Baie de Taioa

We're currently anchored in a beautiful bay called Baie de Taioa (better known to cruisers as daniel's bay for a friendly guy who used to live on the beach here). it's absolutely stunning - we've run out of superlatives to describe the topography. We're surrounded by 1600' cliffs, and it feels like we're anchored in some mystical pool at the bottom of the grand canyon. Getting up and having breakfast on deck is in itself a wonder - just to look around and see this place.

Amanda pointed out to me when we came in that we know people who have been to Tahiti, know people who have been to Fiji, New Zealand, etc., but NO ONE goes to the Marquesas unless they're on a boat. It's pretty magic to be in a place that's this remote and in many ways (despite a bay full of cruising boats and french flags flying everywhere) feels untouched.

We walked a few miles inland today to see the highest waterfall in french polynesia and the third highest waterfall in the world (it was pointed out that there is perhaps more than one waterfall touted as third highest worldwide - a dubious designation, but anyway...). The hike took us up a river valley (of course), and i was again reminded of the canyon country, minus the desert. Fruit litters the ground here - grapefruit (that tastes like a three way cross between the grapefruit you're thinking of, a lime and an orange. The most delicious citrus fruit i've ever tasted), mango, breadfruit, starfruit, passion fruit and guava that we've discovered so far. There are no poisionous snakes, or spiders on any of the marquesan islands, and the water is so pure that with only one exception, jerry cans can be filled from the streams without treatment. It's the most verdent place i've ever seen.

The waterfall was unfortunately something of a disappointment. Viewed from a mile or so distant on the trail, it's breathtaking, but up close, 90% of the falls are obscured. 30 feet of visible falls felt a little anticlimatic. Not to be deterred, we swam in freshwater for the first time in months, and lamented our failure to bring along soap. Munching on mangos as we walked back, it was hard to feel like the day had been anything other than a spectacular success, even if the falls are best viewed from a distance.

Wwe'll be here for another day or two - long enough for amanda to clean the fridge and for me to check a squeak i don't like on the steering linkage. Then i think we'll head to Anaho Bay where a surf break is rumored (though not shown ANYWHERE on the internet - unheard of in the surfing world these days... i'm excited), and then to Ua Puo, the next island south.

After that, it's on to the Tuomotus which sound really cool to me. They're all atolls, which promises for exciting sailing into the inlets, calm anchorages, excellent water visibility (good snorkeling), and the chance of surf on the outside shores. The weather patterns differ there, so the heavy clouds we have almost constantly here should lift, and we'll have sunshine which translates to solar which translates to the fridge being on which translates to a cold beer (finally). I'm excited to get there, but am practicing my zen and trying to appreciate the maginficence of where we are in the here and now.

I keep imagining that i could have lived a life where i didn't do this, and it freaks me out.