Last Stop Atuona: A Welcome Drama and Adventure

At 11am we are at the harbour with a bevy of prospective passengers, including our pension hostess, Tiare, our ill-fated driver from the mountain trip, a young French couple, youth football players with boom box, and a rotund, petanque pro team of mostly mamas out for fun.

The swell is surprisingly big, waves crashing well above the harbour, and when the boat arrives an hour late, it is unable to dock because of the swell. 

So the small, boat's tender is launched and we are precariously retrieved, then transferred to the boat where the passengers are making themselves comfy on the floor, eating, laughing and singing whilst we kangaroo over the waves.

It seems a decision is made en route to discard a scheduled stop at Tahuata, opting instead to head straight for Hiva Oa, thereby not only making up an hour, but arriving at our destination an hour early! Expect the unexpected is the motto.

At Atuona harbour we are met by the one and only ball of energy called Tania with whom we have a great laugh after I included something I creatively called baguette farcie on my shopping list, which means nothing in French, but was my interpretation of a 'stuffed baguette' which is indeed both nonsensical and a culinary sacrilege.

En route we pick up the French couple to link them with their pension owner. The lady of the couple is temperamentally flat as a pancake. Tania knows everyone on and off the road as she provides running commentary, waves at everyone, and steers us to the shop where there is a joyous, Friday closing time stampede.

Quel drame or 'what a drama', huffs the French lady.

Drama and adventure are the very spice of our lives, yes Marquesas and Marquesans, we loved sharing our time with you.

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Polynesia, Fatu iva, Crossing, Tania, Swell, Boat, Waves