Hello Everyone,
Well it has been 5 wonderful fun packed days here at Hiva Oa. This place is so magical and we have been out and about venturing as much as possible. I can't thank Pifa O'Connor and Family enough. Pifa has been a truly wonderful help for us and the epitome of Polynesian style. He is very generous with his time and sharing the culture of his wonderful island that we truly feel at home here.
We first met Pifa at the MakeMake restaurant looking for a tour guide. Never did we think that he would be so generous and giving and not just a tour guide for the day but also our first resource for anything else we may need. Pifa took us out on a tour of the island where we explored all the traditional sites, the Smiling Tiki, the Tiki ceremonial site, the Puamau village and bay. We started by being 45 minutes late... I guess in all our confusion of time changes we had our clocks all mixed up. On our ride over we had gone back 2 hours in time... When we got here we realized that we were actually suppose to be 4 hours back in time but we never bothered to ask anyone the official time in Marquesas... What we found out when we met Pifa (which means Bull in Marquesian) is that we were behind by another 45 minutes... UGH>.. So we begin our day late...
He met us with a baguette and a bottle of honey (one of his uncles honey) for breakfast and then we started our journey of 26 miles over to Puamau Bay... The islanders aren't joking when they say this takes 4 hours... Why do you ask does this take 4 hours... well the lack of road that we venture on which sometimes is paved but mostly NOT>.... We were on dirt bumpy hole ridden roads for about 18 of the 26 miles going about 10 miles an hour, if that... the vegetation and views are so striking that you often get caught up in the scenery until the occasional head slam against the side of the car because of the huge rut that brings you back to reality. Winding through Banana groves, coconut trees, mango, pamplemousse, avocado, breadfruit... the fruit trees grow everywhere and they are HUGE>... Chris and I were surprised to see at the top of the mountain road we were on that we came across Pine Trees... Wait What? The kids were all saying how it felt like we were driving in Shasta again... it was such a contrast to go from the lush jungle to the sparse pine tree forest with the needles on the ground keeping all the jungle grasses to a minimum. It really did look like we were driving through northern California...
We stopped many places along the way to see the beautiful valleys, bays and historical sites... Our first stop was the smiling tiki... it is a little venture down a dirt road and then a short walk through a grove of banana and jungle life to this little place that had the smiling tiki. We found out from Pifa that this land was his uncle's and as he was clearing the area he found these petroglyphs and this one smiling Tiki... They had found out that these were dated back to 500 years after Christ... It is said that the first one to see the smiling Tiki is bound to be smiling all day... I think we had all tied that day on who saw it... we had smiles plastered on our faces for the rest of the day..
The next stop was to see his uncle on the other side of the island... This is just one of many that we found out... He has 16 aunts and uncles that live on the island, with each aunt and uncle they all have several kids themselves (Pifa is 1 of 8) and then of course with a big family like that there are a ton of nieces, nephews and cousins... so it seems that everyone we ran into was related...
The family owned 500 acres that ran from the this beautiful private bay all the way up this valley that was drop dead gorgeous! It was so serene and peaceful that Chris and I were just dreaming of a time we could hide away and stay with them.... eat BBQ chicken, drink beer and hang out under the fruit and flower trees... They had everything they needed right there including the beehives for their own honey, 4 pigs and all the wild boar that they trap up in the mountain..and did I mention the hundreds of goats that are everywhere... As we were leaving Pifa stopped at one of the goat shelters and we got out to pet the goats and Alina (being so small) rode one of the big ones... The girls were in heaven!
The next stop was 30 minutes down the road to Puamau Bay and lunch.... This little village is a long difficult ride on a very rocky one way road... but well worth the journey. We had lunch in the only restaurant/house in town that was buffet style... no menu. We sat down and started our meal with fresh made star fruit juice... so amazing... then lunch consisted of the traditional Polynesian style food. There was the wild Pig in a sauce, goat in a sweet sauce (Tristan's favorite), Poisson Cru (marinated fish in Coconut milk) Poi in coconut milk, Bread Fruit fried like french fries (Kids absolutely loved these), rice and for dessert sweet cakes made from coconut and bananas. So much food and too little of stomachs... That is one thing that we are adjusting to over here... is all the food that you get with your order... In Mexico it would take 6 tacos to fill yourself up... here... we have to share a dish there is so much food.
After lunch went back to one of the bays that we passed and were going to go the beach but of course before we did, Pifa stopped at one of his Auntie's house and picked up 8 Hawaiian Ice for us to take to the beach. These are homemade icees made out of lime juice, grenadine, sugar... and just plain yummy! The kids were truly in heaven with the beach and the icees.... While we were at the beach Pifa cracked open a few coconuts for some coconut water for a fresh drink....
