Tuamotus

We spent our final days in Nuku Hiva anchored in Daniels Bay, one of the home beaches for Survivor season 4. It was there that we enjoyed a nice easy hike/walk to a cascade tucked away amid high sheer rocks. We had to cross rivers and creeks to get there and followed the cairns placed by previous explorers until we reached an almost surreal landscape of ground growth somewhat resembling perriwinkle. We followed the narrow path through the lush growth until we came upon numerous cairns and the sun was lost behind the high rocks, this is where we found a somewhat small fresh water pool at the base of the cascade. The cascade could barely be seen from the shore, but Jay and the girls swam across then climbed over the boulders on the other side and were able to swim in further to where the water was falling from very high, down a chimney into the back pool, they said it was very cool.

We spent four days and nights travelling between Nuku Hiva and Kauehi where we are presently anchored and have been enjoying swimming and snorkeling in the clear blue warm water here. On Tuesday, everyone from all of the boats in the anchorage (I think there were 10) met at the local Magazin (store) to take a tour of a pearl farm. The Tuamotus are know for their black pearls and we got to see how they are harvested and were treated to a lunch of oysters (unlike the ones from home)marinated in lime juice and salt and served with coconut bread and coconut juice served in the coconut. Everyone had a very nice time.

We were invited by a local couple to go fishing and eat a lunch of our catch, so this was the adventure on Wednesday. Never in a million years could we have imagined such a nice experience, we lingered over poisson cru, barbequed fish, rice and coconuts for four hours while the kids played on the beach and in the water. As an expression of our gratitude, the crews from the four boats involved provided a potluck lunch for the couple aboard O'vive and again we enjoyed a wonderful four hour visit, it seems as though that's the minimum allotment for any activity here.

Shredding Coconut for lunch