The Magnificent Marquesas

Second Wind at anchor at Hanavave Bay, Fatu Hiva

The Marquesas are the first island chain encountered by sailors crossing the Pacific. They are part of French Polynesia but have a distinct culture, language and geology. Many cruisers say they wish they had spent more time in the Marquesas, so we made sure we immersed ourselves thoroughly: we spent 31 of our 90-day visas there, exploring 13 anchorages on 5 different islands. And they were truly magnificent! The scenery was consistently stunning, with volcanic peaks, jungle hikes and waterfalls, and we deeply enjoyed the fascinating archaeological sites.   

We also realized it's not just about the scenery, it's about the people. In spite of the language barrier (Art speaks limited French, and my language was Spanish), we had many delightful times with people on each island. We left with treasures: memories, stories, some art work, and plenty of photographs!

I'll leave these "teaser" photos in this entry, then take you on a tour from island to island with new ones. The captions give background information, but you won't miss much by just breezing through the photos!

Me'ae Iiopona (Paumau archaeological site), Hiva Oa