TIME TO LEAVE TAIOHAE BAY
You really need to time your visit to Taiohae Bay or use a stern anchor. This wonderfully well recessed open bay just funnels any swell from the south right in. I told the humans I was sick of being left on a rolly boat while they got to go sight seeing. Time to go somewhere with a beach.
CIRCLING THE ISLAND OF NUKU HIVA
There are fantastic anchorages all around Nuku Hiva’s shores. For many cruisers, especially those on a tight time line, this is the one island they spend a bit of time at in the Marquesas. Now our dingy engine is repaired, the humans are anxious to get to the great diving in the Tuamotu Atolls. But I have convinced them that rushing away before sampling a bit of this island would be a great shame. With the dominate Easterly winds it will be hard to get back here again once we leave. I also have an ulterior motive. Most of the anchorages on this island have great beaches! Most of the cruising guides recommend that you circle round the island counter clockwise.
THE NEXT BAY
The next bay counter clockwise from Taiohae Bay is Controleur Bay. It is a great big bay, on the southeastern end of the island, protected from the easterly winds by a high long finger of rock that extends out from the most southeasterly point of the island. This big bay ends in three little bays each with their own name. All of them have a beach, but the most easterly bay, Hooumi Bay, was recommended as the most calm. As everyone on Spirit of Argo was sick of the roll of Taiohae Bay, it seemed like the first place to stop.
THE TRIP
Hooumi Bay is only 7nm from Taiohae Bay. Unfortunately it is due east, so you will have the wind and waves of the Pacific Ocean on the nose. But I do see why they recommend you circle the island counter clockwise. We found once we were past the eastern point of Taiohae Bay we were quickly in the protection of Cap Tikapo, the outcrop that protects Controleur Bay. My humans did not even bother to raise the sail for the short trip. Instead they hugged the shoreline to get as much protection as possible from Cap Tikapo and the trip was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Is really pretty and really tiny. High rocky hills either side with a black beach at the end. Luckily for everyone aboard it is very protected from the swell, but a sea breeze still gets in keeping it cool. The valley here is very wide and very lush. It has a long meandering river running through the centre. I assume it is so lush because this end of the island gets more rain. There is only a small clutch of homes here but they have set up a nice palapa on the beach, a BBQ area, water faucets, public toilets and shower. You are not going to believe it, but a complete recycling and rubbish deposit area too. Welcome to the village of Hooumi.
Small outdoor chapel in the village
LETS GO FOR A WALK
The humans decided to go for a little walk to explore up the valley. ‘Should we bring lunch?’ one of the humans asked. ‘No, we won’t go far’. Well you can guess what happened. Their walk started out simply. They admired the lovely gardens of the homes. Noted the abundance of fruiting and flowering trees. Introduced themselves to a few locals, with their very bad French, and had some simple chats. Before the humans knew it they had walked to the top of the hill and were looking down on the next bay over, Hakahaa Bay. ‘Should we check it out?’ one of the humans said. ‘Why not.’ And they ended up walking all the way to the next village along, Taipivai.
A breadfruit that escaped their grasp along the road side.
Now I will say, in their defense, the hill that separates the two bays is not that big or that steep. The road is also well paved and lined with pretty homes. But once you are over that hill, it is a long walk along the next bay until you get to the village. The bay of Hakahaa is very wide, but very shallow at it’s apex, so boats can not anchor too close to shore. A wide river runs down to the beach and you follow this to get to the village centre. This consists of a school, church, a few shops, post office and an archeological site. The school, so cute. A big porch extends out from the class room to give extra shade and protection from the rain. Outside on hooks, all in a neat line outside, is all the kids back packs. The church is quite large. It has a traditional sort of front, but the sides are all open, with an overhanging roof, to allow the air to flow through. We had read about the woodwork inside the church, but it was truly impressive. Beautiful large and intricate sculptures made from solid tree trunks. An impressive pulpit and a carved stone bath for baptisms.
The view out over Bay
Impressive wood carvings in the village church
An impressive mixture of traditional Marquesian designs and religous symbolism carved into impressive hunks of solid wood
Probably once a grinding stone, now used as a batism pool
By now it was almost lunch. ‘Lets see what they have in the shops’ the humans figured they could get a bag of crisps to keep them going. But guess what? A whole display case of pastries to choose from. They picked two the biggest ones, with their bad French they thought were potatoe, but turned out to be apple. Oh well, they were lovely and topped up the fuel tanks. Pleasantly refreshed they walked a little further into town and stumbled on a massive archeological site. Several restored religious and sacrificial platforms, structures and lots of tiki. Even a gift shop selling carvings and jewelry. A pretty nice selection and the prices were not that bad. But we have no room on Spirit of Argo for wood and bone carvings.
Off to a more traditional Marqusian sacred sight
Careful rubbing the tiki’s belly!
A new fowl with his mother by the river side
OK, it is now high noon, the hottest part of the day, and the humans have a couple of hours still to hike their way home. The first half of that is going to be up hill. What did they do? Well they popped back to the football (soccer) field and picked a few breadfruit from the trees there. And then proceeded to try and hitch hike back. Hooumi is a pretty tiny place, so what do you think their chances were. The lucky devils got a lift. A lovely older gentleman that dropped them right back to their kayaks. Lucky bast*%$s!
SO WHAT NEXT?
The humans have visited Hakahaa Bay already, so no need to move over there. There is supposed to be a waterfall hike from the other bay, Anse Hakapaa, but we heard you need A LOT of bug spray and the bay is open to the swell. The other option is we sail up the east coast to the first of the northerly anchorages Anaho Bay. We heard the sail up there is not pleasant from other cruisers, so we will have to check the weather forecast. But the anchorage is supposed to be worth it. It is well protected from the swell, clear water for snorkeling and have the best beach in all of French Polynesia.
We will keep you informed and add pictures when we can get internet again. Isn’t it cool I can send you this now through a radio.
FOR OTHER CRUISERS
In Hooumi Bay we dropped anchor in the middle of the bay at 8 53.634S 140 01.528W in sand at 8m. The bay is very protected from the swell and there is little or no surf on the beach. This makes it very easy to land your dingy in front of the palapa area. Avoid the west end of the beach, where the river comes out. Very shallow and lots of rocks washed down into this area waiting to eat your outboard prop.
In Hakahaa Bay the river is quite large and runs right through the village. They even have a village concrete dock to tie your dingy too. At low tide the river exit is too shallow to traverse so time your visit, or drag it over the shallows with the engine up.
END
