The Cruisers' Party Line: VHF Radio

While out cruising, our main method of communicating with other cruisers is the VHF radio. It has a range of up to 25 miles, and all boats have one. Most boats have two or more. We have one main unit, with two microphones, and a handheld that we can take to shore.

So, for you landlubbers, the basic process is you call the boat you want to chat with on channel 16, which everyone monitors. Then you arrange to move your conversation to another channel. At this time, any number of boats may also move to that channel to get the scoop on whatever fascinating bit of info you might be chatting about. Most radios even have a 'dual-watch' feature, which enables you to monitor channel 16 and another channel at all times...the ultimate in eavesdropping convenience.

John and I have had our share of fun lurking on the VHF, and any boater who denies having listened in is absolutely fibbing!! But...we've gotten pretty tired of the constant chatter in the busier anchorages, and listening in to others talk about their dinner plans, or their next anchorage, gets a bit tiring, not to mention that you often need to physically drop whatever you are doing to go and change the channel, so we rarely have the energy or interest anymore to do much lurking.

But...for Amy and Strahan, this was a new phenomenon and the source of endless entertainment. As a result of constant listening and channel changing, Amy was in the know. She could tell you which boat was dining where, and with whom. And who was leaving the anchorage, and where they were heading. Who was going snorkeling and at what time. And so on.

Sure is quiet around here these days...

Toau - Lobster for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner!

After Amy and Strahan left us, we grabbed a few more provisions, loaded up at the bakery, and attempted to weigh anchor. Of course it was stuck among several coral heads, and I needed to dive down to investigate, and to direct John in the direction to steer the boat in order to untangle us! We were shocked that we had managed to get so ensnared, as we had only just dropped the hook the night before. Oh well. We managed to get ourselves free within about 45 minutes, we were on our way.

We had a calm day, and motor-sailed about 20 miles to Toau, a small atoll north-west of Fakarava. We headed to the south end, where we anchored with Capaz and IO. Once we arrived I did my usual snorkel to check on our anchor, and changed our zinc while I was there. This zinc only lasted two months...we sure go through them fast in these tropical waters.

After we had a chance to grab a bite to eat, we headed ashore to see if we could find lobster. Mike and Hyo (IO) were there, as well as Brad, Austin and Bryce from Capaz. As we headed in the direction of the reef, John and I chatted with two locals (they and their father are the only ones that live here), and they assured us that it was easy to find lobster on the outer reef. So we trudged off with our flashlights, and started looking through the ankle-deep water for the reflection of the lobster eyes. After trudging and searching with a success rate of nil, we found ourselves more engaged by Mike's awesome marine biology lessons, than the hunt for the invisible lobster. I'm sure we were almost as good as his students in Bamfield!!

We soon saw lights coming towards us, and our two friends, Martin and Jean, had donned their wetsuits, plastic go-anywhere shoes (I should write a separate blog post just about those shoes), Coleman lanterns, and big blue barrels strapped to their backs. When they caught up with us, they already had snagged several lobster and reef fish for the bottom of their barrel. The brothers tried to teach us how to spot the eyes of the lobster, but we were slow learners. I didn't spot one the entire evening. John spotted and caught a couple, but Jean took pity on him, and pointed him in the right direction several times. It would have been a bit of a comedy show to see all of us lurking through the waters of the reef, and then running after and trying to grab these lobster. We weren't nearly as good as the two pros, but at least we won't starve. In addition to lobster, they were also catching reef fish - mostly parrotfish. This was a new fishing technique...fishing with a machete! The guys could kill the fish with one slash of the machete. It was unbelievable. The only sad part about the evening is that my camera was out of batteries, and that Strahan missed out...he would have loved it! We arranged to meet the guys in the morning to go on a coconut crab hunt.

