Tag Archives: Marquesas

Experiential, Leslie's Letters, Leslie's Posts, Marquesas

Leslie’s Letters July-Sept 2015

April 25, 2016 admin 2 Comments

Dear Readers – I am attempting to add a new category to our website in order to catch you up on some of the activities that we as a family have enjoyed here in the Marquesas since arriving. These are edited letters that I have sent to family and friends during our time here. They include dates and places along with my observations and also responses to letters (emails) that I enjoyed from the various correspondents. I have already posted once in this category but didn’t hear if any of you liked it or if you think these kind of postings are uninteresting. Please let me know your thoughts.

Anaho Bay as seen from above while hiking to Hatiheu

July 13, 2015

Dear Mom and Dad – On Wednesday, the 8th of July, we sailed over to the incredibly picturesque bay of Anaho situated on the northeast corner of Nukuhiva. It’s a bay we intend to bring you two when you visit. We had been intending on making our way to Anaho almost from the day we arrived, as it is an extremely calm protected bay with very few sharks. And true to its reputation, the bay was exquisitely beautiful with clear calm water. Anaho is one of the bays that actually has a a coral reef to snorkel. Sadly, in 1983 during the last El Nino, the shallow waters heated up so intensly that most of the coral died. After more than 20 years, it is starting to rejuvenate, but with this year’s El Nino the possibility of it happening again is all too likely.

We followed close behind our new French cruiser friends, husband Guy, wife Marian, and 9 year old Taeva, an adopted Tahitian boy. They live on Tahiti near Papeete. They are very close friends with Raymonde and Sebastien.

Guy and Marian Lejeune are good friends of Raymonde & Sebastien who live on Tahiti and sail on their monohull Manatai.

Ever since we arrived in Taiohae, we have been experiencing a gradually increasing leak from the propeller shaft stuffing box as the coils were no longer sufficiently holding back the water. This repair needed to be done in calm waters with no sharks. In Anaho, Eric and Guy succeeded in fixing the leak working tirelessly on it for an entire day. It was imperative to fix before we left the boat unattended to visit Aakapa, where Denis and Chantale live. Guy helped us so much.

Chantale Falchetto wearing a handmade crown of leaves. It is a tradition for women to make and to wear crowns during celebrations.

Denis Tetohu, Chantale's husband and Police Officer of Aakapa. — Denis Tetohu, Chantale’s husband and Police Officer of Aakapa.

From Anaho we hiked over to Hatiheu where Denis fetched us in his truck. Bryce, Trent and Taeva had left two days prior to Denis and Chantale’s house in Aakapa to prepare a special entertainment for us there once we got the leak repaired. The fourteenth of July (France’s Independence Day) is approaching and all the towns and bays of Nuku Hiva have been ramping up their festivities to celebrate. It turns out that Bryce and Trent were encouraged to participate in the “Miss and Mister Aakapa” competition/fashion show along with Chantale’s young visiting nephews, Mathu and Mauna-iki from Bora Bora (Marquesan born, but Tahitian by culture). What a crazy/fun way to kick-off immersion into present-day Marquesan culture. There were special publicity photos taken of each participant out in natural settings, videos, and rehearsals for 2 days in preparation. They each had three outfits to pageant: a native plant costume, a pareo, and then regular nice street clothes. There were several female participants from Aakapa, but besides the foreigners, only one Marquesan Aakapa boy had the courage to be a part. Guess who won the male contest: the blond-haired, pale-skinned, blue-eyed California boys? Not! It was a great time had by all and during the time the boys hung out with those pretty local girls, they chanced to learn a few French phrases along the way! Eric has always claimed that the best way to learn French is by having a French girlfriend.

Bryce and Trent competing for Mister Aakapa sporting pareos.

