2023 Marquesas

May 1st to June 8th

Skyfall took just eighteen days to complete the passage from Galapagos to the Marquesas. We have already sailed halfway from Panama to New Zealand (in distance)!

We decided to make landfall on the most upwind island, Fatu Hiva, even though formalities could not be completed there. We stayed six days catching up on sleep, doing boat jobs, exploring the village and doing a couple of walks from the village. With no local currency, we had to use a barter system to provision, exchanging wine for eggs, fruit and fish.

Our second stop was Hiva Oa. The island looked nice but the anchorage inside the breakwater was so small and the anchorage outside untenable in strong winds that we only stayed a day and a half. Just long enough to complete formalities, take cash out, visit the cultural centre dedicated to Gauguin and Jacques Brel, visit the cemetery and stop at a Relais where Annick could enjoy her first 'terrace' since the Galapagos.

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Nuku Hiva is the third and largest island we visited and is the gathering point for cruisers in the Marquesas. We enjoyed spending time with boats we met in Panama (Grainne Mhaol, Zoria, Cerulean, Chantey, Wanderlust) as well as new friends we made in the Marquesas. There are multiple recommended anchorages here including those we visited Taiohae, Baie de Hatiheu, Baie d'Anaho and Daniel's Bay.

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Kevin, who operates the Yacht services in Taiohae, is a key contact for many things. As well as repairing and strengthening our mainsail, he helped arrange the shipment of much needed spares from the UK to Tahiti for collection after we have visited the Tuamotus. Highly recommended

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Enjoy the pictures and remember to double-click to get the explanation

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