The next day, Mike and John went to the beach to hunt crab with the brothers at a remote motu (islet). After some time on the beach, they came out in the brothers launch to deliver lunch to us ladies who decided to sleep in and let the boys hunt. Fresh barbecued fish and lobster. WOW. Of course Hyo and I both ate ours immediately. We saved the rest to share later in the day.

Eventually, the boys returned with two coconut crabs, and we arranged a big feast aboard Capaz later that evening. What a night! Lobster, crab, and PJ even had fresh veggies!

Our Position: 15°57.8'S and 145°52.2'W

Fakarava North - Pearls, Sharks, and Alternators

After a morning snorkel at the reef beside our anchorage, we weighed anchor and headed north to the village of Rotoava at the North end of Fakarava. This was an excellent way to cap off Amy and Strahan's visit to Renova. We wandered the village and found ourselves giddy at the prospect of filling our cupboards once again. We arranged a visit to a pearl farm, and were able to see how the gorgeous "Tahitian Black Pearls" are made. It is a much more complex process than I expected, and was surprised to learn that only one percent of all pearls produced are "A" quality - round, without blemishes, and with a high luster. We also got to meet Mike and Kyo from IO, from Victoria!

I tried to get online and do a few internet jobs, but found that paying two bills and viewing our account took almost 2 hours. While I banged my head against a wall, Amy and Strahan went for a fabulous dive outside the reef and John worked on replacing our VHF, which has become problematic as it only wishes to work intermittently. Now, everyone in the anchorage knows that it is us calling, as they are now able to recognize the machine gun noise that we broadcast whenever we push the transmit button on our mike. Too bad. We loved that radio, and it was almost new when we left BC. Oh well...the 1980's model works well, even though it is a power pig, and doesn't have some of the common channels, nor the fancy features. At least the rest of the anchorage doesn't feel as though they are in a war zone.

On Amy and Strahan's last day, we three went for a dive through the Garuae Pass. It was fabulous, and well worth the accolades in all the travel guides. We drifted through the pass, pausing several times to hold onto the coral and watch all the sea life around us. We saw hundreds of reef sharks, and more fish that I had thought possible to inhabit such an area. It was absolutely stunning, and I'm glad that I decided to join them at the last minute. And we finally got to meet Mike and Sammi from SV Quartermoon, who we'd shared anchorages with a few times, but hadn't met yet.

We celebrated our last evening by dining out at the Blue Van. This van is parked in someone's front yard, has plastic patio furniture in front, and serves up the standard menu of burgers, steak frites, and chow mein. Kinda eclectic fare, although it seems to be the norm around here. It was a fabulous meal. And we were able to chat with other cruisers who had also come to enjoy the meal - Mike and Hyo from IO (Canada), Jackie and Gary from Inspiration Lady (Canada), and Jack from Anthem (USA).

On departure day, we went ashore for last minute items, had one more swim, and then brought aboard the anchor and headed to the airport. There is a wharf directly in front of the airport, and we were able to tie up less than 100 feet from the airport check in counter. On the way over, the alternator wasn't charging the batteries, and none of the gauges on the engine panel were functioning, so while John and I did some troubleshooting and dug out the spare alternator, Amy prepared a lunch of fresh baguette and cheese in the cockpit. Turns out we had blown a fuse, so it wasn't long before we had replaced the fuse, and we were all enjoying lunch in the cockpit. After they checked in, we were able to return to the boat and enjoy a beer. I jumped in for a quick snorkel, and the fish life was fabulous.

Finally, the plane arrived and it was time to go. We said goodbye to Amy and Strahan and "ALLEZ". It was so great to have them aboard and we'll definitely miss their company. And their help. It was awesome having the extra hands to help with the anchor, the steering, the dinghy, the cooking, etc! And they were so generous with bringing down needed supplies and helping us to re-provision. We look forward to having them aboard again.

We waved to the departing plane as we made our way back to the anchorage.

