Marquesas

Kids swimming at HakahetauAfter Christian and Katherine leave we take Starr to Pascal's village of Hakahetau. Pascal, his girlfriend Sandrine, and his two year old daughter Pootu are all waving to us from tthe quay when we arrive. We go ashore and Pascal gives us a tour of his village. Walking about, we meet Pascal's father, the mayor and almost everyone in the village.Monday morning Don and I launch the dory in order to row...

23 April, 2001 /

Starr at HakahauOur favorite place in the Marquesas Islands is Hakahau on the island of Ua Pou. Here, we made many friends. First I will go backwards alittle to the day that the Rabinowitz family left for home, Thursday 19 April. After they headed off to the airport Don and I went ashore to find Jezebel, the wife of the French Gendarme, Olivier. When Don had checked Starr into Ua Pou, she had offered to...

22 April, 2001 /

Neil, Beth, Chad & Cole in HanavaveOur travels with the Rabinowitz family, from Nuku Hiva to Fatu Hiva, Tahuata and Hiva Oa, ending in Ua PouDonna and I shop for fresh veggies in the morning in Taiohae. In the afternoon, Rob and Donna go to the internet connection in town to pick up their personal emails.. We aren't sure when Neil Rabinowitz, Beth, Chad (treize ans) and Cole (huit ans) are going to arrive. Late...

19 April, 2001 /

View of TaihoeDon, Rob and Donna all go ashore to look for Tommoe, a friend of Rose Corser, to gather more fruit. I was sick last night, so I stay on board to recover. I am very disappointed; I am reading Typee by Herman Melville and this is the Valley of Taipaivai where the story took place. However, since we are expecting guests tomorrow I decide to take it easy and recuperate. They return two...

10 April, 2001 /

The Aranui entering Anaho Bay (with Starr)The Arunui left Sunday night, so we have the bay to ourselves again. Rob and Donna don diving gear and wash the bottom of the boat, which gathers 'growies' quickly in the warm 86 degree tropical water. When they are finished, I try out my diving gear. The last time I did scuba diving was in the Caribbean in 1976 and my skills are a little rusty. I took...

09 April, 2001 /

The men of Hatiheu play boules on SundayAnaho bay is a quiet, peaceful place until Sunday morning when the Aranui arrives. We have gone ashore to take a hike over the ridge to Hatiheu Village in the bay to the West, when the huge white supply freighter arrives and fills the anchorage. We continue our hike as the long boat brings ashore the passengers and perhaps picks up copra to take to Tahiti. It takes...

08 April, 2001 /

We returned to Taiohae yesterday afternoon in order to be able to go to the Saturday morning market, which takes place at 0430 on the quay. Marquesians are early risers, but why so early? The fishermen come in early with the night catch and do not fish on Sunday and people come to the quay to buy their fish for the weekend. Others bring vegetables and fried bread to sell from the tailgate of their...

07 April, 2001 /

Daniel with fruit for usDaniel has been living in Hakatea, aka Daniel's Bay, for most of his life. He and his wife, Antoinette are the friends of yachting folk from all parts of the world. We went ashore to say "hello" and to search Daniel's Log Books for the July 15, 1978 entry of Charles and Patty Hathaway, who sailed here so many years ago on Tiare with family and friends. We found their entry...

06 April, 2001 /

We left Taohae for Hakatea (Daniel's Bay), Thursday April 5. We spent the afternoon hiking to 900' high Vaipo Falls, the tallest waterfall in the Marquesas Islands. We began our trek by taking the'"rubber duck" over to the neighboring Hakaui Bay, crossed the sandbar at the river mouth and tied off to a tree at the river's edge. A handsome young man in his early twenties, who introduced himself as Augustine the Prince, pointed the...

05 April, 2001 /

View of TaiohaeWe had originally planned to leave Taiohae today, to spend a few days in Hakatea, also known as Daniel's Bay, but decided to stay an extra day in order to have new acquaintances from a Norwegian sailboat to dinner. Arve Johannson, owner of S/Y Hildring, and his friend Egil Mollekleiv both speak excellent English and seemed like interesting people to get to know. Little did we know how interesting. Arve and his wife...

04 April, 2001 /