We haven’t written many blogs lately, as there simply haven’t been any news to report. We’re still in the Marquesas and still waiting for the cyclone season to pass. It looks as though the el Nino situation is cooling and calming down, but we have decided to abandon our plan of paying our beloved Gambier another visit. It’s already too late in the season to spend much time there and we don’t want to sail more than 800 miles just for a brief stop-over. Instead we’re planning on sailing early in the sailing season to Tahiti.
Last week we sailed over the narrow channel from Hiva Oa to the pretty bay Hanameninu on the northern side of the small neighbouring island Tahuata. The wind sea from the east still sends some chop into the open anchorage, but Hiva Oa to the north shades us (at least partially) from the high northwestern swell (1.5 to 2 m) that is passing through at the moment. Pitufa bounces a bit in the wind sea, the swell only lifts us gently, but it still looks impressive when it crashes against the cliffs next to us and runs up the sandy beach behind us in huge breaking waves. The golden, palm-fringed beach looks pretty, but is best admired from afar as plenty of bloodthirsty nonos await the unsuspecting visitor. The water in the bay is clear and turquoise, we can finally go for long swims again and run the watermaker.
