the sunset from the bow.

4/27/2013: Sunrise

Position: -10°0.53'S, -139°8.04'W

Sunrise through a hole in the cliffs, en route to Fatu Hiva.

4/27/2013: Tahuata cliffs

Position: -10°1.85'S, -139°7.28'W

Dramatic cliffs at the south end of Tahuata

4/27/2013: Baie Hanavave

Soaring cliffs and dramatic formations flank the valley that heads Baie Hanavave at Fatu Hiva. We've been in some pretty beautiful anchorages on this trip, but this one without question is the most impressive.

4/28/2013: Tiki

Tiki overlooking the Hanavave village dock. The village extends into the valley from the head of the anchorage. A breakwater and a cement dock provides sheltered and easy landing for our larger dinghy. We're tied off directly below the 'V' in the cliffs.

4/28/2013: Locals

Two extremetly cute little girls on their way to the dock.

4/28/2013: Copra

Coconut pieces drying in an open shed--this was a common site in the Marquesan villages we visited. The dried nutmeat, called copra, is shipped out in sacks and used to extract coconut oil.

4/28/2013: Hanavave

Looking south across Hanavave. The infrastructre in even the smallest villages is suprisingly good, with well-paved roads and street lights. The community property is always clean, tidy and well-maintained, as are most homes and their yards. And beautiful, well-kept gardens are everywhere. The economy also appears strong: new home construction was common, as were late-model vehicles.

4/28/2013: View

A road connects Hanavave and the larger village of Omoa to the south, climbing steeply to a 2,000-meter pass. We followed the road up to the pass for sweeping views into the anchorage, the village, and the valley beyond. Dirona is anchored at the far left of the picture.

4/29/2013: Hibiscus

A 200-foot waterfall is about an hour's hike behind the village. Most of the way is along a wide road, and the last bit is a steep and muddy, but relatively easy hike. En route we passed a large clearing, of no obvious purpose, where tall hibiscus had been planted around the perimeter.

4/29/2013: Hat decoration

Sprucing up Jennifer's Tilley hat.

4/29/2013: Falls

Lunch in front of the pool at the base of the falls. Jennifer was going to have a swim, but got over it after we saw an 18-inch eel hunting there.

4/29/2013: Scenery

After the hike, we toured the shoreline around the anchorage. Steep, vegetation-covered hills soar above us around at every corner. This is easily the most beautiful place we've ever been.

4/29/2013: Blowhole

And if the scenery up high isn't interesting enough, caves, crevaces, undercuts are everywhere near the waterline. Even the most gentle swell sprayed surge high up through this opening.

4/29/2013: Cave

Some of the caves were large enough to fit the dinghy well inside.

4/29/2013: Arch

This arch Jennifer is sitting at runs about 40 feet clear through the cliff.

4/30/2013: Old Omoa dock

Omoa is the larger of the two Fatu Hiva villages, although still not huge: the entire island population is only about 650. This large sea-worn dock is hung off the cliff at the outer edge Baie Omoa and appears to be many decades old.

4/30/2013: Breakwater

Tied off at the newer dock behind the breakwater. The tide was high--almost over the top of the dock.

4/30/2013: Welcome

Welcome sign on the way into the village. Fatu Hiva is the only populated island in the Marquesas without an airport, so everything arrives by boat.

4/30/2013: Construction equipment

This is partly why the island's infrastructure is so good. The village had several new-looking and well-maintained pieces of heavy equipment like this Hyundai.

4/30/2013: Water taxi

Every island has a few boats like this, all with the same paint scheme, that taxi people and stores between islands and harbors.

4/30/2013: Le deuxieme biere et baguettes

Our second beer and baguettes run. We'd read Omoa had two stores and a bakery, but it wasn't clear where the bakery was. The first store wasn't open yet when we arrived and when we asked the locals for where to buy baguettes, we were directed to a second store that everyone said should be open. But it was locked and appeared closed. We eventually learned we needed to go to an adjacent house for the storekeeper to open up for us. Baguettes sell out quickly in French Polynesia--we got the last five around 8am. The storekeeper also threw in a local mango.

4/30/2013: Ready for the freezer

Four baguettes ready to freeze. The bread is delicious and freezes well--we have a portion almost every night with dinner.

4/30/2013: Ready to dive

We'd done plenty of site-seeing ashore at Fatu Hiva, now to explore underwater. The larger dinghy has been working very well as a dive platform: plenty of room for our gear, even with three divers, and easy to anchor and get in and out of the water. We dove first along the north shore of the anchorage and then on the opposite shore. Fatu Hiva is nearly as dramatic underwater as above, with steep walls dropping off right at the shoreline. The quantity and variety of fish and creature life was astonishing.

4/30/2013: Octopus

On the first dive, we saw many octopus tucked into the rocks, the first we've seen on this trip. The octopus appeared reasonably large, although not nearly as big as the ones we've seen in the Pacific Northwest. We believe this is a Day Octopus, which grows to about 2.5 feet. They changed colors patterns frequently as we watched, going from dark brown to almost white in some transitions.

4/30/2013: Porcupinefish

This porcupinefish was about a foot long. Mostly they hid under shelves, but this one was in the open.

4/30/2013: Moray eel

One of several Moray Eels, possibly a Stout Moray. We saw many eels on this dive, but none were bright yellow like this one.

4/30/2013: Lionfish

One of two Spotfin Lionfish hiding under a rock overhang.

4/30/2013: Sea cucumber

This Pineapple Sea Cucumber was a good two feet long.

5/1/2013: Moorish Idols

Two Moorish Idols swimming above our dinghy anchor. We did two more wall dives today--and the underwater scenery and sealife was even better than yesterday. Massive schools of thousands of fish frequently surrounded us, and we saw all kinds of Triggerfish, Butterflyfish and Angelfish.

5/1/2013: A nudi!

This 1-inch creature likely is a Nippled Pleurobranch rather than a Nudibranch, but close enough. Both are of the subclass Opisthobranchia whose species often are so wildly colored they look fake. Over 3,000 Nudibranch species live throughout the world's oceans--their fantastic forms and psychedelic colors make them among our favorite sea creatures. Our boat name is derived from Dirona Albolineata, or the Alabaster Nudibranch, an invertebrate indigenous to the Puget Sound that we often saw when scuba diving there.

5/1/2013: Snapper

Jennifer watching a school of several thousand yellow-colored snapper pass beneath her. We expected that with the water at 88F, we'd no longer want to wear our lycra skins for warmth. But with hour-long dives, we're happy to have them.

5/1/2013: Eels

A small (left) and a large Moray eel peering out from the rocks.

5/1/2013: Triggerfish

A small school of Triggerfish swims above a massive school of smaller silver fish.

5/1/2013: School

Swimming through a school of thousands of Fusilier-like fish.

5/1/2013: Second catch