Beating our way back up to the Marquesas wasn't completely pleasurable or easy, but it sure turned out to be the right thing to do. Not only were we in the safest region of French Polynesia (think cyclone risk), but for the most part the weather has been stunningly wonderful during our stay. Our pals Pat and Celine spent around 5 weeks with us, and it was a blast to tour around the islands and enjoy lots of things we had missed during our brief visit last May.
Taiohae Bay at Nuku Hiva is the principal hive of activity, it being the regional capital and largest population center. We found 5 different magazins (small grocery stores) and Isabel was astonished at the selection of foodstuffs, and Larson's even had such things as organic and gluten free this and that. Go figure.
Today was election day, and there was a festive atmosphere around the polling places as pop-up restaurants were offering everything from roast pig to sweets - we had a brief look around (darn pig wasn't quite ready), popped into Larson's for some last minute shopping, purchased a bunch of limes and pamplemouse to keep the scurvy at bay, then completed our preparations to get underway. We'd said our goodbyes, completed all the projects, done what we wanted to do - time to go!
We've been itching to get underway for a few weeks now, initially to the Gambier, but events conspired to crush that plan. Looks like the weather down there might have been pretty doody altogether, so perhaps things worked out for the best, hanging out in the land of plenty. Here there is cheese. Well, there was, until some recently arrived cruisers from Panama must have made a run on it. Still plenty of toilet paper though. . . 80 grit, 40 grit, take your pick. Thank you Behan for your recommendation to stock up at Costco in Puerto Vallarta, and we found Maxi's in Papeete to resupply last September!
I demanded Pat and Celine purchase their own toilet paper.
We raised the hook and blasted off at 1230 local time, and had a killer sail until just after midnight when the wind finally calmed down just as advertised in the forecast. We fished. They call it fishing, not catching for a reason. Isabel whipped up a great spaghetti dinner. We had a stunning view of Ua Pou as we passed around sunset. We checked in on the evening SSB net reporting "underway". We began our watch schedule. The skies were clear and the stars amazing. Isabel crashed after supper. I made it until 0100 then she came on watch and I slept 4 hours.
The first couple days are hard, then our biorhythms get adjusted and we could go for weeks. Should be 4 days or less to our destination of the atoll in the Tuamotus known as Raroria. Perhaps we'll stay there a while then wander gently on.
Things have gotten pretty nuts around the world, exposing the weaknesses in economies and healthcare systems world-wide. The US is no exception, and our own political leadership has fumbled the ball so far. Investment portfolios have seen big drops and the economy is teetering.
Time to stop reading the news. Time to stop looking our own financial data. Time to turn off the internet, go snorkeling or kite boarding, and read a good book.
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