There are good ships and wood ships
And ships that sail the seas
But the best ships are the friendships
And may they ever be...

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Cruising Report Hiva Oa

Date: 04/10      
Noon to noon run: 15 NM
Lat/Lon: 04 deg 47.43'S; 139 deg 10.09'W
Course: Enroute from Tahuata to Hanamenu Bay, Hiva Oa
Next Waypoint:    Hanamenu Bay, Hiva Oa 3+ NM distance
                  09 deg 45.89S; 139 deg 08.40W

WE spent the last few nights at anchor in Hana Moe Nou Bay on Tahuata where we walked the white sand beach, snorkeled, collected a few coconuts, opened 2 of them drinking the juice and pealing the meat away from the shell. The day we snorkeled the water had a bit of biologic particulate in it so visibility was perhaps not as much as it could have been. Even so, we truly enjoyed ourselves seeing an odd type of sponge, and a great variety of fishes including parrot fish, trigger fish, butterfly fish, wrasses, angler fish, and many, many more. The predominant coral was a fire coral, but there were also a few brain coral as well.

Yesterday we raised anchor and checked out a small village a couple of miles away, and toured the next village, a couple more miles down the coast before returning to Hana Moe Nou Bay for the night. During the afternoon rain clouds moved in and we got intermittent showers throughout the afternoon and evening. The topography of east side of Tahuata reminds me of the Nepali Coast of Kauai - steep, rugged, and lots of vertical aces all covered with jungle!

Now, we are on our way to Hanamenu Bay on the northwest corner of Hiva Oa. We will spend the next few days and enjoying the anchorages on the north side of the island before returning to Atouna where John D and Bob will depart and Gail will join me. Not that I'm looking forward to Bob and John leaving, but I AM CERTAINLY looking forward to  my sweethearts arrival. Then I can share all of this with her.

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