svbeachhouse

Author: kerrizane

  • Quotation from \”Treasure Islands\”…..

    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

  • Ua Pou to Nuku Hiva…..

    Dear F&F,
    July 6-8, 2009

    July 6
    We were up at 5:30 & out of the anchorage by 6:00 a.m. My seasick meds worked ok, but I had a stomachache that does not seem to be seasickness, but upset tummy all day. 8 hours later we are here. It is not as beautiful as the last place. No snorkeling or diving will be done here.

    The anchorage is a pretty small place. Of the 5 boats, 2 boats we know from before & 1 Scott has communicated with on email. An American couple, Phil & Leslie on sailboat \”Carina\” out cruising 6 years. They told us that the big cargo ship will come in tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. & we may need to move to make room for it. Shopping should be better at the little stores day after that. Tomorrow 2 boat friends I\’d mentioned before plan to join us here, but Lord knows how there will be room for us to all safely anchor. There is another bay not far. They may have to go beyond here to that point.

    We only spent 1 day, 2 nights at the Hakahau, Ua Pou anchorage. It was no problem with the cargo ship. We had to move back a bit to keep our bows out of the way of the huge ship swinging in front of us. Hats off to the Captain of Aranui III. He really finessed the docking of the large ship. There was a lot of activity onshore with locals awaiting their supplies to be offloaded & tourists walking about the small village. We talked to a few of the 98 passengers: a couple from Boston & a couple from Australia. We also met an Australian man that lives here, married to a local. He lives with his second Marquesian wife. After his first wife died of asthma, her family did not want to see him lonely so found him another wife. How nice of them! He was very friendly which was nice for a change. Many of the Marquesians are very jaded about the tourists & cruisers. We come & go & they don\’t seem to be interested in us at all. We smile & say Bonjour everywhere we go, but the reception has been very cool overall. I plan to write a separate post about the Marquesan history that explains some of their indifference and even distaste for westerners. Much of it understandable.

    The village we walked through on Ua Pou was about the size of my home town Penngrove (Sonoma County, California). The church was a pretty building. There was an unfinished, not yet open museum that looked promising. There were about 5 \”magasains\” (pronounce it with a French accent: small markets). I took two of my padded Trader Joes shopping bags to see what I could find. Shelf life, low fat milk a rare & happy find. Mostly only whole milk is available. I bought 6 liters. Also found canned Ratatouille which I could not resist, although it turned out to be somewhat disappointing. The low GI diet prefers whole wheat spaghetti (not found in these parts) or vermicelli (bean pasta) instead of white flour pasta. Bought vermicelli – very bland, but can be dressed up with an assortment of sauces. Also found wonderful French blue cheese. Many times I have found blue cheese to have an acid/chemical taste, but this was amazingly delicious. So smooth & creamy with just the right amount of \”bite\”. Happily spread on my \”failure\” bread. Forgot to add the yeast until all other ingredients already mixed. I am trying to use up all my evil carbohydrates in preparation for launching the \”Montignac Diet\” from Tahiti. It is shocking that half of my pantry is forbidden ingredients: no white flour, no sugar at all (fructose is ok, but will have to import that from L.A.), no corn, not even popcorn. I am as interested for my hypoglycemic self as much as my heftier than desired husband. The guy is French so his recipes all sound delicious. Wine is allowed in moderation. Many health conscious people recommend going off wheat & sugar. If you read this guy\’s book you will be convinced WHY it is a good idea. Scott has stopped sugar in his tea. Stopped the sugary/salty Gatorade. When I have used up our \”evil carbs\” we will have room for the pounds of lentils & oats I will need to properly comply with the low GI diet. Cheese is allowed. Nuts are allowed. Protein of every kind is allowed. Heavy emphasis on veggies. Certain fruits better than others. Lots of time in the galley, unfortunately, but I am motivated so we\’ll see how it goes after we reach Tahiti & after I return to CA & can buy the book.

    I am still reading the \”Treasure Islands\” book by Pamela Stephenson that follows in the wake of Robert Louis & Fanny Stevenson. She is a New Zealander & her husband a popular comedian in Scotland. Good read. I am just slow to finish & thankfully David & Mary are patient with me. They will arrive here tomorrow.

