We enjoyed our visit to the little anchorage on the northwest coast of Nuku Hiva, Haahopu Bay, but there is not a lot to entertain you here. We were impressed with the crystal clear waters of the west coast so we thought it would be nice to visit another anchorage on this coast.
Kevin, from Nuku Hiva Yacht Services in Taiohae, had recommended one other anchorage further south, Marquesienne Bay. This area of the west coast is ‘uncharted’ so extra care and vidulence needs to be taken, but we were hoping that our new ‘forward looking sonar’ would help. We had also found a reference in another cruisers blog to anchoring there and they were nice enough to leave their anchorage way points.
Armed with any information we could find we went off to find this recommended anchorage on Nuku Hiva’s arid west coast.
BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN
You have to keep in mind that everyone has a different opinion on what a ‘nice’ anchorage is. My human’s are well aware that my needs are simple. I want a great swimming beach.
It took us longer than expected to sail south, as there was a strong northerly flowing current against us, but the next anchorage was not far and the winds were keeping the sails full. The low rolling hills of this coastline gradually rose up higher and higher. Cuts into this high plateau formed dramatic canyons. We turned back towards the shoreline to find the little bay of Marquasien. Looking for a little bay or indentation on the coast all we found was a boulder shoreline at the base of a arid canyon. I hate rocky coastlines as it is always difficult to climb through them to get ashore.
Not my idea of a ‘nice’ place to stop. So I talked the humans into continuing on.
PLAN B
While exploring the humans have learned that ‘getting off early’ and having a ‘plan B’ is always helpful. Despite the slow sailing, there was still plenty of day light left to continue onto the next anchorage around the island. This one was well documented, Hakatea Bay. Better known as ‘Daniel’s Bay’ in some cruising guides.
The initial entrance to this bay is a little rough. The waters are shallow and the ocean swell rises up and bounces off the cliffs to toss you around a bit. As you head in you are immediately struck in awe by the dramatic cliffs that rise straight up 400 ft in front of you. There is a big black beach and rich fertile valley at it’s base. You do not anchor here. Instead, as you enter deeper into the bay you will see another bay open up to your starboard (right side). This bay offers much more protection a great white sandy beach to land your tender safely.
Nuku Hiva’s dramatic south coast
The entrance into the bay
HAKATEA BAY
Hakatea Bay is the first film location for the TV series Survivor. Isolated white sandy beach backed by palm trees, it is what people expect to see in a south pacific anchorage. But this bays isolation is an illusion. The main village on the island is only 6nm away by sea or a 3-4 hour hike by land. OK, maybe a little bit isolated. Besides cruisers, regular tour boats come in to anchor in this bay to take sightseer to the famous Hakaui Falls.
HAKAUI FALLS
At 350 ft Hakaui Falls are the 3rd highest waterfalls in the world.
We read a lot of mixed reviews on this hike to the waterfalls. Most of them complaints about the COST, DIFFICULTY and BUGS. But if you are prepared for all three, it is a wonderful hike.
1. Getting to the trail head.
Hakaui Bay is right next door, separated from Hakatea Bay by a short low lying hill. Unfortunately Hakaui bay is open to the swell, so landing your tender here is a little more tricky. There is a river you can row into on the north end of the beach, but you would need a shallow tender or high tide to get into it.
My humans took the safe option and landed on the sheltered beach at the anchorage and did the short 15 minute hike over to Hakaui.
2. COST
1,000 pcf ($10)/person (half price for children)
The former royal valley of Hakaui is a rich fertile land, backed by dramatic cliffs, that once supported a huge population. When the first Europeans arrived on these islands the population in the Marquesas was estimated to be around 80,000. The Europeans brought with them epidemics and venereal diseases that quickly decimated the population. 80 years later there were only 2,094 Marquesiens left and the population has never really recovered.
When man moves out nature moves in. The jungle has reclaimed much of this valley, but the trail does still follow an ancient road, and you will find lots of evidence of former occupation and ruins along the way.
*Only ‘1’ extended family now remain in the valley. They consider themselves custodians of the trail. As of yet, they have been unable to get government funding for the trails maintenance. This is where the entry fee goes. To support themselves they earn money selling fruit and hosting traditional meals for visitors. More on this later.
