Askari Sailing: Fatu Hiva 18th

Hanavave Bay - or Bay of Virgins

A beer to celebrate being back in amazing Fatu Hiva

What an amazing sail we had, we didn't really make a plan when we left Nuku Hiva, but just sailed south on the wind. Askari loved it and as we approached each island the wind bent in our favour and we sailed directly into Hanavave Bay in one tack - we never thought that would have been possible when we looked at the forecast. The day was cloudy as we anchored with only two other boats in the bay; later that day Incentive and then Zouterik joined us - party time. They also didn't have a plan to come but here we all were. We spent 4 incredible days with perfect weather, hiking, exploring and we even managed to dives. The highlight was the day we took the dinghy to Omoa on the Sunday morning. This is the main settlement in Fatu Hiva and its really beautiful. We walked through the village just after church finished and all the villagers were in their sunday best, the women particularly with flower crowns and stunning flowery dresses billowing in the wind. Then we met Freddy walking his baby in a pram; he invited us to see his tapa. This village is famous for tapa artists, ink work on bashed out bark - Freddy and his family invited us in to their home, chatted for ages, we bought some of his work, he gave us veg from his garden and then walked us to the dock, also collecting more fruit along the way - the papa's pamplemouse (from the church yard....) turned out to be yummy!

When we got back to Hanavave, Lazy Travels arrived that night and we had a few party's amongst the boats - how fortunate we are in these times to be in this special place, in perfect conditions. When we made landfall in this bay after our Pacific Crossing in 2006, the katabatibc winds drove us away but this time it was perfect in every way.