    July 8 – Nuku Hiva Arrival

    It was only a 3 1/2 hour passage door to door. Unfortunately even though the conditions were good, I felt seasick. I had tried an alternative seasick med & it was not that effective. Headachy/malaise, so disappointing. Scott really enjoyed the sail. He just finished reading \”It Doesn\’t Take a Hero\”, the autobiography by Norman Schwarzkopf. It was a good read for him & he is trying to implement the tenants of being a better general. We have encountered repeated communication challenges with boating maneuvers. He subconsciously expects me to read his mind. I get discouraged with repeated negative feedback. We are attempting to change this. He is learning how to encourage & reward the troops (moi) for good behavior & mostly ignore the bad behavior (vs giving negative feedback). Of course safety is always our priority. We are trying to adapt to each other\’s style & needs. I am motivated to be a better soldier & he is motivated to be a better general so hope springs eternal. We are laughing more, afterwards, if not in the moment. He has also taken to mimicking our New Zealand friend\’s accent that puts me into hysterical laughter. More laughing is a good thing.

    This is a large bay. We know 2 boats here: \”Elvis the Gecko\” from Fatu Hiva (from London with children 6,9 and 11) & \”Courisk\”, (Brian we have only spoken to on the morning radio net). There are about 25 boats in this large & lovely bay. The cargo ship that left our last island yesterday is here today. So shopping should be good in the next 2 days. I will need to provision here for the Tuamotus which is the island group we will tour between here & Tahiti. There is a possibility of diving here. We will go to shore tomorrow & investigate from the local dive shop.

    We anchored bow & stern to lie comfortably to the swell. There is a nice breeze of 8 knots, which helps take the edge off the 89 degrees inside the house. I still have leftover chicken curry for our dinner. The lentils for lunch were delicious. I am so glad my seasick symptoms are more headachy than stomach achy. At least I can eat.

    We are keeping all our options open for the cyclone season Nov-March. Scott will be keen to get on the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) website to see if it is really shaping up to be an El Nino year or not. If yes, we might sail to Hawaii at the end of Oct. If no, we would stay in Tahiti for the season. Either way, I will be at a dock from Nov-March & be able to fly home.

    We will be here likely 4-7 days. I must stock up on food as the Tuamotus won\’t have much. The oranges we picked up at Tahuata are extremely sour with many seeds. I am eager to find some fresh fruit & veggies.

    Cindy & Scott

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES
    TIME: 2009/07/07 00:46
    LATITUDE: 09-21.52S
    LONGITUDE: 140-02.83W
    MARINE: NO
    WIND_SPEED: 9
    WIND_DIR: E
    CLOUDS: 65%
    VISIBILITY: 20
    BARO: 1010.6
    AIR_TEMP: 29.4C
    COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Baie Hakahau, Ua Pou – Marquesas

  • Tahuata Island, Marquesas Islands…..

    Dear F&F,
    July 3-4, 2009

    We just crossed to our third Marquesas Island, Tahuata. It was 6 hours and mostly down wind. The swell was not completely behind us, but starboard & aft. A much more comfortable passage than from Hiva Oa to Fatu Hiva, thank God! Despite putting on a half patch last night, I did feel a bit queasy after lunch because of the big swells (8-12 feet), so laid down in our cabin. I was able to nap for about an hour which really helped. Scott manned the helm & I just focused on staying relaxed & enjoying the scenery. We sailed past 2 other small & less sheltered bays at this island before anchoring here in Hana Moe Noa Bay. There are two other boats besides us, one a catamaran we had first seen in Hiva Oa. Our friends from Giselle, Mary & David, had to delay their passage until tomorrow as a small electrical repair took longer than expected & they wanted to make sure to have a daylight arrival. Hopefully they will join us here tomorrow. Fourth of July is nothing out here. I think I will unfurl our flag & try to scrub off the likely to be found mildew.

    The sandy beach looks beautiful, with palm trees & a couple of small huts. The water is clearer here, so we may go for a snorkel or swim tomorrow. The wind is only 8-10 knots which is such a refreshing change from the strong gusts back at Fatu Hiva.

    We have heard of diving possibilities at the Marquesas Island after next, so probably won\’t hang around here too many days. I can\’t wait to blow bubbles & see fish again. Scott is a bit concerned about the safety of the Tuamotu Islands. The winds can\’t be too strong to anchor at those low lying atolls. We have had more wind than predicted the past 2 weeks. Just have to wait & see. The diving there is supposed to be really good, but conditions have to be right.

    HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
    After breakfast we snorkeled to wipe the slime & marine growth off the waterline of \”Beach House\”. Sure glad we don\’t have a bigger boat! It was great to be back in the water, even just on snorkel & get some exercise. We saw a stingray & some fish under our boat. We will definitely dive at the island after next, Nuka Hiva. For now we are just soaking up the tranquil environment here, reading, writing & catching up on some small boat projects. We expect David & Mary to pull in before dark. Not inspired to cook as it is 90 degrees, but may try to whip something up so I can invite them over for dinner tonight or tomorrow. Having one day blend into the next is the best part of retirement.

    Later, we ended up having an international happy hour on the beach around sunset. David, British with Mary Scottish. Graham & Karen of New Zealand. Richard French with a Brazilian wife Semia of catamaran \”Azizzah\”. Scott & I tried our best to speak some French to them, but thankfully their English was better than our French. A good time was had by all.

    Cindy & Scott

  • Fatu Hiva – Social Butterflies…..

    Dear F&F,
    June 30, 2009

    We were awakened several times throughout the night with gusts of winds up to 35 knots. The feel & sound of this is impossible to ignore even though we are confident that our anchor will hold. It also rained hard off & on. We have had these conditions to some extent since we arrived a week ago, so I am getting a bit desensitized, although I could not say immune.

    When we got up this morning, the Navy boat was already gone. It seemed like a good day to bake bread & since the oven would be on, also try to make a batch of Mary\’s oat cakes (actually a cracker). Scott really liked them & they should be an acceptable snack replacement to the sugar-laced granola bars he\’s been eating. I mixed 3 cups of oats (happened to be a slightly finer grain with about 1/2 tsp each salt, pepper & baking soda. A drizzle of olive oil & enough water to make it all stick together, but not be too wet. If you had the whole flake type oats you might need to chop them up a bit finer in a food processor or blender. I oiled my hands & spread it out on a cookie sheet, then scored them into 2×2 inch squares with a wet butter knife. Baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Mary cooks hers a bit soft & not brown. I left them in the oven another 10 minutes turned off to get a crispy & toasted result. They are really delicious! You could certainly improvise with garlic, onion or other herbs. Oats are great for lowering cholesterol & on the \”Montingnac Diet\” considered almost a \”free food\”, meaning you can eat as many as you want. Meanwhile the evil but delicious white bread also turned out great & will be enjoyed with abandon.

    Just after cooking was complete a French couple in their dinghy came over to ask if we had any weather forecasts. We invited them in & I don\’t know how they resisted my offers of baked goods as the whole boat smelled delicious, but they took nothing but information. His mother is flying in from Germany to Hiva Oa, and they are supposed to meet her there July 2. The rough wind & sea is not predicted to subside significantly until July 4th. The mother is in a hotel on Nuka Hiva for 2 days, so they will try to contact her there & get her to postpone her arrival in Hiva Oa or take a hotel until they can safely cross & meet her there. I was impressed to hear that this mother will sail with them for 2 months, all through the Tuomotus finally departing from Tahiti. Good on her! It is always tricky timing to meet guests when you must first respect the weather. That is why we will only have non-sailor guests aboard when we know we can be in a marina & plan to stay there long enough for it to make sense for a visitor to make plans. Many boaters have put themselves at risk trying to meet a pre-arranged schedule for guests.

    Just after Barbara & Eric left, we saw two new sailboats on the horizon, heading towards this bay. Scott is quick to get on the radio to welcome them & give them guidance on where to anchor. Today is absolutely the strongest winds we have had. Both boats are just arriving from the Galapagos. One is an Oyster 66 feet long called Looks to be Mom, Dad & 3 mid-sized children aboard with a hired captain. The captain reported they made the passage in 15 days with good conditions despite their mainsail ripping in the past few days, forcing them to sail with head sails alone. He also reported 60 knots of wind as they approached this island, which is a speed I hope to never see! In hindsight, I am grateful for our light air crossing rather than to have had overly strong winds. Things break a lot in strong winds. I know I\’ve said that before, but it is true. Even here at the anchorage we have had to make sure every possible item that could blow away is well secured or stowed away.

    I know how discouraged I felt landing here after our 1 rough day from Hiva Oa. I hope the crew on new arrival \”Elvis the Gecko\” (looking forward to learning how that boat name evolved!) are able to get some rest despite the boisterous conditions here at anchor. The 2nd sailboat left shortly after making a tour of the anchorage. There is a 2nd bay south but our understanding is that it is less protected, but perhaps it does not have the notorious strong winds sweeping down off the mountains that we have here. But it appears they are just heading out to sea, not hugging the coast, so Lord knows where they will end up. We made the acquaintance of another family in the Galapagos that is en route to here, about 500 miles away still. I am praying that all who out at sea will be safe. Please join me in sending good vibes to all our fellow sailors.

