Fatu Hiva, Marquesas; French Polynesia
05/05/2004 - 05/07/2004
Dramatic cliffs and clouds make quite an impression as we approach Fatu Hiva.
Fatu Hiva
Up early on the 5th of May, we sailed out of Atuona harbor and pointed south toward Fatu Hiva. The estimated 45 mile trip (to the anchorage) would take about eight hours if we could maintain 5-6 knots. Since the prevailing winds are southeast this time of year (with some occasional lucky east winds), we were ready for an upwind sail.
Fortunately, the winds were out of the east-southeast and strong; 15-25knots, with gusts to 32. It was a fast sail with an average speed of 6.4 knots -- we made it in seven hours.
Tucked in at the base the valley is a beautiful village and anchorage. The bay is named Baie des Vierges which translates to Bay of Virgins. The original name for the bay was Baie des Verges or Bay of Penises. The name is a reflection of some of the stone formations on land. As Lonely Planet notes "Outraged missionaries added the "i" to the name". Man, those missionaries were uptight.
The color of light on the peaks and rock framing the bay transitioned throughout the day. Oranges, purples, reds, yellows and greens splashed the walls surrounding the anchorage.
There sits Whisper at anchor amongst lots of boats just arriving from the Galapagos. What fun it is to meet people who have been cruising in the Carribean and South America.
Trading between cruisers and locals kept everyone busy. At the end of each day, cruisers shared tales of swapping fish hooks, rum, perfumes, lipsticks and rope for tapas, fruit, tikis and fish. Our trading focused on acquiring grapefruit. Several delicious juicy pampelmousse (aka grapefruit) returned home to Whisper after some intense negotiations over perfume we brought for trading. The really fun part of all this was getting to interact with the locals.
The village church appears to be the center of the village activities.
We are not certain what this shrine honors, but its beauty grabbed our attention.
With help from fellow cruisers and the local gendarme (law enforcement), we developed a map to the secret waterfall.
A "Tropical Yosemite" is the phrase that best describes the awesome peaks and valleys of this island.
Lush foliage, dainty flowers and fruit trees presented themselves everywhere we looked.
The trail to the waterfall proved to be rugged and challenging for the last third of the hike.
Tah, Dah! Here is the hard earned, well hidden waterfall.
After an exhilarating hike, the waterfall pool looked like a great place to cool off. The water nearly turned us into ice cubes.
Phew! Robin takes a break after the big climb. Nice hair-do.
The kids of Fatu Hiva greeted us and showed their treasures.
Everyone was willing to pose for pictures. Seeing photos on the digital camera screen kept everyone happy.
This copra (dried coconut) drying shed is a common site throughout the Marquesas. Copra production is one of the few sources of income for people in these islands.
A bevy of goats wandered along the hillside munching on the vegetation. Rumors of a village feast appeared to be reality when a few Marquesan men started climbing this hillside to capture one of the roaming goats.