Marquesas to Tuamotus Passage Summary

Hi everyone,

Here is the summary of our passage from Marquesas to the Tuamotus, both in French Polynesia.  It was a 500nm passage.  We had light airs throughout, making it our longest passage ever under full sail.  We only had reefs or furls in for a few hours during the early part of the passage.  We had to motor through a calm, and at the end to make it to the Makemo eastern pass at slack water.  It was a lovely passage with 'champagne sailing' practically all the way.

Under full sail

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Here are the vital stats for the passage…

    • Distances/Speeds

        • Route Distance = 500nm

        • Logged Distance = 490nm (yes, the log is under-reading slightly)

        • GPS Distance = 515nm

        • Duration = 4 days 6 hours

        • Average speed over ground = 5.0 kt

        • Average day's run = ~120nm

        • Best day's run = 126nm

        • Minimum boat speed = 3.5 kt

        • Maximum boat speed = 6.0 kt

    • Weather

        • Minimum wind speed = 1 kt

        • Average wind speed = 9 knots

        • Maximum wind speed = 15 with gusts to 22

        • Apparent wind angle range = 60 to 140

        • Seas up to 1.5m at start, reducing to 0.5m for most of the passage

        • Swell 2m initially reducing to 1m for most of the passage 

        • Clear with 1/8 cloud except for one afternoon/evening with 6/8 cloud

        • Full or nearly full moon every night

    • Engine

        • Total = 18 hours

        • Driving = 18 hours

        • Charging = 0 hours

    • Failures

        • None

    • Stars

        • The boat - she's a witch in light airs, despite a small main and full fuel, water & provisions

        • Tasker mainsail and Kemp yankee

        • Pelagic autopilot  - steered for most of the passage due to low apparent wind

Marquesas departure

So many great sunrises and sunsets

Cloud bank before the calm

We experienced a calm which lasted for about 9 hours following a line of cloud passing overhead.  Then as we approached Makemo the wind died again.  Apart from those two 9 hour periods we sailed in winds of 8-10 knots, mostly from the ENE - NE.  So it was mostly a beam reach over a slight sea.  Champagne sailing indeed.

Transiting the pass

OCC svs Nimue & Dovka with Zen Again anchored behind at left

We plan to spend three nights here in Makemo.  After one night off Pouheve we'll be moving to the Punaruku anchorage NNW from here.

Trust all's well where you are!

Marquesas Outbound Day 1

Hi everyone,

We departed Daniel's Bay at 0800 yesterday after 3 1/2 weeks in the Marquesas.  What spectacular islands!

At noon today we were at 11 17S 140 54W steering 200M, sailing under full main and yankee at 5 knots.  The wind was 9G12 from the ENE.  Our noon to noon distances were 126nm by the log and 128nm over the ground.  Overall we've logged 148nm and 150nm respectively.  Our distance to go is 299nm.

Sunset

On departure we motor-sailed out of the lee of Nuku Hiva then had a good E sailing breeze with about 2m swell.  We passed about 10nm W of Oa Pou but still felt its lee.  Since clearing that island's lee we've had wonderful ENE breeze of 8G12 with 1m swell and very little sea.  And there's an almost cloudless sunny sky.

Departing Daniel's Bay, Nuku Hiva

Last night we increased to full sail during a lull to 6G8 knots.  Since then we've been under full sail - very unusual for us.  We had a 7/8 moon for almost the entire night with spectacular sunset and sunrise.

Sunrise

We're on our way to the Tuamotus.  They're very different to the Marquesas.  They are an extensive set of low-lying atolls.  In pre-GPS days they were known as the Dangerous Middle.  Many have passes allowing access into the lagoons.  Looking forward to exploring an entirely different type of island.

Trust all's well where you are.

Daniel's Bay

Hi everyone,

After completing our reprovisioning, refueling and touring in Taiohae we sailed the 6nm W to Daniel's Bay.  This is a much nicer anchorage, although still a little rolly.  And the small village ashore has potable fresh water available close to the creek mouth there.

There was a 2m swell and 15G20 E wind for our quick passage.  Entering the bay is quite interesting with the swell bouncing off the rocky shore producing a 'washing machine' sea state.

Taiohae to Daniel's Bay track

Departing Taiohae

Approaching Daniel's Bay

Entering Daniel's Bay

Anchored in Daniel's Bay

After arriving we filled our water tanks from jerries, freeing them to be refilled ashore.  For our first night we were alone in the anchorage.

On day 2 we dinghied ashore an hour before high tide.  The creek and village are in the western bay while the anchorage is in the eastern bay.  We got in to the creek without incident, using our outboard, managing to avoid the rocks at the river mouth.  Once in, and with a high tide we continued up the creek to the landing.  What a spectacular place! 

Zen Again in Daniel's Bay

Entering the creek

Heading W up the creek towards the landing

Water tap in the barn close to the landing

We spoke with the family which owns the land and they gave us permission to fill our water jerries.  Having done so we then headed back out.  Unfortunately we struck a rock at the creek mouth and sheared off one of the two Torqeedo propellor blades.  We managed to limp back to Zen Again.  Happily we had a spare propellor aboard which we fitted.

On day 3 I dinghied ashore with another two jerries.  This time I rowed across the creek mouth and to the landing.  Rowing in was harder than rowing out due to the creek's outflow.  Later on day 3 our friends on sv Apres Ski arrived.