    For now we are 7 boats here at anchor. At the most there were 12. We don\’t plan to step one foot out into the open sea until we see the weather reports and feel it calming down. Although not the most relaxing anchorage due to the strong winds, it is safe & protected from swell. And at the moment the sun is shining, although that does not mean it won\’t rain in just a minute.

    Mary just radioed an invitation for dinner. Yippee, no cooking! I will bring my oat cakes & wine. The couple from a boat called \”Red Herring II\” from New Zealand are coming as well. It will be a fun time no doubt. Social diversions are much better than staring at the wind speedometer & being a big edgy.

    Later…just as I was about to prepare lunch for Scott & I, 2 Finnish guys we met in the Galapagos hailed us from their dinghy. We tied their dinghy to Beach House & invited them onboard. Apparently word has spread that Scott is a good resource for weather info & many boats are getting antsy to move on, but concerned about the strong winds. We shared all the weather charts & forecasts we\’ve uploaded recently. They are not planning to stop at any other Marquesas Islands but head next directly to the Tuamotus. We shared thoughts & plans about which islands have the safest entrances & loaned them a book to take notes from overnight. We also exchanged email addresses. It will be great to get recent info from them at each Tuamotu island they stop at – what the wind & sea state are, how easy is it to enter the pass to get inside the fringing coral reef to the more protected anchorage sites of the atolls. Their English is excellent which was good since our Finnish & Swedish is non-existent. We first met them at the tortoise reserve on San Cristobal, Galapagos. They arrived into Hiva Oa only 2 days after us (although they left 7 days before). And we crossed on the same exact day from Hiva Oa to here at Fatu Hiva (only 3 hours behind us). Since their boat is only a 31 foot monohull (named Chaconne) they have done pretty well keeping up with our 51 ft catamaran.

    It was 1:00 pm & I was starving by the time we finished discussing weather & trip plans and Scott offered to show them our underwater slides & videos. They had nowhere to go & I had thought to invite them for lunch one day anyway, so threw together a nice platter. I sliced the entire small loaf of my freshly baked bread, laid it on a plate with ham & cheese slices, put mustard & mayo on the table, poured iced tea, passed around a few of Linda\’s decorative napkins & voila! An impromptu lunch! Tres jolie!

    Right after they left, David hailed us on the radio to help him with a test of his Automatic Identification System which we did. We noticed another boat heading this way & it is now entering the bay so we are on close watch to make sure it lands safely away from all us already anchored boats. It is a 140 foot schooner. Really beautiful, extremely \”high tech\” (s/v \”Kaori\”). So the neighborhood is really tilting upscale today with 2 large fancy boats. Quite a lot of activity for our little bay!

    Only 2 hours until dinner at \”Giselle\”. Time flies when you are having fun. And I am very happy to report that we are having fun in spite of the howling wind of 25-30 knots. The rain squalls have been a bit less. Hopefully we can time our dinghy dash to David & Mary\’s boat & not get drenched either way.

    Cindy & Scott

  • Hike to Waterfall…..

    Dear F&F,
    June 28, 2009

    It was my best night of sleep in a long time. Fantastic to wake up & feel good right off the bat. Splendid! We spoke to David & Mary on the radio & agreed that this was to be our day to hike to the waterfall, rain or shine. There was a lot of rain. But we didn\’t let it dampen our spirits. I loved the exercise & took in all the green everywhere. Green foliage of every tropical type & variety. Plants with variegated leaves are some of my favorite & they are in so many festive patterns & shapes. Being Sunday, there were a lot of locals out in the one street & in the yards of their humble dwellings. They were mostly friendly if we waved or said Bonjour. Only about 250 people live in this entire community; only about 600 on the entire island.

    Once the paved road ended, the mud road continued for a while, then it became more of a path. David had gotten some tips on finding the way by another boater, but with all the rain some of the landmarks may have been obscured. We asked a man at the last home seen & he gestured up the hill, \”Oui cascade (waterfall)\” so we carried on. We had a few false turns into dense brush. Had to cross a calf-deep creek and be very careful not to slip in the mud or twist an ankle on slippery rocks. David brought walking sticks. He uses 2 & I was happy to have one. The three of them all had on tennis shoes or better, for some reason I had just put on my usual \”wet landing\” sandals. They worked out fine but will try to remember to wear more substantial footwear for hikes.

