Marquesas Islands – Sailing Azure Seas

Retracing our steps to Nuku Hiva

In this part of our voyage, we are following in the path set by Captain James Cook in his second journey (1772-1774) navigating around a treacherous and moody Cape Horn towards the Marquesas Islands. He was a navigator extraordinaire, no GPS nor even a chart to follow. Some of his sailors felt they would possibly sail off the ends of the earth. He improved nutrition as well as insuring his men had a ration of beer each day, which probably kept their hydration up.

When we have sailed in the Pacific, many of the soundings noted on the charts were made by Captain Cook. Some of his journals are kept at the State Library Of NSW and you can request a viewing of these historic documents.

We are on our way back to Nuka Hiva to collect a container, now divested of it contents from Papeete and full of copra or bananas. You have to admire the efficiency of the crew of Aranui in getting the containers on loaded so quickly. We have a bit of time and go into Taiohae to see some replica Tikis in the park.

These tikis remind me of other prehistoric stones and instances of ancestor worship we have seen in Europe. It reminds me of sacred places the world over, where ancient man would use stone and sites to worship their ancestors or perhaps use them as a nemonic system. Wouldn’t it be great to ask them?

We repeat the loading exercise in Ua Pou and then we depart at 4:15 pm for the return 40 hour journey to the Tuamotu and the island of Rangiroa.

Polynesian Evening with Dancing – Visuals

The staff of the Aranui were tremendous, welcoming and professional. There were several special evenings and even a Polynesian Breakfast. We would often have a lovely dinner in a harbour, very festive with very little boat motion. These are photos of the Polynesian Banquet.

Tave helped me make purchases in the shop and often helped us tie our pareau on securely. The staff participated in both looking after us and entertaining us. They were all quite talented. Even the men of the Supercargo did a haka for us one evening that was quite amazing.

Ric dressed for his performance and James ready to show his model boat. Aranui expects everyone to do most of the activities.

The Competitors Model Canoe Comp. We believe the Frenchman in the black pareau was the winner. Most of the boats were rougher and readier than his, but his real secret was naming his boat Nuka Hiva or an island name. Helen won third prize. Good efforts.

Jame’s model canoe was the largest but not a winner, with some other entrants. Winner wasn’t here, but it was quite a looker.

Dancing class lead by the graceful Hanalui, Sandy is in pink. The men dancing are behind us.

Our Musicians – The music is fast and rhythmic. You can see that the drummers stand on a stool to be high enough to play those drums.

Marquesian Dancers – amazing bird dance with incredible tattoos.

Marquesian Dancing – so fluid and all the dances tell a story.

So the Polynesian night is definitely a night to remember. The flower crowns alone made us feel like we were in Paradise. If you go on the Aranui, join in. Don’t hold back.

Ua Huka and the hand brake turn

The Aranui 5 is 126 metres long or about 413 feet. The harbour of Vaipaee on the island of Ua Huka is about 50 metres wider than Aranui is long. Docking a ship in these conditions is not for the faint of heart. The Aranui crew put on a complete spectacle for us, bringing their best game to dock in Vaipaee.

Heading into the narrow bay, Aranui drops the anchor then pivots 180 degrees bringing the stern into place.

Barge being lowered to act as a bow thruster

The barge is in place and the long boats with the shore crew are in the water, taking the stern lines to the headlands either side of the bay. The waves are substantial enough that the men might take more than one attempt to jump ashore.

Getting stern lines out has more to do with tying down a bucking bronco than a tying into a dock.

Disembarking the passengers is equally exciting. (No photos because of the roughness.) We were wearing wet shoes today because as you walk downstairs to the passenger barge, the water is spilling in up to your knees and the crew are lifting you in. Trust is the word. You stand in front of four or five muscular men who are gauging the thrust of the barge and waiting for the entrance to the barge to line up with the entrance of the ship. All you can do is trust them to get you on the barge intact and sit down immediately once you are on this bucking bronco. Oh, and keep your arms and hands inside the barge. This is an adrenalin start to your morning.

We go to a food producing Botanical Gardens and see orchards of citrus and breadfruit. We hear about native trees and also about how much food can be produced on the islands. Some items may have been introduced thousands of years ago with the first visitors.

The 4 x 4’s then take us to the Handicraft centre and Sea Museum in Hane Village. The models are rustically exquisite and the carvings are intricate.

After lunch, we hiked up to a meeting point and our guide told us the history of the people here. The views were spectacular over the coast.

This is the reason you hike up 1.5 miles

Ua Huka has miles of winding road, which you can see hugging the coastline. What you don’t see are the wild horses and goats that are often near the road. The goats are wild and harvested by locals for milk or meat. They are not indigenous animals but the locals are happy for the food source. Since the Aranui is the main avenue for supplies to arrive on the island, having a ready supply of dairy and meat seems more than reasonable.

I had one favourite view which I found just splendid and reminiscent of the California coastline.

Last photo, of the bargemen negotiating Aranui out of Vaipaee Bay. Discernible difference between Vaipaee Bay and Hokatu, isn’t there?

Hiva Oa – Puama’u and the Tikis

The Tiki at the me’ae or marae in Puama’u were in a wild setting. Here you find the largest tiki in French Polynesia. Called Takaii you see a tiki that was taller than most about 8 feet high; a monument to a great king perhaps. The tikis needed protection from the environment, so they are now under huts arranged by UNESCO.

