Dramatic and Rugged Marquesas: Part 2

The Islands of Ua Pou and Nuka Hiva

pillars of Ua Pou
The pillars of Ua Pou create an even more dramatic sight than our arrival into Fatu Hiva (perhaps because we were not expecting this!)

Located 30 miles South of Nuka Hiva, the island of Ua Pou emerges from low-lying clouds smothering various spires from mountain tops. Fittingly, Ua Pou means “two pillars,” and the orography first reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia scenes.

It is difficult to describe how special it feels to sail upon scenes that look like this. Truly, no matter how difficult a passage might be, seeing new islands with fresh eyes imbues a sense of wonder, reminding me of a young child’s first image of pure joy. 

dinghy anchorage
Tucked into the bay at the Hakahetau anchorage, you will find local villagers' canoes and children trying to hitch a ride in the dinghy.

Chocolate and Waterfalls

When we arrived in Hakahetau anchorage, we set our flopper stopper (a device that helps keep the boat from rocking too much) and headed to land. We had heard about a German chocolatier’s home, nestled at the base of one of the spires shooting into the sky. 

Eager to stretch our legs and meet the German legend, we proceeded up the hill, enjoying a free swim at one of the waterfalls.

sign for German local
The signs for chocolate marked the way!
Manfred in his kitchen
Manfred sits in his outdoor kitchen, serving samples of homemade pistachio- and orange-flavored chocolate.
looking back at Ua Pou
We had a beautiful sail from Ua Pou to Nuka Hiva!

Next top: The Diverse Nuka Hiva

stunning views from Nuka Hiva
View of the large bay where we anchored in Nuka Hiva

After a few hour’s sail from Ua Pou, we arrived in a vast bay called Taiohae. We dreamed of the multiple restaurants (including pizza) and grocery stores to restock our provisions. Due to the small size of the store in Hiva Oa, this was the first place we knew we might find things like lettuce, tomatoes, and chicken after our long passage from Mexico.

With the help of our trusted French Canadian friends, we easily navigated the stores, farmers’ market, and restaurants. But the highlight of our stop here was going on a guided tour around the island. “Richard,” our guide, regaled us with island facts, history, flora, and fauna for at least 7 hours. He stopped along the road, allowing us to pick wild basil and hot chili peppers; he explained the history of tattoos on their island and shared facts about the turbulent history with their French “benefactors.” Aside from the wealth of knowledge we acquired about the Marquesan islands, he exuded warmth and friendliness (he even gave us a ride back to the grocery stores at the end of the day.) 

Richard, our Nuka Hiva tour guide
Richard relates 200 years' worth of history as we overlook the Bay.
Temarama Tour company
Richard works for Temarama Tour company. I cannot emphasize enough how worth the tour is!
ancient drum
One fact we learned: ancient drum heads like this one would have been made with a combination of human skin and shark skin.
the Typee valley
This is the famed Typee valley, which Herman Melville wrote about in 1846.
Typee bay
Kevin and I stayed in the Typee anchorage for a night; a stormy night matched the bay's general mood.
Typee river meets the ocean
You can see the muddy river flowing into Typee Bay.
sacred Banyan tree in Nuka Hiva
Richard shared the site where one of the Kings gathered locals from around the island. This 1000-year old Banyan tree represents the cycle of birth and death.

Plenty of Anchorages to Explore

Hatiheu Bay
Hatiheu Bay where we dined for lunch (during the tour).
poster of three iconic anchorages in Nuka Hiva
We snapped this picture of a poster displayed at the restaurant.
Anaho Bay
We couldn't sail to all of the anchorages, so seeing them from above was a treat!

Anaho Bay, a Special Anchorage

Anaho Bay from the beach
Anaho Bay from the beach

Unlike some of the other exposed anchorages, Anaho Bay attracts lots of sailing boats for its pristine water and the ability to tuck in behind a protected hillside.

We loved everything about this anchorage–except for the terrible No-See-Ums, microscopic biting insects which leave itchy red welts on any exposed skin.

Anaho bay beachside dining
We had lunch at one of the local's beachside homes. It's here that we were eaten alive!
backyard decor in Anaho bay
Anaho Bay sunset
The view from our cockpit at Anaho Bay
morning shower at Anaho Bay
Our farewell rainbow at Anaho Bay

We spent almost a month exploring the lovely and dramatic Marquesas, but the Tuamotos, a cluster of atolls ripe for water exploration further West in the vast South Pacific, was calling our names.

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