Author: kerri

Dear F&F,
July 17, 2009

I finished reading this book as we departed the Marquesas & set sail for the Tuamotu Islands. Some of you may be more familiar with the book, Kon Tiki Expedition\”, written by the same author. Thor and wife Liv left their home in Norway to live a primitive lifestyle on the island of Fatu-Hiva. This was their goal:

Page 13
\”We wanted to see if the two of us, man and woman, could resume the life abandoned by our first ancestors. If we could tear ourselves away from our artificial life. Completely and utterly. Be independent. Independent of the least aid of civilization. Independent of everything except nature.

\”The island of Fatu-Hiva became our choice. Mountainous and lonely. Rich in sunshine, fruit, and drinking water. Few natives and no white men. \”

I won\’t spoil the story by telling you any of their adventures. But near the end of the book, his reflection and conclusions struck me as valid today, although the year they lived on this Marquesas Island was 1936. The book was published in the 1970\’s.

Pages 260-261
\”We like to think of progress as modern man\’s struggle to secure better food for more people, warmer clothing and finer dwellings for the poor, more medicine and hospitals for the sick, increased security against war, less corruption and crime, a happier life for young and old. But, as it has turned out, progress involves much more. It is progress when weapons are improved to kill more people at a longer range. It is progress when a little man becomes a giant because he can push a button and blow up the world. It is progress when the man in the street can stop thinking and creating because all his problems are solved by others who show him what happens if he turns on a switch. It is progress when people become so specialized that they know almost everything about almost nothing. It is also progress when reality gets so damned dull that we all survive by sitting staring at entertainment radiating from a box, or when one pill is invented to cure the harm done by another, or when hospitals grow up like mushrooms because our heads are overworked and our bodies underdeveloped, because our hearts are empty and our intestines filled with anything cleverly advertised. It is progress when a farmer leaves his hoe and a fisherman his net to step onto an assembly line the day the cornfield is leased to industry, which needs the salmon river as its sewer. It is progress when cities grow bigger and fields and forests smaller, until ever more men spend ever more time in subways and bumper-to-bumper car queues, until neon lights are needed in daytime because buildings grope for the sky and dwarf men and women in canyons where they roll along with klaxons screaming and blow exhaust all over their babies. When children get a sidewalk in exchange for a meadow, when the fragrance of flowers and the view of hills and forests are replaced by air conditioning and a view across the street. It is progress when a centuries-old oak is cut down to give space for a road sign.\”

\”We felt an urge, an inconvenient need, to return to civilization. But we did not want to be a single step farther from nature than life in our part of the world made necessary. Primitive life in the wilderness had filled us with a well-being, given us more than the city life as we knew it had ever been able to give us.\”

Our 5 weeks diving with the manta rays at Islas Revillagigedos last winter were as close to his feeling of \”back to nature\” that we have experienced so far. Except for the time we will spend in Tahiti & neighboring Society Islands, we look forward to visiting less developed, isolated islands where we can immerse (and submerse) ourselves in nature and breathe in that sense of well-being that Thor spoke of.

Cindy & Scott

Dear F&F,
July 15-16, 2009 – Hike to Waterfall

It was only 1 hour motoring around to the next protected anchorage, but I felt pretty bad from the motion of the ocean. It is a lovely spot, very tranquil. I was kind of lethargic the rest of the day. Scott decided to bake bread! Never discourage a man from cooking. I set him up with a recipe & all ingredients. It turned out great. The fact that the oven was on during the hottest part of the day, did not diminish our enjoyment of the yummy fresh bread. In the evening our group of 6 had a beach party complete with bonfire. Since we didn\’t roast anything, it seemed out of place in this climate & the smoke somewhat annoying. But it supposedly helps keep away bugs. We made our plan to begin the hike to the waterfall at 8:00 a.m.

The hike was 5 hours start to finish. It rained on & off so we were quite wet well before reaching the waterfall. We crossed a stream 4 times. Once knee deep & quite swift, but a convenient tree limb growing across helped us get to the other side. Someone thought this was the 3rd highest waterfall in the world, but I have no way to confirm that. The full height was viewed only at a distance. To Scott it appeared to be around 900 feet high. Once we were up close there was a pond to wade across. We had to scramble under & over huge boulders to reach the water catchment. It was refreshing to swim toward the spray zone. We did not go all the way back to the base of the waterfall. Even though this was a second water catchment that only fell about 100 feet, the power of the water was intense.

