We sailed overnight for 12 hours from Hanamenu to Nuku Hiva, the main island in the Marquesas archipelago. Upon our arrival at Taihoae Bay, we coincided with the arrival of the Aranui 3, a dual passenger/cargo vessel responsible for delivering essentials like fuel, spare parts, and fresh vegetables from Tahiti. Diesel had run out in the islands two weeks prior, so many cruisers had gathered in anticipation. Onboard the Aranui 3 were also Mowzer’s much-awaited new house batteries. Our AGMs, which were installed less than 2 years ago, had spectacularly failed during our crossing from Panama. These batteries are crucial for powering our lights, navigation instruments, charging our laptops, running our fridge, and more, so we were eagerly looking forward to installing our new lithium bank.
From Taihoae, we sailed 20 nautical miles along the coast to Anaho Bay, one of the most breathtaking anchorages we’ve encountered during our travels. Multiple white sandy beaches were nestled among coconut groves and frangipani trees, all surrounded by dense, lush jungle that stretched up to epic basalt spires.
During our stay, we hiked east to the neighboring windward bay of Haataivea, known for its wild beach and standing stones. On our way back to the anchorage, we encountered a family on horseback who kindly agreed to sell us some of their produce. They took us to their fields, where they harvested melons, cucumbers, basil, papaya, and rambutan for us.
Another day, we embarked on a hike to the stunning Hatiheu Bay and explored some of Marquesas’ most remarkable archaeological remains. Hidden within the jungle, among ancient palms and giant mango trees, we discovered beautifully preserved tikis and partially restored pae paes, which were stone foundations for old dwellings. Amongst these ruins stood a sacred banyan tree, estimated to be over 600 years old, exuding a majestic presence.
After a brief return to Taihoae, we set sail westward along the south coast to Hakatea, also known as Daniel’s Bay, another striking anchorage framed by a dramatic volcanic backdrop. From there, we embarked on a 5-kilometer jungle hike, crossing streams, passing abandoned pae paes, and encountering hidden tikis on our way to the majestic Vaipo waterfall. This waterfall impressively cascades from a height of 350 meters down sheer cliffs.
Sailing Mowzer 