7/25/11
Pacific Ocean crossing... check. I type these words as I sit anchored in Bay Taiohae on the South side of the Marquesan island of Nuku Hiva. A very green and lush landfall after the 33 days en route. Steep cliffs, tall palms, warm breeze, and a quite roomy anchorage with good holding. I arrived last Saturday afternoon and went ashore to try out my land legs which did not fare so well the first few meters of walking, I had to find a near by tree to hold on to for a bit until the land stopped moving so much. I have felt a little wobbly after being at sea for long spells before but this was by far the most difficult time walking I have had without being intoxicated. I made my way towards town where I met a young
French fellow who spoke broken English and asked if I was ok, he said I looked quite drunk! He bought me a beer and introduced me to the capitain of the vessel he was serving as cook aboard, a very interesting research ship called Tara that apparently does plankton and coral research as they circumnavigate under sail power, check them out at taraexpeditions.org. I was taken aboard and fed a pasta of sorts and given a tour before rowing back out to Balena...yes, my first night ashore and I ate aboard another boat, quite funny. In passing a Canadian boat I was invited to coffee the following morning by a sweet couple Val and Jerry who are on the last few legs of thier 18 year circumnavigation!! After a quite restless night with all new sounds to investigate since everything is now so quiet compared to being underway, I rowed over and was served coffee and pancakes, and had much needed English speaking conversation and was given a few gifts that included a machete for chopping coconuts, a chain claw for taking strain off of my anchor chain with a shackle and a piece of nylon rode to use with it. A good morning, thank you S/V West by North!