    It was well worth it. Beautiful, dramatic water falls 400 feet high & 40 feet wide. The kind that sprays you (& your camera!) even when you are standing well away from it. Scott & I had packed our swimsuits but since already soaked to our skin from the rain didn\’t feel the need for a dip. It wasn\’t hot at all, just comfortable. In fact when the wind piped up it felt rather cool. We all had light rain jackets but they were too warm when it wasn\’t raining hard & got all wet inside as we took them on & off. More of a bother than anything. So we were wet, no big deal. We had made it to the famous landmark of Hanevave Bay, Fatu Hiva & were quite proud of ourselves for not letting the elements deter us.

    We met a group of 4 boaters on our return to shore. We stood under a shelter & swapped stories a while. David & Mary then dropped us off at \”Beach House\” to change into dry clothes, grab the food she\’d prepared (that I\’d kept from yesterday) & we went over to \”Giselle\” for lunch. More good food & friendly companionship. I was intrigued to learn of the diet they are on. Apparently they each used to weigh about 30 pounds heavier & after a variety of unsuccessful diets, discovered the \”Montignac Diet\”. The line below the book title says \”Eat for Pleasure – Stay Slim Forever\” by Michel Montignac.

    The concept is based on the glycemic index which I had heard of & it makes a lot of sense to me. I\’ve borrowed the book to copy key points & menus. We overall eat fairly healthily I think, but Scott is in the habit of a fairly steady sugar intake drinking Gatorade & sweetened iced tea all day. I almost exclusively drink plain old water. I don\’t discount my lucky genes as a big factor in staying thin & his unlucky slow metabolism. I am not trying to get him to be me. Just a slimmer, healthier him. He understands keeping trim will improve his longevity & appearance so is willing to try. We can\’t start it until I next provision. If any of you are interested, check out the book. I think it is an intriguing plan & enables one to lose weight without feeling deprived. In fact, David and Mary say they can\’t eat enough on the plan and get to eat lots and lots of things they love. For me to not lose weight along with him, but just maintain, I will eat at a Glycemic Index of 50 while he tries to stay at 35. Apparently results are not seen if you only partially do it. So we will wait until I have enough of the right kinds of food to delve in fully, but meanwhile we are wrapping our minds around the concept. Scott asked to try his evening tea without sugar. That\’s a start.

    David will be investigating a hopefully minor engine problem tomorrow. We have some onboard projects of our own to attend to. The wind & rain looks like it may let up by July 1st. So we hope to move on to the small island of Tahuata in a few days. Since there are very few American yachties in this area at this time of year, our next big holiday will not be July 4th but rather July 14, Bastille Day. We are thinking to reach Nuku Hiva by then in hopes that there will be some local \”Fete\” festivities.

    Cindy
    Fatu Hiva, Day #5

  • Anchoring Adventures…..Is there something in the air here?

    Dear F&F,
    June 23-24
    This is a \”True Story\” and happened over the last 36 hours here at Fatu Hiva, Marquesas. For the last 20 months, we\’ve virtually had no anchoring stories of note, at least not those caused by other boats. Well all that changed with no less than four boats here in Fatu Hiva.

    We had quite a lesson yesterday in one of the worlds two shortest books, one of which is: \”Famous French Anchoring Techniques\”!

    Chapter One: The first French Boat had 15 feet of 1/4\” anchor chain on his 42 foot Beneteau and apparently wondered why anchoring in 70 feet of water he kept dragging?….He did this \”anchor drill\” for 4 1/2 hours…I\’m NOT exaggerating. For you non sailors, that amount of chain in deep water is like tying up your horse with piece of kite string.

    Chapter Two: Began with three young French (male) 20 somethings on a 33 foot boat that had just arrived from the Galapagos after 23 days. They, without asking or checking decided that dropping their anchor on ours and trying to drag our boat around this bay seemed like a really fun thing to do on arrival. They kept saying they were \”stuck on a rock\” and couldn\’t get it up (the anchor). I kept saying as I got in the dinghy, \”You\’ve hooked my chain and you\’ll never get it up\”, (pun intended) as I reached for a pair of cutters not sure if relieving them of their manhood would be easier than cutting their anchor loose!(not really). I took the underwater viewer over in the dinghy and indeed they had hooked our anchor chain. Then, \”Monsieur Gorgeous\” announced that it was only 5 meters deep (18 feet) and he could excise it from their anchor. NOT!!!!! I asked if anyone had a SCUBA bottle aboard…\”Non\” was the answer. Then \”Monsieur Gorgeous\” asked and one magically appeared.

