We have reached the Marquesas

Land Ahoy, Fatu Hiva

It took 19 days from the Galapagos so about 4 days longer than our Atlantic crossing in 2009

We broke the gooseneck pin so had no mainsail for 15 days. However we only lost 1/2 days vs those who didn't have this problem.  We sailed with poled-out genoa and the staysail led wide on the other side, or with the kite which we managed to double-wrap and spend most of a day trying to solve the Rubix cube of unwinding it.  Genearally winds were light, when we probably would have liked some more with the lack of mainsail. We had to do quite a bit or motoring for the last 4 or 5 days, when we began to want to get there

Fishing was not great we only caught one amberjack and one skipjack tuna, and lost about six lures.

Spirits remained high, food was delicious. Many books were read. A rhythm was maintained, and crew remained happy.

However, landfall was exciting and Fatu Hiva was a much bigger and taller island than we had expected. Green, green and with high clouds above it.  We couldn't clear into Fatu Hiva but other boats reported no issues, so this didn't seem the place to worry about bureaucracy - and it wasn't.

On landing we went ashore and tried to see if we could buy anything. Two issues: no Polynesian Francs and the locals had no interest it Dollars and Euros; and not much to buy. But we did buy a lovely small wooden bowl, and paid for it with two pairs of reading glasses, three sheets of sandpaper, and some lipstick.