There were so many little gifts along the way with Pifa to show us the traditions of the islanders and their food I can express enough how welcomed and fun it was to spend the day with him enjoying his culture... Not only did we sample, bread fruit, prickly pear, corpdessol, rombautan, the lunch menu, wild raspberries, avocats, sweetened dried bananas (from another uncle), but we got to meet literally half the island... now where ever we go from the gas station, the grocery stores, the bank, the cafe... literally walking to town,, etc... we are able to wave and say hello to a number of people that we have met. It feels like we know the island.
Then next day Pifa picked us up and took us to town to his cousin's for me to get my tattoo... Low and behold it was the same tattoo artist that shares space with the cyber cafe and crepe house... Piau was my tattoo artist and his was a wonderful man that was very patient with my indecisiveness. Combining my multiple thoughts of what I wanted represented on my back he came up with the perfect tattoo for me. I love it... I knew after the crossing that I wanted to get the traditional Marquesan tattoo for the passage... so I wanted it to represent the voyage, the sea, and especially my love of family with the 6 kids represented... We combined all of this into a beautiful flower and on each of the six petals a symbol for each of my unique children... Kava - the traditional marquesan symbol for oldest son... Mykaela - a turtle, Tristan - gecko, Alexia - flower, Amaia - the son rise, Alina - a butterfly.... It's perfect and I love it.... it is on my shoulder but placed so that it can be hidden even with thin strapped shirts....
After my Tattoo, Pifa helped us to go to the grocery store and provision our boat for the next 3 weeks because we will be without stores or wifi on the remote Marquesan islands. Our plans are to leave tomorrow to venture to Fatu Hiva, then Tahuata, to Ua-Huka, then to Nuku Hiva (which is the capital of the islands and hopefully will have some wifi and provisioning) and then to Ua-Pou. This will be our last stop before leaving for the 2 day sail to the Tuamotu reefs for a month.
We are extremely happy, healthy and full of appreciation for all that we have been able to do and the good fortune that has come our way with the gods of the sea and winds... we are often thanking them for a safe journey and passage and praying for it to continue.
The kids are absorbing as much as they can with the culture. We are continuing to homeschool when we can and often it is every other day with the days that we do it... a cram session to catch up and doing 2 or 3 days of lessons at a time... but the kids are handling it amazingly well and are really getting into the history and the culture of the islands... they of course are still reading a ton... all of them, and it just amazes me how they can read and re-read the books over and over again... I just purchased 3 more books in the "wizards first rule series" for Tristan. These are 700 pages and should hold him over for at least a week.
Hope all is well with everyone back home.... we miss home a lot but are really taking in and enjoying all the things that our adventure as been able to offer.
There is no fighting, complaining and we are having so much fun that it is definitely memories of a life time we are building.
Hugs and love to all,
Heather and family!
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Family Circus
Wild Oaks Family Farm, Shenandoah Valley, Plymouth, CA
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Tristan's Update
Hey it is Tristan,
We had a really fun day at the beach today, and my dad and I got to go exploring up through the woods. My dad asked me and the rest of my family if anyone wanted to go into town. The town is couple miles away so I was the only one who wanted to go. When my dad and I left we started walking on the road and there was a long curve ahead that went to town but it was really long so my dad said we should cut across the beach and then climb up this jungle hill. I didn't want to walk on that long curve so I thought why not. When we got to the beach there is a tiny stream we had to cross so we started crossing it and that is when my dad almost stepped on a eel. After that we hurried across and started to scale the jungle. The jungle was steep and I had flip flops on and they kept falling off. There was lots of wild life there including Hermit Crabs, Mosquiteos, and Gnats. Near the road there was lots of reeds that were strong that we would grab onto. When we got to the road the first car that went past us stopped, I was confused because my dad was behind me and it turned out my dad stuck his thumb out. The lady gave us a ride into town and she went into the same store as us, The Grocery store ( Bum Bum Bummmmm) The grocery store is the best that we've had on this trip because all it's food is imported from the states. After the grocery store we started wondering around and found a Petanque court(Bocce Ball Court). My dad and I had nothing to do so we went to this really good restaurant/Cafe. We sat there for half an hour talking which was really nice. After that we started to head back and someone from the restaurant offered to give us a ride. When we got back we had baguettes and sandwiches, we also had these new chips we just got that were, Lays roasted chicken flavored (Tom, do they have these in the states?). After lunch we headed to the beach and had boat races. We made the boats out of stuff that we could find around us and then raced them in the stream. Later that day we watched the Frog Princess (Whoopie). We had Chili for dinner that was really good and are talking about are next island.
P.S I did not say Head Honcho, I had something different that couldn't go on the blog.
