Nuku Hiva

Sunday 6th April

We are still in Nuku Hiva in the main bay on the south side of the island. It really is very pleasant here, although from 10AM to about 4PM it is really hot and the sun is very dangerous, we try to stay out of the open whenever possible. Usually on the boat with the air conditioning going full blast. We have Rob's side panels around the cockpit rigged up and they keep the sun off very effectively. We are really grateful to Rob for making them up.

Today I finished filling the 3 water tanks to the brim, now that I have the watermaker working again. We have had showers and are generally much happier about the situation. Tomorrow we will fill up with all the diesel we can carry as I should get the duty free certificate for the fuel, and the winds look to be quite slack and directly behind us on the way to the Tuamatu Islands and then to Tahiti. We may well have to do a lot of motoring.

We took a motor tour today with the people from Chantelle, a 42 foot Beneteau, also on the WARC. All 5 of us went off to the north side of the island and looked at several Tikis and platforms as well. They are not spectacular, but obviously very important in Polynesian history. Well built with no mortor or cement and still as fine as the day they were built. The roads here are somewhat better than on Hiva Oa, which is not too difficult to achieve! The seating arrangement in the Mitsubishi pick-up would not happen in Europe. 4 of us sat inside with the driver and Shin sat in the tray out the back on a couple of car seat cushions-he had the best air conditioning of all of us. What Health & Safety? Val and I were bitten alive by the mossies, except whilst we were swimming in the bay. Val has 1 bite on her arm that is now about 2 cm diameter! Tomorrow we are going to sail around there for a night in company with Chantelle, we have already booked the restaurant.

Shin has just repaired the anchor remote control that is up in the bow of the boat, so now it can be fuly used from there again. A wire connection had broken inside the up & down switch connected to the windlass- another job off the never ending list.

We are planning to leave from the north of the island on Tuesday and going to Rangiroa in the Tuamotus, about 3 to 4 days travelling, just a short trip these days of 500 odd miles. Say down to the shops and back!