On day 4 we dinghied ashore with the Apres Skis.  The tide times were difficult so we only had half tide.  The water was very shallow over the rocks and we paddled over them.  The water was shallow in patches all the way to the landing.

Once ashore we spoke with the local family and they directed us to the other families which sell fruit, provide meals and collect the fee to walk to the waterfall.  With all that arranged we headed off along the walk.  Nicki and I only walked to the lookout from where the waterfall is visible.  The Apres Skis went a little further - to the signs warning of falling rocks!

Old village house

Village Chapel

The first river crossing

The rocky path

Waterfall Lookout

Tiki just outside the village

Back at the village I filled another two jerries, giving us full tanks and all but one full water jerries.  Shortly afterwards the Apres Skis arrived and we enjoyed a great mid-afternoon meal of tuna, salad, breadfruit and plantain chips, followed by flambeed banana.  Very nice indeed.

View towards the bay from the village

Heading home

Nicki hitched a ride with the Apres Skis while I rowed the water jerries home.  We then had a great sundowner aboard Apres Ski.  It was fun spending the day with them again.

So now we're fully restocked for the Tuamotus.  And there's a very good looking weather window.  For our last night in the anchorage there were six boats present.

Trust all's well where you are!

Nuku Hiva

Hi everyone,

After a wonderful 12 days at Tahuata Island we sailed overnight to Nuku Hiva, the largest island in the Marquesas group.  It was a 90nm passage.

Nuku Hiva!

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

We used the engine for half an hour as we went through the lee of Hiva Oa as the windex was doing 360s and the sails slatting.  But otherwise it was a good beam to broad reach.  On arrival we anchored in 12m over mud.  It's good holding but quite deep, and rolly.  Not as bad as Hiva Oa's Atuona anchorage, but not a place to hang around in.

Farewell Tahuata Island

Hello Nuku Hiva

Early Morning Arrival

Our intentions in Nuku Hiva were to reprovision, refuel and do an island tour.  Once anchored in the we launched the dinghy and headed ashore for a recce.  The dinghy dock is pretty good.  Nearby is a small cafe, Nuku Hiva Yacht Services and a fruit & veg market with another cafe.

Approaching the dock

Kevin at NHYS is a US expat who has been on the island for 17 years.  We arranged for him to run us to the service station to fill our last 4 empty diesel jerries later in the day.  And we discovered he can fill propane tanks.  From there we walked into town.  We paid our Refuse and Water fees at the town hall and visited one of the several small supermarkets.  We also visited the Tourist Information Office where Colette told us about a tour available for the following day.

We returned to the boat with our first set of provisions then I returned ashore with the 4 diesel jerries to be filled.  It was good riding with Kevin to the service station since it was an opportunity to quiz him about his services, the island and official requirements here and in Tahiti.  Diesel was USD1.55/litre but it was good to have all our jerries full and the tank over 3/4 full.

Nuku Hiva Yacht Services

With the diesel jerries stowed aboard I returned ashore again to drop off our empty 10kg propane tank and to then do another supermarket run.  This one was just for UHT milk which we hadn't found in the morning.  The supply ship had arrived just before us and the goodies were being rapidly off-loaded and distributed to the stores.  I also found fresh (unrefrigerated) eggs.

With us in Taiohae were EBBYC boats Apres Ski and Aura.  We arranged with them to meet for dinner ashore at the Le Nuku Hiva Pearl Lodge resort.  We all dinghied ashore and met for a very posh dinner.  Twas a nice evening out.

Tiki in Taiohae

View from the Pearl Lodge

Dinner with NZ sv Apres Ski and Swedish sv Aura

On day 2 we dinghied ashore early to visit the bank ATM.  We had a good coffee and pain au chocolat in the market cafe along the way.  Then we met the Apres Ski crew for an all day tour of the eastern half of the island.

Market cafe

Market fruit & veg

The tour was in a crew-cab vehicle with seats added over the back.  Like a safari vehicle.  We drove to a set of viewpoints with amazing views, to a modern tiki site, to an original village site and to a beach-side restaurant for lunch.

View over Taiohae Bay

Old tikis in the new site

Carved and other items for sale

Waterfall

Nice view

The highlight of the tour was visiting the restored old village.  Until the 1980s the old village had lain abandoned for many decades.  It is now being restored and is one of the sites now used for a 4-yearly pan-Pacific Polynesian arts festival.  It's great that the Marquesan people are reconnecting with their unique history.

Restored original village

Marquesan bread-fruit preserving pit
Every house had one

Banyan trees were central features of villages

The viewpoints we visited were super spectacular.  Amazing geography.

Churches are central features of all major villages

The tour finished with a great lunch at a restaurant overlooking the beach on the NE coast of the island.  Excellent food for a good price.  Overall the tour was great value.  More expensive than hiring a car but we learned so much more about the places we visited and the history of the island.  Twas a great day out, and nice to spend it with the Apres Skis.

On day 3 we dinghied ashore for a final provisioning run and to collect our propane tank.  Nice to have our gas topped up too.  Sadly the town water supply in Taiohae is not potable.  So we'll soon be moving on to a less rolly anchorage near a village with clean water we can access.

Trust all's well where you are!