On our return, Augustine, a local bone carver that lives in the area along the waterfall path saw us walking by in the pouring rain. He invited us under his shelter & kindly showed us his work. We admired his large spear, used when hunting pigs. He has about 5 dogs & a few cats. We were amused to see that he feeds them baguettes! He generously picked papayas & limes from his trees. Mary smartly carries a bar of soap as an impromptu gift, she was the only one prepared to reciprocate.

The others bought bananas from another woman with a small farm. We were tired & wanted to just get back, but took a few wrong turns. In the end they 4 beat us in returning to the dinghies. We were tired but glad that we had this final outing at the Marquesas. The next hike we will be able to do is in Tahiti. The tallest thing to climb on any Tuamotu Island is a palm tree! We will set sail early tomorrow, expecting 3 days at sea.

Cindy & Scott

Dear F&F,
July 12, 2009

I finished reading kindred spirit Pamela Stephenson\’s book \”Treasure Islands\” & highly recommend it. Many pages sounded like my own words. (Vanity not intended.) An Australian born in New Zealand who lived a while in Marina del Rey, wrote it after a year at sea from Florida to Fiji. She went further faster, but we are following in her wake, as she followed in her near namesake travelers of yore, Fanny & Robert Louis Stevenson. I will return the book to David & Mary tomorrow but wanted to jot down a poignant paragraph or two of her remarks about the people of the Marquesas Islands.

Quoted from \”Treasure Islands\” page 141 & 142:

\”The Europeans had brought syphilis, smallpox, leprosy and TB that decimated the inhabitants of all the islands. The introduction of alcohol and firearms only contributed to the problem. In 1842 there were around 18,000 people living in the Marquesas, but by 1926 there were just over two thousand.
Some of the Marquesan people had even been stolen from their homeland by Peruvian slavers, who used trickery to induce people to board their boats then set sail with them against their will….

There still appears to be a general depressive sensibility in the psyche of the Marquesan people, judging from those I met. It\’s hardly surprising, after barely surviving being wiped out entirely, along with their art and culture, by a bunch of fanatical, white do-gooders – not to mention the blackbirders….

This is not paradise, but a stunningly beautiful place inhabited by some people who have become disenfranchised, depressed, or otherwise troubled. And as an affluent, visiting Westerner – I suppose I must be part of the problem.\”

Thank you Pamela for putting it so well. We have been told that the population among all the islands is currently between 3,000 to 5,000. We do not really feel that we are \”part of the problem\”, just sad that rather than embrace, as well as profit from, we tourists & yachts in transit, we frequently feel that we are inconvenient, annoying and of no interest. Fortunately acts of outright hostility were rare. We always smile. We try to speak French, which is a widely accepted & spoken 2nd language, to their Marquesan. Many know some English.

The Marquesas islands were \”on our way\” more than a destination for us. The biggest joy of the islands so far has been getting to know (& swapping books with) David & Mary of sailboat \”Giselle\”.

\”Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold\”. You are our golden group. Our family. Sometimes my therapy couch. Keep the emails \”from home\” coming!

Cindy & Scott

Dear F&F,
July 12, 2009

We love to get emails from our friends and family. My friend since 8th grade, affectionately known by me as Linky, was a field missionary nurse in the Philippines and Thailand for many years. After reading about my struggles with the tropics she wrote this:

Dearest Cindy,

I\’m very sporadic about getting on the internet and reading email, and even less frequently read your Ship\’s Logs. but I just finished reading from before you landed until the most recent post in the Marquesas. Wow! Sounds like you got the whole treatment at once, and when you were at your
lowest, with fatigue and little quality couple time! I can so totally relate. And the time in the muddy harbor with no breeze or clean water to swim in sounds so familiar! I knew you didn\’t want to be cold, but I always wondered how you would feel in the tropical heat. I\’m so glad you have a/c
to fall back on when you really need a rest.

Not only the traveling gets you down. You and Scott both have a huge stress load from so many major changes in your lives, and the deaths of so many loved ones. It is a huge burden that you easily forget you are carrying, but which doesn\’t go away. It just takes time and can\’t be rushed. Then add to that, you are living in a foreign culture, even if you are off shore. Like you said, you are no longer independent to do as you please, when you please, for as long as you please, like you were when living in the US. Plus, the heat takes an incredible toll – all day and all night. You weren\’t just exhausted or imagining it when you slept so hard with the a/c. Your body was finally comfortable and at a temperature it recognized as normal. Each of those things and more add up to a huge load for your body and psyche to deal with. It sounds to me like you are both handling it great! You both sound so loving and forgiving of each other, allowing each other the time and space needed to cope. And you really DO need those \”home days\” to just putter around and let your mind and body recoup and catch up with all that is going on.

