I recently had the following article published in Ebb Tidings, newsletter of the Cruising Yacht Association of Victoria.
Eliana in the South Pacific
The Marquases Islands are well deserving for being considered some of the most beautiful, visually stunning islands in the world. Lush green tropical forests with dramatic peaks and remnants of volcanic activity, sheer rock pinnacles, rivers, creeks and waterfalls hundreds of feet high make these islands very special. The local villagers are friendly and generous beyond their means commonly making gifts of fruits and fish and refusing payment for them. So it was hard to leave but with elder daughter Ellie coming to Tahiti it was time to push on. I still had my "galley slave" Jean whom I'd felt sorry for when she was thrown off another Aussie yacht for being "too quiet". I like quiet ! Besides, she was a Master 4, and a handy cook who didn't seem to mind washing dishes ! Nuka Hiva has a lovely big harbour well sheltered, plenty of room and no surge as in Hiva-Oa. Leaving there we headed off towards the Tuamotos also known as the "Dangerous Archipelago" because of all the reefs, currents, winds and questionable accuracy of charts making it difficult navigation for ships of old (and new) . It was 549 nautical miles to the little bay inside the reef at Toau , called Anse Amyot which had been recommended by a couple of people and on "Noonsite"and was not tide dependant for entry so after variable conditions for 5 days we entered the tiny bay on the edge of the reef and took up a mooring belonging to the owners Valentine and Gaston. We had been having much trouble starting the engine so next day covers were pulled off and the starter motor removed having cleaned all the leads and electrical connections. After stripping and cleaning the solenoid twice and reassembling it correctly on the second occasion we were just able to start the motor with the help of an additional battery salvaged from the bilge and wired up in parallel with a cut off switch to isolate it when not being needed. A wonderful meal was had on shore at the tiny bar- restaurant hanging over the water. To my chagrin live crayfish were sliced in half and barbecued in front of us and the usual cruiser stories were swapped with the small international group there. After a few short days it was time to head down to Tahiti a voyage of only 220 miles but one of the most unpleasant of the whole trip so far. As it had been quite windy a big nasty cross swell was running with winds up to 38 knots, squalls, heavy rain and boat speed to 8.2 knots making movement around the boat difficult. As we approached Point Venus where Captain Cook had observed the transit of Venus the night lights of Tahiti disappeared in blinding rain squalls. Coming around the point and into the lee the seas were much calmer but there was still heavy rain and wind to 30 knots. With chart plotter with radar overlay plus a dodgy depth sounder we crept up in the dark anchoring at a conservative distance off shore before collapsing into our bunks.
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Next day we motored the 4 miles down to the entrance channel at Papeete and I started experiencing severe pain in the groin necessitating me to lie down before collapsing while Jean conned the boat up the channel to the Taina marina. I rallied to back the boat into the berth then at the marina office the lady manager advised going straight to the clinic rather than emergency at the hospital. The young French doctor announced it was a hernia and gave 4 tablets which soon dulled the pain but suggested going to the hospital for an ultrasound to see if it was twisted. I won't bother you with details of an emergency hospital on a Saturday night other than saying it was quite an experience. Next day after testing the engine battery and pronouncing it dead a decent start battery was sourced at the local supermarket which sells almost everything. I hired a car to pick up Ellie at the airport but being left hand drive wondered why I kept running up on the curb. The car was on the wrong side of the steering wheel. Looking at the dents on the wheel rims already it appeared that I was not the first to hit the curb. We decided to leave Papeete and head off to Moorea only 15 miles away and anchored in Opunohu Bay where Captain Cook had been on three occasions down the bay at Robinson Cove. One afternoon a chap paddled up on a surfboard and invited us to dinner at his families waterfront home. His great grandfather has sailed in there in a 3 masted ship and had built a home in a delightful position running down to the bay. He was married to a young Chinese lady and also present was another Chinese woman with her French Canadian husband . They had sailed there from Canada and were living on the other side of the bay. It turned out that our host Herea was a non practising doctor who had been in government and was friendly with Clive Palmer who had flown him to Australia to see his various projects. He had earlier asked me what I thought of Clive and I muttered something about him being considered a bit whacky what with his dinasour park and replica of the Titanic. It seems though that our Clive had bought every member of one of his mining companies a Mercedes Benz once the company became profitable including the cleaners. Having brought along my guitar to repay the hosts in kind Ellie and I regaled them with a few songs which were much appreciated. Possessing a very inquisitive mind, Hirea confirmed the facts of the song "Leaving of Liverpool"on Google while I was warbling away. To my delight it is historically quite accurate. Eric Bogle's "Safe in the Harbour" seems always popular with sailors...
"Some men are sailors but most are just dreamers
Held fast by the anchors they forge in their mind
Who in their hearts know they'll never sail over deep water
To search for a treasure they're afraid they won't find "...
The next night it blew hard and the catabatic winds came howling down the valley along with heavy rain.
"Some men are sailors but most are just dreamers
Held fast by the anchors they forge in their mind
Who in their hearts know they'll never sail over deep water
To search for a treasure they're afraid they won't find "...
The next night it blew hard and the catabatic winds came howling down the valley along with heavy rain.
Early next morning there was a knock on the hull which turned out to be our Canadian Friend whose yacht had dragged anchor in the night just missing a superyacht and its tender launch. So Ellie and I headed off in the dinghy and rain to help him bring his boat over to a mooring near us . Next night we were invited for another delicious Chinese meal with the French Canadians before heading back to Papeete and the downtown marina which was right in the middle of all the action. Unfortunately, Ellie had to get back to Aus so after the first night of the "Puddle Jumpers" celebrations and a night out with the yung'ns off she flew. Puddle Jumpers is basically a get together of yachts heading westwards across the South Pacific and put on "Rendevous from Tahiti to Moorea " with about 50 vessels joining in the fun race. Then at Cooks Bay Moorea , there were dancing displays, music, demonstrations of tying a sarong, outrigger races and competition trying to lift a 50 kilogram rock to your shoulder which I decided to pass on, and much more. Naturally there was a Polynesian Feast and wonderful dancing by Tahitian woman. No wonder Fletcher Christian and some of the Bounty crew did not want to go back to England !
Back at the very handy downtown marina our new neighbour arrived. That was "Vertigo" Rupert Murdoch's Superyacht. At 66 meters it is the biggest yacht built in the Southern Hemisphere constructed by Alloy Yachts New Zealand. One can't help being impressed by the sleekness, beautiful design and pure feats of engineering in this massive yacht. For example no unsightly anchor was to be seen. I guess it was deployed from a watertight compartment internally Papeete being colonised by the French has wonderful bread and pastries to die for. Long Baguettes were only 50 cents so armed with these ,French wine and cheeses plus fresh provisions from the local market we headed out for Bora Bora 150 miles away. After picking up a mooring in front of the very quiet looking Bora Bora yacht club an American couple we'd met at Anse Amyot suggested a better spot where we could anchor for free. This turned out to be a very sheltered little nook with crystal clear water close to where we could swim with Manta Rays, sharks ( argh ) plus an assortment of tropical fishes. It was also where the local commercial dive boats bring the tourists to feed the fishes and sting rays which are very....too friendly. As they brushed against me I thought of poor Steve Irwin and kept well away from the Rays leaving them for the foreign tourists who probably didn't know of Steve's fate. After a few delightful days it was time to head for my favourite place in the South Pacific, Vava'u , Tonga but you'll have to wait to hear about that.
Cheers and fair winds
Cheers and fair winds
