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They landed at Baie Tahauku, Hiva Oa, Marquesas, at 10:30 am local time on Monday. The journey from Galapagos was a remarkably swift 21 days and 22 hours.
They've anchored up, and are now taking a well-earned rest.
"It turned out to be a rather busy day - we anchored at 10:30, then had celebratory drinks on Solent Venture, with crew from Spring Gold, Sabbatical, and a singlehanded American. We then walked 5 km to the village to check in but found the gendarmerie closed. Then when we got back we had a barbeque on shore with the other 5 boats who came in today. One of them had caught a large (read: massive!) swordfish and some dorado, so the fish was delicious.
"We'll check in tomorrow, and look around a bit, then probably sail overnight to Nuku Hiva, and spend a couple of days there."
"We've had a busy day - we had arranged too much. We booked a cab for 09:00, having invited Spring Gold, Solent Venture, and Sabbatical for drinks at 12:00, and had booked the cab (there is only the one!) again for a trip around the island at 14:00, and were due to have dinner with Hugh and Angela before leaving with them at 20:00. Unfortunately we were so tired that we overslept and were late for town, then had to rush back to get Hygeia ship-shape for noon, were then late for our island trip, and only just got back in time to collect our fuel cans.
"Despite all this we had a really good day. We had to navigate a narrow channel between Hiva Oa and the next island in the dark and the rain, and of course there are no navigational aids. At that moment Angela on Spring Gold rang to say that they had lost the use of their engine, so we are showing them the way using our chart plotter and radar.
"We are heading for Nuku Hiva about 80 miles away, and will get there mid-morning. We will stay there for only two or three days and then head off with Spring Gold to the Tuomotus. Then we will only be 200 miles from Tahiti; we reckon to get there around 14 April."
"Anchored in Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva at 17:00 - a miserable trip with no sun, endless squalls with driving rain, and a big sea. Spring Gold's engine never recovered and we had to tow them the last 7 miles. But we are now snugged up at anchor in a beautiful natural harbour, and we know some of the other boats around us.
"We've had virtually no sleep for 36 hours, so are booked for an early night."
"There's not really a great deal to add to my previous reports about the crossing, except that we were very fortunate with the weather, and Hygeia is very robustly set up with strong reliable gear. So many other boats have suffered from problems with rig and gear failures (poor old Spring Gold lost her engine as we left Hiva Oa, and as you know we had to tow them in the last 7 miles. I'm proud to say that my engineer (ie David) was able to sort out the problem this morning - a block in the fuel pipe within the fuel-tank) We really enjoyed Hiva Oa - like all the Marquesas a dramatic Island with high mountains and precipitous, yet luxuriantly treed slopes, and no fringing reef.
"We had a great tour round the Island by cab - taxi no 1 - there is only 1! At the end he took all four of us to his home, sat us on his porch and gave us freshly pressed grapefruit-juice. Then his wife insisted on giving us a cornucopia of fruit - bananas, avocados, guavas, pamplemousses and limes. Not quite what you'd expect on a cab from King's Cross to Wapping - 'ere you are Guv, just thought I'd take you 'ome an introduce you to the old Dutch, an' 'ere's a few fags for the kids at 'ome.
"As you know we had a rather boisterous trip yesterday to Nuku Hiva, though today it's stiflingly hot. We're going ashore now, but I'm told there are no cybercafes, so no email.
"We'll leave for the Tuamotus either today or tomorrow, and hope to get to Tahiti in about a week."
"The heaviest rain you have ever experienced was in fact drizzle - you haven't been in real rain till you've been to Nuku Hiva. Yesterday one boat blocked his cockpit drain and opened his deck filler & put 140 gallons into his tank in 55 minutes!
"We left Nuku Hiva (in a rain storm) but as we cleared the harbour entrance the rain cleared, the sun came out and a school of dolphin escorted us on our way. We're heading for the Fakareva Channel in the Tuomotus, and our first atoll will be Kauehi. The French for the Tuomotus is Les Isles Dangereuses, so we'll have to have good conditions to go through the Passe. It's 508 miles to our waypoint, so it seems a very short trip, though it will take 3 1/2 days."
"Soon after we left Nuku Hiva we ran into heavy rain, but this was only the prelude to a diabolical, scary afternoon. The clouds got heavier and heavier and it became really dark, then we entered a severe electrical storm which lasted about 4 hours. There was continual rolling thunder and then sheet and fork lightening everywhere, both from the clouds to the sea, and within the clouds. We were somewhat re-assured by our "bog- brush" lightening dissipater, but nevertheless felt we had to run a chain from the base of the capshroud into the water to try to present a track to the water should we get struck.
