The Heniges Log Blog

Floating in Paradise

We've spared you all from a barrage of updates recently, particularly since they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. So now that you're all a bit fonder of us, here's what we've been up to!

Sarah and I jumped back and forth between some rental units on shore and sleeping on the boat while we all slowly recuperated from our month at sea. We did some additional provisioning, but thanks to Sarah's very thorough shopping in Mexico it was mainly fresh goods we were after.

We saw folks scurrying about like cockroaches, encumbered with large crates of eggs one evening. We now understand that they were frantically buying all the eggs the supply ship just brought in, because there are otherwise no eggs to purchase. I do hope the locals have separate, private shipments of eggs, if they want them.

We cruised over to a nearby bay one evening and did some very murky snorkeling, but enjoyed a beautiful beach. I of course lost my snorkel in 16ft of extremely murky water, and there it still lies. But the next day we did an extraordinarily beautiful hike that Sarah has instagrammed all about. I'm not really sure how to describe it, except to say it seems like something out of a fairy tale. I don't want to be wantonly romanticizing the South Pacific, but it is an incredible place.

The Marquesas Islands are known for being tropical mountains jutting out of the sea.
Our hike required crossing this river. And then crossing it again. And repeating that 5 times or so.
Probably an AI waterfall. How is there even any water up there to fall down?
Luckily none of us took a full swim. At least in anything but pools of our own sweat.
The dogs in the Marquesas Islands have so far been very friendly!
The pamplemousse, or grapefruit, seems to be the most common fruit here. The peels are incredibly thick, but the juicy interior is delightful. Much less sour than grapefruits back home, and green in color.

Chelsea and Jesse then sailed us upwind for a rough 24 hour motor sail that involved the bathroom flooding and soaking all of their tools with saltwater. So if anyone tells you the boat life is glamorous, well, they are definitely lying. The boat life is more wondering if you can put off fixing whatever just broke so you can get a swim or snorkel in before fixing it.

But enough of the woes, they sailed us to another paradise island where we had a private cove for several nights. And we snorkeled with Manta Rays! And a sea turtle! And so many cool fish I don't even know how to describe. And then in one of the greatest moments of my life, I popped my head above the water by a rocky shore and saw not one, but two Pacific Herons staring right at me several feet away! Guys, I have found it, the world's best activity combo: snorkel-birding! I thought it was ski-biking, but snorkel-birding might give it a run for the money.

Living the boat life
This rug was drying and blew overboard during the night. I dove down and saw it a few times, but it was too deep for me. Jesse miraculously found it later again and retrieved it from 28 feet, thereby winning Ocean Savior of the Week. His reward was a round of high-fives from the crew. But the real reward was not adding garbage to the ocean.
Why yes, I _would_ like to snorkel there! How did you know!?

So we have one more night of snorkel-glory, then we're headed to Hiva Oa to catch a flight onto Tahiti as we say goodbye to the SV Ophelia and they shed the sibling-parasites that latched onto their boat for a few months. Godspeed Ophelia, and may you find many days of exploration and relaxation in your future, and may everything that breaks be but a minor annoyance in the journey, at least most of the time.

At least we weren't the boat that broke a rudder and somehow managed to get themselves to French Polynesia still. Apparently they are putting on a flying circus act off their mast to raise funds for a new rudder. Sadly we are no longer at that anchorage and won't get to see the show.

Comments

  1. Ulla
    Great write-up! So happy you had this adventure together. Good luck to Chelsea and Jesse on their continued journey with their sailboat and to you and Sarah on your next destination and adventure.
  2. Scott
    I hope Cornell puts out a combination fish/bird identifier app.
  3. Sierra
    Amazing updates, as per usual!! Maybe the rug was pursuing its dreams of being a swimming carpet (lesser known variant of magic flying carpet)
  4. Chelsea
    That carpet was also washed and put back into service! Cleaner than the other rug now.

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