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We had a really fun day at the beach today, and my dad and I got to go exploring up through the woods. My dad asked me and the rest of my family if anyone wanted to go into town. The town is couple miles away so I was the only one who wanted to go. When my dad and I left we started walking on the road and there was a long curve ahead that went to town but it was really long so my dad said we should cut across the beach and then climb up this jungle hill. I didn't want to walk on that long curve so I thought why not. When we got to the beach there is a tiny stream we had to cross so we started crossing it and that is when my dad almost stepped on a eel. After that we hurried across and started to scale the jungle. The jungle was steep and I had flip flops on and they kept falling off. There was lots of wild life there including Hermit Crabs, Mosquiteos, and Gnats. Near the road there was lots of reeds that were strong that we would grab onto. When we got to the road the first car that went past us stopped, I was confused because my dad was behind me and it turned out my dad stuck his thumb out. The lady gave us a ride into town and she went into the same store as us, The Grocery store ( Bum Bum Bummmmm) The grocery store is the best that we've had on this trip because all it's food is imported from the states. After the grocery store we started wondering around and found a Petanque court(Bocce Ball Court). My dad and I had nothing to do so we went to this really good restaurant/Cafe. We sat there for half an hour talking which was really nice. After that we started to head back and someone from the restaurant offered to give us a ride. When we got back we had baguettes and sandwiches, we also had these new chips we just got that were, Lays roasted chicken flavored (Tom, do they have these in the states?). After lunch we headed to the beach and had boat races. We made the boats out of stuff that we could find around us and then raced them in the stream. Later that day we watched the Frog Princess (Whoopie). We had Chili for dinner that was really good and are talking about are next island.
P.S I did not say Head Honcho, I had something different that couldn't go on the blog.
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Day 2 - Hiva Oa from Lexi and Tristan
LEXI:
Hey it's Lexi! we just got back from an amazing tour of the island. We visited many beaches and ate lots of new fruits, My new favorite fruit is called Ramboutans. It is red with spikes sticking out of it and is sooooo delicious! One thing I have learned from the island is that EVERYONE is related either by marriage or family, And when i say EVERYONE I mean EVERYONE. The families are super nice and welcoming, Our tour guide took us to see his family and they gave us food and drinks and let Mimi and Alina chase the goats and chickens while me and the rest of the family sat and talked with them. We went up on a hill that overlooked the ocean after that and played with wild goats and fed them pieces of bread while Alina rode one of the bigger ones without horns, and me? I was scared to death that the giant macho goat who thinks he's all that because of his giant horns was going to throw us of the cliff. We learned a lot about the island like how the most beautiful woman in the tribe used to be thrown of a 200 foot cliff into the 4 foot deep water and killed as a sacrifice to the gods, our tour guide didn't like that he said "What a waste. Why cant it be a goat instead?" we also went to visit the smiling tiki who if you were the first to see the tiki you would be smiling all day. As my luck would have it, Tristan was the first person to see it not me. But we did visit an ancient tribe site and he explained that only the first born child could get a full body tattoo and that on his head would be a manta ray, a gecko, and a turtle those animals symbolized wisdom. On his arms would be words that mean strength and on his chest his family, his legs would be decorated with words of speed. The rest of the children could get tattoos but not full body tattoos. The tribe would set up arranged marriages by sending boys to war to see whose the strongest or throwing sharpened rocks at them to see who's the best if they came back alive then they would be able to marry girls based on their "ranks" with the tribe. The island is an amazing place with rich history including cannibalism and bizzare sacrifices, and I look forward to seeing other islands and finding out what secrets they have hiding in their mountains, valleys, beaches, and meadows.