"To our great relief things eventually cleared after a few hours, and we've been rewarded with a gorgeous night - a clear sky and a bright crescent moon with a wonderful shimmer of moonlight on the sea. It's still quite windy, but we're well reefed down, and we've put up the runner to give the mast a bit more support. So we're careering downwind towards the Tuomotus at 7.5 knots - wonderful. We feel we earned it."
"Dropped anchor 10 minutes ago in Fakareva, just off the small village. It's a beautiful atoll - a circle of coral surrounding a turquoise lagoon: the atoll is 17 miles long and 11 miles wide. Spring Gold is following in a few hours, and Mango Tango arrives later this afternoon.
"The first two days of the trip over here were grim, but the last two days heavenly, with glorious sailing. It's only 220 miles now to Tahiti - we'll probably stay here a couple of days before setting off.
"So we're fine though the heat is terrible (sorry about that). I think I might go and pick a coconut now."
"Spent two days in the Tuomotus, but we're keen to get to Tahiti so we left Fakarava (reluctantly) at 1750 and have that familiar ocean swell under the keel again. As usual the Southern Cross is on our port side, and Orion is keeping station overhead - the stars get to be old friends.
"It was really sad saying farewell to Spring Gold & Mango Tango - we've been with them both for so many miles now, and we both felt slightly bereft heading off on our own. As we headed out through the passe in the reef, there was another massive electrical storm - fortunately at a distance this time. In retrospect I think our storm of six days ago was probably pretty hazardous, and we were lucky not to get struck. Anyway, all three of us are fine (D, K & H).
"ETA Papeete 0930 (ish) Saturday morning."
"We've just had a miserable night. We unwisely mixed with another electrical storm - but this time we were in the eye of it and it lasted 12 hours. It was really indescribable, but to say the lightning was like daylight is an understatement - it was like a thousand arc-welders all at work at the same time. Then there was the constant thunder! The storm cleared about an hour ago, but we're left with a sullen overcast sky, quite a big sea and 27 - 30 knots of wind. The wind and sea don't worry us - Hygeia is more than a match for that - but the electrics are a bit too supernatural for my liking. Neither David nor I slept at all - we were dressed up ready to abandon ship when the lightning finally struck. On second thoughts, how could we abandon Hygeia?"
"It's Sod's Law that our last day at sea before Tahiti should be our hardest. Wind force 8 gusting 9, an evil hissing sea, and driving rain. But Hygeia is more than up to it - only a quarter of the mainsail, a handkerchief of headsail and the washboards firmly in place - it's only when you open the hatches that you're really aware of the wailing banshees above. At least there was no lightning! Should get in around lunch-time."
"Tied up Pomare Quai, Papeete at 1500 on Saturday. Phew!
"11,308 miles since we weighed anchor at Hamble Point Marina on 23.7.98. Good old Hygeia - she's hardly put a foot wrong.
"We haven't really slept for 2 nights, so we're going to have a kip now!"
"Papeete is a seriously beautiful place: although in a busy harbour, I can look out of the cockpit over the surf crashing on the reef towards Moorea, another exquisite Island. I went there a couple of days ago with Franc and Taina from the boat next door, and had a fantastic time - everyone should put French Polynesia on their list of places to visit.
"Spring Gold came in yesterday, and several other boats I know are arriving in the next few days. Most people eat in the evenings at what are known as roach-coaches - 40-45 converted vans that cook virtually any food you can imagine - French, Chinese, Algerian Italian Tahitian - it's a bit like Newton Square in Singapore. Anyway, the time is flying, and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself"
"I went to the barber today. I'm not sure how the misunderstanding arose, but I think it may be my poor French; when I said "six" he must have thought I said "un" - whatever the explanation, parts of my head are now seeing the sun for the first time in 59 years. I've had to put drapes over the mirrors, and wear a tag with my name on it. But I think the vahines [?] go for it!
"I've been showing Spring Gold and Mango Tango the fleshpots of Papeete - they were a bit thrown by the transvestite bar, but it was only when I showed them the gay bar that I realised what problems my haircut can cause: I've had to give up wearing white tee-shirts, specially since all the winching has given me such thick biceps and bulging deltoids!"