20/08/07 Monday Hiva Oa
(Atuona the village is about 4 kilometres from the harbour)
We went
into town with Leigh and Jenny to clear in. The people are very friendly here
and to get to town is a 25 minute walk but most of the time you do not have to
walk, put your thumb out and a local will give you a lift. When we got to the
Gendarmeries Office Leigh said you go in first and when they ask us when we got
in we can say just before you and we won’t be telling lies. We went in and
fortunately a young lady could speak English as the young male gendarme could
not. She told us that we had to go to the bank and pay our bond of US$1,200 per
person unless we had an airline ticket. We produced our return tickets that we
had to have to travel to St Lucia and we did not have to pay the bond and
clearing in was quite painless, we filled out a form they signed that and our
passports and we were on our way, the only other thing we had to do was post a
copy of the form to Tahiti at the Post Office. Leigh was not so lucky, he had
to pay the bond, plus the other problem was that Jenny is South African and she
has to have a Visa. They treat South Africans as aliens and this is the case
for most places. She applied for the Visa for here in Panama
After Leigh
and Jenny did all they could to start the process of clearing in which is far
from finished, Leigh took us on a guided tour of the town, we bumped into the crew
off Creightons and also met another Aussie yachty, Cameron he hasn’t been back
to Oz for eight years, he spent a lot of time in England and has a Scottish
girlfriend with him along with her son. He is quite a character, he has not
cleared in yet, and he has been here two weeks. He has to bludge a lift ashore from one of us
because someone stole his dinghy in a previous port and he cannot buy one here.
(Creightons crew, Nick the skipper orange cap and on his right the skipper of Timella)
The
township is not very big the population is around 1,500. Everything is
expensive here and other than the shop owners and dockside workers I am not
sure how people here earn a living. However, they all appear to have money they
drive around in good vehicles and live in nice homes. There does appear to be
quite a few flights in and out of here, two, or three per day, not large planes
about the same size that go to Dubbo about 40 seats.
The
internet is in the post office and as I mentioned prior that it is very slow,
that slow it is almost going backwards.
We could not get it to work for us and we could not seem to get any assistance
to make it any better. It is not that they do not want to help but I think this
technology is a little beyond the lady that runs the post office. The other
problem is that the internet there is a keyboard and screen; there is no way to
connect the message stick or a disc to copy your info to or from. The lady at
the post office told Leigh that the resort up the hill has Wifi. So we decided
to go back on board have lunch then I could grab my laptop and we go up to the
resort and see if we can use their Wifi. It was a long steep walk up to the top
of the hill, more like a mountain and unfortunately all the vehicles that
passed us were going the wrong way so we did not get a lift.
We got on
to their Wifi, 500 francs per 15 mins which is about $8, it is slow in
operation, but it works. We had a quick check of our emails and handed the
computer over to Leigh and Jenny for them to sort out their problems so that
they can clear in. We relaxed and had a few beers, you don’t have too many
beers either at the price you pay, about $22 for four cans of beer.
(The resort 'Hanakee Pearl Lodge)
(This shows how high it is, the hill is a killer to walk)
We asked if
we could come back tomorrow to use the Wifi and they said no worries, their
meals are quite reasonably priced there so we may go and have lunch. So
hopefully we will get our blogs up and running tomorrow.
The place
is very beautiful, the backdrop being a mountain that is usually covered in
cloud looks like it was a main volcano in the past, and when it erupted has blown out at one side. Our
anchorage is also very nice, it has the swell coming in from the sea but with
the stern anchor holding us bows in to the swell it is comfortable 99% of the
time.
(The mountain from the harbour)
We may travel
down to the next island for a day and clean the bottom of the boat, they are
dredging here, and that is stirring a bit of mud around and makes it hard to
check the boats bottom. We will also have to start our chores the day after
tomorrow Leigh is going to help me with the changing of the mainsail and repair
to the old one, I will help him on his boat in return. There is a water tap
shower and toilet ashore on the waterfront so each time we go ashore I take the
four jerry cans and fill them with water and commenced filling our tanks.