We spent our last evening here enjoying sangria with Chris, Christine and the kids from Ottawa on their catamaran, SV Stray Kitty. Mike and Sammi from Quartermoon joined us, as did Jamie and Behan from Totem. What a fun night!!

Our Position: 16°03.7'S and 145°37.2'W

Fakarava South - Snorkeling with the Sharks

We left Kauehi atoll early in order to time our exit from the lagoon shortly before slack tide, and to be sure we arrived at the southern passage to Fakarava during the afternoon slack tide. Our passage was a nice day sail, with the exception of a short squall that piped up mid-way giving us a few minutes of excitement.
The hand line hanging behind the boat worked it's magic as we passed by an area of water that seemed to be of great interest to birds. Luckily, it was also of interest to tuna, and we had a nice tuna on the line which the boys brought on board, and then tied behind the boat for the remainder of the passage.

We timed our arrival perfectly, and entered the pass with a slight flood tide pushing into the lagoon. We had no problems avoiding several dinghies floating in the pass tied to their snorkeling owners. The anchorage inside the lagoon was easy to spot, as almost two dozen boat were nestled into this idyllic spot. We easily found a spot, and dropped our hook, avoiding the coral heads that were scattered throughout.

As we set the hook, Stuart and Shelia from SV Imagine popped by to say hello, and as we chatted, a large splash at the stern of the boat reminded us that we had forgotten to pull our tuna on board. To our dismay, the better half of our fresh sashimi dinner was taken in one bite by a black tipped reef shark. Hmpf. Suddenly, I didn't feel quite up to snorkeling to check on our anchor at the moment! Several other sharks were now circling the boat, in hopes of catching a few more bites. John managed to salvage the remains of the tuna, and we all watched in awe as the sharks fought over the remaining guts and head.

The anchorage faces a white coral beach, complete with palm trees and thatched huts. A small dive shop operates on the pass, and takes divers on drift dives through this area. There are a couple of pensions here, but not much else. A popular activity is to snorkel or dive the pass just before or after slack tide, allowing you to drift through the pass while you watch the incredible array of fish, sharks and coral unfold below you. This pass is reputed to be one of the better dives in the Tuamotus for its "profusion of small and large reef fish...dozens of reef sharks..." (Lonely Planet).

By the way, Fakarava atoll is considered a UNESCO protected area, due to the diversity of wildlife here. It is the second largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and we were surprised to be sailing in the lagoon, and not be able to see across to the other side.

The following morning, Amy and Strahan rowed to the pass and snorkeled through the pass, but found themselves rowing against a very strong current on the way back to the boat. The snorkel was incredible, as they were surrounded by black tip reef sharks, and amazing coral and reef fish. They were followed by a "huge, friendly-looking" fish, which may have been a Napoleon??

John and I snorkeled briefly in the pass later that morning, and were shocked by the fish. We had been spoiled by amazing snorkeling in Mexico, but we finally felt that we had found comparable or maybe even better snorkeling! It was stunning. Our trip back to the boat was just as challenging as Amy and Strahan's, as our little outboard couldn't keep up to the power of the tide. We were making forward progress, but barely. Eventually the motor just gave up, and we were forced to row. Thankfully, SV Dignity came along and offered us a tow!!

One more snorkel in the afternoon was just as incredible, and we saw many sharks, three moray eels, two lion fish, and schooling tuna, among tons of other reef fish and stunning coral formations.

During the night, the wind shifted, causing an uncomfortable swell in the anchorage, and we had a less than restful sleep. In the morning we chose to move, as more of this Northerly wind was in the forecast. By early afternoon, we were settled into a new anchorage with several other boats, and found ourselves snorkeling and spear fishing in the turquoise waters. Although there was no success with spear fishing or dragging the lines, the boys went to explore the reef, in hopes of finding lobster terrain for a hunt after dark. Instead, they managed to chase a green parrotfish up onto the beach, and wrestled it into submission. We enjoyed fish curry for dinner, which was a welcome treat, given that our fresh food supplies are seriously diminished these days.

