Sail to Nuku Hiva, Anaho Bay

The swell picked up the next morning and we could not even get ashore. The waves were too big for a beach landing and there is no quay or dock to tie to. So we sadly decided to move on. As we reached down the South side of Ua Huka the green of the windward side gives way to an almost desert like landscape.

In the distance we can see the islands off the SW corner. The tall one is Ilot Hemeni and the low flat one is Ilot Teuava (also known as bird island).

It is hard to believe that this is one of the Marquesas islands because it looks like a barren desert.

Looking back you can see the sea conditions were a bit unruly and Motu Hane is still marking the bay we came from.

Suddenly a sea creature is under the boat!

Looks like very large dolphins. There were two of them. 

I missed the photo of him (or her) doing a back flip right in front of the boat. But how was I supposed to know that was his plan?!?

They were next to us just as we were passing Bay Haavei. The beach in there on the left is where we first anchored when we arrived in 2016 and where Mike proposed to me!! The dolphins and birds seemed to know we had a strong connection to this place.

Bye bye Ua Huka, hope we can come back someday and see some of your secrets we missed.

A tropic bird zoomed past us too.

As we neared Nuku Hiva another pod of dolphins were jumping for joy that we had sailed their way. I caught this one leaping from the water after a lot of tries!

This pod had about 40 or 50 dolphins jumping and playing in the big rolling swells.

This is a carving of the island of Nuku Hiva. I put it here so you could see what this NE corner of the island looks like. It has a long peninsula that sticks out to the NE and there are many bays we have to pass to find the 3^rd one which has the white sand beaches. That is the Marquesan flag in the center of the carving.

As we approach the long Peninsula Matauaoa the sky look cloudy and dark ahead, but the rocks are quite jagged.

We were surprised to see this red rock in among the blacker rock. And jutting through the red was a big thin layer of black, like slate.

After we passed it, the sun shone on the red to really make it glow.

At the end of the point separating the second and third bays, is a big outlaying rock called Motuarahi.

As we turn into Anaho bay we can see the green cliffs ahead and that the clouds are only touching this Eastern end of the island.

In the distance to our left are 4 more of those thin layers of rock jutting out beyond the others. Looks like plates stacked on a dish rack.

This is the lowest part of the hill which divides the 3^rd and 4^th bays. This is where the path goes that connects these two bays by land, there are no roads to Anaho bay!

The sun comes out and shines on the white sand beaches we had heard about.

Looks very inviting!!

We decided to take a walk and explore. We found the sandy spot through an interior reef to get the dingy ashore. Here the locals have mounted an outrigger to their plywood motor launch.

A small ancient structure is evident by the large coral stone blocks precisely positioned.

The trail continued to this rocky beach area, but the path was nicely shaded by the palm trees.

Looking back at the anchorage, this spot is well protected from most any seas.

We were surprised to find 6 other boats anchored here, because we had not seen that many boats in one place for several months. But this is a known magical place and a safe haven for boats.

The bay is quite large and deep along the outer edges.

This is the “road” or path really that follows along the waters edge and connects the few houses located here.

A nice view of the opening of the bay. Notice the fringing reef along this part of the water's edge. Coral is what makes for white sand beaches.

Someone's transportation to town. He looks a little thin and young, but I love his white diamond on his forehead.

Another horse, White Beauty, tied to a tree, turns to see who is coming toward her.

Anaho bay is very lovely!!

I am hanging out enjoying a hammock, while a dog chills out in the shade down by the water.

As the sun sets in the west, it shows off the deep crevasses in the cliff at the head of the bay.

Sail to Ua Huka

We had a lovely farewell dinner with our new friends Zane from Latvia and her husband Chris from England. We spent a lot of time with these fun people including renting the car and driving all over Hiva Oa. The pizza place had these great Tiki statues so we had them take a memento photo for us.

Each Tiki was quite different, not just in the wood they were made in, but their carvings and accouterments as well. This guy has the spear club which is made of a much lighter wood than his body. He has tattoos carved into his body too.

The taller one is made of a much lighter colored wood and has the tattoos painted on the wood. This guy is holding the ceremonial club.

Close up of carving detail on ceremonial club.

The tiki is ripped with 6 pack abs and has several faces painted on him like tattoos. He is also holding shell necklaces which are given to those who leave in hopes that they will someday return.

On November 1^st, 2017 we left in the evening to make the overnight sail to Ua Huka in the Northern Marquesan group. As the sun was rising this lovely rainbow appeared, just like the first time we arrived here! Must be magic!

The far West end of Ua Huka as we approach.

The anchorage we are heading for is called Baie d'Hane, which is located directly behind that sugarloaf rock.

The sun came out to light up the rock and show us exactly where we needed to go.

We can now see buildings and the rock is looking quite impressive. It is called Motu Hane (pronounced mow-too ha-nay)

Baie d'Hane is finally coming into view.

As we pass the rock, it changes shapes and colors.

By the time we are anchored in the bay, it looks like a shark fin!!

Right away from the next bay over comes a 6 man va'a full of women paddlers!

Hane bay and valley.

A German boat named Saga is the only other sailboat anchored here.

We took the dingy out the next morning and cruised around Motu Hane and spotted this arch.

The rock has lots of nooks and cranies which looked like eyes peering down at us.

But really it is a home for many types of sea birds. Here you can see them circling above the rock.

A swell washes over the Southern tip of the rock which is quite jagged.

Looking back as we go around it, we can see why so many birds are nesting here.

As the swell washes out, you can see the salt line on the rocks and the dark area normally covered with water.

When the swell comes in that area is covered again.

Ashore in the village of Hokatu we noticed this poor old derelict double hulled canoe.

It had some pretty neat carvings and was tied together with line. We learned it had been made for the Cultural festival held in Nuku Hiva, the neighboring island, more than a decade ago.

It started raining so we headed back to the boat and got their completely soaked. We got stuck back on the boat in the rain and it was coming down so hard, Motu Hane was trying to disappear.

Ua Huka is known for having many wild horses and this guy showed up on the hill next to us, gleaming in the sunshine the next morning.

Then I noticed two more paroozing the grass in Hane village.