Nuku Hiva, 6-17-2017--Election day

By David

(Note: We hoped to get this posted yesterday (6-18), but life got in the way.)

After yesterday's hike, I was relieved to wake up this morning with a knee that felt good and muscles that weren't even too sore.

As we ate breakfast in the cockpit this morning, a distress call was broadcast over the VHF radio. A couple on a nearby boat had discovered that their dinghy and motor went missing overnight. To understand the implication, it's a bit like discovering that during the night your vehicle had disappeared from the driveway. Except that not only have you lost a car and mobility, now you can't even get out of the house.

Theft is unheard of here, so that was ruled out. I radioed that the wind had been blowing toward the fuel dock much of the night, so that might be a good place to check. Sure enough, there was a great sigh of relief when it was discovered there. Amazingly, the outboard hadn't been destroyed by the surf and all ended well. Apparently, it hadn't been tied up securely enough the night before. We always double tie ours at night for that reason. All of us make mistakes along the way, but at least we hope to avoid that one.

In the not-ending-so-well department, two boats enroute to the Marquesas, one from Mexico and the other from Hawaii, are long overdue and feared lost. One, a singlehander, was reported sounding delirious when his satellite messenger apparently ran out of power. No further word has been heard. The other boat had a crew of two. Neither boat has been heard from in several weeks.

On a happier note, the mood ashore was festive as it's election day. Three people are being elected to represent French Polynesia in France. In keeping with all things Marquesan, it's a good excuse for a festival. Food booths are set up across the street from the polling station, karaoke blasts over the PA system and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.  Meanwhile, beyond the seawall local kids spend endless hours boogie boarding in the surf.

Something we've enjoyed since I got back is birdwatching. Thanks to our friend Julie Karra back in Tucson, we now have two excellent bird books covering the South Pacific. Thanks Julie!

For our birding friends, the short list includes zebra doves, a common, small, almost tame species that prefers being on the ground to flying. Yesterday we saw a Pacific reef heron in Collet Bay. Sailing between the islands we've watched white-bellied storm petrels that have the curious habit of hitting the top of every few waves with their bellies, then quickly kicking off with their feet to do it again a few waves later. 

Pearl's favorites are the bright white fairy terns.  Anytime of day groups of them can be seen wheeling in striking contrast with the verdant green slopes above the bay.   

My favorites are the black, angular, sinister looking great frigate birds.  I never tire of watching them soar above the bay, ever watchful for opportunities to cause mayhem. Consummate soarers and incredibly agile, they're fond of harassing other birds, boobies especially, forcing them to drop their catch of fish, whereupon the frigates snatch it up. 

Nuku Hiva administrative building and polling center.

Pearl checks out her food options across the street.  

Local kids ride the waves.