TRISTAN:
Hey it's Tristan and the Passage was awesome because we all had a really good time learning French and playing games. When we saw land on the 19th day everybody flipped. We were all going crazy about how beautiful and big the island was. When we got to the anchorage it was really nice not having to hold onto anything to stay upright. When we headed onto land to check in we were all feeling a little dizzy, but Lexi actually fell over. The women who helped us check in was Sandra she helps with the tourism. After that we went exploring the island. It was awesome everybody was related by either family or marriage. We went to the library, art store, the bank, the grocery store, and the soccer field. The end of the day was my favorite because when I was going to bed I wasn't rolling around. The next day was the first day of homeschooling at the island and of course none of us wanted to do it because we were on an island that costs a lot of money to get to. After homeschooling we went exploring through the grocery stores and found that they import a lot of food from the USA. We spent a lot of time there and on our way back found a bunch of chickens, horses, and goats. The coolest part about the island is that there are wild pigs and goats and horses. At night we found this awesome guy named Fifa (Pifa). He going to take us on a trip to see the tiki sights. So the next morning we got up early the next morning and Fifa picked us up when we thought we were on time(8:30), He told us it was 9: 15. When we left Fifa took us to the first tiki sight, it was called the smiling tiki. His family owns 500 acres on the island and it is full of Bananas, Pompamoose (Pamplemousse), Guava, Lime, Avocadoes, Bread fruit, and Mangos. He has a really big family tree his dad has 16 siblings and Fifa has 8. There are so many of them that they own a cove. Fifa took us to see his family and at his uncles house they have four pigs and two dogs. They gave us some beer and honey, which was nice because the honey here is nine dollars U.S. After we met his family and hung out there for a bit we left and went up to see goats that live on this hill in the day and they all scatter at night. There are probably 200 goats you can see from his house. The goats are really friendly and we got to pet them and Alina actually got to ride one. But there was this one goat with huge horns that thought he was the Head Honcho, He tried to push me and Lexi off a cliff. We hung out with the goats for twenty minutes, then we left and went to go get lunch. Lunch was really cool because I had never had any of it before. There was Wild pig, Goat, Fish in a Coconut sauce, Bananas that were roasted, and Bread fruit that they fried and it tasted exactly like French fries. After lunch we went to an archeological site with 5 tikis. They were really cool because it was exactly like an order of jobs. There was an executer that used a big club, there was a Warrior, and there was a woman. There was a chief that was eight feet tall which was actually how big he was. Then behind him was his son. We learned that the first born son at age 13 had to have a full body tattoo. After the tiki site we went to the beach. The water was very clear, there were some big waves and we saw an eel. The beach was really fun and Fifa made us this really good frozen drink and cut us a coconut. After the beach we headed back to the boat. On the way back Fifa got us 3 Avocadoes and two stalks of bananas. When we were at the dock Fifa showed us a fruit called Rambutan and It was really good. That was so much fun and if anyone comes to Hiva Oa I really recommend taking a trip with Fifa.
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Hey it's Lexi! we just got back from an amazing tour of the island. We visited many beaches and ate lots of new fruits, My new favorite fruit is called Ramboutans. It is red with spikes sticking out of it and is sooooo delicious! One thing I have learned from the island is that EVERYONE is related either by marriage or family, And when i say EVERYONE I mean EVERYONE. The families are super nice and welcoming, Our tour guide took us to see his family and they gave us food and drinks and let Mimi and Alina chase the goats and chickens while me and the rest of the family sat and talked with them. We went up on a hill that overlooked the ocean after that and played with wild goats and fed them pieces of bread while Alina rode one of the bigger ones without horns, and me? I was scared to death that the giant macho goat who thinks he's all that because of his giant horns was going to throw us of the cliff. We learned a lot about the island like how the most beautiful woman in the tribe used to be thrown of a 200 foot cliff into the 4 foot deep water and killed as a sacrifice to the gods, our tour guide didn't like that he said "What a waste. Why cant it be a goat instead?" we also went to visit the smiling tiki who if you were the first to see the tiki you would be smiling all day. As my luck would have it, Tristan was the first person to see it not me. But we did visit an ancient tribe site and he explained that only the first born child could get a full body tattoo and that on his head would be a manta ray, a gecko, and a turtle those animals symbolized wisdom. On his arms would be words that mean strength and on his chest his family, his legs would be decorated with words of speed. The rest of the children could get tattoos but not full body tattoos. The tribe would set up arranged marriages by sending boys to war to see whose the strongest or throwing sharpened rocks at them to see who's the best if they came back alive then they would be able to marry girls based on their "ranks" with the tribe. The island is an amazing place with rich history including cannibalism and bizzare sacrifices, and I look forward to seeing other islands and finding out what secrets they have hiding in their mountains, valleys, beaches, and meadows.
