So I thought we'd have WiFi today to post yesterday's entry, but it was not to be. The ship's WiFi signal within the ship is fine, it's just not connecting to the satellite. Now I don't think I'll be able to check in for a number of days.
This morning the ship called at the port of Hanavave on the island of Fatu Hiva which is the least inhabited of the Marquesas with only about 600 people. We dropped cargo, then sailed around to Omoa for a visit and more cargo unloading by barge. This is where the ceremony for the new hydroelectric plant takes place. This plant will provide electricity to the whole island, rather than the diesel generators they use now. We barged over for a demonstration of tapas making (paper out of bark) and the traditional bouquet for the hair made from seemingly every flower and aromatic plant on the island. Back to the ship for lunch before heading back to Hanavave for a shore visit.
Hanavave is my favorite port so far. It's deep in a valley with the most beautiful mountains surrounding it. I've never seen so many shades of green. It was after 3:30 pm so the sun had gone behind the mountain bringing the temperature down to a manageable level. We saw a demonstration of making coconut oil scented with the local flowers and a dance show of 9 women and one man who did the hula type dances right along side them rather than the traditional male dances. No one seemed to care. It took only about 10 minutes to see all the village had to offer, but it was just delightful. The people are always smiling and I got a real sense of community, even more so than the other islands, which is saying a lot.
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