After dinner, we enjoyed drinks and nibblies aboard SV Dignity, with Steve, Helen and John, who we first met in the Galapagos, but keep passing as we go in and out of anchorages. It was a lovely evening, and was a real treat for Amy and Strahan, who had not been on a catamaran. They were astonished with the amount of space that was available on board. Dignity is one of the first sailboats with hybrid electric engines, so it was interested to chat with them about their experience with the new technology.

This morning, we moved again and started towards the north end of Fakarava, where Amy and Strahan will fly out of at the end of this week. We stopped mid way up the atoll, where we are anchored next to SV IO, from Alberta, Canada! The boys are now out looking for dinner with Mike, who had just talked with the locals about which fish are safe from the ciguatera.

Tomorrow, we plan to head to the north end of the atoll, where we can't wait to do a bit of shopping and refill our cupboards. Maybe even enjoy a meal the local snack. Lately, we've been rationing everything from eggs and flour, to beer and cheese. Well, to be honest, we ran out of beer weeks ago. Life is tough.

Our Position: 16°17.1'S and 145°31.4'W

Kauehi

Kauehi Atoll, Tuomotu Archipelago, French Polynesia

We had a fabulous stay at the village in Kauehi, Tearavero. Although every local we talk to has a different answer, we think about 200 people live here. All the literature we've read about French Polynesia has gushed about the exceptionally friendly Polynesian hospitality. So far, we have enjoyed meeting kind people, but we haven't found them any more or less hospitable than other places we have visited. Until now.

Everybody that we met in the village has invited us into their homes. We have shared coffee, tea, juice with a number of friendly locals. Sunday is clearly a day of rest and relaxation here, and everyone seemed to be out on their front stoop or on the patio relaxing. As John and Strahan explored the village, they were invited into two homes to sit and chat with the locals.

On our second day, we enjoyed 'Tahiti Delight', a yummy punch at Daniel's house, before he took us exploring into the coconut plantations in search of the large and elusive coconut crab. There were many stories and pantomimed descriptions about the dangers of thrusting one's arm down into the crab holes, in hopes of pulling out a crab that might have a pincher as big as your forearm. Unfortunately, we didn't find one this afternoon. The boys decided to return after dusk, when hunting is much easier.

As we wandered through town, we noticed flags lining the main street. Locals told us that there would be a parade to mark the last day of May, which is a month of celebration for the Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church here. Amy and I decided to join in the procession. Just before dusk, we joined a group of 40 villagers at the home of the priest, where a service was held in the shed in his yard. We were welcomed (kissed) by many villagers, and the children seemed to be especially fascinated, as they stared and giggled when we caught their eye! After the service, the group walked down main street, following the six white-robed priests, and the alter for Mary, which was carried by two young men. After several stops to switch alter-carriers, we arrived at the white Catholic Church that stood proud in the centre of town. The church was filled with shell-covered chandeliers, and shells were strung together and hung throughout as garland. The mass was long, and mostly conducted in Tahitian, although there was also French strewn throughout the service. Not being Catholic, we weren't really aware of what was going on, but our favorite part was the singing. Not that we were among the source of the hymns, the music was even more powerful and vibrant than the tunes that we'd heard drifting over to the anchorage during each weeknight service. As the service ended and we filed into the street with the rest of the congregation, Amy and I, once again, found our cheeks to be the beneficiaries of much kissing.

After the service, a local couple invited us to their home for a barbeque on the following day. Even though we had planned to leave, we accepted their invitation eagerly, and decided to delay our departure to later in the afternoon, so we could enjoy a mid-day meal. Even though it was rainy and windy on the following day, our hosts insisted on a barbeque, and we arrived at their large home, to discover fish cooking on the backyard barrel and fresh, young coconuts cut and ready for us to drink. We were treated to a fabulous meal with coconut rice and poisson cru mounded on the table, alongside the barbequed fish and coconuts. Throughout our meal, Joanna took a special interest in John and tried to teach him both french and some of the local language. Tahitian is a very difficult language to learn and we're all struggling with even the basic phrases. We were also shown the beautiful shells that they cut, polish and fashion into various pieces of jewelry and artwork. Amy and I were each gifted with a very beautiful necklace.