TRISTAN:
Hey it's Tristan and the Passage was awesome because we all had a really good time learning French and playing games. When we saw land on the 19th day everybody flipped. We were all going crazy about how beautiful and big the island was. When we got to the anchorage it was really nice not having to hold onto anything to stay upright. When we headed onto land to check in we were all feeling a little dizzy, but Lexi actually fell over. The women who helped us check in was Sandra she helps with the tourism. After that we went exploring the island. It was awesome everybody was related by either family or marriage. We went to the library, art store, the bank, the grocery store, and the soccer field. The end of the day was my favorite because when I was going to bed I wasn't rolling around. The next day was the first day of homeschooling at the island and of course none of us wanted to do it because we were on an island that costs a lot of money to get to. After homeschooling we went exploring through the grocery stores and found that they import a lot of food from the USA. We spent a lot of time there and on our way back found a bunch of chickens, horses, and goats. The coolest part about the island is that there are wild pigs and goats and horses. At night we found this awesome guy named Fifa (Pifa). He going to take us on a trip to see the tiki sights. So the next morning we got up early the next morning and Fifa picked us up when we thought we were on time(8:30), He told us it was 9: 15. When we left Fifa took us to the first tiki sight, it was called the smiling tiki. His family owns 500 acres on the island and it is full of Bananas, Pompamoose (Pamplemousse), Guava, Lime, Avocadoes, Bread fruit, and Mangos. He has a really big family tree his dad has 16 siblings and Fifa has 8. There are so many of them that they own a cove. Fifa took us to see his family and at his uncles house they have four pigs and two dogs. They gave us some beer and honey, which was nice because the honey here is nine dollars U.S. After we met his family and hung out there for a bit we left and went up to see goats that live on this hill in the day and they all scatter at night. There are probably 200 goats you can see from his house. The goats are really friendly and we got to pet them and Alina actually got to ride one. But there was this one goat with huge horns that thought he was the Head Honcho, He tried to push me and Lexi off a cliff. We hung out with the goats for twenty minutes, then we left and went to go get lunch. Lunch was really cool because I had never had any of it before. There was Wild pig, Goat, Fish in a Coconut sauce, Bananas that were roasted, and Bread fruit that they fried and it tasted exactly like French fries. After lunch we went to an archeological site with 5 tikis. They were really cool because it was exactly like an order of jobs. There was an executer that used a big club, there was a Warrior, and there was a woman. There was a chief that was eight feet tall which was actually how big he was. Then behind him was his son. We learned that the first born son at age 13 had to have a full body tattoo. After the tiki site we went to the beach. The water was very clear, there were some big waves and we saw an eel. The beach was really fun and Fifa made us this really good frozen drink and cut us a coconut. After the beach we headed back to the boat. On the way back Fifa got us 3 Avocadoes and two stalks of bananas. When we were at the dock Fifa showed us a fruit called Rambutan and It was really good. That was so much fun and if anyone comes to Hiva Oa I really recommend taking a trip with Fifa.
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Saturday, April 11, 2015
Early Impressions
Well we have 36 hours under our belt in Hiva Oa, and two restful nights of sleep as we lull about in this slightly rolly anchorage. As we start getting more active with projects and sightseeing, we realize that we have less time to do things like blog, yet there is so much to talk about. We are headed on an island "tour" today in 30 mins, so I will quickly try to get some first impressions out to you - the photos will have to wait, as one thing we know is there is very limited WIFI/Internet access here..
There certainly have been many new experiences already. As I write this, Tristan and Alexia (and now Alina and Amaia) are eating "Ronbuton"- which I have no idea how to spell, or what the english equivalent would be. Think of branches laden with 2 inch red/purple egg shaped fruit, which are then covered with half inch long soft 'spikes" all over. They are visually quite beautiful, and then you put them in your mouth (bizarre) and bite the shell open, and crack it in half (like an egg)- inside is a translucent, sweet pearly white flesh surrounding a pit, and you swirl it around your mouth, chewing away the flesh from the pit. Its fabulously sweet, and very tasty. We probably ate 30 last night and now have two bunches of them hanging in the cockpit to snack on. We ate a place frequented by the locals that looked like a pop up restaurant with a van as the store front, and a bunch of folks cooking the back on a BBQ and a giant wok. The menu was fabulously simple- burgers/hot dogs, steak frites, chow mein, poisson cru and mahi mahi grilled - we gorged ourselves on the steak frites and chow mein, both of which were fabulous. I think the kids got a kick out of French Fries, Steak and Gravy all combined together. It was even more entertaining for me, when I realized that the guy cooking the chow mein in the wok was the same Gendarme who had checked us in to the country a day earlier!
"Ronbuton" was just one of the things we learned from Pifa, who will be our tour guide today. A large, gentle giant, Pifa was born on Hiva Oa, went to school here, then boarding high school in Tahiti, and then a few years of college at BYU Hawaii. Pifa's great grandfather was actually irish, so this dark Marquesans last name is actually O'Connor, which I find amusing. His family has a 500 acre cow and goat farm on the island and we will see it today, along with many of the other sights and stories of the island. I am not big on formal "tours" but this will only be us, and will be super genuine and custom. I want to go see the homes of tiki carvers, the archealogical sites, local animals and food, and more of the jungle that is in the mountains above us.
The Marquesas are strikingly mountainous islands that shoot out of the water, and are covered with beautiful green foliage- we were excited to see a waterfall, but it is apparently 4 hours through the jungle without a trail- so probably not a family friendly activity, and we know many of the other islands have easier access. The beach we have seen so far is black sand, and all the rocks surrounding us are a deep volcanic black. The port we are in is about an hour walk away from the tiny town (no street light, two stop signs) that has a bank, art center, 4 stores, two restaurants and at least one cafe we have found (along with 4-5 tatoo parlors that operate out of the side of some of these other establishments). So far we have been able to hitchhike both ways each time we have gone to town, although the walk will be beautiful as well- as you pass so many magnificent flowers and other things to see.
We spent our first day cleaning the boat and repairing things, which was quite and effort after the passage. It has rained both days, which is a nice rinse for the boat, but not great for the large amount of laundry that is strung cross the front of our boat. The water is 85.8 degrees, but its murky here as it has a river run off in it.
