Hello Nuku Hiva & Dragonfly !!

The flight from Tahiti to Nuku Hiva was great...after we got off the ground. We checked our bags and were in line for the security check when the TSA people asked me to come with them...YIKES!! Turns out they saw the boat parts we were transporting for Al & Jill on x-ray and just wanted me to show them what they were. After they held them and they did not explode they told me to repack everything and NaNa (goodbye in Tahitian). The clouds parted enough to see our future...some of the Tuamotu atolls we would soon be sailing through...AMAZING!!

Nuku Hiva is the second largest island in French Polynesia and VERY rugged. The airport is on the north side of the island and the village of Taiohae is on the south separated by a 1.5 hour ride over the 3,000 foot high summit on a very impressive winding concrete road. At the summit we looked down what seemed to be a couple of Grand Canyons from every angle. The island's environment varies extremely from one side to the other, going from a scrubby type desert on the north coast to a pine (yes, PINE!) forest that seemed more like Colorado than the south Pacific at he summit. The middle of the island is a high plateau with cattle ranches and lots of horses.   

Our first night we stayed in the Pension Koku'u (that's Marquesean for some families house). Even with their 4 children, chickens and roosters running around the yard we managed to get a good nights sleep. The next morning we were down at the harbor snack shop where the yachties hang out and could see Dragonfly at anchor. We borrowed the VHF radio from the shop and hailed Al who promptly dinghied in to fetch us.

  

Our first night aboard we were treated to a great dinner of seared Tuna, keenwa (I have no idea how to really spell it but I know you can read it) and green beans with brownies and a fantastic sunset for desert.

Al & Jill are great and I have no doubts that we will get along well. They both seem pretty easy going and Al seems to be almost as big of a joker as me. Jill has got the boat and all the provisions very organized and from what I saw and tasted on that first night...we should be eating very well with lots of fresh FRUIT and vegetables. As it turns out, the other couple that was coming from Australia had to cancel so that leaves just the 5 of us. Jacque is a semi-retired motorcycle cop for the Los Angles Police Department who I am quite sure can take care of herself in most any situation yet seems to be very easy going also. She is a southern California girl so I am sure we should get well.

Nuku Hiva has lots of great culture and history. The Marquesasans are a very proud people with a history that includes fierce tattooed warriors and a reputation for eating their enemies. Catholic missionaries came to the islands in the early 1800's and their influence is still very evident with 80% of the islands population converted and a beautiful church built in 1837 and still being used.  

We are not sure when we will leave Nuku Hiva and start sailing west but we are sure that we don't really care!