Nuku Hiva

We just made landfall in Nuku Hiva after crossing the largest body of water on Earth, the Pacific Ocean. The 34 day, 3600 nautical mile voyage seemed but a blink of an eye. We caught a moderate amount of fish with Makai leading the hunting party. She captured countless flying fish, feasting on the delicacy and leaving a pile of heads as trophies in the cockpit. We discovered the value of light on a dark evening. A flashlight is like crack for flying fish and I was hit three times when initiating my headlight one night. During the day we were frequented by light squalls and the Northwest raingear came in handy. Each evening we dined (usually on fish and rice) and enjoyed cocktails to watch the sunset as if nature was playing a movie. It became practice to say, “See you tomorrow” as the sun disappeared beneath the swells. Before night shifts, discussions consisted of politics, economics, personal enlightenment, and the best new trick to teach Makai. Night shifts (we need an autopilot) are a pleasure few have the opportunity to enjoy. The moon and stars quickly become companions and guides. Miles from the ocean floor, thousands from land, and millions from the moon and stars, there is a feeling of remoteness and insignificance. In the 34 days at sea, we saw only 3 fishing boats. Approaching sunrise on June 2nd, Makai rustled and stuck her nose high in the air as if something had changed. The mountains of Nuku Hiva (which gained popularity from the 2002 survivor series) emerged in the distance. After several “Land Ho” announcements we smiled… Paradise.
Nuku Hiva