We should have more to update you on after today, and will spend a few more days here in Hiva Oa, before we head to a place that is supposed to be much more spectacular- Fatu Hiva.
Hope all is well with you! CHRIS
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There certainly have been many new experiences already. As I write this, Tristan and Alexia (and now Alina and Amaia) are eating "Ronbuton"- which I have no idea how to spell, or what the english equivalent would be. Think of branches laden with 2 inch red/purple egg shaped fruit, which are then covered with half inch long soft 'spikes" all over. They are visually quite beautiful, and then you put them in your mouth (bizarre) and bite the shell open, and crack it in half (like an egg)- inside is a translucent, sweet pearly white flesh surrounding a pit, and you swirl it around your mouth, chewing away the flesh from the pit. Its fabulously sweet, and very tasty. We probably ate 30 last night and now have two bunches of them hanging in the cockpit to snack on. We ate a place frequented by the locals that looked like a pop up restaurant with a van as the store front, and a bunch of folks cooking the back on a BBQ and a giant wok. The menu was fabulously simple- burgers/hot dogs, steak frites, chow mein, poisson cru and mahi mahi grilled - we gorged ourselves on the steak frites and chow mein, both of which were fabulous. I think the kids got a kick out of French Fries, Steak and Gravy all combined together. It was even more entertaining for me, when I realized that the guy cooking the chow mein in the wok was the same Gendarme who had checked us in to the country a day earlier!
"Ronbuton" was just one of the things we learned from Pifa, who will be our tour guide today. A large, gentle giant, Pifa was born on Hiva Oa, went to school here, then boarding high school in Tahiti, and then a few years of college at BYU Hawaii. Pifa's great grandfather was actually irish, so this dark Marquesans last name is actually O'Connor, which I find amusing. His family has a 500 acre cow and goat farm on the island and we will see it today, along with many of the other sights and stories of the island. I am not big on formal "tours" but this will only be us, and will be super genuine and custom. I want to go see the homes of tiki carvers, the archealogical sites, local animals and food, and more of the jungle that is in the mountains above us.
The Marquesas are strikingly mountainous islands that shoot out of the water, and are covered with beautiful green foliage- we were excited to see a waterfall, but it is apparently 4 hours through the jungle without a trail- so probably not a family friendly activity, and we know many of the other islands have easier access. The beach we have seen so far is black sand, and all the rocks surrounding us are a deep volcanic black. The port we are in is about an hour walk away from the tiny town (no street light, two stop signs) that has a bank, art center, 4 stores, two restaurants and at least one cafe we have found (along with 4-5 tatoo parlors that operate out of the side of some of these other establishments). So far we have been able to hitchhike both ways each time we have gone to town, although the walk will be beautiful as well- as you pass so many magnificent flowers and other things to see.
We spent our first day cleaning the boat and repairing things, which was quite and effort after the passage. It has rained both days, which is a nice rinse for the boat, but not great for the large amount of laundry that is strung cross the front of our boat. The water is 85.8 degrees, but its murky here as it has a river run off in it.
We should have more to update you on after today, and will spend a few more days here in Hiva Oa, before we head to a place that is supposed to be much more spectacular- Fatu Hiva.
Hope all is well with you! CHRIS
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Thursday, April 9, 2015
We have dropped the hook and are enjoying land in the Marquesas
Hello Everyone,
We have anchored safely in the Marquesas. We are now legally checked into the country and have walked all through town and got our bearings... it is so beautiful here with all the jungle all around... and the smell of everything is over powering. The kids stopped at every flower to compete with who had the best smelling flowers...
We have anchored safely in the Marquesas. We are now legally checked into the country and have walked all through town and got our bearings... it is so beautiful here with all the jungle all around... and the smell of everything is over powering. The kids stopped at every flower to compete with who had the best smelling flowers...
We are at a cyber cafe enjoying some crepes and coffee and then off to a pizza place for dinner. My battery on my computer is dying and I forgot the electric converter.... so we will update more later but wanted to let everyone know that we are safe and sound and looking forward to the first good night sleep in 19 days.
Hugs and Love to everyone,
Heather
LAAAAAAAAAAND HOOOOOOOOOOOO Wahooooo!
Hello Everyone...
I am so excited to be able to say that.... I woke up this morning at 9:12am to Chris yelling at the top of his lungs, "LAAAAAANNNNNNDDD HHHHHOOOOOOO" and all the kids... "I see it, I see it, I see it!" Everyone is so excited. We are 13.9 miles from land and are starting to be able to decipher the other Islands around Hiva Oa... Music is blaring, kids are singing, and we are all on deck with a watchful eye with anticipation of what lies ahead. Giddy Up Family Circus... we are flying going, 8-9+ knots and letting the reins run free! Totally Barn Sour! HEATHER
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Hot Damn- this electronic charting stuff really works!!! We have multiple redundant GPSs on board- but its still reassuring to actually see Land!