We will
also call in at a few of the islands between here and Tahiti ,
we are led to believe that some are more beautiful than here. I think we have
also now come to the realization that we are not going to get the boat back to
Oz before the end of the cyclone season. If we left here and went flat out we
would make it prior to the season but by doing that we would not see some of
these beautiful places. Leigh said to us tonight, it would be a shame to miss
these places, you will never come back this way again because it is too
difficult to sail against the trade winds. He said fly back to Oz to go to the
wedding and christening and come back hold up in a cyclone sheltered area and
finish the trip after cyclone season.
We will now
have to research some of the places to find a safe cyclone shelter where we can
hold up for the cyclone season and then plan our trip from that. This will also
be the place that I do the major repairs to the starboard gearbox and any other
items that need repair.
As I said
to Nancy
21/08/07 – Tuesday night
We were that beat last night Nancy Nancy Milo so she
thought she would have one too. She got on the computer and started updating
the info for her blog. By 0330 hours I said we had better go back to bed.
We got out of bed around 0700 hours had breakfast then a shower and got
ready to go shopping at 0830 hours. We hitched a ride into town, I say hitched we were walking and the person stopped to give us a lift, they know we are yachties. We went to see
the lady in the ute that sells veggies, we bought a bit of gear and loaded up
my bag, Leigh was still doing battle with the bank trying to access his money
for his bond without a great deal of success, he now has to get his bank to
wire the money across, I think the problem is that his card is only a credit card and not tied to a savings account even though he has $5,000. of his money on the card.
The lady that pulled up to give us a lift could not take all four so I said I would continue walking and let the others get the ride, well the lady was co-owner of the resort. I managed to get a lift by the next car, anyway the next time we went to the lodge she saw us and wnet and got me a beer on the house and she said I hope that makes up for not being ablr to give you a lift.
The lady that pulled up to give us a lift could not take all four so I said I would continue walking and let the others get the ride, well the lady was co-owner of the resort. I managed to get a lift by the next car, anyway the next time we went to the lodge she saw us and wnet and got me a beer on the house and she said I hope that makes up for not being ablr to give you a lift.
We went back on board with our groceries and another load of water.
Every time we go ashore I take the four jerry cans to fill with water, we have
nearly filled the starboard tank. I am also collecting the rain water and
putting that into the tank.
We had early lunch then hiked up to the resort to use their internet
Wifi to update our blogs. Nancy
(The view from the resort)
(Nancy and I with a friend that wood knot talk)
(Inside the resort)
(Leigh trying to sort out his and Jenny's problems)
(The sign for the toilets, female, disabled and male)
(This little gecko came from the roof and splat on the floor, stayed there getting it's breath for a while before moving on)
Computer and internet technology is not big here, shops do not have
computers, and I have not seen anywhere that has computers for sale. The only
place I have seen a computer is the bank the internet unit at the post office
and the one at the Pearl Resort. The unit at the post office is out of order;
the only option open is the resort.
We have received messages on the sat phone, thanks to those that have called;
we are having a problem there, with the cloud cover the sat phone cuts out. I
was going to try Skype today, we got all the way up the mountain to the resort,
and yes DH John had forgotten the headset.
We will have better facilities when we get to Tahiti ,
I hope.
Well it was not an exciting day to tell you much, but we did enjoy the
walk up the mountain we went a short cut that took us through areas of local
residents, small one track roads. One thing that is amazing is the chooks, they
run wild here, and they are everywhere, hens with chicks, and the cocks pouncing around
22/08/07 - Hiva Oa
Today was
work day, first went ashore to get the laundry picked up get another four jerry
cans of water and threw my back out a little so that gave me curry all day. Nancy Genoa
(Leigh and I repairing our mainsail on the foredeck)
Tonight we
are going over to Creightons they have invited us over for dinner; we will pick
Leigh and Jenny up on the way, save Leigh rowing. He rows everywhere, he does
not own an outboard motor. He reckons the oars start first pull every
time.
