We feel as if we are back in Scotland. Beautiful islands with lonely bays to anchor in and the occasional hamlet or village. The mountains are just as rocky, the sea is just as blue and the goats on the cliffs are just as brave. The main difference is the temperature and amount of clothes you need or rather don’t need.
Yesterday we were anchored off the palm fringed beach at Hanamoenoa on the island of Tahuata. In the afternoon we lifted anchor with the electric winch and drifted out to sea. As Heidi set the Monitor windvane up to steer, she noticed a safety clip missing and a bolt almost lost. While Heidi held the windvane tightly to stop it shaking, we turned and headed back to the bay to drop anchor again. With Neill in the water and Heidi with hammer in hand a repair was quickly made. Luckily the three meter sharks that live in the bay were elsewhere or Heidi may have had to get violent with her hammer.
So, with a feeling of Deja Vu, we raised the anchor and set off again. We only had our small jib out but, when a squall caught us in the acceleration zone between two islands, that had us moving through the downpour at seven knots. An hour later we were in the wind shadow of Hiva Oa and drifting at under a knot while eating dinner. As we finished the last of our meal the wind came back and we sailed the rest of the night at a steady four knots in the light of the half moon and stars.
At dawn Neill was asleep but Heidi found the island of Ua Huka directly in front of us and adjusted the course to take us past a few impressive rocky islands to the remote Haavai Bay where, on the second attempt, we found sand to hold the anchor.
And now a day of sun and laziness is planned far from the rest of the world.