After the weekend festivities in Aakapa, we yacht families hiked back to Anaho via Hatiheu to return to our boats. Having been to Anaho many times prior, Marian invited me to join her and Guy on a porcelain shell and pencil urchin hunting excursion among the tide pools. She taught me how to harvest the popular shells and urchins with gloves and a long sharp knife. All new to me, I tagged along trying not to fall on the slippery lava. She captured three urchins, which later that evening we got to taste: salty and slippery to the tongue. I’m not entirely certain we are fans, but the shells and pencil spikes are great prizes. I’ll make sure to keep the spikes for mom’s artwork. I think she will have a creative use for them!

That’s the latest news. All is very well. No major infections or injuries. We are all happy to be among the lovely people of these picturesque isles. XOXOXO

September 2, 2015
Hello Darling Denise,

We are doing very well here in the Marquesas on the island of Nuku Hiva in the bay and village of Taiohae. We are so glad to be here in this relatively quiet bay. It is a large protected bay surrounded by the biggest town in the Marquesas. Most towns here are deep inside valleys. Taiohae markets, stores, homes, administrative offices and the hospital mostly border the waterline, making life on the water convenient.

We have enrolled the boys in school here, and while they don’t speak a lot of French yet, they are picking up words and understanding more and more daily. We speak to them in French too, although not often enough. They get mad at us whenever we push the French not understanding the great opportunity they have to improve their speaking skills with us among family. Oh well!

Trent starting school at College Taiohae.

We have just two aluminum boat bikes that we brought with us, which was creating a little challenge for our family of four since walking and biking are our only modes of transportation on land accompanied by occasional hitch-hiking. This past week, some local friends of ours were in Papeete, Tahiti on vacation and they helped us order two kid BMX bikes for the boys and a couple boogie boards, as our cheap ones from Costco are falling apart. This is their birthday month after all. Yesterday, the boat Aranui III from Papeete arrived. Bryce and Trent were beside themselves excited to get their new toys.

Bryce & Trent's new bicycles parked in front of Henri's Cafe. — Bryce & Trent’s new bicycles parked in front of Henri’s Cafe.

This Sunday, my parents are arriving. We are thrilled to have them for three weeks! I pray that my mother will be able to handle spending time on the boat. Our generous Marquesan friends are putting them up in their lovely house which overlooks the bay for a week to recover from the long trip and to help them get used to the climate change. It is definitely warm and humid here. They will need time to acclimate. The following two weeks we plan to sail to nearby Hakaui Bay (otherwise known as Daniel’s Bay) in order to hike the famous waterfall there, head to Anaho to visit one of the most extraordinarily beautiful bays in Nuku Hiva, hit Taipivai for some shell collecting and then head over by land to Aakapa – a more remote bay – where most of our friends live – to tour the farms, chop down coconuts, feed the pigs and enjoy the practically private beach. Lots of fun plans ahead.

Evidence of Shell Collecting in Taipi Vai.

Presently, I’m hanging out at “Chez Henri’s,” a local restaurant cafe with the best wifi in town. Lessons on ukele are being taught right next door. They sing in harmony….not perfectly, but it is charming to hear. The view is stunning and we get to know more and more people everyday. When you are acquainted with someone, the usual greeting is kisses on the cheek. Everyone goes around and greets and shakes friends’ hands. It’s heartwarming. And sometimes hard to get work done as it’s the best hangout in town, not to mention it’s the central wharf where all the yachties leave their dinghies when provisioning or visiting on land. We tend to know many of the yachties now who have traveled from Mexico to the Galapagos to the Marquesas. Many of them have already been around the world once! Most yachties are allowed only three months to travel in all of French Polynesia, but the ones here right now applied in the states for a year visa, so many are hanging around the Marquesas islands during the hurricane season, which is already appearing in Tahiti with heavy rains and bad weather. This El Nino year is serious. Tahiti and the society islands could get hit hard – and we’re protected here in the Marquesas islands from hurricanes because the islands are located so close to the equator.