(Creightons anchored outside the protection of the harbour because of the depth and the size of their keel)
Leigh is coming back in the morning he reckons that we may
as well put some stitches in the other seams in case the problem was caused
through UV weakening the stitching. He said to leave the new sail where it was,
the mainsail might get a bit of flogging going downwind we might as well flog
the old sail rather than the new one.
Well that’s it for today, we are off to dinner in our shorts
and shirt and bare feet, that’s the yachties dress of the night and most other
times. I’ll just grab a bottle of red and a couple of beers and we’ll be off.
23/08/07 – Hiva Oa
– Working day.
Last night
we had dinner on Creightons they had invited the other yachties over as well as
ourselves, it was quite a good night, Nick cooked dinner with some assistance
from Sam, and she served us Champagne eleven
o’clock I believe it kicked on to 0130 hours this morning. Needless
to say Creightons did not sail today as planned.
The other
Aussie here Cameron and Scottish partner Sharon and her son Lewis are leaving
tomorrow, Sharon is quite nice she made donuts this afternoon and sent them
around to all the yachts, she’s not bad on the optic nerve either, takes a bit
of understanding when she gets excited with the Scottish accent. Cameron has
been here for two weeks and has not cleared in I think it is because they have
not got the funds to pay the bond. They could get into serious trouble if they
got caught. It is totally surprising that the authorities have not said
something to him, this place is not very big and he would be the biggest bloke
on the island, he’s well over six foot tall.
(Leigh loaned Timella his dinghy so Lewis here is taking Jenny back to Mi Querida)
Most times
when you clear in the authorities want to know where you have come from, when
you left, and how long it has taken to get there. If you have extended time you
have to explain why and they may check your log book. Cameron does have a slow
boat so he may get away with it. It took them fifty three days to get here from
Galapagos, under sail he travels around 2.5 knots, I was complaining when we
were not getting 5 knots. No doubt at his speed we will see him again along the
way.
Well today
was another working day, Leigh came over and finished stitching our mainsail,
gave all the seams that we could get to on his machine a re-stitch. We then put
the sail back up. After lunch we went ashore and walked up the mountain again
to use the Wifi at the resort. The internet at the post office has not worked
since we have been here. We updated the blog and Leigh and Jenny had to use my
laptop to chase their official stuff because they cannot clear in until Jenny has
her paperwork in order. She has difficulty everywhere because being South
African.
We had
Leigh and Jenny over for dinner tonight which was most enjoyable, I think we
were all tired, they left early and the light on their boat did not stay on for
long, Nancy went to bed straight away, I have to stay up for a while to run the
engine to top up the batteries so the fridge and freezer keeps going through
the night.
All in all
we had a big day and I think I may now shut down the diesel and turn in myself.
24/08/07 - Hiva Oa
– Another work day
Leigh came
over first thing this morning he had to do a sail repair for Cameron before
they left so he picked up his sewing machine and gear that was still on our
boat. He said he would come over and help me with replacing the lazy jack line
that broke off inside the mast when the sail ripped open.
I
transferred some water into our tanks then some fuel by the time I had finished
that Leigh had come over for a coffee before we got into replacing the lazy
jack. We got the fishing line with a small sinker, the bosun's chair and
replacement rope for the lazy jack, untied the main topping line attached the bosun's
chair and Leigh hoisted me to the top of the mast. It was a rough ride in
places as the boat started rocking from side to side with the swell and with
the addition of my weight up there increased the distance of rocking at one
stage I was shaken loose from the mast and was swinging free bouncing into the
shrouds. Finally I got in position and fed the fishing line in, we had sewn the
fishing line to the replacement rope so as soon as Leigh was able to pull out
the fishing line from the foot of the mast I fed the rope in, and all went
quite well and easy to my surprise. So my new bosun's chair and I got christened
going up the mast for the first time.
(Me going up the mast to replace the lazy jacks, French courtesy flag flying)
(I hate going up here but it has to be done now and again)
After lunch
young Dave from Creighton’s came over and loaded the copy of electronic charts
on my laptop computer, so I have charts for most of the world.
