Sunday 24th March 2024
Tahuata, Marquesas, French Polyensia
This island is the smallest inhabited island of the Marquesas and is only accessible by sea. It was a relief to be out of the swell, which also meant we could begin The List again. Dugald is becoming a dab hand at servicing the winches, with or without any passersby who may stop for a chat.
I was enjoying the breathtaking scenery and the warm crystal waters of the Pacific Ocean. I regularly needed to pinch myself. Were we really here? At this moment, the youth appreciated our surroundings in a very modern way.
By evening, we entertained our friends who were in the anchorage.
Sophia cooked a fabulous supper for the crew of Dilemma. Our two families had not spent the evening together since Panama, and we relished our time. It was such fun being together, something we promised to do again.
We didn't stay long in this tranquil spot, just long enough to maintain, entertain, and replenish. So many tales to tell, so little time! We heard the cry "Go West, young man" and they did...
Friday 29th March 2024
Ua Pou, Marquesas, French Polyensia
It was an enjoyable 70nm day sail with the Code 0 up. These easy passages make island hopping around the Marquesas an absolute joy. Once anchored, we were ready for the next adventure.
We had a pleasant first evening having sundowners with Mathias, Stuart, and Miguel on Pure Fun, returning to eat on board. Sophia and Catherine, from Promise 4, had other ideas. They got a taxi to the other side of the island and went for a very civilized girls' night out, returning after we had retired for the evening.
The following morning was our big adventure. We were going en masse with our ARC friends in search of the famous waterfall. The tropical forest was breathtaking, as it is all over the Marquesas Islands; we were not disappointed. After being at sea, I relish the smell of the soil and the sounds of the forest.
We all trekked together, enjoying stretching our legs as we chatted, not paying attention to the path. At some point, we must have missed the turning for the waterfall, but we stumbled upon the signs for the infamous Chocolate man, Manfred Drechsler. We had heard about this man and his eco-friendly business, which he set up growing cocoa to produce organic chocolate.
We rang the gong and with the aid of his barking companion, Manfred soon arrived to greet us.
We could not help but smile. Manfred is a relic of his youth. I am sure he enjoyed life to the full. How does the saying go? “If you remember the 60s, you weren’t there!” This man definitely missed that whole decade. Manfred told us all about his life, his land and the home he built. Going into details of establishing his chocolate making business.
Just a word of warning to any ladies of any age. Manfred believes himself to be a ladykiller. No age group is safe from his jokes and innuendo, but all delivered in a lighthearted manner.
After purchasing some chocolate, we said our goodbyes heading in search of the waterfall and a much-needed dip in the cool, clear water.
We found the waterfall, which was everything we expected. We were lucky enough to have this little piece of perfection to ourselves and we enjoyed every minute.
We returned to the boat and set sail for the Nuku Hiva Rendezvous with the rest of the ARC fleet and Easter celebrations, Polynesian style.
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