    He again tried the macho approach to no avail and finally took my advice re: loop a line around it, support it, lower their anchor…move on. Of course Chapter Three in this book was that they had two anchors (in line…God knows why on a 33 foot light weight mono hull) and that they were both twisted on themselves AND our anchor chain.

    Chapter 4 was that yet another French boat supervised them dropping their anchor on ours while yesterday screaming as loud as he could at anyone who got near his two bow anchors. Hence his attitude was, \”I don\’t care if you drop it on them, just stay away from me\”!…
    Vive La France!….

    After sorting this all out, the young guys tried to anchor next to Chapter Four\’s boat where in loud French he shooed them away. When I had tried that the day before, he practically boarded us…

    Oh BTW, the three young French fellows were absolutely unapologetic about the trouble they put us through, no thanks for the assistance of helping them untangle the mess either. We re-anchored our boat, this time with a buoy marking it to (hopefully) prevent this trouble again. This morning I cannot find my buoy I believe it must have gotten close to Chapter Four\’s boat and I imagine (so far) he just cut it loose. Hopefully it\’s (underwater with a just slightly higher tide)….the day will tell…(indeed it did reappear, it almost gives me faith in my fellow man!)

    Lest we bash the French alone, we then had an \”Ugly American\” anchoring story the next day. A 60 foot cat, built in South Africa, British Registry, pulls in with a single hander (American) from Hiva Oa by way of the Galapagos, Panama Canal and apparently originally from Florida. Odd I thought, he still has his Ecuadorian Courtesy flag up and his Q flag (This flag means that the boat has not yet checked into the country) as according to our friends on \”Giselle\” he was in Hiva Oa where everyone checks in.

    I hail him, he asks me the lay of the anchoring land. I say \”Welcome to Fatu Hiva\”. He anchors, doesn\’t like his position. Re-anchors next to me. I\’m quite patient watching him at about three quarters of a boat length away (much too close for comfort with these size boats). Finally, after about 10 minutes, I suggested very politely that he might be a bit close. His reply in as sarcastic a tone as he could muster was, \”You\’re quite observant\”. I asked if he was tired, trying to remain polite. No response. He then asked me, \”Would you like to anchor for me (perhaps even more sarcastically)\”?. I asked if he needed assistance. No reply. He picked up, moved and has said not a word to anyone, he left 2 days later without communicating with anyone. David (of \”Giselle\”) was visiting and said, \”The chap was quite arrogant when he arrived in Hiva Oa to all the boats in the anchorage\”. We both speculated that he might be a delivery skipper and not the owner as the boat seemed to be registered out of the UK. Their are 8 dive tanks in racks (4/side). Too bad, we\’d love to find a nice boat to buddy/dive with.
    Scott

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES
    TIME: 2009/06/25 01:12
    LATITUDE: 10-27.88S
    LONGITUDE: 138-40.12W
    MARINE: NO
    WIND_SPEED: 9
    WIND_DIR: E
    CLOUDS: 80%
    VISIBILITY: 20
    BARO: 1012.4
    AIR_TEMP: 26.1C
    COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Fatu Hiva, a blustery beat, 25 knots upwind, Windy Anchorge, a bit crowded.

  • Anne Nelson remembered……

    Dear F&F,
    Skye wrote this lovely piece on her Grandmother Anne\’s passing placed in
    the \”show business trades\” by CBS Television.

    Devoted CBS Business Affairs executive Anne Roberts Nelson died
    Saturday, June 20, 2009 at her beloved Baldwin Hills home from natural
    causes.

    The proud South Pasadena native and third generation Californian
    earned her B.A. in Journalism from UC Berkeley in 1944.

    In 2009, with 64 years under her belt, Anne became the longest tenured
    employee of CBS. Her illustrious career spanned radio, the advent of
    television and new media. As Anne was fond of telling, her journey
    with CBS began as a two week temp job in 1945 that lasted until
    January 2009. She enjoyed many positions within CBS, ultimately
    serving as Vice President of Business Affairs, CBS Entertainment.

