Pacific Odyssey - Leg 2

We are on our way to the Tuamotus, about 400nm away.  We are running with main, fore, jumbo and jib, making a wonderful 7 knots.  The motion started out very roly, side to-side, when we left the harbour, but leveled out when the sails were raised.  The engine is off, aaaaaah.  The air is soft, perfectly pleasant in temperature, and the wind is blowing light, but strong enough to move us along smoothly, gracefully, every so gentle in her motion.  We were just saying how we need to remember these beautiful evenings when we return home; long passages of seemingly effortless motion, with weather conditions at their best. There is no moon, so the night is perfect for star gazing and I have just learned 6 new constellations, thanks to Chase and Jose.  Chase has an amazing familiarity of the night sky; we´re learning from him.  Today was a good day.  Trainees spent most of the day in the village. A group of them were tatooed today by a fellow that tatooed some of the trainees last trip.  He does gorgeous and precise work. We were able to hang out at the tatoo artists house and watch him work. He remains silent, as he speaks no English and he needs to concentrate. Yona stayed with all 5 or 6 of the trainees, translating between them and the artist, ensuring that they were both thinking the same
design.  It took all day; a great job done by Yona.  The tatoo artist´s mom does bead work and various other handwork that she sells, and she showed us how to make necklaces with the different dried seeds she had collected. It was rewarding to leave with a marquesian-looking necklace. My youngest 4 kids were all able to take part.  Lexy wrote a note in French thanking the two of them for being generous with their knowledge and letting many of our group be at their home. One thing I really enjoy and will remember  about the Marquesas are the smells.  There is a wonderful pungent smell of vegetation; we get wafts of it even out in the harbour.  As we  walked along the road today, the smell would change and the kids and I would try to identify it, rather unsuccessfully.  We´ve seen many fruit trees; banana, breadfruit, papaya, lime, pamplemouse and mango are some of them. We were given 2 big bags of pamplemouse by our driver to the marquesian dance on Hiva Oa.  Each day the boys and I plus the trainees who are present,  enjoy a pamplemouse feast.  It´s a favorite fruit and makes quite the mess by the time we´re done.  One comment that Karen overheard today:  "Land is exhausting!"  Yes, the past few days in the Marquesas have been very full; it´ll be nice to catch up on some sleep for some of the crew and trainees, but yet, a few more days here would be most welcome by all of us. We will miss these incredibly and spectacular islands.  This is it, till tomorrow, good night, Bonice