Daily life is working out well here for us. It feels good to have some downtime since the last couple years of preparation were challenging to say the least. Hoping you and Jack are doing very well. Hugs,

September 30, 2015

Mom and Dad,
Hello you two. Yes, we did indeed finally get your satellite text responses letting us know you arrived back home safely, and even received the one from this morning asking about Trent’s birthday celebration. To celebrate Trent, we had a great dinner and evening together. For dinner, Trent indicated before heading to school, that he wanted hash browns and bacon. So Eric and I grated potatoes and I found bacon at one of the stores – hurray! Accompanied by sunny side eggs along with my yummy pineapple upside down cake, he was elated. I had also picked-up some coca-cola sodas, sour candies, mentos and cookies as little sweet presents, so both Trent and Bryce were all smiles, feeling spoiled.

Bryce and Trent's September 2015 birthday celebration aboard Kandu turning 14 and 12 years. — Bryce and Trent’s September 2015 birthday celebration aboard Kandu turning 14 and 12 years.

I needed desperately to clean out the fridge and freezer this morning as both were stinking up the boat. The ground beef in the freezer had completely defrosted and leaked out a bloody mess. Yuck! I also washed some laundry yesterday at Raymonde’s and took care of much needed grocery shopping.

We are heading over to the library this afternoon to meet the boys after school to look for some easy children’s French books to read together. The boys have been rather down on the French, thus Eric and I need to pump them up with reading materials that they can tackle and then patiently tutor them along with Stephane, the boys’ French language tutor that they each work with 2 hours per week.

What a great trip home you guys had…broken up into little tour packages in Tahiti and in Waikiki. Thanks for treating Raymonde’s brother Patrick and her boys to dinner. They certainly are handsome young men! And so polite too! I cannot believe all three showed up at the airport with more flowers and bead necklaces for you. Goodness gracious, you must have weighed in an extra five pounds! lol Glad you got a chance to visit the Arizona and Diamond Head in Waikiki.

That was an interesting remark about your impressions seeing Diamond Head: “After appreciating all the incredible views and vistas on Nuku Hiva, the famous view from the Waikiki coastline was anti-climatic.” The last time we were in Waikiki, I was rather disappointed too with all the ugly high rises, heavy traffic and pollution. Yet the surfing at Waikiki beach was truly terrific. On Waikiki, Bryce and Trent had their first experience surfing way back in 2008 when Trent was 4 and Bryce was 6.

Trent's first experience surfing - Waikiki age 4. — Trent’s first experience surfing – Waikiki age 4.

Good news to hear that the smelly urchin shells we collected together made their way to Oakland intact and that there were no customs problems with the many things you brought home for us. I’m sure it will be fun unloading all the treasures we found together during your visit here. Already missing you. Love Leslie.

Ron & Rosie displaying one of the incredible urchin shells found in Taipi Vai.

Bryce's Posts, Eric's Posts, Experiential, Leslie's Letters, Marquesas

First Anniversary of Our Voyage

February 13, 2016 admin 10 Comments

It was on this day, 365 days ago, that we left Ventura and headed south, down Southern California, Mexico, Galapagos, and the Marquesas where we’ve been since June 25 and plan to stay until May, before heading off to the Tuamotus, Tahiti, and Raiatea. Based on our original plan, had we left in September and had we held to the itinerary I established years prior, today we should be in India, having crossed the Pacific, through Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Instead, we find ourselves staying nearly one year in Nuku Hiva and likely a second year in Raiatea. In the extended and expensive process of preparing Kandu and overcoming a series of unexpected problems, having experienced weeks of sailing through unpleasant conditions, we changed the focus of our adventure, altering our purpose, which remains fluid. Rather than visit as many countries as possible in five years as originally planned, we’re immersing ourselves profoundly within selected cultures: contributing within our host communities, learning new perspectives and lessons from our varied interactions, growing closer as a family, while hoping to experience as many other cultures as circumstance and desire allow. Based on our financial resources, we don’t know how long we can maintain our life afloat. We’re still shooting for 5 years; one year spent, four to go. Where we wind up, we cannot know. But what for now seems nearly certain, unless something changes significantly for us, we’re not likely to complete a circumnavigation. Instead, we try to make a positive difference in the small corners of the world we’re blessed to touch, while our sons hopefully gain perspectives and capabilities beyond their years. Ultimately, more than the sights and adventures, it’s life lessons learned that have been some of the greatest gifts so far. Here are a few learned this past year:

ERIC: “Sail the wind you have, not the wind you want” was a big one. Not that a person should feel trapped by their circumstance, but rather use wisely all (legal and morally correct) opportunities available to get yourself from where you are to where you think you would like to be, fulfilling one’s life promise/passion/purpose, or adapt your goals accordingly. We usually get what we wish for, so wish responsibly. Acting slowly, with greater deliberation, often results in a speedier resolution. Convenience is seductive but can bring a person further from simplicity. Living a simple life isn’t simple, or easy. Excessive convenience and entertainment numb us from experiences that might otherwise help us grow. Helping a remote community, especially causes that support its youth, is a fast way to become enveloped within its culture. Doing so, you are offered a seat at the community table, meeting the extraordinary and resourceful people who make a difference. Working with these people brings great joy and happiness.

Connecting two schools from two very different cultures was gratifying and appreciated by so many. One of several good works we've assisted. — Connecting two schools from two very different cultures was gratifying and appreciated by so many. One of several good works we’ve played a role in.

LESLIE: My birthday is today. The year was spent traveling. Reflecting back, I appreciate more than ever that it is the journey, beyond its motivating force, that leaves the most lasting imprint on life and learning. As anticipated, this year has been full of surprises, mostly of an agreeable nature. I envision parallel journeys to some day present themselves. A big question that the boys may start to ponder is: “What is my purpose?” I have asked this several times over my life. In high school, it was to excel in academics and music: violin, piano and singing. In college, my purpose was to learn the ways of the French: to speak and write French fluently. It was an overwhelming passion. Once I started working, however, I discerned that speaking French in the business world wasn’t my purpose. My purpose then transformed into the business of becoming an opera singer. Now, after growing our family and working in opera for years, I have embraced the reality of journeying and seeing the world via a sailboat with my family. Still I find myself asking, what is the purpose of this sailing-across-oceans goal: to encourage Bryce and Trent to study other languages, to embrace foreign cultures, to learn how to sail, to spread my love for music and language to other peoples, to learn to manage with less, or is it something else? Probably it’s all of the above and yet, I’ve come to truly internalize that it is life’s journeys that carry us in the end, and only after the luxury of hindsight and reflection, will I truly discern what their real purposes were. Thus for now, this past year’s lesson learned is to let go and appreciate the journey, enjoy the ride, allowing purpose to reveal itself some other day, if ever.

BRYCE: Bryce says he’s learned three things: 1) a person’s attitudes and behaviors are largely dictated by their cultural upbringing, but do not have to be; 2) American kids are blessed to have so many occupational options, tens of thousands, and don’t know how fortunate they are. In the Marquesas, young people have limited opportunities; farming, fishing, hunting, sculpting, tourism, or a governmental functionary. And 3), to forgive young Marquesans for being mean because they’ll probably grow up to be kind and generous like their parents.

French Polynesia's newspaper published a photo with Bryce. He occupies the first seat in the closest outrigger canoe during a practice race. — French Polynesia’s newspaper published a photo with Bryce. He occupies the first seat in the closest outrigger canoe during a practice race. His school’s team is preparing for the Eimeo race, a paddle around the island of Moorea in 9 stages, taking place March 19.

TRENT: Trent says California kids don’t realize how lucky they are that most every one speaks the same language, that they have a car and can go where they want, quickly, and get what they want. The stores here don’t have a lot of things. Here, he’s noticed that Marquesans have to work a lot harder to get what they want because they don’t earn as much. And things costs more and take longer to get shipped over here. Independent of Bryce, Trent too notes that there aren’t a lot of job options here. He says many have to go to Tahiti for jobs, but there’s no guarantee there either. In California, he recalls there are more things to do; activities, entertainment, sports, shopping, etc. Here, there’s only a few sports: soccer, volleyball, basketball, and paddling, and that’s it. No movie theaters, Wi-Fi is hard to get, and there’s not many places to go except the ocean, where there are no-no’s, or the mountains, where there are mosquitos. “I’ve learned a lot about living on a boat. It’s a lot of work,” he says, stating we have to make our own utilities; water, power, sanitation, and get propane for cooking. Fortunately everything is closer here, he remarks. “You can bike to anywhere you need to go.”

