We got our new computer and we are up and running again.We made it to Hiva Oa on April 8 at 9 degrees 48 minutes south- 139 degrees 1 minute west.  We are now in Tahiti & Moorea, we will be here till June 24, then on to Huahine, Raiatea and Bora Bora. We will move on to the Cook Islands the 1st of August and then to the Vava'u Group then to Fiji and maybe New Caldone then New Zealand. We have met people from Belgium, Holland, Germany, Canada, England, Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia.

We arrived in Atuona, Hiva Oa Marquesas April 8. We were greeted by some of the "yatchie's" that arrived ahead of us. One brought us our first fresh baguette. Luke and Jackie from Belgium came to meet us and told us about the place, the ins and outs. They were going to a Marquesin birthday party Sunday and we were invited. Was great, Sean Marie (the taxi driver there) and Simone (the Marquesin) were celebrating their daughter's 13th birthday. We had chocolate cake and the daughter did a Polynesian dance in her perreo and beads. We later had a Marquesin dinner. Roast boar, poison cru (a raw fish in lime and coconut milk) sweet rice with sugar and coconut, guabia poi poi pudding, bread fruit. Sean Marie played guitar and sang, we danced too. Simone played the spoons in a bottle. Her cousin Maggie and Cattla were there too.They gave us papamoose (a very large sweet grapefruit) and large avocados about 8" when we left.

APRIL 10,2000

Going to town to check in, we found a dinghy of our friends being bashed by waves and pushed under the dock. We rescued it and pulled it ashore for them. Took the taxi and there were lots of flowers in bloom - so beautiful and everything there was so green. It was great to see color after days of just blue and grey.

We went to the bank to post bond as part of our check-in. We waited in line 2 hours. Then at 11:00 am she said come back at 2:00. Sean Marie invited us and another Belgian couple to his home again for lunch. We had poison cru and rice. Boy, she could hack that fish up with a big knife.

APRIL 11, 2000

Laundry day we went ashore to a wash stand. Dan and Jerry jugged fuel and I did laundry by hand with Bob and Cin on Tucumcarry and also with Yavona & Piero, a Belgian couple. It is more fun with others.

APRIL 12, 2000

Took a tour of the island and saw the archaeological ruins and tiki statues and picked different fruits along the way. We stopped at Simon's fathers farm and bought papamoose and dried bananas. We went to other small villages and swam at a beach and had a picnic lunch. 4 couples went on the tour, we went in a Scout 4 x 4 - we rode in the back most of the way. The other was a utility vehicle, brand new in fact.

APRIL 13, 2000

Went ashore and washed sheets, Dan helped, got water all over everywhere.

APRIL 14, 2000

Another Hallberg Rassy came in, 49' - we visited with them. They were with the Blue water Rally from a European group from England. Had come from the Galapagos Islands. That afternoon big waves came and swamped a catamaran, who lost his anchor and two other boats did also.The cat got turned sideways and the waves spilled in their boat, getting things soaked. We took quite a lift from it also.

APRIL 16, 2000

Went to Tahuata right close by, position 9 degrees 54 minutes south- 139 degrees 6 minutes west at Hanamoenoa Bay, Dan said this was paradise. We had clean water to swim and dive. We also had a beach party. We met David, a 14 yr old, a young boy who lived there with his brother. His dad lived in Fatu Hiva and his mom lived in Papeete. He traded us some limes for a western cassette and some batteries. Another boater gave him a cassette and head phones; he loved it. WhirlWind (103' yacht) and Catofun 44' catamaran joined us. We got a tour of WhirlWind - 5 bedrooms,  washer and dryer,  dishwasher, 3 mercedes engines, 2000 gallon fuel and air conditioning. Only took 13 days crossing the Pacific, took us 28 days.

APRIL 25, 2000