We've now moved to a new anchorage. We're still within Kauehi atoll, yet we're now on the south side of the lagoon, which is completely remote. There is one other boat here, Mojombo (from Comox - www.mojomboexpedition.blogspot.com), but they are at least a half mile away from us. Yesterday, the boys practiced their newfound hunter and gatherer skills on the beach. They came back to the boat with a freshly speared fish. Because we'd heard that there is ciguatera (toxic) in this lagoon, we hummed and haaa'ed about whether to eat it, but since we have very little fresh food aboard, and no meat, we decided to give it a try. (The store at the village just happened to be closed all this week as he shop keeper had left town!) We built a bonfire on the beach, made a foil pouch of potatoes and butter, and cooked our dinner over the roaring fire. We tested the fish on our lips, waiting to see if they turned numb, but without any immediate noticeable effects, we all enjoyed our fish and potatoes. It's now the next day, and we can safely say that disaster has been averted yet again.

Well...must sign off for today. John has just dropped a wrench overboard, and all of us crew are now going free diving. We plan to leave tomorrow for Faka Rava...so our next post will be from a new coral atoll.

Position: 15°56.9'S and 145°03.8'W

Labels: visitors, French Polynesia, Tuomotu, fishing, food

We've Arrived!

We had fabulous wind conditions for our passage from the Marquesas to the Tuomotus. The wind was steady from the East or East-South-East for the entire passage, at 12-18 knots. Swell was manageable, between one and two meters for most of the trip. It was enough that cooking was interesting, but possible. The difference made by having Amy and Strahan aboard was huge! We were able to get so much more sleep, and share the various tasks, making life so much easier. We did our night watches in pairs, and one person on watch was able to sleep in the cockpit, on standby mode, so the two off-watch crew got in a solid stretch of undisturbed time, during which they hopefully could ignore the rocking of the boat enough to get some rest. And they handled the crossing fabulously - no one was sick!

Bursts of activity kept us on our toes in between long periods of lounging. Barely outside of the harbour, we hit a big wave and discovered the weaknesses of our over-loaded fruit hammock. We all shrieked, as the majority of our fruit bounty went flying into the clutches of Neptune...blobs of yellow, orange, and green floating in our wake. Luckily, we saved a few pamplemousse, mangoes and lemons, and our bananas were tied separately, but there were four sad faces aboard Renova.

Later that day we had a big fish hit the line, and almost spooled us, but he managed to spit the lure and swim away with his freedom. Unfortunately, the next day, another fish finished the job, and took our lure and all our line with him. Now we had to get serious with our hand lines.

Soon after, Strahan hooked a fabulous tuna on the hand line, which we ate for the following three days. Our largest yet. And it was delicious. We had tons of sashimi, sushi rolls, spicy tuna and ceviche on crackers, seared tuna with ginger sauce, and so on. It was enough tuna that we had to stop fishing, as we couldn't handle any more fish!! There goes one of our chief pastimes. Back to napping.

Interestingly, we all had small appetites, and were most happy with bland foods. The butter chicken was a total flop, virtually untouched, yet the Mr. Noodles was by far, the most popular meal. Who'da guessed?

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. We listened to the SSB and the positions of our fellow cruisers as they made the crossing with us. We managed to complete the five hundred miles in four and a half days, arriving at the pass just after noon.

