Taiohae Bay Nuku Hiva

We ended up hove-to for a few hours Wednesday morning waiting for the sun to come up so we could see where we were going in the anchorage. Had a reasonable rest and arrived in good light. There were and are quite a few boats here but the anchorage is large so no crowding. We had a baguette delivered to us courtesy of a boat named 360 as they sell out of bread here pretty early. A nice treat for the morning. Cathy and I headed in to check in with the local Gendarme (you MUST). They could not have been friendlier and suggested that we should end the boat back to Canada but stay and settle in the Marquesas. Somehow I don't think so! We are travelling on our NZ passports but I don't think anyone has really made the connection yet. All the officials we deal with, we deal with in French which helps pave the way to smoother relations. It's funny though; some of the locals are so used to Americans coming here with no French that even after you speak French to them, they answer in English. I have made a point to a few people that it's OK, I speak French, I'm from Canada. That helps a bit. Of course, the automatically assume we are from Quebec but that's OK too. Thursday we did good walk up to a local archaeological site. They are trying to piece together the history of the islands and there has been sporadic interest in digging it up. It was amazing and as soon as I get good internet access I will post some photos on the web site, hopefully tomorrow. We have managed to get our propane tanks filled, but with butane as they do not use propane on the islands, too volatile. We have been assured that butane will work just as well but maybe a bit less hot and under a bit less pressure. No choice really as we have to have gas for cooking. We went to a cruisers happy hour hosted by a lady who first sailed here with her husband in the 70's. They came back a few times and eventually bought some land, built a hotel and made a good life for themselves here. Her husband passed away some years ago but she has carried on and now has a small pension and museum that shows some very early pieces that have been recovered around the islands. The first settlers came here from Melanesia around 150 AD and the "Islands of Man" as the Marquesas were known were settled. They Polynesian culture flourished and spread through he Tuamotu and Society Islands and finally in 800 AD the last push left from here to NZ which was the Maori migration. A great similarity in cultures but significant differences, some to do with the Catholic church which came to the Marquesas and built their churches on the local holy grounds, basically supplanting the local religions. We spent an information filled hour with her today. This morning we took a another great hike to the head of the bay. The view was spectacular. You could easily see Oa Pou, the tallest of the Marquesan islands in the distance. We will spend one more day here before heading around to the top of the Island to explore a couple of the bays there and then we will head for the Tuamotus. A couple we know from Canada on a Fast Passage 39 called Cats Paw 4, had an unfortunate grounding a few days ago when their anchor dragged and they ended up on the rocks. Some pretty good damage to the skeg and the keel but no leaks and it looks like no internal damage. Still they were looking for a buddy boat to stay with them to Papeete so we said we will go with them. We will stop at the Tuamotus but not stay as long. They have to get to a yard and get hauled out and get the damage fixed.

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