LANDFALL
It is always exciting to enter an unknown port or bay in the dark. Especially when it’s windy and waves are crashing on rocks nearby. I have very good nautical charts on my iPhone and could see where I was and the layout of the bay of Hakahau, but this one was special because you don’t see any lights of the village until you are almost past it. With waves on both sides hitting the rocks and a strong wind from behind, I made it in safely after 18 hours at sea, but I was totally exhausted. I was tired from being on edge for so many hours and was looking forward to a good sleep. But first I needed to find a good place to put up my tent. On the shore I asked a local who owned the Vaa (outrigger) school if it was ok to put up my tent on the beach next to his school. It took me a while to get my land legs back and I went to bed as soon as I blew up my mattress.
The next morning, I quickly made some new friends, Teaki and Joel from the outrigger school. They invited me over for coffee and eggs, a real treat in a place like this and especially after a crossing like the day before. They knew many Tahitian paddlers, so we even had some common friends.
Ten weeks a year, once a day, the schoolkids get outrigger paddling and swimming lessons here. I spoke to their teacher who said that the kids love it as much as he does. For him the world is still right in the Marquesas. Far away from all the crowds, chaos, wars and materialistic world, everybody here has time to talk or sit down at the beach and just watch the sun go down. Everyone I had met so far seemed genuinely happy, no matter what they owned.
Hakahau is the main town of Ua Pou, the third largest the Marquesas Islands. It is a quiet and sleepy island with dramatic peaks and mountain backdrops. Other then some sailing boats, not many visit this island, as indeed is the case for all the islands. I walked the town, talked to the locals and enjoyed the views, but mostly rested.