3. DIFFICULTY
I will not lie to you, the hike takes about 4 hours, with lunch and rest stops. The further you go down the trail the harder it gets. The trail follows the river valley, so you are going to get your feet wet, but the consolation is you don’t gain much altitude.
The easier first half leads you to the best viewing point. From here you can see a majority of the impressive 350 ft of descending cascade. This is the place to take your photos and turn back if you are not brave.
The final section takes you deep into the valley were the walls close in ever closer. The river runs over rapids below as you pass through sacred ruins. You drop down to ford the river one last time, with the a sign warning you (I think, because it is in French) ‘strong current’ and ‘enter at own risk’. The trail turns towards the impressive sheer cliffs rising over 400ft straight up. Their folds envelope you into an amplatheatre of stone and water.
The final ‘twist’ of Hakaui Falls decends down into a rock pool before draining into the river. A great place for a swim if it were not for the occational rock crashing down. It is here you want to take the BEWARE OF FALLING ROCKS sign to heart. A twist in the cliff walls block the view of the upper section of the waterfall. The sheer walls, the force of the water and the falling rocks makes getting up and around the cliff face an impossibility.
So you are stuck enjoying the last cascade, the cool waters of the pool and the sound of the wind funnelling through. I was sure I could hear the echo of drums and singing voices.
Of course you have to turn around and do the whole hike again back out. But you always find something new on the return trip.
The first river you have to ford as you enter the valley
The trail criss crosses the river
A majority of the trail follows an ancient roadway built when this valley was much more populated
Keep an eye out for all the archological remains along the way
The best view of the majority of the waterfall is from the ridge across from it
If you are the ‘adventurous type’ you can continue on down into the valley floor and into the steep canyon that houses the end of the waterfall. Just be careful!
Lots of signs to warn you about the last river ford and falling rocks in the canyon
Finally at the head of the canyon you find the last cascade of the waterfall
Not the best swimming hole. The silly human laughing as rocks regularily come crashing down into the deeper sections of the pool below the waterfall
Hiking back out of the narrow canyon
A couple more river fords as you come back down the trail through this beautiful valley
4. BUGS
Yes, the Marquesian nonoes are evil. Little tiny guys with a nasty bite that leave those susceptible with awful itchy red lumps. The locals, and many cruisers, have found they are immune to the bites. One of my humans discovered she was one of the ‘susceptible’ types and has worked hard to find the perfect bug spray.
Most generic bug sprays work perfectly well to deter these little guys from munching on your flesh. Unfortunately, most wash off with water and sweat, both of which you will encounter on this hike. And there are a few spots where the bugs are strategically waiting for you to pass through them. My poor itchy human has learned that oil and citronella work best in our aquatic life style. The little guys can not bite through a thin layer of oil or most sunscreen. Add a bit of ‘lemony freshness’ and they will not even try. The oil does not wash off easily, without soap, and does not stain clothes like most commercial sprays. You can make your own using almond oil and lemon grass, or you can buy the locally manufactured stuff but they use a thicker coconut oil.
A BIT OF OLD FASHION MARQUESAN HOSPITALITY
We have always found the people of the Marquesan Islands to be warm, welcoming and very hospitable. The last remaining family in Hakaui have tried to carry on the old traditions of being hosts to visitors to the island. They have shunned the exodus to villages for jobs and most modern connivances, but still have to earn an income for clothes, materials and the kids they have to send to school. So they sell fresh fruit to the tourist and host lunch and dinner parties for the cruisers. Both of which they do excellently at a very modest price.
Of course the valley is a pristine environment. All the fruits and vegetables they grow in natural spring water with no pesticides. The animals they hunt (boar, goat and chicken) all feeding off this pollution free land. The same for the fish, lobster, shrimp, octopus and crayfish they collect.
Two sisters, and their husbands, are the main custodians of the valley for the family and host lunch and dinner banquets for cruisers with as little as a days notice to collect the food. It is a whole family affair and they join you to share stories and conversation.
Not only did they collect an extraordinary amount of beautiful fruit for the humans while they were on the hike, but they sold it to them for less than half the price they paid anywhere else. It was easy for them to convince them to come for lunch the next day. The food was fantastic, and perfectly cooked, but their company was also a reward. Stories of their history in the valley, the simple life they are trying to lead and the traditional hunting practices including dogs to take down the BBQ boar presented to them.
They came back to the boat over stuffed bellies wishing they did not have to head off so soon.
END
