Marquesas Part II Above the clouds
Surfing on tsunami waves, an introduction to ‘Pattoo-Tiki’, camping adventures and the simple life.
A surprise tsunami warning reaches us in Hiva Oa and we leave the island under cover of darkness. In the second part of our Marquesas expedition, we explore the three northernmost islands: Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou.
Let's get out of here quickly!
It is already dark when we haul anchor in Hiva Oa. Tonight will be a special night, as a tsunami wave is expected to roll into the Marquesas sometime between midnight and 1 am. The moon is waning and we can see little, but the wind is steady and the swell moderate. A sense of uncertainty comes over us: what awaits us out there? We are not afraid, for we are safe in deep water.
Dawn is already breaking as the island of Ua Huka appears on the horizon. But we’re not allowed to drop anchor just yet: the police have ordered all vessels to stay clear of the coast until midday. We haven’t felt anything of a tsunami wave; we’ve sailed through the night in relative comfort. The treacherous thing about tsunami waves is that significant fluctuations in sea level can occur for hours after the actual wave has struck. We don’t yet know exactly what the situation is like along the islands’ coasts.
Arrival in new waters
Around midday, we drop anchor off the little village of ‘Hane’. It’s hardly idyllic, as they’re currently building a jetty for dinghies here. Accompanied by the noise of a crane, we look for a spot in the water, which has been stained brown by construction debris. We take our dinghy to the beach to have a look at our new surroundings. ‘Are you from Nuku Hiva? That’s where the tsunami wave was highest!’ the village children chatter away at us. The wave is said to have been about two metres high there; there have been no significant reports from the other islands so far. Here, too, there is no sign that anything spectacular has happened. ‘All’s well that ends well,’ I think, and feel a bit proud of how we handled it.
The anchorage isn’t very comfortable and the weather isn’t ideal for staying here any longer. Living on a sailing boat means that your plans will never go exactly as you’d like them to. Once again, we’re following the wind – even though we’d have liked to stay here a bit longer – and are leaving Ua Huka after just two short days.
New island, new beginnings!
Anaho is a secluded bay in the north-east of the island of Nuku Hiva. We spend almost 10 days here, enjoying the calm waters after being tossed about so much in Ua Huka. Here, too, we meet up with familiar sailing boats again: we’ve already encountered four of the six crews on other islands. It’s lovely to be able to share our experiences with like-minded people; it creates a small sense of togetherness. The little village here is cut off from civilisation. There are no roads; instead, an hour’s walk takes you over the hill into the next valley, and from there you can drive to the main town. This independence is also reflected in the locals: when I expressed my regret that an elderly gentleman’s bungalows hadn’t been booked for the weekend, he simply replied: ‘Why? That’s fine, then I’ve got less to do.’ Such a wonderfully non-capitalistic bunch of people.
Tiki-Time
All in all, we spend about three weeks in Nuku Hiva. Something really cool happens here too: Thierry and I get tattoos! ‘Pattoo Tiki’ is the name given to the local art of tattooing. It involves symbols, each of which has a meaning, arranged with flawless precision. According to legend, Tiki shattered into 1,000 pieces at some point in time. The symbols embody these individual pieces and transfer their power to the person wearing them. We spend over an hour in the small tattoo studio run by Daniel and his cousins. We tell them about our journey, and Daniel and Vatea ask questions. They get a feel for us and try to sense our vibe. The next day, we meet up there again at 9 am. We’ve made notes of what we’d like our tattoos to say. Then we get started: using pens, Po’e sketches his ideas directly onto my skin and Vatea onto Thierry’s. They explain all the symbols to us and together we can make final adjustments. After the lunch break, things get serious: five hours later, Thierry, and ten hours later, I am the proud bearers of our very own story – our journey with the Cervino to French Polynesia. Mega mega mega cool!!
Up we go!
Nuku Hiva is different from the other islands in the Marquesas. It is the largest of them all, and in my view, particularly diverse. We set off on a round trip in a hire car, spending several hours of it on gravel roads. The landscape is wonderfully varied; from golden beaches and rocky cliffs, we drive through lush jungle and dry steppe up into the highlands. Up here, we find what is essentially a mini-Switzerland: conifers, pastures and cows. We have chosen this special spot for a first on our trip: we’ve been lugging a tent around with us for four years, and now the opportunity for a land-based adventure has finally arisen. After about a two-hour walk from the car park, we find our campsite and light a small fire. The sun sets, the birds fall silent and everything grows still. Absolute tranquillity – something that doesn’t exist on a sailing boat. No lapping of the water, no creaking of wood or flapping of sails. Even our sleeping spot doesn’t move. It’s often the little things in life that you only notice when you no longer have them.
The Pillars of the Marquesas
The last of the six inhabited Marquesas Islands is called Ua Pou, a day’s sail south-west of Nuku Hiva. In Polynesian mythology, each of the Marquesas Islands plays its own role in the creation of the ‘House of Man’. Ua Pou embodies the pillars that support the roof, and as soon as you approach the anchorage, it becomes clear why this is so:
We take our first steps ashore and once again we are overwhelmed by the energy these islands radiate. Call me superstitious, but there are things we cannot see…
Together with our friends, we’re drawn upwards. A circular route to the foot of Poumaka (one of the ‘pillars’) takes us through dense forest, across a vanilla plantation and up to a tiny plateau. Thierry and I look at each other. ‘A pretty cool spot for a tent,’ our eyes seem to say, and sure enough, a few days later we tackle the rather steep climb for the second time. The reward is worth it, but this time the silence of the night is broken by the wind in the trees, all manner of little creatures calling out coded messages to one another, and the gentle patter of the occasional rain shower.
Before we leave this paradise behind, we’ll take a look at the main town in the neighbouring valley. Hitchhiking here is fairly straightforward, as the locals are simply friendly and helpful. The supply and cruise ship ‘Aranui’ is anchored offshore today, and we’re enjoying the colourful spectacle put on for the tourists on board by the islanders. Always a highlight.
It is now the end of August. For almost three months, we have had the privilege of exploring and enjoying this magical world of the Marquesas. Rarely have I encountered a people who greet strangers with such warmth and openness. The people here are content. Nature showers them with abundance, and yet they would rather give away fruit than sell it at a high price to tourists. No one here suffers from stress. No one is running on a treadmill that keeps spinning round and round until it eventually falls apart. Happiness can be so simple.
We will always hold the Marquesas dear to our hearts. Nevertheless, it is now time for us to say goodbye, as the clock is ticking and our next visitors will soon be packing their bags. We are moving on to the Tuamotus, the coral archipelago of French Polynesia. Four days’ sailing lie between us and the first atoll, which bears the name ‘Raroia’. For some, this might now bring to mind ‘Thor Heyerdahl’ and ‘Kon-Tiki’. But all in good time.
How sharks have become our daily companions, what ‘bommies’ are, and why I haven’t written any blog posts for so long?
Come along on the journey...