Paradise found

On Day 22 after leaving the dock in Puerto Vallarta MX, we threaded Turtlebones into the magical archipelago of islands that comprise the Marquesas – one of the most remote outposts in the world.

Upon arrival, we were immediately struck by the raw beauty of these towering volcanic islands, their peeks shrouded in dense clouds. By the heat and humidity, in such sharp counterpoint to the cool sea breezes we’d adapted to on passage. And by the smell – the smell of earth and leaves and flowers, fragrant new growth mixed up with the unmistakable mustiness of decomp. Odd, how we hadn’t noticed its absence until being overwhelmed by it now.

We arrived somewhat sleep deprived, but it was easily overcome by the exhilaration of making landfall. That is, until we collectively hit the wall around 8 o’clock that evening! And what a sleep it was, bereft of responsibilities. The first full-night sleep in three weeks.

Sharon – an Olympic-class sleep enthusiast – had this to say on the topic: “I slept better than I have anywhere anytime in my life. Pretty sure I’m old enough that those electric baby cradle swings didn’t even exist when I was born. But I guess I was constantly rocked to sleep as a baby (thanks, Mom!). Because the roll of the open ocean really suits me – even in the most boisterous seas, I slept like a baby. A deep, deep sleep, combined with fantastical dreams.”

Having become so accustomed to our routine at sea, all of us were feeling a tad apprehensive.  That, however, quickly melted away as soon as we dropped anchor in Baie Taahuku. The churning ocean was replaced by gentle swells that rocked oh so gently through the night. Ah, and now it’s truly through the night, no more bleary-eyed late nights for us, and no more unwelcome awakenings, at 1 am for me, or 4 am for Shawn.

Day 1 on Hiva Oa involved mostly chores and gathering intel about the island. First and foremost, getting ourselves checked-in with the various authorities. This, we learned, is done in Atuona a three km walk away. It’s the largest town on this island which is home around two-thousand.  

Obviously, we hadn’t done much walking during the past three weeks. Although none of us felt unstable on land, as is sometimes the case, we were certainly a little rusty. It felt great to be moving our legs, but like fools we started our trek at midday with a blazing sun overhead.

We, no doubt, look a little bedraggled by the time we stepped into the air-conditioned office at the gendarmerie. Turns out that all the formalities – the port captain, immigration and customs – could be done by one jovial young man, who not only handled all the paperwork, but also drove out to meet us and stamp our passports the following day. Completely painless.

Given how small and out of the way Hiva Oa is, the level of public infrastructure is impressive.  The local administrative building are neat and tidy, the sports facilities include a well-manicured soccer, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, as well as a half dozen bocce courts.  Not to mention excellent baguette at the gas station by the dock and the largest pamplemousse ever. 

The anchorage itself is pretty crowded – twenty-five boats all packed into one bay. It’s a much more internationally diverse fleet compared to Mexico, which was predominantly vessels from the US and Canada. We did recognize a few from Puerto Vallarta, but it seems the majority came from Panama, many via the Galapagos Islands.  

While we do want to explore the other Marquesan Islands, for now we’re content to attend to a few boat projects, and simply chill while soaking in this new place and culture.