26.03.08 5pm Marquesas time.
Ian phones home in the afternoon (25th) to learn he’s a Grandad again! Kadyn Darby was born 10am UK time this morning –congratulations to Jady, Lynn and big sister Myli! This very happy news is the icing on the cake of another beautiful day’s sailing in bright sunshine with a cloudless sky. We’re almost straight on course for Hiva Oa – the wind is a constant 15-20 knots and we maintain a speed of 8-10 knots throughout the afternoon and into the night. We’re seeing many different birds now (a sure sign we’re nearing land) including frigates, terns , boobys , sooty terns and some others that aren’t close enough for us to identify. They almost seem to hunt in layers, with the frigates the highest in the sky occasionally swooping down to grab what others have caught. Clearly the survival of the fittest out here! The forecast is for stronger winds tonight and in the late afternoon we see the first mackerel skies of the trip. As the night comes on it clouds over and becomes squally, with increased wind speed as predicted. Although there’s still quite a big moon, it’s often behind the cloud and it’s not until we’re quite close to Hiva Oa , and the nearby Island of Tahuata, that we can make out their outlines. A big squall hits us as we approach Hiva Oa; Ian takes the helm to ride it out and at one point we’re almost heading back out to sea. We’re all up on deck for the last couple of hours as we approach and begin to decifer the various lights ashore. We anchor on the outside of the breakwater until morning , then manage to anchor very close to the shore where it’s not too rolly. We wake up in a beautiful bay, steep sided and covered in lush vegetation with towering peaks behind. This looks and feels like the South Pacific! We’re welcomed ashore with floral garlands and we jump in a taxi to explore the local village, a couple of miles round the corner. It’s a sleepy wee town; we’re too late for checking in at the gendarmerie, we have a wander then go to lunch with the Strega crew. We walk back from the village and go for a wee siesta as planning to go ashore with Strega and Tallulah Ruby (who have just arrived) for a wee party……..