Pitufa.at

Ever since we’ve arrived in Hanamoenoa, the northernmost bay on the western side of Tahuata, it’s been pouring down. And the forecast doesn’t look much different for the next couple of days. Not much fun, but o.k. to get some work done.

2013
09
Sep

Photos of Fatu Hiva

We are currently sitting in a minimarket in Vaitahu on Tahuata and are finally, after about a month or so, able to access the internet again. So we’ve just uploaded pictures of our first island of the Marquesas, Fatu Hiva.

2013
09
Sep

Fruity Days on Pitufa

After our successful fruit and veggie raid in Hapatoni, we now have to use up all the all too quickly ripening fruit to stay ahead of rot and decay. Yesterday we had banana-mango-salad for lunch, a banana smoothie in the afternoon, breadfruit curry for dinner and banana daiquiris as a dessert Today the Aranui (a combined caro-passenger vessel) stopped in Vaitahu–the whole village prepares for… Continue reading »

2013
06
Sep

Dolphins and mangos

On the chart Hapatoni didn’t look very tempting, but we’re glad we stopped here. We’ve had a large pod of dolphins staying in our bay for two days, hunting, jumping, playing around Pitufa The village is neat and pretty, and we took a walk on the coastal road leading along the bays and over the cliffs under an azure blue sky–it came as a surprise… Continue reading »

2013
03
Sep

Tahuata

This morning we had coffee at 4.30 and lifted the anchor at 5.20 to make sure that we’d make it to our next destination during daylight. As Fatu Hiva was still towering behind us, we could already see the silhouette of the next island 45 miles ahead of us. Despite the light wind (only between 10 and 14 knots) Pitufa sailed steady 5-6 knots in… Continue reading »

2013
29
Aug

Round the island

Yesterday Giorgio took us and Mark and Liesbet from Irie round the island on his boat ‘Hoa Motu’. We picked a beautiful day with sunny skies and got wonderful views of the steep, green volcanic slopes of Fatu Hiva. Unfortunately we had very little wind so we had to motor quite a bit, but we nevertheless caught a small tuna and a large wahoo, so… Continue reading »

2013
25
Aug

Explosive experiments

As some of you might remember we left Panama with 120 litres of wine distributed in the bilge, under mattresses and basically wherever we could find some space, because we knew that alcohol would be very dear in French Polynesia (just to give you an idea: a box of ok Chilean wine cost about 2 Euros in Panama, 10 in the Galapagos, but 15 Euros… Continue reading »

2013
23
Aug

Having a good time in Fatu Hiva

The reason that we haven’t written any new blog entries during the last few days isn’t that there’s nothing to write about, but rather the opposite–we’ve been too busy to open the laptop once. Also, there’s no internet and the best time to send/receive mails on the SSB is in the evening and we were simply never at home in the evenings… Despite the fact… Continue reading »

2013
17
Aug

What a view!

We reached Fatu Hiva around 3 o’clock this morning, waited outside the bay for the first morning light and entered the bay on the western side. The island’s absolutely spectacular: steep, volcanic mountains and lush tropical vegetation. We now anchor in the only good anchorage on the little island: the Baie des Vierges (Virgin’s Bay). It’s said to originally have been called Baie des Verges… Continue reading »

2013
16
Aug

Almost there

We are just 40nm away from Fatu Hiva, so we will arrive early morning but it looks like it’s going to be an annoying night with lots of squalls (had thme all afternoon) and northerly wind… +++++++++++ Wir sind nur noch 40 nm von Fatu Hiva entfernt und werden morgen frueh ankommmen aber es sieht nach einer nervigen Nacht aus mit vielen Boeenschauern (so wars… Continue reading »

2013
14
Aug

Action Canning

We caught another Tuna this morning and as we don’t have a freezer we put it into jars (cutting up the fish, frying it slightly, putting everything into jars and and after 40 mins in the pressure cooker you’ve got your selfmade canned tuna). In 25kn of winds on a wildly slingering boat this is not an easy task. 275nm to go. +++++++++++++ Heute Morgen… Continue reading »

2013
13
Aug

Finally luck with fishing

Pitufa is rolling almost unbearably in those waves following from 150 degrees, nevertheless we managed to catch a small tuna (or a big mackarel) and bake a banana cake 415 nm to go.++++++++++++ Pitufa rollt zwar unertraeglich in diesen schraeg von hinten durchwalzenden Wellen, dennoch haben wir es geschafft, endlich wieder einmal einen Fisch zu fangen (kleiner Thunfissch oder grosse Makrele) und einen Bananenkuchen zu… Continue reading »

2013
12
Aug

Sunny but cool sailing

This morning the wind got a bit lighter, but now it’s picked up again to about 20 to 25 knots and Pitufa’s running along with over 6 knots–sailing as good as it gets (even though we still can’t wait to arrive ) All the Panamanian food and booze in Pitufas lockers don’t exactly help her along, but then cruising’s much more about good life in… Continue reading »

2013
11
Aug

Running along smoothly

Last night we had a few squalls moving through, they brought just a slight accelaration in wind (about 20 knots), but lots of rain. Fortunately we finished a new side-cloth for the bimini before sailing off and it keeps rain and spray perfectly out when the wind is on the beam. A dry cockpit’s so much more comfy. Today the wind has shifted more southerly… Continue reading »

2013
10
Aug

800 nm to Fatu Hiva

At noon we left our anchorage off Taravai and are now sailing north in a light wind and calm seas. The Gambier islands are still only a few miles south of us, but they’ve already disappeared in a black rain cloud, while ahead the skies are blue Unfortunately no fish was tempted by our lure yet, so today’s supper was green bean and manioc soup… Continue reading »