Fatu Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia

What a magnificent entry to French Polynesia. Towering rock pillars, dramatic landscapes with volcanic pinnacles protruding upwards-quite spectacular! I can't believe we're actually here!

After such a long passage, the longest we'll probably ever make, we were rewarded with incredible scenery, crystal clear waters and the wonderful smiles of the Polynesian inhabitants. Fatu Hiva is the most southerly of the Marquesas islands with a mere 650 inhabitants, most who live in the village of Omoa a little further down the western coast from where we have anchored in Hanavave Bay, a tiny village with only a handful of residents. We were greeted with such stunning scenery upon our arrival that it is hard to imagine it could get better than this.

After a day or two catching up on some much needed sleep, we ventured ashore to be welcomed by the friendly, smiling local population and a quick tour around the village. 20 days at sea meant we were in dire need of some exercise and this came in the form of a hike up through the rain forest to a wonderful 200-foot waterfall with a large, refreshing pool below. Such a treat!

After a couple of days, we learned that a supply ship was coming in carrying the monthly supplies for the village as well as about 100 tourists. The locals invited us to the celebrations put on for the benefit of these tourists. We were entertained with their traditional music, drums and dancing as well as being given an insight into their various crafts that included tiki carvings and tapas. Tapas are hand beaten bark creating a form of paper that is then painted with intricate inkwork similar to exotic tattoos. They continue to be made by the women of Fatu Hiva in the traditional manner and command fairly hefty prices, however, when one considers that it takes literally days and days to beat the fibrous bark to form the smooth 'paper', it is not difficult to understand these price tags.

We were also very fortunate to be invited to a birthday celebration where a pig, 3 goats, 10 chickens and some fish were buried in the ground, covered with leaves and slowly cooked overnight and when uncovered, were served with breadfruit, rice and a coconut milk sauce. Again, such a treat and we were, again, so taken with the friendliness of our hosts.

All in all, we have felt as though we have been truly welcomed to the Polynesian islands, experiencing a little of their culture and way of life. Little Fatu Hiva is seemingly a million miles away from the big city life we know and yet, it was interesting to learn from our hostess, that her daughter was a flight attendant on the local airline, one son was an engineer in Papeete and two other sons were at college there in Tahiti. Somehow, when one looks at such a tiny, remote spot where the kids play marbles (I haven't seen that since I was 12!) and the entire village turns out for a game of volleyball, it is difficult to imagine they can experience much more than the very basics of life much less that of a higher education. Just goes to show you can't tell a book by its cover, etc.

After a week relaxing in such an exotic spot, it was time to move on so we lifted anchor this morning and headed off to Hiva Oa, the largest island in the group. This island is the burial grounds for both Paul Gauguin and Jacques Brel so we could do the cultural thing and have a look at these but we really do not intend to stay long, just time to find a few fresh veggies and get some diesel before heading off to some of the more remote islands which sound rather enchanting and more up our alley.

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