Dear F&F,
July 9-11, 2009
We have had a few sailing days with only 1-2 stopping days. We are seeking diving & here. Nuku Hiva is our best shot for the Marquesas. Taiohae Bay is really the largest community and the center of tourism in the Marquesas Islands. 13 years ago we flew from Hiva Oa (where we also first made landfall from the Galapagos with Mike), to here & stayed in a hotel owned by an American woman named Rose Corser that Scott knew from his sailing days to Tahiti in 1976. She has sold out her interest in her former hotel and now runs a small museum/boutique. She was happy to see us but busy with tourists from the cruise ship. We awoke to the giant \”Paul Gaugain\” in the harbor today so when we went ashore it was bustling with the tourists. Everything is overpriced & not that nice, as far as local artisan wood or stone carvings, jewelry, etc. Since the supply ship was just here yesterday, the one market was still stocking the shelves so I only bought some fruit.
Yesterday felt kind of seasick getting here but it was only a 3 hour trip. I had tried an alternate seasick medicine, maybe didn\’t take a high enough dose to be effective. It\’s kind of trial and error. It seems I am seasick every time we sail now & often when at a bumpy anchorage. I am kind of hoping there is some connection to my recent ear infection problems & hope to see a dive savvy ear doc when next in California to find some solutions to both problems.
Then last night I didn\’t sleep well so have been kind of lethargic & crabby today. Dragging along when we went ashore. It is hot, but some cloud cover. We had a soaking rain last night which is great to get the salt off the boat. The few windows we keep open overnight we just have to leap up & close quickly when we feel the rain.
Scott wakes up singing loves songs & smiling at me, so I feel like a real poopy-head when I am so low energy. I\’ve pretty much stopped taking any sleep meds except the homeopathic Calms Forte & melatonin since I only got 2 hours sleep with any other meds, so hardly worth it. It sure would be nice to have something onboard that DID help me sleep. Both Scott & I try to let my tired days pass without too much introspection because it is not usually a good time to get into any serious discussions. I am still enjoying the \”Treasure Islands\” book written by the woman that followed in the wake of Robert Louis & Fanny Stevenson. I need to finish it soon to return to Mary & David who will probably catch up with us again in a few days. I don\’t like to lie/sit still very long so it takes me a long time to finish a book.
It is very pretty here, green mountains. The boats are spread out in the large bay, not jammed up like the last several islands. While onshore we bought another expensive WiFi access card & it is very slow but I can get on the internet from anchor. There is no internet cafe, just 2 scuzzy computers in the back of a claustrophobic little shop that reeks of incense. We heard there is a pizza place that lets you connect when you eat there. The only make pizza for dinner, not lunch, otherwise we would have loved to eat some evil carbs. Scott plans to call Rose via radio in the morning, may try to make a dinner date with her tomorrow to have more chance to catch up.
We met 2 other American boats: one couple that came straight here from Monterey, CA & plan to do a 3 year circumnavigation. The other couple, Mike and Mary are on a catamaran, \”Carpe Vita\” & have been cruising for 6 years, having left from San Louis Obispo.
Cindy & Scott