After this
we went into town to do a bit of sightseeing, we went to the cemetery to see
the graves of Paul Gauguin the painter and Jacques Brel the composer. We were
going to the Gauguin
Museum
When we got
back ‘Timella’ Cameron and Sharon’s boat was still there so we called by in our
dinghy on the way to our boat and invited them over for a beer. They decided to
stay as the weather was a little rough out at sea and they will get another
report tomorrow to see if things are better. Their yacht is a tri-keel,
ferro-cement hull and their speed through the water is about 2.5 knots, this is
very slow. It took them fifty three days to get from Galapagos to here, we took
twenty one days we were expecting anything up to twenty eight days, and fifty three
days is a long time.
After beer
o’clock Leigh and Jenny invited us over ‘Mi Querida’ for BBQ chicken dinner so
we went over to there and got home quite tired at 2130 hours.
Tomorrow we
are going on a hike to see some waterfall and pick some fresh fruit that grow
wild in the bush.
25/08/07 – Hiva Oa
- Social day
This
morning I cut a CD for Sharon Sharon Nancy Hiva Oa as their camera had
broken, so I went back and cut another disc for them. They are running to a
tight budget at the moment, Cameron is going to return to Oz to get work, as he
says to pay for his life style. That what I have mentioned before the yachties
that are out cruising many have no permanent income they get work when and
where they can to pay for the repairs, maintenance or the next leg of the trip.
Anyway I took that over to them and they were very grateful. They did sail
today and I was able to get some more photos of them that I will email to them.
After that I returned some ropes to Leigh and had a coffee with him and we then
all got ready for our hike.
(Timella crew, Sharon, Cameron and Lewis)
We packed
our lunch and drinks (water and fruit juice), and set off. The track was muddy
most of the way and slippery but we first reached the creek and then up to some
rock carvings. We then doubled back to another turn off for the waterfall and
came to a dam where it looks like they draw town water, not a very large one I
might add. We went back to the creek crossing and after that took another track
walk for a couple of kilometers and found another dead end. So we decided that
we could not find the waterfall we would go back to the creek crossing and have
a swim there and have lunch. After lunch and a relax we set off to come back on
the way we picked giant grapefruit, one very large stalk of bananas that Leigh
and I had to carry, lemons and guavas which is like a soft pomegranate. When we
got back we were rather bushed, I jumped in the sea to refresh myself followed
by a shower and a cup of tea. I was just about flaked on the lounge when the
radio sounded, it was Leigh wanting to know if tomorrow was good for the tour
and would I organise it, so we got him to take me ashore and phoned up to
arrange it. Whilst we were discussing it on the radio another boat an American
couple asked if they could do the tour with us, we agreed as this will cut the
cost down for us all.
Tonight we
are having a quiet night and I would say an early night.
26/08/07 - Hiva Oa
– Tiki Tour
Last night
was a bit of a shocker weather wise around 2300 hours we had a rain storm hit
all the boats in the bay were doing a dance, close to the full moon we had
spring tides and a large swell. I got up a number of times to check both
anchors and at one time I noticed the whip aerial for the HF radio appeared to
be loose where the two sections joined so around midnight I am pulling down the aerial so that I do not
lose it over the side. It appears that during the rough seas we experienced the
section worked lose and has flogged out the brass thread. So I repaired that
this morning and put it back up.
I had time
to have my shower and shave and it was time to go ashore for our tour across
the other side of the island to see the Tiki, we left just before 1000 hours
and we arrived at the village at 1215 hours, the trip was over the mountains
through winding roads and dirt track. We did stop along the way to pick and eat
fruit, take pictures and look at the scenery. We packed a lunch and had that
before going to see the Tiki’s. Many tribes had their Tiki’s in the gone by
days but most were destroyed by the missionaries. The main Tiki needed human
sacrifice to give him mana, (power). The tribesmen would go hunting for someone
from a neighbouring
tribe for that sacrifice. The sacrifice was not pleasant, the victim had a
large hook through under the jaw and was hung this way still alive then his
stomach was cut open and the insides removed. These were the days of cannibalism.
The stone
platforms in the photos had bamboo and palm leaf structures over them in their
day. The one place was the Tattoo room, there is a dish like stone bowl left
front of the picture that with water in it was the mirror, the stone bowl to
the right had the ink for the tattoo.