I had planned on bringing the kids up to discover Land first, but I was jiggling with the fishing pole, and turned around, and couldnt believe my eyes. It distinctly wasnt a low cloud, and it definitely had a shape..... I couldnt help myself and screamed at the top of my lungs!! I could see how sailors who had been at sea for much longer, for multiple months, who were using dead reckoning and celestial navigation to find their way (and were eating rats, walking the plank and getting scurvy)- how they could feel so completely out of their mind!
The mood on the boat has been picking up over the last twenty four hours, and is pretty darn positive right now! We still probably have 5 hours till we get to anchor, but the journey seems different now that we are in sight of land!
We'll post more once we're anchored in the bay at Atuona, on Hiva Oa-but for now, LAAAAAANNNNNDDDD HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! CHRIS
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I am so excited to be able to say that.... I woke up this morning at 9:12am to Chris yelling at the top of his lungs, "LAAAAAANNNNNNDDD HHHHHOOOOOOO" and all the kids... "I see it, I see it, I see it!" Everyone is so excited. We are 13.9 miles from land and are starting to be able to decipher the other Islands around Hiva Oa... Music is blaring, kids are singing, and we are all on deck with a watchful eye with anticipation of what lies ahead. Giddy Up Family Circus... we are flying going, 8-9+ knots and letting the reins run free! Totally Barn Sour! HEATHER
************************
Hot Damn- this electronic charting stuff really works!!! We have multiple redundant GPSs on board- but its still reassuring to actually see Land!
I had planned on bringing the kids up to discover Land first, but I was jiggling with the fishing pole, and turned around, and couldnt believe my eyes. It distinctly wasnt a low cloud, and it definitely had a shape..... I couldnt help myself and screamed at the top of my lungs!! I could see how sailors who had been at sea for much longer, for multiple months, who were using dead reckoning and celestial navigation to find their way (and were eating rats, walking the plank and getting scurvy)- how they could feel so completely out of their mind!
The mood on the boat has been picking up over the last twenty four hours, and is pretty darn positive right now! We still probably have 5 hours till we get to anchor, but the journey seems different now that we are in sight of land!
We'll post more once we're anchored in the bay at Atuona, on Hiva Oa-but for now, LAAAAAANNNNNDDDD HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! CHRIS
----------
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Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Pacific Passage Day 18
Hello Everyone,
Well we are now at 7.2S and 137.22W... We are cruising at about 6knots and wind speed is still in high teens and low 20's ... We thought this morning we were going to have a reprieve today for the strong winds but no such luck. As soon as we shook the double reef out of our main sail they came back with full force. We are once again sailing with a handkerchief out to try and slow the boat... we can't change course a whole lot right now.. we don't want to blow past the islands... with the Humbolt current we are in it is shifting our course by 15 ot 20 degrees west... so we have to aim high and ride it in... I guess this is the current that Kon Tiki thought the early Polynesians came to the islands on... or something like that. I need to read the book. It is on my list along with The South Pacific by Robert Louis Stevenson... As soon as I finish "The art of hearing heartbeats" I will start them.. I think it will be a family read aloud at night so we all can enjoy it. I am currently loving "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats" Thanks bookclub gals... this is the one book that I never read and I know you all loved it.
My big mission for the day was to shower... I know this sounds silly but getting into a tiny room down below and showering is not my fondest moments... I get so sick down there that I have been putting it off for Days... in fact... I think this is our third shower since we left La Cruz... I know that sounds gross but when you don't do ANYTHING it really doesn't seem like a priority... also it is really hard to shower while on a roller coaster/mechanical bull. I will be really excited to get out of this motion and to be able to take a drink of water without it blowing away before I can get it to my mouth... try going 20mph in your car... now stick your head out the window and then try to drink and eat something.. now do this for 2 weeks straight... while going up and down and side to side... I am not sure how else to have you picture what it is like but just know that I am so done with it... I know it could be worse... but.... at least we have blue skies above, no squalls, and happy kids... the giggle fest continues... I am not sure if they are just happy or if we are all losing it a little :@)
Last night was quite a strange night... we had two visitors on board. I guess we aren't the only ones that are tired of the winds. Last night there was a bird that had decided he was done fighting the winds and made a choice to join the circus. He landed on the back of the boat and then decided to walk on into the cockpit and start eating the Fruit Loops that the kids had dropped. Then he thought he would go into the boat and hang out... funniest thing... to see this thing just making it self at home and resting. We put him back out in the cockpit and he stayed with us for a few hours until he felt rested Guess... The first thing Amaia looked for when she woke up was the bird... no one really saw it fly away. I won't tell them we are having chicken tonight for dinner :@) (just kidding)
Tristan has been taking a watch at night now for the last week... he has from 9:30 to 11:30 shift... last night we was blessed with the same sensation I received the other night... Yes a Flying Fish about a foot long decided to join the circus as well and flew up and hit him in the side (up in the chair mind you) and then flopped down on the seat and was flopping around. Scarred the b-jesus out of him and then he through it back in. You can never really get used to the idea that these things can fly up so high as to hit you 8 feet out of the water... especially at night...