I’m pleased with the lessons and perspectives we’ve gained. The first year didn’t go as planned; it went even better. Apparently it’s a blessing to not get everything you wish for . . . oops, another lesson.

Eric Rigney

Experiential, Leslie's Letters, Leslie's Posts, Marquesas

Letters from Leslie, June 2015

February 8, 2016 admin

June 30, 2015 Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Vaituha, Bryce returns from a refreshing swim after a long hike — Vaituha Eiao, Bryce returns from a refreshing swim after a long hike

Dear Mom and Dad,

Really quickly, as I’ve finally succeeded in downloading our emails sent to us while we sailed from the Galapagos…it took 3 hours. I see you pdf’d the newspaper articles: “Other Side of Paradise” and the Ventura Star Article. It’s terrific that you were able to scan them for us. We will add them to the website. Thank you.

We are just about ready to depart for the island of Eiao, 70 miles to the northwest, with the Falchetto family and their French yacht friends, Guy, Marian and son Taeva on their monohull Manatai. Eiao is a small, uninhabited island with little water, sparse vegetation, and one decent bay called Vaituha. It was suggested we make the overnight sail there: hike across the island, hunt pigs and sheep, spearfish, and snorkel in the clear water where a plethora of fish and manta rays dwell.

It is 6:00 pm here in Taiohae and the men are all loaded. Just me and Raymonde remain at their house packing up last minute food items and working on the computer. I changed into my pants because there are quite a few mosquitos here that are feasting on my blood.

It was great to chat with you on Skype today – always too short. It is so beautiful, green and lush, we know you will like it a lot. Many activities to pursue – somewhat primitive infrastructure, yet life as a yachtie is definitely workable here.

Sending you many hugs and kisses. Thanks again for selling the Prius for us. That was quite a bit of work and dedication on your part. And happy anniversary again. I’m sorry we weren’t there to celebrate with you. Our 26th is coming up. I almost forgot. Funny! Love you!

Leslie

June 30, 2015

Dear Aunt Kay,

We wish you a Happy Belated Birthday; you’ll have to imagine us singing to you!

All is well in Taiohae, the largest bay and town on Nuku Hiva and incidentally in the Marquesas; it is the administrative center. We arrived in the Marquesas Isles 6 days ago. It is beautiful here and lives up to its Marquesan name: “The Land of Men.” Boys are having a swell time and fortunately Kandu is in good repair. We had a great experience in the Galapagos. Our 24-day voyage across the Pacific from Isla Isabela went without problems, although the seas weren’t idyllically comfortable. We experienced convoluted swells, but mostly large rollers stemming from the south and southeast, which we surfed. There was one extraordinary late afternoon when hundreds of dolphins teamed around, surfing the waves along with us. Their thrilling surf and acrobatic show lasted a couple hours until it got so dark, we couldn’t see them anymore. We also benefitted from predominantly strong winds, which sometimes increased our speed up to 9 knots – our average speed was 6.5 knots. Coming into Nuku Hiva, we were so happy to see land that, as usual, we couldn’t wait to disembark from Kandu and go ashore. Our Marquesan friends were at the wharf to welcome us with flower leis. The Falchetto family of over 30 members threw us a welcome party that very evening as if we were long lost family. No wonder Eric was anxious to sail straight here.

Presently, we’re visiting and anchoring around the island of Nuku Hiva: Taipi Vai, Anaho, Hathieu. There are many lovely bays to visit, adventures to be had and extremely generous people to appreciate. We are fortunate indeed. And on top of all the good news, Bryce and Trent are going to attend school in August. Isn’t that thrilling? We have been working on teaching them little bits of French, but by going to school here, they will hear French daily and really learn it; a dream both Eric and I have hoped to realize for a long time.

