Marquesas - Hiva Oa.

Twenty two days later, 3126 nm from Galapagos, we set foot on land! Everything was moving except the boat and the sea! Our legs were heavy and wobbly getting off at the jetty with our black bag of garbage for three weeks and a bit. But it was so good to smell the ground, the crushed leaves and green from earth, that we soon forgot our bodies. I woke up this morning, in awe with being alive…with the cacophony of roosters, the sweetest sound in a very long time. Last night around seven we set anchor in this quaint little bay, Baia Tahauku in about 3 to 7 meters of peaceful waters, among the towering volcanic mountains. The wonder of seeing these huge mountains in the middle of an ocean, pushing up from deep down is amazing. We broke the last of the delicious bread our Skipper baked the morning with my last sip of red wine from Trinidad.

In desperate need for fresh green stuff, we couldn`t wait to explore the little town, Atuana.

We crossed a little stream coming from the mountains to the sea, and up the hill and around the mountain for about 2km. The exercise was so good...

Andando was laying safely resting in the Bay among two other yachts.

 We found about three little shops, a post office, a bank and friendly French people around. Johan bought a couple of pineapples, tomatoes and a cabbage out of the back of a truck for a lot of money,

 and we found some proviand in one of the shops. Eggs were the most expensive yet…R50 (5 Euros) per dozen! No scrambled eggs aboard,boys! Luckily we still have enough condensed milk left, which we bought in Trinidad for R8 (1 USD) a tin, because over here it costs R28 (4 USD)! I was spoilt again with someone doing my washing. I send in only the really important goods, like the bedding, and I paid 50US$ for only 10kg! When I received it back, half of it was still damp, and we had to put up washing lines in the saloon, with the rain falling outside! No freshly smelling washing hot from the tumble drier. But at least I think she will be able to afford a tumble dryer with my 10kg!