Category: 2009 July Blog

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 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 12-14, 2009

It is pretty rolly at anchorage today. We tried 3 times to re-anchor bow & stern to reduce the swell, but no luck so we are swinging on one. I had to take seasick meds which I hadn\’t had to do at anchor for awhile. I won\’t be able to write much.

Yesterday it was fuel & food shopping. Today Scott rewired our dinghy depth sounder while I swabbed the decks. I sweep the floors almost every other day, but had not actually washed them for…can\’t remember how long. Scott fell asleep last night earlier than me. He had hung laundry outside, which I have learned to never do overnight. For sure it will either blow like heck or rain or both. It blew like heck. I\’m outside at 10:30 p.m. with my headlight & step stool trying to get everything down without losing any bits to the wind & not fall off my step as the boat lurches. I re-hung/draped everything inside.

We thought our dive was going to be shut out as strong winds & hard rain kicked up just as we were ready to load up the dinghy. We waited it out & it passed. I know it sounds weird to care about rain when we\’re underwater, but even clouds really affect the light & what we can see down below. Rain causes muddy runoff to muck up the visibility. The wind is a concern since we dive out of our anchored dinghy & really don\’t want to surface & see it has been blown away. We waited & things calmed down so we went for it. We were richly rewarded for our efforts. Scott spied a manta ray swimming, possibly feeding just above us right after we got in. Fantastic to see a manta in the water again. I\’m afraid that San Benedicto forever spoiled us. Mantas are definitely the creature we get most excited to see in the water. Not much later, I spied a hammerhead shark below us in the sand. He seemed a bit curious in us, made a wide circle which gave us more viewing time. No worries – we wear our trusty shark shield deterrents all the time. Later on we found an octopus that would have happily taken Scott\’s finger into its lair for munching. Sometimes they are curious & will explore your hand with their tentacles. Other times they stay down in their hole & just grab yummy bits that drift along & take them down to their house. When Scott removed his glove to see how the octopus would react, it was clearly lunch time. Toward the end of the dive I saw a cute small jeweled eel under a rock. Ahhh, so good to be back in the swim! All our favorite friends out & about. The overall visibility wasn\’t great, only 25-40 feet like 2 days ago. But we saw plenty anyway. We are motivated to return tomorrow.

Happy Bastille Day!
On the first dive we were delighted to see 2 manta rays swimming in a possible mating-type fashion. They were not interested in us, but not especially skittish either. We know that the San Benedicto, Mexico mantas are unique in the world, seeking out human interaction. We also saw many lion fish sitting along a rocky ridge. There was also one that was different colored, much larger – 15 inches, compared to the average 9 incher. Always fun to see something new & different. The visibility on the 2nd dive was pretty poor as it was mostly overcast & very murky. But it was still great to blow bubbles.

I treated my ears with every tool I have (short of beginning antibiotics) yet still woke up with itchy canals in the night. I put in more drops of vinegar/peroxide mix. I\’ll have my head dry for 5-7 days now, so hopefully can save the antibiotics for diving in the Tuamotus. I am really eager to have my ear problem diagnosed & see if there is any better prevention of infections. I suspect whatever my problem, it is also contributing to my susceptibility to seasickness. There isn\’t enough wind in the anchorage to hold our boat in a good position to the swell, so we are rocking around a bit. I took more seasick meds before sitting down to the computer as reading /writing is the worst.

After cleaning up from our dives, we were able to reach Rose Corser by radio. She had time to visit, so picked us up at the dinghy cement wall. We tied off & climbed up the rusty metal ladder. How much you must climb depends on how high or low the tide is. She drove us in her Land Rover the mile to her home. As we enjoyed a cold beverage, we swapped stories & caught up on our lives. First coming here to work on her Master\’s thesis in art, she has lived here over 30 years. For the past 15 on her own, after her husband died of cancer. Scott knew them from cruising in Tahiti in 1977. I met her 13 years ago when we crewed here on the catamaran \”Sea Rose\”. There is only 1 other American that lives on this island. She said she is very happy here. She has no close family in the states. All her friends are Marquesans, not French, although she speaks French fluently. She runs a small museum/boutique & has plans to open an 8 room hotel. She feels she got ripped off in a partnership with a corporation that took over her original hotel & she seems keen to start again & maintain control. She has always been a good source of friendship & information for cruising boats. A well known & much appreciated institution in Nuku Hiva.

Only one French boat in the main anchorage \”dressed ship\” with all its flags flying in honor of Bastille Day. Everything is closed on holidays. In the evening there was some kind of local hang out, but it didn\’t look too inviting, so we just came home. Due to the frequent rain, we have the wet dive gear strewn about the house hoping it will dry out enough to stow before we set sail day after tomorrow for Daniel\’s Bay, a beautiful anchorage 3 miles to the west.

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

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 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

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 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