All four of us are in good health aside from treating the constant bug bites for infection. We are missing home a bit, but enjoying the fresh air and new daily challenges.

Sending hugs and songs to you from our hearts,

Leslie

After 24 days at sea, we arrive in Taiohae, Nuku Hiva to be greeted by dear friends.

Welcomed like a royal, enveloped by the scent of fresh tiare

A Falchetto family celebratory dinner in our honor. The Plymouth Pilgrims have nothing on us.

Denis prepares fresh roasted breadfruit poi in fresh coconut milk for all to savor.

Table is set for a Falchetto family dinner, welcoming us to Nuku Hiva

Falchetto potluck dinner presents local favorites too complicated to describe.

"Puaka" is the Marquesan word for pig. Delicious is the English word for how it tastes. — “Puaka” is the Marquesan word for pig. Delicious is the English word for how it tastes.

Eaio landscape resembles Africa more than Polynesia

Spring water flows freely at Vaituha, Eiao

Wild mutton air-dries before packing in salt for the sail back to Nuku Hiva.

Educational, Eric's Posts, Experiential, Log Notes, Marquesas

Latitude 38 Articles, Kandu & the Marquesas

February 4, 2016 admin

Sylvie aboard Iolana, sent in a great article about us. Andy, the editor, added to it. We’re on page 52, “A Marquesan Epiphany”

Chuck and Linda, on Jacaranda, also wonderful people, sent in an article about the Marquesas on page 62.

Enjoy!

http://issuu.com/latitude38/docs/l38201602/c/sphqqp0

Educational, Eric's Posts, Experiential, Marquesas, Mindset

Leave No Trace?

February 4, 2016 admin 1 Comment

When hiking or camping, there’s an expression, “Leave nothing behind but footprints, take nothing but pictures and memories.” For global cruising sailors, there’s a similar expression, “Let their culture change you, don’t let your culture change them.” In essence . . . listen more than you talk. The emphasis is to not interject foreign perspectives or values for fear such may fundamentally alter their unique culture, thus eroding what is special and wonderful about another community of people, the experience of which is an essential reason why many of us travel to other, often remote, regions. It falls in line with the Star Trek, Next Generation television series’s stated “prime directive,” which “prohibits Starfleet personnel from interfering with the internal development of alien civilizations [Wikipedia],” to not alter another society’s culture by introducing technologies or philosophies. For example, today we may unintentionally introduce soft drinks to a community that only knows fruit juices, or ice cubes to a culture that only knows room temperature beverages. Or we may describe forms of marketing and commercialism that could alter currently commercial-free awnings and canopies. So the leave-no-trace recommendation would be to listen, understand, but don’t suggest Southern Californian solutions to Polynesian problems, a very reasonable stance, especially for the casual visitor.

There are many examples of the opposite perspective as well, where cruisers bring gifts of school supplies, fresh water, materials and skill sets to help solve problems. Often cruisers participate in community service days, picking up trash, running 5k’s for causes, etc. Sometimes cruisers group together to provide an organized effort to assist a community, especially in areas where they reside for several months.

Take our example: we currently live aboard our Tayana 42, Kandu, in Taiohae Bay on Nuku Hiva Island in the Marquesas archipelago. We have “Certificates of Residence” for Taiohae, which allows our sons to attend the public secondary school here. As with most any society, with kids in school, we are internalized within the community, interacting the many friends and acquaintances time and time again. After I get to know, trust and admire a person, I find I don’t see this person as his or her culture, but as a friend with whom I share the planet. The leave-no-trace position perhaps supposes that people from another culture need protection from ideas that may be unnecessarily complicated, perverse, and/or possibly irreversible corruptive, which may be true. But once I get to know someone, I approach cultural immersion from a different paradigm: treat others as I wish to be treated. If someone from another culture who knew and cared about me were made aware of a particular challenge of mine, and had a solution to offer, I’d want him or her to share it. Let me and the regulations of my community decide its merits. I don’t want to be “protected” from foreign ideas. Under these circumstances, sheltering a community from outside influences, by not sharing with them, could be considered patronizing; that a more technologically and commercially exposed culture needs to guard its solution from simpler cultures. I am attracted to entrepreneurial, community service type people. They are extraordinary, intelligent, kind, multi-talented, creative people who crave options. I am less attracted to the economically or politically ambitious. I do not suggest that a Southern California alternative is preferable. I only suggest that, if applicable, it be placed on the table. It may be a bad idea, but let the receiver decide. Let’s trust their sensibilities, their life experience to decide the fate of a given proposal, indigenous or foreign. I often work with them, helping them calculate the pros and cons of various options to determine what may be the most appropriate response for them. I avoid “selling” them an idea as I have an incomplete understanding of the complexities of their society.