(Inside the Tiki village)
(This is the only Tiki village remaining, the christian s destroyed all the others)
(This is where the remains of tribes were buried in the caves in the hill)
Then their
is the meeting place where the tribe would discuss whether they go hunting for
one of the other tribe or go fishing. If it was decided that they would go and
do either, the men would go to the men’s hut, and the women would go to the
women’s hut for seven days, then they would go off and do whatever and on their
return they would go back to their women.
There is
the funeral place where they lie the body of a dead tribes person, they are
left there and they would be rubbed in coconut oil until the skin and the flesh
was removed from the bones, they would then place the bones in the banyan tree
on the hill or inside a cave for the final resting place.
(This is the bay where the Tiki village is located)
(Many of the islands we have been to have chooks roaming the streets)
Joe our
guide then picked a heap of fruit from the trees there for us to bring back, we
got back a little bushed and came back on board had a coldie and sat here to
type the notes for the blog. I don’t think we will be doing much more tonight.
27/08/07 – Hiva
Oa
Another day that was spent doing a few jobs here and there. Leigh had
given me some tips on rigging a preventer that would be kinder on ropes, the
ones that I had used previous was total makeshift using the centre cleat as a
block that was hard on the ropes. Leigh was able to give me a snatch block and
two large single blocks and one small single block. I set up the snatch block
on the foot of the mast to be used for the outhaul and both reefing lines. This
snatch block can be easily and quickly removed for any other application. I
used shock cord (bungee cord), to support the snatch block off the deck so it
does not bang on the surface. I then installed a new preventer for the boom,
run it to the mast for easy access, I then used a short piece of nylon rope
sliced a large eye in one end to secure to the centre cleat and a small eye in
the other to attach a single block installed onto the cleat and used shock cord
to hang it on the guard rail. In future when I need to use the preventer on the
boom I can grab the line from the mast run it through this single block at the
centre cleat and back to the cockpit and operate it from one of the winches.
This will make life a little easier.
I will be using the other single block in a similar way for the Genoa Genoa
We then started the carting of fresh water which will have to continue
tomorrow, the tanks are nearly full just a little way to go. We had to quit and
have a bite to eat before climbing the mountain road to the resort to update
our blog and Leigh and Jenny needed to check where their paperwork was up to
through their emails. They have to use my laptop as Leigh has a desk top on his
boat.
We had to be back before 1730 hours as we had been invited to sundowners
on an American yacht belonging to Jerry and Sherry. We had an enjoyable time
over there, Jerry is a retired doctor, an Urologist and became a Professor and
was a lecturer in a university. They are heading to New Zealand Australia New Zealand
28/08/07 Moving from Hiva Oa to Tahuata
Island
First thing this morning we started getting ready to move, we started by
filling the water tanks from the three buckets of rain water that we collected,
and then I went ashore and did the run back and forth filling jerry cans to
fill the tanks. Once this was complete we got ready to go into town to do some
shopping. We had rather a large shop and the shop owner asked if we had a car,
I told him I was going to get a taxi, he then offered to run us back to the
dock in his truck. Once back on board we stowed the groceries away had a bite
of lunch then we walked up the mountain to the resort to check our emails. Went
back on board lifted both anchors and sailed for Baie Hanamoenoa which is a bay
on the lee side of Tahuata. It took just over an hour to get there. Once we had
anchored a second time, the first we had difficulties, we went over to Leigh’s
yacht for dinner, Cameron, Sharon and Lewis were also there and came to dinner.
Cameron’s yacht has got flat batteries and there has not been any sun to charge
them with the solar panels.
It is a bit calmer in this bay but there are very strong winds so I did
get up a few times through the night to check the anchor was holding. The main
reason for coming here is to give the boats bottom a bit of a clean before
heading south to Tahiti, we will go back to Hiva Oa for one night, check emails
update blog, final shop buy some fuel, top up again with water.