You are experiencing what everyone who moves to another culture experiences to some degree or another. But most of us are set up in one place and stay there until the adjustment is made. You are moving all the time and never are able to get completely comfortable in a situation before going on to another that requires more adjustments. Hopefully in Taihiti or the next big port of call you will feel at home enough to really relax and rest up.

Mildew.!!! A whole book of a topic by itself. You remember that in Old Testament Law, they had to kill the mildew and destroy anything that it couldn\’t be killed in, like burning a house where they couldn\’t get rid of mildew. We often thought of that when we lived in the tropics. Without constant a/c it is impossible to keep things free of mildew. Even books lined up on an open shelf with constant air movement mildewed between the pages and covers. I don\’t think things in lockers can ever be kept mildew free. I had open metal shelving for all our clothes and linens, yet everything always smelled musty, just by being stacked on a shelf. That is why when we moved to Thailand, we kept the a/c going in at least one room all the time. And it did keep our things dry and smelling nice. But whenever we went away for vacation, the place mildewed up. My only advice is to do what you\’re already doing; prioritize what has to be kept clean, clean other areas as you are able, and be easy on yourself when things get ahead of you. Hope this finds you well rested and in great high spirits.
I love you! Linky

Cindy & Scott

Dear F&F,
July 9-11, 2009

We have had a few sailing days with only 1-2 stopping days. We are seeking diving & here. Nuku Hiva is our best shot for the Marquesas. Taiohae Bay is really the largest community and the center of tourism in the Marquesas Islands. 13 years ago we flew from Hiva Oa (where we also first made landfall from the Galapagos with Mike), to here & stayed in a hotel owned by an American woman named Rose Corser that Scott knew from his sailing days to Tahiti in 1976. She has sold out her interest in her former hotel and now runs a small museum/boutique. She was happy to see us but busy with tourists from the cruise ship. We awoke to the giant \”Paul Gaugain\” in the harbor today so when we went ashore it was bustling with the tourists. Everything is overpriced & not that nice, as far as local artisan wood or stone carvings, jewelry, etc. Since the supply ship was just here yesterday, the one market was still stocking the shelves so I only bought some fruit.

Yesterday felt kind of seasick getting here but it was only a 3 hour trip. I had tried an alternate seasick medicine, maybe didn\’t take a high enough dose to be effective. It\’s kind of trial and error. It seems I am seasick every time we sail now & often when at a bumpy anchorage. I am kind of hoping there is some connection to my recent ear infection problems & hope to see a dive savvy ear doc when next in California to find some solutions to both problems.

Then last night I didn\’t sleep well so have been kind of lethargic & crabby today. Dragging along when we went ashore. It is hot, but some cloud cover. We had a soaking rain last night which is great to get the salt off the boat. The few windows we keep open overnight we just have to leap up & close quickly when we feel the rain.

Scott wakes up singing loves songs & smiling at me, so I feel like a real poopy-head when I am so low energy. I\’ve pretty much stopped taking any sleep meds except the homeopathic Calms Forte & melatonin since I only got 2 hours sleep with any other meds, so hardly worth it. It sure would be nice to have something onboard that DID help me sleep. Both Scott & I try to let my tired days pass without too much introspection because it is not usually a good time to get into any serious discussions. I am still enjoying the \”Treasure Islands\” book written by the woman that followed in the wake of Robert Louis & Fanny Stevenson. I need to finish it soon to return to Mary & David who will probably catch up with us again in a few days. I don\’t like to lie/sit still very long so it takes me a long time to finish a book.

It is very pretty here, green mountains. The boats are spread out in the large bay, not jammed up like the last several islands. While onshore we bought another expensive WiFi access card & it is very slow but I can get on the internet from anchor. There is no internet cafe, just 2 scuzzy computers in the back of a claustrophobic little shop that reeks of incense. We heard there is a pizza place that lets you connect when you eat there. The only make pizza for dinner, not lunch, otherwise we would have loved to eat some evil carbs. Scott plans to call Rose via radio in the morning, may try to make a dinner date with her tomorrow to have more chance to catch up.

We met 2 other American boats: one couple that came straight here from Monterey, CA & plan to do a 3 year circumnavigation. The other couple, Mike and Mary are on a catamaran, \”Carpe Vita\” & have been cruising for 6 years, having left from San Louis Obispo.