To the Tuomotus

We had fabulous wind conditions for our passage from the Marquesas to the Tuomotus. The wind was steady from the East or East-South-East for the entire passage, at 12-18 knots. Swell was manageable, between one and two meters for most of the trip. It was enough that cooking was interesting, but possible. The difference made by having Amy and Strahan aboard was huge! We were able to get so much more sleep, and share the various tasks, making life so much easier. We did our night watches in pairs, and one person on watch was able to sleep in the cockpit, on standby mode, so the two off-watch crew got in a solid stretch of undisturbed time, during which they hopefully could ignore the rocking of the boat enough to get some rest. And they handled the crossing fabulously - no one was sick!

Bursts of activity kept us on our toes in between long periods of lounging. Barely outside of the harbour, we hit a big wave and discovered the weaknesses of our over-loaded fruit hammock. We all shrieked, as the majority of our fruit bounty went flying into the clutches of Neptune...blobs of yellow, orange, and green floating in our wake. Luckily, we saved a few pamplemousse, mangoes and lemons, and our bananas were tied separately, but there were four sad faces aboard Renova.

Later that day we had a big fish hit the line, and almost spooled us, but he managed to spit the lure and swim away with his freedom. Unfortunately, the next day, another fish finished the job, and took our lure and all our line with him. Now we had to get serious with our hand lines.

Soon after, Strahan hooked a fabulous tuna on the hand line, which we ate for the following three days. Our largest yet. And it was delicious. We had tons of sashimi, sushi rolls, spicy tuna and ceviche on crackers, seared tuna with ginger sauce, and so on. It was enough tuna that we had to stop fishing, as we couldn't handle any more fish!! There goes one of our chief pastimes. Back to napping.

Interestingly, we all had small appetites, and were most happy with bland foods. The butter chicken was a total flop, virtually untouched, yet the Mr. Noodles was by far, the most popular meal. Who'da guessed?

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. We listened to the SSB and the positions of our fellow cruisers as they made the crossing with us. We managed to complete the five hundred miles in four and a half days, arriving at the pass just after noon.

Controleur and Daniels (Taioa) Bays

[May 24]

We had a great day in Controller bay. We got up early, to hunt out another archeological site, and after a quick stop to listen to the singing from the church, found our way up the hill to the site. It wasn't very big, but had some of the best tikis we have seen yet. During our ice cream stop in the village, we were offered free mangoes from the trees in the park, and we learned that a local carver lived 'just up the road'. After knocking down a few mangoes, the boys headed back to the boat and the gals checked out the hunky outrigger men on the beach. The races were definitely on island time, and we lingered in hopes of watching the action, but all-too-soon, the boys were back at the beach, and ready to ferry us across the river toward the road to the carver. Once the local kids swimming near by, saw what they were trying to do, they laughed at us, and swam our dinghy across the river, with us ladies able to keep our feet dry. If only we had a parasol! Luckily we had a few Canada pencils, to thank them for their efforts.

We walked for an almost eternity in search of the carvers home. Clearly, this was not 'just up the road'. Although eventually a passer-by took pity on us, and we hopped in their truck for the final push. What we found was extraordinary. He had a dedicated room of his home with carvings, including tikis, bowls, drums, figurines, etc. They were beautiful, and exactly what we had been hoping to find. Decisions were difficult, but we eventually decided on our purchases, and walked away very pleased with the results of our efforts. Luckily, we caught a lift in the school teacher's small car for the ride back to the dinghy. All kids over 15 go to Tahiti for high school, which explains the lack of teenagers running around any of these islands. We also learned there is a small university in Tahiti, but many students go to France for their post-secondary education.

We had heard great things from other cruisers about the anchorage in Daniel's Bay, so we pulled up anchor from Controller Bay, and with a solo outrigger escorting us out, headed back towards to south end of Niku Hiva.

John's lucky green lure proved it's worth yet again and we hooked another Dorado on the way into the bay. It is a sure way to make new friends by entering an anchorage with a fresh fish trailing behind the boat!