The sailing out of Hiva Oa was somewhat
rough, we had to sail against the swell that we had experienced on the way in, and
then when going between the two islands it was like being in a washing machine;
it will be fun sailing back through it when we go back.
29/08/07 - Baie Hanamoenoa, Tahuata Island
This bay is more comfortable than Hiva Oa
although the winds are very strong and test the security of your anchoring, it
is a very pretty place nice beach and has some coral for snorkeling and
catching fish if you have a spear gun. I have not had the time to investigate
these as yet I hope to get there after I have finished the chores.
(Alana Rose, Mi Querida and Timella)
The first thing on the agenda was to clean the cockpit area and the back
of the boat and then the boats bottom, the tide was going out and the wind was
very strong so I rigged a line from fore to aft and then attached another line
with a bowline that I could hang onto in the water and stop myself from being
dragged by the wind and tide, this was not so easy on the inside of the hulls
but I started at the front and had to work very fast as the tide was carry me
from fore to aft. The bottom was not as bad as I thought; it was only around
the tops of the rudders that had the barnacles. Once that was done I did some rope
work I made up a couple of spare slings for the snatch block and preventer in
case we should need them in a hurry, this involved back splicing two eyes in
each length of rope. We had lunch and then Nancy Nancy
(The beautiful beach)
We had invited everyone over for dinner and Nancy
30/08/07 - Baie Hanamoenoa, Tahuata Island
Today was more of a relax day, checked on “Timella” the starter motor
has been repaired and all is well after a couple of other little problems, so
Cameron, Sharon and Lewis will be sailing tomorrow for the Cook Islands. I went
for a swim and checked and cleaned some of the under water fittings, they had
barnacles growing inside of them. We had smoko and Sharon Sharon
(Paradise)
In the afternoon we went into the beach for a swim came back on board and just relaxed, we took some food over to Leigh’s and had dinner on his yacht. Came home about 2130 hours and went straight to bed. Tomorrow we head back to Hiva Oa , top up with water again do the last of the shopping, check the emails and then decide when and where we go to next. Leigh wants to go to Futa Hiva which would mean beating against the wind and waves, we are not that keen to do that, but will see. We have sent some emails to a couple of places to keep the boat whilst we fly to Oz in October so everything will depend on their answers if we have them tomorrow.
01/09/07 – Back
at
01/09/07 – Back
at Hiva Oa
We had an
interesting day today with a morning of stuff-ups. With this anchorage I often
wake up a number of times during the night and check that stern and main anchor
are holding and through the night all appeared well. When I woke up around 0530
hours I looked out the port hole in our cabin and I was looking at the wrong
side of the harbour. I shot up on deck to find the neighborouring yacht and
ourselves had turned around. I went to the stern anchor rope, I could see the
float was still in the same position so I started to pull the anchor rope in
and found that the shackle had let go. So in a mad rush to get the stern anchor
secure again and still being half asleep I lowered the dinghy into the water
got in to unhook it from the davit and
as I unhooked the second fastening a wave rolled in sending the dinghy away
from the stern of the boat and with me sitting on the boat side of the davit
slammed me into the davit tossing me overboard. Unfortunately as I went
backwards into the water my glasses came off I tried to grab them but missed
and they went to the bottom. When I got back onboard I grabbed the dinghy
anchor attached a plastic bottle to the line and dropped it over the side where I thought the
glasses would be. Fortunately I had brought my old pair of glasses as I always
do when I travel anywhere just in case something did happen.
Leigh rowed
over to see why the boat was facing the other way and I told him about my
mishap, he said he would bring his dive gear over after breakfast and see if he
could retrieve my glasses. I said I thought there would be little hope with the
surge of the water and the tide flow. But he said we will give it a try.
I then went
a retrieved the stern anchor by lifting it by the float line, I was pleased I
had put that float on otherwise I would have to dive for that. I connected the
rope and reset the stern anchor, I was hoping that when my stern anchor let go
that I had not taken the other yachts stern anchor out when we swung around.
After checking I could see his stern anchor float right along side the opposite
side of his boat so I knew then that I hadn’t. Talking to the owner later he
said that he had a sleepless night worried about his stern anchor because it is
very small and he was a little shocked when he got up to see that he had
dragged his stern anchor.