There is also a large stage that was used to kill enemies on a sacrificial altar.

One of the tikis was of a well-loved queen, who died in childbirth and the tiki is a monument to tell her story and it became a place women could come and ask for help with their own pending births.

tiki of queen offering a sanctuary for soon-to-be Mothers

We returned to the ship, and were mesmerised yet again watching the Supercargo add the containers and reposition the barge, the fishing boat and the backhoes as if they were moving pencils and pens on a desk.

the barge on and off twice a day in Hiva Oa

We had lunch on board in a much calmer, Vaitahu Bay. Aranui often finds a lovely calm anchorage at meal times and even until the early morning hours so that we could get a good nights rest.

After lunch we went to a church built with an aesthetically pleasing reference to the Hiva Oa’s crafts and its environment. Sadly in a storm, they had lost two panels of the stained glass windows and I hope they are able to replace them. Notice the beautiful carving.

Tomorrow we are up early to watch the spectacular manoeuvre to anchor in the narrow harbour of Vaipaee.

Fatu Hiva – Omoa, Hanavave and Thor Heyerdahl

Fatu Hiva, famous for its visitors, like the Spanish explorer and navigator, Mendaña, circa 1595 and Thor Heyerdahl of Kon Tiki fame circa 1947. We feel like adventurers reaching Fatu Hiva, although we arrive in absolute luxury and comfort.

The evening before we arrive at Fatu Hiva, all talk is about handicrafts: making tapa, flower leis and crowns and monoi, a coconut oil for hair and body. We also hear about the beautiful flowers on the island.

Mama’s of Hanavave making coconut oil on the Aranui. Admire their beautiful head wreaths.

When we go to see the local handicrafts, we have a band playing music for us. The children would come right up to the band and play without worry. This young musician had a go of the drums and the ukulele. He was not worried about the crowd at all. Nearby a little girl about 9 months was trying to dance. The children are lovely, generous and simply gorgeous.

You wouldn’t be able to get away with buying some beads or shells. They were offering us pamplemousse or sweet grapefruit to get us to have a look at their beads.

In the afternoon, we went to the Bay of Virgins, before the priests arrived the Islanders called it the Bay of Phalluses or Baie des Verge. It went to Virgins just by adding an ‘i’. The Catholic priests were perhaps easier to live with than the Protestants. They made small changes (like adding an i), they didn’t destroy the tikis and were more understanding of the traditions. I am not comparing the religions or cultural imperatives, just noting the softer approach.

Baie de Vierges, Fatu Hiva. Not Baie des Verges

The other topic of discussion on the way to Fatu Hiva was the ten mile hike. Where all the other hikes are highly advertised and recommended, the discussion of the ten mile hike is an exercise in dissuasion.

The hikes in the Marquesas are all uphill/downhill but the on Fatu Hiva, you walk up for half the hike, at the top it rains on you and you come down in mud and hellacious humidity. The hiker disembarked at 8:00 am but the hike didn’t start until 10:00am. That is one start time the Aranui guides should reconsider. Earlier would be better.Reading an Aranui blog citing a few hikers staying in bed for two days after the hike. I decided to give the 10 miler a miss, but now I wish I had trained for it.

Tip: train for the hike, use hiking sticks to help control your decent in the rain and mud. Good shoes, insect repellent, sunscreen, a hat and water are a must. After all you want to see the beautiful flowers.

Hiva Oa – Following Paul Gauguin

Another dawn with the island of the Hiva Oa in the distance. The mornings are so magnificent; golden light on billowing clouds.

Aranui is ready to negotiate a small harbour, with a very small and restricted docking, and several yachts anchored right in the way. The ships captain blasted the horn three times and we could see the yacht crews springing to life much earlier than they would have expected. The barge and the life boats were unloaded and went to help the hapless yachties reposition themselves.

We were fully absorbed in watching the captain dock Aranui in this diminutive harbour. I was incredibly thankful that it wasn’t my yacht in the way of a ship in such close quarters. Here is a photo of Aranui, once she has docked.

Hiva Oa is where Paul Gauguin spent the last two years of his life. We did the walk up to see the graveyard, where he was buried and then walked into the city to visit his last home and the Gauguin museum. We hiked directly up hill from the dock to the cemetery. Like so many cemeteries, it has the most beautiful view down the hill and over a harbour.

Gauguin was in trouble with the church and he was in ill health. Hiva Oa was his last refuge. Didier Benatar gave us quite a wonderful talk about Gauguin’s life, his troubles with the Church and the politicians too. Even though the Church didn’t approve of Gauguin’s life style, they did bury him in the consecrated ground of Calvary Cemetery. More to better to keep an eye on him, than to grant him dispensation. The statue is not a Madonna but perhaps a copy of his ceramic, Oviri, a goddess of Wildness.

Gauguin had visited Melbourne, Sydney and then Auckland and he was very taken with the Maori’s way of building their houses and when he came to Hiva Oa and sent some money he did build a whare whakairo. Today that is part of the Gauguin Museum on Hiva Oa.

In this glorious setting, at sunset, we have a Tahitian dance class with the men learning a Haka and the women learning something more graceful. This isn’t your typical dance studio.

Tag: Marquesas Islands