Cindy & Scott

Dear F&F,
July 5, 2009

Scott received an email this afternoon that our beloved Marion has passed on. Some of you knew the curmudgeonly mother figure that she was in Scott\’s life. With the nickname of \”Mu\”, she was his confidante & friend besides long time office manager. She had quit smoking 10 years ago, but the prior 50 years had already taken their toll. It was lung cancer, just like Suzanne. Her 3 children all lived a great distance away. Only her son from Toronto was with her when she passed away in her own home, with hospice standing by. She was 83.

Similar to Suzanne, she was a force to be reckoned with. Marion was occasionally sensitive to Scott\’s side of an issue, but they could have screaming arguments that took some getting used to. The ruckus always ending with hugs; at least by the next day or end of the week. His size did not daunt her. If she wanted to be heard, she made darn well sure that she was. She embraced me as the most important woman in his life. She adored Skye & considered us family. In some ways Scott was closer to her than her own children.

One Marion story I will tell is when she began to be worried about memory loss. Forgetting names, searching for a word – she was scared she was getting Alzheimers. She did not want any of her children to know so as not to worry them. And in order to retain her independence & medical choices. She knew of my experience with my Dad & my decision to not put him on Aricept (after a brief trial with negative side effects). I offered to go with her to the Cedars Sinai neurologist when she got the results of her brain scan. He was young & kind. There were degenerative changes that the radiologist said \”MAY BE indicative of early stage Alzheimers\”. What I heard was MAYBE NOT. What I also made the MD articulate is that all people\’s brains over 60 show some age related changes which hers could be. Nonetheless she was scared enough to begin the Aricept. I honored her decision to take the medicine, saying I did not know what I would do if it were me faced with this test result. Scott honored her even more saying \”I\’ll let you know when you\’re losing it Marion! You don\’t get to quit on me that easy.\” Having a place to go every day, where she felt needed & useful was critical. She was happy for Scott & me to realize our dream of sailing away, but she missed him desperately. It didn\’t work out for her to stay on with the new dentist. And who was going to hire a crotchety 81 year old? Scott\’s last day of work, was pretty well her last day too.

She bought a computer & learned how to do email just to keep in touch with us. Her kids that all lived far away had nagged her to do this, but since she could just call them she wasn\’t motivated. When she could no longer call Scott, she jumped into the computer age. They exchanged correspondence frequently, even as her condition declined. She complained about the live-in assistance she needed. He tried to coax her to accept the help a bit more graciously. It was not so long ago we went through this with Suzanne being impatient with Carmina in her last months. When you feel sick & tired. you get more grouchy than ever. And, if you knew Marion, she could be kind of grouchy to begin with! His last email from her was 4 days ago. He knew she was weak & failing as there was not one gripe. All it said was: \”How are you? I miss you. Love to Cindy & Skye. Love, Mu\”

This is the 4th news of death we have received in 15 days. First Annie the Granny (Skye\’s maternal grandmother). Then two of Scott\’s high school friends each lost a parent. He knew these parents well from many days spent at his friends, homes. Now Marion. I don\’t know if it Jewish superstition, or general superstition that says death comes in 3. Even though expected, you can never be prepared. The funeral will be Weds or Thurs. We will be at a remote island out here in the Marquesas.

I was so glad I had already thawed chicken & planned a comforting dinner of rice & curry. Scott wrote the sad news to his former office staff & a few longtime patients. He tended to our usual routine of boat duties & is now reading. I want to hold him & cry, but it is not my turn. Thank God, it is not yet my turn. I keep praying that Dad will hang on until we reach an international airport…

Before that we had a wonderful day, an outing to a nearby bay. But it seems trivial & I\’m not in the mood to describe it now. I was just mentioning to my sister Alberta recently how I am not very zen in my feelings about death. My belief is zen. But the emotion is sadness & loss. Death is so permanent. We will never see her wrinkled but still rosy cheeks again. She suffered from severe spinal stenosis, a poorly healed knee fracture and then this cancer. She suffers no more. Her memory loss never seemed substantial in our opinion. Scott nor his staff, noticed errors in her work as his billing department. She was a well respected Grand Dame, divorced & lived alone many years. At her age she had already attended many funerals of close friends. That is the drawback of longevity. And why I love to connect with younger people. I want to know the sons & daughters of my friends. I want to know Skye\’s friends. I happen to have 4 older siblings & many older friends. You had all better darn well take good care of yourselves! I am counting on you being there when we are done with this sailing the world business.