Leigh came
over with his compressor and diving gear a systematically swept the bottom in
search of my glasses but after 3 hours we said it was not going to happen. He
said that he was disappointed because he hates to fail. I offered him payment
for his time he looked at me and said no I am doing this for a mate. He said
that I had helped him with the use of the laptop climbing the hill with him and
helping with the internet. I told him that I thought with all that he has done
for me I think I am well in front. As he would not take payment I invited them
to have dinner with us at the resort, it would be a nice way to finish the day.
We could give them a ring and ask for them to send the courtesy car and pick us
up at 1700 hours, go and have pre-dinner drinks check emails then have dinner.
We did this and it was a very enjoyable evening. Leigh kept saying I am sorry I
did not get your glasses mate. He said he may try again, I told him not to bother
they are long gone. I can survive with the spare pair. I may add I got into
trouble from Nancy
We spent
the afternoon carting water for Leigh and myself and topped the water tanks up
on each yacht, we will top them up again before we leave on Monday or Tuesday.
Leigh is going to head for Fatu Hiva an island that is south-east of here, we
will head for Tahiti via Tuamotu atolls. We
would like to go to Fatu Hiva but neither of us are that keen to beat against
the south-east swell and wind to get there. We will meet up with Leigh in Tahiti again hopefully, if not there Raiatea .
Leigh is hauling out and flying back to Oz for the cyclone season at Raiatea , We will carry on to Bora
Bora and then make up our minds where we will put the boat before
we fly home for the wedding. The choice may be a dash to NZ, fly home from
there, have a month in Oz and fly back and sail around NZ for the
hurricane/cyclone season and head back to the islands of Tonga Fiji
03/09/07 - Last night in Hiva Oa
We spent the final day doing last minute shopping for
supplies, carting more water, getting the boat ready for another leg of the
trip and as you know going up the mountain to the resort to update the blog and
to say farewell to the staff who have been very good to us. One of the staff
that has been very friendly, Nuccia gave Nancy and Jenny a necklace a couple of
days earlier and Nancy
reciprocated by giving her a necklace from San Blass, she had a
large box of fruit from her garden for us to take with us. We said our goodbyes
and went back on board. Leigh asked us over again for dinner for our last
night. We had a fare few laughs and said
our goodbyes as Leigh and Jenny was heading to Fatu Hiva and then some of the
atolls on the eastern side of Tuamotus, we were heading straight for Rangiroa
the western side of the Tuamotus. I said I was sure he would catch us up on the
way to Tahiti or Bora Bora. We have become good friends and long term friends I
am sure. Leigh is a very nice bloke he is very helpful to anyone that needs a
hand. He said he likes helping us because we return the favours where we
can but mostly because we are doing what we are doing. We have jumped in feet
first and learning on the way and that was the way he started and he had to ask
for help then and learn from more experienced sailors so he feels that he is
returning the favors that he had received from others at that time.
(Two of the staff with Jenny and Nancy, the young lady on the right is the one that gave Nancy the necklace and the box of fruit from her garden)
Leigh is a big practical joker and gives Jenny his
crew a hard time. Jenny early one morning at Tahuata went for a skinny dip, she
placed a towel and her cloths by the ladder on the side of the yacht, when she
finished her swim the cloths, and the ladder had gone. He takes every
opportunity to stir her and Jenny just laughs after going crook at him. Jenny
has to find another yacht after Raiatea as Leigh will be hauling his boat out
on the hard for the cyclone season and flying back to South Oz. She has told
Leigh that she will be available if he wants crew when he returns next year.
They are both good people.
Whilst we were having dinner another catamaran arrived
and anchored behind us, they were also Aussies, to blokes, had bought the cat
in the States, and were taking her home, one being the crew member had to
return to Oz next weekend so the skipper/owner was looking for crew. The cat
was an Admiral 38, “Blue Nowhere” another South African built boat with the
same designers as our “Alana Rose”. We did not get chance to catch up with them
before we left because they had headed into town early.
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