There were at least a dozen boats in the anchorage, yet we enjoyed a quiet evening and leisurely morning about Renova. During the afternoon, the crew went ashore to check out the small village, and hike up the Hakaui Valley to the Vaipo waterfall that is the third highest in the world. (I had just received some work via email, so stayed aboard to get in a few hours of quiet time on the computer).

[These two paragraphs written by Amy:]

The hike was incredible, walking along ancient roadways, through streams and steep canyons. Although the waterfall was only a trickle in this unusually dry year, it was still awe-inspiring, with its sheer cliffs rising up hundreds of meters above. The pool at the base was perfect for a refreshing dip, even though we were warned against swimming, due to the possibility of rocks falling from above.

As we returned to the dinghy, we passed through a small village where we met a local woman willing to sell us some of the fruit from her trees. We loaded up with pamplemousse, pineapple, bananas, mangoes, papaya, oranges, lemons, limes, a breadfruit, and some strange apple-like fruit. We got more fruit than we could carry for a few francs and a tube of lipstick. The dinghy was overloaded and riding low to the water when we returned to Renova. (I couldn't believe the bounty that they arrived with!!)

Stuart and Shelia on SV Imagine (http://shelia-sailingwest.blogspot.com) made our afternoon, by offering to fill our water jugs with their watermaker as they had observed that we had been shut down on our attempts to find water nearby. They also treated us a sample of Shelia's delicious Thai Fish Cakes. We now have a new recipe for use onboard Renova.

Kyemaya was here in the anchorage, and wanted to take advantage of John's firemaking skills, and the graham crackers we donated for their s'mores, so we organized a bonfire on the beach and several of the cruising boats joined in the fun. Amy rested on the boat for some R&R (fruit-bartering is exhausting, you know), yet John and Strahan were in fine form as they got a raging fire started without the aid of matches or lighter to the delight of the kids. I think the older boys had more fun than the kids, as they proceeded to hunt, kill, and cook land crabs they found, and dug into fresh coconut and pamplemousse with the ever-useful machete. The other kids were pleased with their s'mores, as were the Euro cruisers who hadn't enjoyed this campfire delight before.

Finally, after accumulating a host of fabulous experiences in the Marquesas, and with a favorable weather forecast, we decided to head back out to sea towards the Tuomotus, a trip of approximately 500 miles. This archipelago, famous for its coral atolls, is vastly different from the high, lush peaks of the Marquesas, and we can't wait to see it. We're looking forward to swimming in the lagoons, and snorkeling and diving at a top notch diving locations!!

Baie de Controleur

Time is flying in paradise. It is almost been one week since Amy and Strahan arrived. We had a nice relaxing day yesterday with a lazy sleep in, pancakes for breakfast, and took a few loads of laundry to the beach to make use of a freshwater tap on the beach. While our laundry dried, we went for a snorkel among the mushroom coral that inhabit this anchorage. John fixed the outboard motor, so we can once again use the pull cord, and don't have to continue to start it by using a length of string wrapped around the head.

This morning we spent some time planning our passage to the Tuomotus, which route we will take, and which atolls we would like to visit once there. We made plans with A Small Nest to see them in a few days, and we upped anchor and moved to Baie du Controleur. After a short motor-sail, we set our anchor in the bay - all by ourselves. It certainly isn't as picturesque as many of the other anchorages we've been in, but we heard that we may find a store ashore, and we did. While on a provisioning run, the boys discovered that there is an outrigger canoe regatta here tomorrow. There are paddlers practicing on the bay, and we're trying to decide if we'd like to linger here another day to take in the races.

For those who are curious, the boys bought a bit of flour, tuna, yogurt, meat and a couple of donuts. All of this fit into two small grocery bags, and totaled almost $70. All of the food is flown into these islands, and everything is very pricey. We wish we had the space to have bought more supplies in Mexico. Fruit is hard to come by in the stores, even though it is everywhere. It is possible to trade for fruit, and while we don't have any 22 cartridges on board, which is their preferred trading item, we have been able to trade for wine. Next we'll start trying to trade with our supply of lipsticks, pencils, balloons, playdoh and t-shirts.

