Fourth and Final stop in Nuku Hiva: Taiohae.

We chose to stop here last as this is the best place to re-provision.   We still have a bilge full USA cosco canned food but some fresh French cheese and salami goes a long way.     Our next stop will be the Tuamotus Archipelago where fruit and fuel is difficult to get.   We are fully stocked on fruits from Daniels bay and now our fuel tanks are full.   Just few more preparations and we will head off.  

On the way into this bay I had a huge marlin on my 40kg fishing line.  It promptly spooled all my line off then ripped the rod out of its holder (which I tie on for occasions just like this).   The line snapped of course but I could see the monster jumping and spinning like you see on TV.   It was still a great experience.   I now have  a second reel with 150kg line attached!  

The view from the plateau which I missed seeing in person.   Nikki took these pics from horse back on a day tour of the island by horse.   

The anchorage.   We got hit by a squall which lasted around 2 hours while we were on shore.   We have only seen rain for no longer than 10 minutes since we left the USA.    We came back to the boat which had dragged about 50 meters.   I moved it today as our new position was too close to other boats.   Our 55lbs delta anchor does not like mud bottoms. 

We visited the small museum owned by veteran cruiser Rose.  She cruised here in the early 70s and her and her late husband purchased a lot of land here and practically opened the Marquesas to conventional tourism by opening a hotel.  

Polynesian voyaging canoes.   They were cruising the oceans on 80 foot catamarans that would do 14 knots when Europeans were sailing on boats with all the sleekness of a giant bathtub.  Multihulls a new development?  I don't think so.   The one on top is a war canoe.  They would paddle it from one bay to the next to raid an opposing clan using their paddles as weapons.   Check out the spikes on the end of the paddle below. 

Nikki had a lot of fun trotting and cantering with Lisa.   Nikkis horse was a little feisty at first, but being a rodeo champion she was able to show him who was boss.