Cindy & Scott

Dear F&F,
July 2, 2009

Yesterday the tender (dinghy) from the 140 foot schooner had only 2 crew members aboard & was zooming by fairly close to Beach House, so in addition to a friendly wave to them, I waved them over to meet us. We met the engineer who is from Holland & deckhand from Baltimore. We introduced ourselves & asked about their travel history, plans & owners of the yacht. There is a crew of 7 for the 2 owners. Husband & wife from the U.K. The crew did not reveal anything about them, but we did get confirmation that everyone aboard is a diver. Now that would be a fun group to have as a \”buddy boat\”! I noticed they had a dinghy full of trash bags. I had not seen a trash deposit place onshore & thought I had to stow mine until the next island or two. They confirmed they knew where to dump trash & they were willing to take my 2 bags. Oh goody! I always prefer to not stow trash a long time up in my laundry area.

This morning Karen, Graham, Mary, David, Scott & I went to shore (in 2 dinghies) & went for a hike. The idea to get a ride around to the other settlement from a local fell through. David & Mary had previously done a big hike high up to get a nice view of the bay & interior parts of the island & it didn\’t look like rain so off we went. These 4 are our age or older but were like mountain goats compared to us. We were huffing & puffing to keep up. I think the UK & New Zealand folk are built of heartier stock than we soft Californians. Even David who still needs to lose a few pounds (in addition to the 30 already lost on the low GI diet) was keeping up a conversation on the steep hills as Scott & I were lagging. Boy, we must be out of shape! Can\’t wait to get back to swimming, snorkeling & diving – my favorite forms of exercise. After nearly 3 hours Scott was being carried along by the group energy, but I looked at my watch & cried \”Uncle\”. The path started to go down the other side & I was not about to go down, then back up, then back down again. Scott snapped into reason and so we bid our hearty friends farewell. We enjoyed a nice time alone returning down the way we\’d come. The goal of the rest of the group was to get a view of Omoa, but we heard later that they never really did, so I was glad we turned around when we did. We had only apples & granola bars & 2 liters of water which was just enough to sustain us on what ended up being a 5 hour hike. The green hills, jagged volcanic cliffs, and stunning view of the bay from on high were wonderful. But enough is enough. I wanted to enjoy it, not endure it.

When Scott & I reached the bottom we bumped into the family from boat \”Elvis the Gecko\” (cute story behind the name…a gecko came home in the boy\’s suitcase from a trip to the Caribbean & was named Elvis & this morphed into a boat…). They are also Scottish (like Mary) although have a home & live in London. The girls are 12 & 6, the boy 9. I gave the 6 year old a fragrant white flower along the path. She smiled & put it behind her ear. The 12 year old said she really loved this trip. She got certified to scuba dive in Antigua (Caribbean) & enjoyed diving with the sharks in the Galapagos as we did. Mom\’s name is Sammy & she is a horse woman. Dad is Martin & this is really his dream/idea. They have owned the boat for 3 years, but have only sailed since April. They will fly back to London for the school year from Tahiti. The captain & cook (only 2 crew for the family of 5) will deliver the boat to New Zealand. So far the family\’s plan is to just cruise the summers. I completely understand the Mom not wanting to home school 3 children. They almost need to take a tutor/teacher as a crew member. And though 66 feet sounds like a big boat, they already have 7 people aboard which with various personalities & moods can be a bit much.

We were glad to see our 4 friends get back safely later in the afternoon & also secretly glad that we turned back when we did as they all got caught in the rain. \”Giselle\” & \”Beach House\” plan to set sail (about 7 hour trip) for Tahuata tomorrow. \”Red Herring II\” (New Zealand couple Graham & Karen) are going to wait a day or 2 as boat \”Independence\” is expected to arrive tomorrow from Galapagos. They are an American couple on a catamaran with 2 boys ages 3 & 6 years old who got delayed leaving due to a part that was not shipped timely from Florida. They have had more breakage underway & Karen feels they need a friendly face to welcome them. Elvis the Gecko\’s kids also befriended the Independence boys but they are leaving at midnight to sail to Hiva Oa. All the boats that made landfall here are not officially checked in to French Polynesia, but if they are part of the E.U. the officials do not seem to care. Whereas we heard stories of some boats being fined $200 for landing here at Fatu Hiva & not going to a port of check in first. Whatever. We did it the kosher way, although it cost us that horrible upwind sail from Hiva Oa back to here. No more upwind sailing! I hope & pray. We should have the wind & sea at our backs from now till Tahiti. I will go put on my patch just in case…

We\’ll see how the wind is tonight & make our final decision about departure in the morning, but after 9 days here we are ready to move on.

Cindy & Scott