July 2 - 3, 2007 - Tahuata to Hane Bay, Ua Huka

We set out this morning for a 20 mile trip to a bay on the North coast of Hiva Oa with extensive ruins, including the largest tiki left in the islands; but, when we came around the North-west corner of the island, we ran into wind directly on our nose, and a steep sea. So we decided that we didn't need to see the big tiki, and veered off for Ua Huka. Intending to take the prudent course, and slow our boat speed down so that we would arrive the following morning, we didn't put up the main. But who were we kidding, by 11pm it was clear that as long as the nearly-full moon wasn't obscured by a cloud, and we could see our way into the harbor, we were going to drop anchor that night. We should have just put up the main and gotten in earlier. As it was, we had plenty of moonlight to see our way in at 0230, but the buoy at the mouth of the bay that was supposed to have a light on it was dark. "Turn to port!" I shouted as we skimmed past it. We seem to be fatally attracted to buoys, whether it is daylight or midnight. Our anchor wouldn't take a good bite into the bottom, so Sten set the chart plotter's anchor alarm function before bedding down in the cockpit to keep anchor watch. This morning, still not comfortable with our anchor set, with a heavy swell rolling into the bay, we left right after breakfast to see if any of the other bays appealed to us.