    During her tenure, she negotiated landmark contracts for \”I Love
    Lucy,\” \”All in the Family,\” \”Gunsmoke,\” \”The Wild Wild West,\” \”The Red
    Skelton Show,\” \”Perry Mason,\” \”The Young and the Restless\” and many
    others. Through her business dealings Anne forged relationships with
    some of her closest friends and confidantes, including Robert Conrad,
    Stan Freberg, Gail Patrick Jackson, Norman Lear, Art Linkletter, Donna
    Mills, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Red Skelton and Jane Withers, to name
    a few.

    Anne simultaneously managed to have both a fulfilling personal life
    and successful career. As an active member of Crenshaw Neighbors Anne
    spearheaded the founding of the Jim Gilliam Park. In the 1960s, she
    aided in the successful integration of the Baldwin Hills neighborhood.
    Professionally, she was a founding member of the Academy of Television
    Arts & Sciences, a long standing board member of the American Film
    Institute Associates and American Women for International
    Understanding. In the era of the \’Old Boy\’s Club,\’ Anne was one of the
    first female radio engineers and one of the first female show business
    executives.

    Nelson\’s status as an entertainment industry icon was recognized first
    in 2003 by author Mollie Gregory in her book \”Women Who Run the Show.\”
    In 2006, the UC San Diego Rady School of Management honored Anne with
    the inaugural Pinnacle of Excellence Award for Business Leadership.

    An entire floor at CBS\’s Television City, \”The Anne Nelson Mezzanine,\”
    was dedicated in her honor in March of 2005.

    Her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson, Jr., was a popular band leader and
    musician of the 1930s and 40\’s, as well as a respected advertising
    executive. He died in 1975. Together they had three children who
    survive Nelson: Gaye Nelson Gallavan, and twins Amy Nelson Frelinger
    and Harmon Oscar Nelson III.

    Among her other survivors are granddaughters Skye Stolnitz, Krista and
    Elyse Frelinger; Harmon\’s son Connor Mahoney; younger sister Jeanne
    Gilette; sons-in-law David Frelinger and Rick Gallavan; his son
    Brendan and their families.

    In line with Anne\’s wishes a private service was held. The family
    invites you to celebrate her life on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 5:00PM
    at CBS Television City, Studio 36, 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles
    90036. Please wear festive attire as Anne herself specifically
    requested that no one wear black. Bring short stories to share with
    the guests. All are welcome to attend.

    In lieu of flowers, please send donations to one of the following
    charities:

    American Film Institute Associates – Donations may be sent to AFIA,
    P.O. Box 2501, Beverly Hills, CA 90213-2501.

    The Heart of the Healer Foundation (THOTH), preserving indigenous
    traditions and protecting the Amazonian Rainforest – Donations may be
    sent to The Heart of the Healer, P.O. Box 1458, Old Chelsea Station,
    New York, NY 10113-1458 or by going online to www.heartofthehealer.org

    American Retina Foundation for macular degeneration – Donations may be
    sent to American Retina Foundation, 6816 Southpoint Parkway, Suite
    100, Jacksonville, FL 32216 or by going online to www.americanretina.org/donors

    Please send condolences to The Anne Roberts Nelson Family, c/o Gaye
    Nelson, 4570 Van Nuys Blvd., #269, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-2613 or e-
    mail amy@coldwellbanker.com or call 818-997-6696.

    Skye

  • Father\’s Day Report from Alberta…..

    Dear F&F,
    June 20, 2009

    Below is an email I received from my sister, who knew it would be hard on me to not be able to visit our Dad, Bert on Father\’s Day. He is 92 and has dementia. He still knows us and lives in his own home with part time care. Alberta visited him on Father\’s Day and took me with her. It was almost as good as being there. Below is the heartwarming story I wanted to share:

    I arrived at Dad\’s about 11:15 AM. He hadn\’t answered my phone call giving him a heads up I was on my way. He didn\’t answer the doorbell. I let myself in and found him lying on his side, slightly curled like a child, on his bed. I wondered, then called out. He didn\’t answer. Was this it??? I touched him. He sat up.

    \”Hi Dad, Happy Father\’s Day. It\’s your darling daughter Alberta here to wish you a Happy Father\’s Day\”.

    \”What do you want to do?\” he asked.

    I suggested we go get some lunch in the kitchen. A smile, but tired, so tired, he said, \”I\’ve got so much to do, and not enough time, and I just need to rest some more.\” He looked so weak, fragile, precious…

    I told him, \”that\’s OK Dad, you can rest some more\”.

    Ed (tenant of our rental house next door) had met me at my car before I went in and told me his washer had died. I told him to bring the wet clothes over to finish. He came in, so I let Dad lay back down as I loaded the dryer.

