The first thing one notices when coming ashore here in Nuka Hiva is a general lack of friendliness . The people are completely indifferent to visitors. Proud and at times aloof. Ben and I walked into a restaurant the first day and the staff suddenly began acting busy. But so also they ignored us and our greetings. It made me want to “check my pits”. But no, we had just showered. The fact was there is just none of that warm Polynesian charm here.
A few mornings after we arrived it became clear to us why this was the case. A Norwegian Cruise Liner the WESTERDAM arrived in the harbor. So big was the ship that it blocked 80% of the entry into the bay. It was as though a blue steel curtain had replaced the open sea.
Very soon after, smaller ships ferry's began disgorging it's 1800 passengers onto the island. These motored through the anchorage. Some of the shore boats slowed and stopped so tourists could wave and take photos of "The people who live on sailboats" as one lady from Michigan later put it. She had stopped us to ask a question when we were on shore. The kids had one boat circle the Omarsea several times in a most unprofessional manor, while the tourists took turns snapping pictures from the open doors. There are a reasonable range of activities that may be performed in keeping with the safety and comfort of the crew aboard boats. Cruise ship ferry captains for the most part are excellent at what they do. However we are convinced there is “something rotten on the WESTERDAM” .
Now this is a small place. I doubt there are even 1800 people living within the adjacent 5 miles. Pumping these tourists into the local economy was making a few of the Marquesans a good living but, it was stressful to the population as a whole. This island is billed as the site of a few famous events. Herman Melville lived here while he wrote Tipee. More recently the original Survivor TV Series was filmed here on Daniels Bay. It was a bit of a disappointment for us though in that there was reputed to be a man eating tiger shark in the harbor and we could not swim here safely. Last year two people were attacked by this shark and one was killed. This combined with the eating of a German Tourist three years ago makes it one of the more dangerous islands we will have visited.
We met a group on the sailboat Cinergy. Having problems with their freezer they were unable to keep their provisions. I told John, the owner, I would swing by and have a look at it. We spent a plesant couple of hours talking while I recharged his freezer with my AC equipment. I found out he had written a kids book about a boy who had gone sailing with his folks. John dropped a copy off by the boat along with a loaf of fresh banana bread his wife Christy had baked as a way of saying thanks.
Elsewhere in the harbor our friends Sid and Jiveny on TONKA were settling in. They are staying for several months. On Banana the kids were anxious to play D&D with Ben and Juli. They got together nearly every day. We were able to fill our propane tank ashore with Yacht services. Kevin an ex-californian runs a good support service for cruisers. He also has WIFI and we were able to skype Jean several times.
But the hot weather combined with the inability to go swimming was taking it's toll. After a good pizza dinner and a great nights sleep we were ready to depart for the Tuomotus at last. We said goodbyes to Banana, Tonka and Iris. Then hoisted the Dinghy on the arch and motored out of the chanel just recently vacated by the cruise ship.
The winds were firm at 10 knots out of the NE that evening. The sun was just setting. We had departed late evening in order to time our arrival in Rangiroa with the beginning of the flood tide into the pass. It seems every book I read about these islands stresses to the extreme danger of going through the Atoll passes. The tidal currents can make parts of the Colorado river seem tame. The Tiputu pass on Rangiroa was one of the more famous examples and I didn't want to be the boat ending up on those needle like coral reefs at it's mouth. If you google - Rangiroa dolphin show - you can watch the 10 knot current tossing the playful dolphins about.
We had a reef in the main and the jib fully out. The Omarsea had a bone in her teeth and we were making six knots on a broad reach. As we cleared the Western end of Fatu Hiva the sea's showed their true form and built to 8'. I adjusted course to put them more to the stern quarter. This quieted the ride somewhat as the crew settled into our offshore watch routine. 1 on/ 3 off.
The trip was full of surprises. We were sailing diagonally across a series of strong squall lines. If we had been in the Caribbean I would call these tropic waves. You could see them stretched out beyond the horizon fore and aft. Huge nimbus thunderheads pulled like taffy across the sky. Black rain fell beneath them. Every two hours the wind would clock violently. Then the rain would pelt us for an hour. Slowly it would clear and we could see the next assault building to the SW. This continued for four days over our 600 mile passage right up until we were to enter Rangiroa's Tiputu pass. It was then we got a break in the weather and were able to motor on the heels of a flood tide into the anchorage.
Wild Dolphin danced on the waves about us as we entered the pass. It was low tide yet we had plenty of water under the keel. The color of the sea changed from deep cobalt to aquamarine and teal. Coral reefs showed their teeth to either side of the channel. It was very well lit and we were in no danger as we made our entry that morning. We passed between two sets of range markers lining them up as a sailor knows how to do, and thus kept our vessel centered in the channel, until we were safe within the lagoon. A reef and favorite local dive site called the aquarium lay to our starboard. We made a long lazy loop around the reef and dropped hook just West of the other yachts in the bay. The anchor set hard and fast nearly ripping our windlass out of the boat. Wrapped in coral no doubt, when the chain touched bottom. I would be diving that before we left harbor to make sure we didn't damage the road or the reef too much.
Exhausted and yet thrilled to finally be here. We made a fine breakfast of cakes, fruit and juice. Then we hit the bunks for a good night sleep. The deed was done and we dreamed of the adventures yet to be had here on Rangiroa.
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