Hiva-Oa, Tahauku Bay 15-21/7 2016
Time 8:08 h, NM 45.6, SOG 6.62 kn avg 10 kn max, TWS 4.5 kn avg 22.6 kn max
We sailed out of the beautiful bay at 8 a-clock and the direction was NE (79). Out of the bay and one hour for motor we sat mainsail with two reef and jib. Later on stay-sail. The swells were large. After 4 hour there were no wind so started motor. After 1½ hour main and stay-sail again.
Almost immediate, when sailing into the anchorage, we saw MariAnnII with John and Julie on board and that was so nice to see them after have been taking with them on the SSB radio during the crossing.
We drop anchor and also stern anchor in Tahauku bay, Hiva-Oa. The swells were uncomfortable but with stern anchor we were better of. We had red that they use it in this bay, behind the big brake water that is occupied, every other week, by the important cargo/passenger ship.
The peace were suddenly broken when a boat on SB side wanted us to move because he did not have a stern anchor and because of that maybe would come to close to us. We were tired and said we could move tomorrow but he got angry and moved himself out in the swells on the entrance to the anchorage. Early next morning we moved further into the bay and he moved surprisingly to the brake water that was reserved for the big cargo-ship and for filling up with diesel. The problems with anchoring did not stop with this. A French sailor came around in his dingy and sad that we had to move further into the bay because he did not have a stern anchor and needed the space and because he had an aluminium boat he was not afraid of leaving his boat the whole day. Lars told him that he were not afraid because he also had an aluminium boat. Anyway we move again, and it was really bad because it was Saturday and we had to reach immigration/custom at the gendarmerie, wifi and supermarket before they close for siesta 11:30 and maybe not open again until Monday morning.
We hurried in to, the very run down dingy doc, and took the 3 km long, but very beautiful, walk in to the very nice little town, Atuona. At the gendarmerie they took everything with a smile and paperwork went therefore fast compared to what we are used to. Post office were we wanted to by a wifi card and the supermarket were now closed but the The Cyber Café (tipped by Keith from New Zeeland) was opened so we could get in contact with our two sons in Denmark after being away several weeks, crossing the Pacific. It was almost like sitting in there home and good wifi. Also herd from Keith that they had a sport tournament event on the beautiful green grounds near the bay so we went down there and got an excellent, not too expensive, lunch. On the way back to the anchorage a nice local man stopped several time and wandered if we were OK and finally took us up in his four wheel drive car. He handed a delicious sweet pay and a bottle of water around. He were going out fishing with a boat on the harbour.
Sunday morning we had lots of rain but it cleared up and we had John from MaryAnnII on an afternoon visit.
Monday morning we went into the village again and went to the post-office to send a confirmation, from custom and immigration to Papeete custom and immigration, that we have been cleared in to French Polynesia for a total of 90 days. Here we bought a MANA SPOT Wi-Fi card (did not work on Hiva-Oa). Afterwards we went to the Gauguin museum and saw local copy pictures of Gauguin. Also his atelier, and in the entrance some photo of the Swedish language researcher and adventurer´er Bengt Danielsson who studied the old Polynesia´n language and wrote it down, we visited just before the siesta. A good supermarket, recommended by John, had some wonderful baguette, cheese also from sheep and goat for Lars and we could not wait to get some taste of it. After a snack outside the supermarket with the excuse that it was raining we took of for a 3 km walk to the harbour. Lucky this time too we were taken up, when we had reached the hill, by three young men on their way to the harbour.
Tuesday it is raining and it is very whet trying to get up the hill to the yacht service and Wi-Fi. Here we met lots of people we new from Fato-Hiva. The next day is not lesser whet but we will try the net on the hill and by some nice frozen lam shops and burgers in the harbour store, before we sail to the third Marquesas island.