    Ed was interested in the house, so I gave him a tour. He liked the bead board siding in the porch. I showed him the family photos and he started talking about his family. I was about to show him one of Paul\’s (Berts son) books (did you know the Coast Guard has a ship called Bainbridge Island?), and there was Dad, creeping like a mouse, into the kitchen. Kinda scared me…

    Ed left and I proceeded to pull the pre-made sandwich from the frig. He ate in his usual quiet, thoughtful, Zen way. I had a yogurt. Finally, I asked him, \”Whatcha thinkin\’ \’bout Dad?\”

    He answered, \”I was thinking how I don\’t have many more days left of my life.\”
    Whoa. I wasn\’t prepared for that one. Not missing a step I asked, \”Well, does that make you sad, or is it OK with you?\”
    \”It makes me sad\”.
    Silence…

    I told him at least he was healthy and not in a rest home like Uncle Merrill, and that he was loved and well cared for, and that he had a long and full life.
    He nodded.

    After that I found Paul\’s new photo book in the office and had him open the card, then the book. It was so funny…he saw the book and I said \”It\’s another book from Paul, want to look inside?\”
    \”No, I\’ve looked at it a lot of times already.\”
    I got a kick out of it. Inner giggle. Sorry Paul, I can\’t call & tell you Dad really liked the book. He cannot distinguish one from another. Oh well. Getting old gives one certain privileges I guess, like not being polite!

    I talked him in to going for a walk. He already had his day-glo vest on. Leslee (his care provider) says she always has him wear it, even over his PJ\’s, just in case he goes on any more midnight walks. She\’s a clever one.

    We get outside and use the walker. I notice several places where the cement drops off dramatically to the driveway gravel or dirt. Note to self-call Gabriel and have his guys fill those spots. I totally forget to grab a trash bag, so each and every time we come across something, he goes to get it, and I have to remind him I forgot the bag. Oh well…It\’s a beautiful breezing, warm not hot day. I am at peace walking with my Dad. I notice that now that he holds onto the walker, he doesn\’t always stop and wave to the cars. I did the waving for him. It felt good. I pictured you walking with us. You would have been very happy. We made it to the bridge. He had to stop and rest, catch his breath a couple times. I felt like I had all the time in the world. There wasn\’t one impatient bone in my body. Things were good just as they were.

    Coming back, there was a large pizza box that just couldn\’t be left. I put it on the seat of the walker and we proceeded to fill it up with a few bits and pieces. I watched him bend down, holding one hand on the walker. He\’s still quite agile ,and I was glad to see he didn\’t look to me to pick the stuff up. About halfway back, there was a gust of wind and it blew the box off the seat and I chased after everything and got it back on the seat. We had a good laugh.

    Once back inside he headed for his chair. Ed came to get his laundry and we discussed the new washer I\’d be buying and when it could be delivered. I called Manuel this morning, he remembered me and said he\’d give me his best $200 machine. I will mail the check and he will deliver it, hook it up and take away the old one Wednesday. No brainer.

    Dad was resting in the brown chair in the kitchen, when I noticed his nails needed cutting. I thought of how you would have done that, so I did it. For you, for him. He winced every time I used the clippers whether I \”got him\” or not. It was sweet. Then I filed them. I never noticed what lovely long fingers he has. His hands are dark like an Indian\’s – red brown, spotted, veined, I
    took it all in. \”This may be the last time I notice his warm hands\” I pondered. (They were warm). Then I took some lotion and rubbed them. He let his eyes close. I think he likes this part.

    I did a couple things, wrote a note to Leslee, washed the couple dishes (he only ate half of a sandwich and was \”full\”).

    Then I wrote a note saying what a nice visit we had and had him read it out loud to me. He still reads very well. Slow, but can totally determine what the words on the page are.

    I sat and faced him, like you and I did that last time you were here. I told him \”Dad, there\’s no more for you to do. You don\’t have to worry about anything anymore. You get to relax. You\’ve had a long
    life, and you are happy. It\’s OK anytime you want to go to Heaven and see Mom and all your brothers and sisters who\’ve already died. That would be just fine.\”

    He got one of his quirky smiles on his face and replied \”Well, that\’s a positive perspective!\”
    I told him he was the one who taught me to have a positive outlook. He just smiled.

    I kissed him on the forehead. For you, For me. And let myself out.
    I love you sweetie, thanks for bringing my Dad back into my life.

    Alberta
    Received June 23, while anchored at Hiva Oa