As our time in the Marquesas Islands draws to a close, I am at a loss of words to express how beautiful it is.

It’s lovely here. It really is amazing. Lush jungles. Abundant mango, pamplemousse, and banana trees. Striking rugged mountains, remarkable beaches. The French language has been a small obstacle for me, but not at all for Margot.

We’ve settled into Baie de Taiohae and also settled into a routine. Perhaps less of a cruising routine and more of a living routine. The water in the bay is somewhat gross, and the water at the quay is not drinkable. Margot had a few doctor appointments here and we got stuck. But we need to go soon, there are other places to see. We plan to leave next week for Fakarava in the Tuamotos.

Perhaps my favorite place in all of the Marquesas is Baie Hanamoenoa. The beach, the water quality, the snorkeling, and the friends. We had a very social week having happy hour on a different boat every day. Kai from Genesis brought over their blender and along with our ice maker made a few tasty drinks: margaritas and horchatas.

It was an overnight sail to Fatu Hiva. We arrived just after sunrise. In one of the two anchorages, the beauty of the island was breathtaking. We went on a hike to the waterfall, and I couldn’t help snapping lots of photos.

Sometime later, we went to the north side of Hiva Oa, in Baie Hanaiapa. The weather was totally different than the other side of the island. It was a bit rolly but equally beautiful. We caught up with cruisers we met in La Cruz. Met a nice local man who gifted us a ton of pamplemousse. We went on a hike which ended up being 8 miles. We could have stayed there a long time, but the grocery store was a considerable trek, and we needed to make our way to Nuku Hiva for some prenatal appointments.