Well like I said yesterday... we are on track for landfall tomorrow between lunch and dinner time. We have about 150 miles to go... I can't wait to have a peaceful night sleep at anchor and just to be on the hook for a little while... We are all excited for the French baguettes and some Polynesian food. Unfortunately we seem to be having some electrical spikes in our system... so it has fried two of our computer batteries... One of which had the Rosetta Stone for French on it... so we are now back to finding our way with out it and hopefully fumbling our way through the French Polynesian Islands with body language and hand signals... okay not that bad but we will see how all this plays out.... Chris at least, thanks to Oma, understands a little bit of it... Oma we may need you to steal away on the boat and be our new communications / foreign language instructor for this part of the trip... its only 90 days. :@)
Hugs and love to all,
Heath
----------
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Well we are now at 7.2S and 137.22W... We are cruising at about 6knots and wind speed is still in high teens and low 20's ... We thought this morning we were going to have a reprieve today for the strong winds but no such luck. As soon as we shook the double reef out of our main sail they came back with full force. We are once again sailing with a handkerchief out to try and slow the boat... we can't change course a whole lot right now.. we don't want to blow past the islands... with the Humbolt current we are in it is shifting our course by 15 ot 20 degrees west... so we have to aim high and ride it in... I guess this is the current that Kon Tiki thought the early Polynesians came to the islands on... or something like that. I need to read the book. It is on my list along with The South Pacific by Robert Louis Stevenson... As soon as I finish "The art of hearing heartbeats" I will start them.. I think it will be a family read aloud at night so we all can enjoy it. I am currently loving "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats" Thanks bookclub gals... this is the one book that I never read and I know you all loved it.
My big mission for the day was to shower... I know this sounds silly but getting into a tiny room down below and showering is not my fondest moments... I get so sick down there that I have been putting it off for Days... in fact... I think this is our third shower since we left La Cruz... I know that sounds gross but when you don't do ANYTHING it really doesn't seem like a priority... also it is really hard to shower while on a roller coaster/mechanical bull. I will be really excited to get out of this motion and to be able to take a drink of water without it blowing away before I can get it to my mouth... try going 20mph in your car... now stick your head out the window and then try to drink and eat something.. now do this for 2 weeks straight... while going up and down and side to side... I am not sure how else to have you picture what it is like but just know that I am so done with it... I know it could be worse... but.... at least we have blue skies above, no squalls, and happy kids... the giggle fest continues... I am not sure if they are just happy or if we are all losing it a little :@)
Last night was quite a strange night... we had two visitors on board. I guess we aren't the only ones that are tired of the winds. Last night there was a bird that had decided he was done fighting the winds and made a choice to join the circus. He landed on the back of the boat and then decided to walk on into the cockpit and start eating the Fruit Loops that the kids had dropped. Then he thought he would go into the boat and hang out... funniest thing... to see this thing just making it self at home and resting. We put him back out in the cockpit and he stayed with us for a few hours until he felt rested Guess... The first thing Amaia looked for when she woke up was the bird... no one really saw it fly away. I won't tell them we are having chicken tonight for dinner :@) (just kidding)
Tristan has been taking a watch at night now for the last week... he has from 9:30 to 11:30 shift... last night we was blessed with the same sensation I received the other night... Yes a Flying Fish about a foot long decided to join the circus as well and flew up and hit him in the side (up in the chair mind you) and then flopped down on the seat and was flopping around. Scarred the b-jesus out of him and then he through it back in. You can never really get used to the idea that these things can fly up so high as to hit you 8 feet out of the water... especially at night...
Well like I said yesterday... we are on track for landfall tomorrow between lunch and dinner time. We have about 150 miles to go... I can't wait to have a peaceful night sleep at anchor and just to be on the hook for a little while... We are all excited for the French baguettes and some Polynesian food. Unfortunately we seem to be having some electrical spikes in our system... so it has fried two of our computer batteries... One of which had the Rosetta Stone for French on it... so we are now back to finding our way with out it and hopefully fumbling our way through the French Polynesian Islands with body language and hand signals... okay not that bad but we will see how all this plays out.... Chris at least, thanks to Oma, understands a little bit of it... Oma we may need you to steal away on the boat and be our new communications / foreign language instructor for this part of the trip... its only 90 days. :@)
Hugs and love to all,
Heath
----------
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