This bay is also the setting for Typee, Herman Melville's book, after he deserted from a whaling ship in 1842.

We plan to stay in this area for a couple more days, before heading South on a 400 mile passage to the Tuomotus...a three or four day sail. Suddenly we will switch from steep, lush, mountainous terrain here in the Marquesas, to the low-lying, coral atolls of the Tuomotu Archipelago. We can't wait.

Nuku Hiva - Guests Arrive

Amy and Strahan have now arrived, bringing with them a duffle bag full of treats for us from home. Once again, we celebrate Christmas on Renova!! Lots of boat parts were among their luggage, as well as tasty treats from home, and THREE pairs of shoes. Wohoo....

They have settled in nicely to their berth in the main cabin. They threaten that they might not leave. Our first adventure was with Denis and Holly on Tango, who took us to an ancient Polynesian ceremonial site. We were lucky to meet work crew who were restoring the site for a large celebration in 2012, where Polynesians from all around (French Polynesia, Easter Island, Hawaii, etc) will come to enjoy a week long celebration. The workers were kind enough to explain to us about the site, the upcoming celebration, their weekend hunting techniques, the various plants and trees nearby, and they cut open a few coconuts and send us home with a hand of bananas.

John immediately decided he needed a machete of his own, and it has turned out the be the most useful culinary tool in the galley. It is good for flipping burgers, cutting cantelope, cracking coconuts and opening scallops. Don't be surprised if this tool takes a prominent place in our kitchen at home!

After a couple days of exploring and provisioning in Taiohae, we set sail sail in the company of "A Small Nest", and headed to "one of the best kept secrets - the sublime village of Anaho" (source: Lonely Planet). We're now sitting amongst 20 other boats in this secretive anchorage. We've been enjoying this idyllic bay for a couple days of swimming, and have been hiking to the neighboring bays.

On the way here, of course, we put out a line in hopes of winning the perpetual fishing derby...and win we did!! Strahan caught a beautiful, big, Mahi Mahi (dorado). It was too big for us, so we shared it with "Mojombo" and "A Small Nest" once we arrived at Anaho Bay.

Yesterday we hiked to a neighboring bay with a white sand beach, wild (but emacipated) horses, melon farm, and lots of evidence of ancient inhabitants. We spent the evening on the beach with several other boats, where John started a great fire and amazed the kids with his new fire-stick/knife (thanks Mikey). Kids always love starting fire without matches.

Today we hiked over a mountain pass to the next bay and village of Hatiheu, where we explored the fantastic archeaological sites of Hikokoa, Kamuihei and Tahakia. We have heard that 3-6000 people once lived here, from about 300 AD and the site was in use until European contact in the 1800's. European disease decimated populations throughout the Marquesas, which were once estimated at least 80,000 to as msny as 150,000 people.

Our group of 13 sought out lunch at Chez Yvonne, which we had read was an excellent restarurant. The boys were finally able to enjoy the goat meal that they had been yearning for...and no machete was required!! Amy and I shared the Gastronomic de Jour, a delightful platter of various seafood treats, with breadfruit and taro on the side.

Unfortunately with all this activity, we have missed our pattern of regular sieta-ing. We plan to chill-out tomorrow, take in some snorkeling in the bay, and catch up on our siestas!

The nonos and mosquitos haven't been as bad as we expected...until today. We're now covered in bites. Apparently, elephantitis is on the rise here, and is spread by mosquitos. Or so the rumour goes. We'll be on the lookout for fat ankles. And wheelbarrows.

We tell you about these things so you don't become disillusioned about our life in paradise. The locals laugh at our dinghy, especially now when we try to put 4 people in it, and it barely floats...and now that our pull cord is broken, we are using a piece of string around the head in order to start it. We are a floating entertainment delight for those around us.