Amelie and her crew arrived in the Bay of Taiotiae on Saturday 7 April at 06:30 hrs, to the fragrance of the islands' flowers. We set the bower and kedge anchor to stop any uncomfortable rolling. A boat normally lies on a single anchor with its nose into the wind, if there is a swell from a different direction then you put out a second anchor from the stern to keep the nose into the swell. We lowered the Rib and headed for shore to the village of Taioha'e. The welcome and the beauty of the island was preparing us for a fantastic stay.
The first few days were about catching up on our sleep, laundry, minor boat repairs interspersed with lunches ashore, fresh fruit platters for breakfast and Oyster Happy Hours at various establishments. Menus were similar in all the resaurants/cafes and universally the best option was Poisson Cru (fish marinaded in Lime Juice and Coconut Water) - delicious.
On Tuesday the 9th we went on the Aranui 3 cargo ship and were given a talk on the remoteness of the Marquesas (Te Henua 'Enana - The Land of Men) and certain unique aspects of its' marine environment. For example, apart from the polar regions the Marquesas have the greatest density of plankton creating the opportunity for abundant and varied fish stocks. Scientists keep 'discovering' new fish species which the locals have been naming , fishing and eating for centuries. Their heritage is based on the ocean most vividly told by the Polynesian stories of how the islands were formed and their navigation expertise using the stars.
We came to understand why the islands were so lush and many a time we were caught in torrential downpours, sometimes lasting for hours. Amelie got a good fresh water wash most days.
When we arrived, Amelie's waterline had created its' own marine garden which thanks to Jan from Madagascar and his hard work has been restored to gleaming white fibreglass.
On Thursday we saw some of the interior of Nuku Hiva as we went off road quad biking. The indigenous trees and countryside was awesome as you can see from the photograph. The Tikis (stone statues) which are symbolic are everywhere in various forms and sizes. However the majority of the central part of the island was a hairbrained EU project when all the natural habitat was displaced by a pine forest. This was undertaken at a huge cost but with no management the trees are worthless on the international market. We followed the old airport road which in good weather took four and a half hours to travel 16km, if it rained the road became impassable and visitors to the island were ferried from the airport to the main village by fishing boat which took three and a half hours - a wet and bumpy ride.
The highlight of this experience was to summit Mount Tekao (1,224m) with its' panoramic views. During the day we passed traditional horsebacked hunters with their guns cocked and dogs running alongside. Flour bags with their catch was slung across the horses.
Friday the 12th of April was a day of celebration as the islanders gathered to welcome the Oyster fleet to the French Polynesian Islands. The festivities started on Taiohae beach with welcome songs, Marquesan drums and dancing - the Haka and the Pig dance - only performed by the men. We had an afternoon of further dancing and drumming by the local children and teenagers, dressed in traditional costume and headresses. The dancing expressed their culture and beliefs - very moving.
We were encouraged to taste the fruits of the islands including dried banana, pamplemousse (very sweet grapefruit), guava, mango, papaya, pineapple, paw-paw and fermented breadfruit (Kaadu). We were offered 'Kumu hei' a fragrant bouquet which is traditionally worn in the hair. This is called a 'love potion' and said to have aphrodisiac properties. There were other activities i.e coconut shaving, making seed jewellery, wood carvings and the chance to get a tatoo. Stephen took part in the bareback horseriding on the beach whilst others paddled the traditional outrigger canoe.
Later that evening we ate a Marquesasian feast of pork, chicken and goat cooked in the earth ovens; raw crabs, octopus in coconut milk and many other delicacies complimented by more dancing and drumming. The contrast between the male haka and pig dances (powerful and virile) with that of the feminine dances which are graceful and emotional is tangible. Debbie was invited to dance with the women, her attempt was interesting and she managed it without dislocating her hip.
The evening continued on a more modern theme - a disco and everyone joined in - a memorable day.The following day with aching joints we accompanied two other Oysters to Daniel's Bay (Haku'i) where we spent the afternoon on a fabulous walk towards the Vaipo waterfall. We were stung by the pest of the Marquesas - Nonos - stinging insects which are on the beaches. As we passed through the village we bought green coconuts, the tops sliced off with a machete and we drank the thirst quenching coconut water. Breadfruits, pamplemousse, mangoes, pineapples and coconuts were in abundance. Stephen had a near miss from a falling coconut, which split about a metre from his head. Many varieties of Hibiscus lined the path and the fragrance of the flowers in the air enhanced the experience.
We returned to the Ribs to find that the tide had come in and seawater and sand was pouring into the boats. Fully clothed we dragged the bows of the boats into the swell while others were baling. Both Ribs started first time and the seawater eased the itchng of the stings of the Nonos. BBQ and drinks for 9 aboard Amelie finished off another special day in paradise.
Sunday afternoon we upped anchor and are presently sailing towards the 'Archipel des Tuamotu' - first stop Makemo, then Fakarava for some independent diving and finally the pink sandy beaches of Rangiroa before heading to the Society Islands and the island of Tahiti, towards the end of the month.
A noho oe, Goodbye.