Here’s an example. For decades, an older Marquesan couple Marie Antoinette and her husband, Jean Baptiste, harvested coconuts for copra, a common labor-intensive way to earn a living in French Polynesia. Into their 50’s, Jean Baptiste wanted to find another, less back-breaking way for his wife to earn a living. Being that she’s an excellent cook, they decided to open a restaurant together, something neither had any experience doing. As with any business, there are challenges. Locals frequent her restaurant foreigners do not. Without foreign customers, she’s barely breaking even. Her competitor next door, Henri, has a thriving clientele of foreigners. He speaks English, Spanish, and German as well as the local French and Marquesan. And he offers free Wi-Fi. All the visiting sailors frequent his establishment. When cruise ships pull into port, many of their passengers come to take advantage of his Wi-Fi. When Henri’s “Snack Café” is bursting with people trying to find a place to sit, Marie Antoinette’s has only a table or two of locals, wishing to avoid the hubbub of foreigners. If she is not able to increase business, Marie will have to close the café and return to harvesting coconuts. Marie is a friend of a close friend of ours. She asked Leslie to stand outside her restaurant and help pull cruise ship passengers, mostly English-speaking, into her place. So Leslie did. In the process, we learned how Marie might be able to attract more foreign business, simple things like offering on her printed menu an English translation of her dishes, taking and posting pictures of her plates so foreigners could point to what they wanted, holding and placing flatware and napkins on the table to show that it is a café, and making a deal with her beverage provider to paint her café’s name on a canopy with the beverage logo, so visitors could recognize immediately that her establishment is a restaurant, and not just a bunch of tables outside a communal fishermen’s shack. These simple practices are commonplace in Los Angeles, but not so in the Marquesas. Had she more funds, she could hire an English-speaking server and install a WiFi service as well. Will Marie’s café lose some of its local charm by adopting proven urban practices? Yes, but practices acceptable to locals may prove detrimental for her. Having a successful business, keeping Marie out of the coconut groves, is more important to me than guarding a more “local” experience that bankrupts.

In addition to offering local businesses ideas on attracting more American/Euro business, we find other way to “interfere” with the local culture. We support the community through community acts. Here’s a list to help me remember as well:

Conduct free English language classes to locals, three times a week.
Offer choral instruction, direction, and chorography for the secondary school’s bid to perform in the island’s annual music festival
Assist in weekly dining room instruction and support in the community’s restaurant vocational training center.
Connected the secondary school’s English class with a class of similar age group in Southern California, a cultural exchange opportunity
Assisted in demonstrating and teaching young school kids how to make their own yogurt in an electric rice cooker, a common household appliance here
Assisted in repairing outrigger canoes for use by the secondary school as part of an after-school paddling program.
Participated in Career Day, presenting options in cinema and television
Provide free Friday movie nights with popcorn at the secondary school for the boarding students who don’t leave school for the weekend
Produced 3 radio spots and provided presentation support for the island’s two community breast cancer awareness seminars.
Produced 12 individual video spots and a consolidate spot of, and for, the adult graduating class of state-supported entrepreneurs
Supported the local documentary film festival, offering gratis labor and use of our projection equipment.
Photographed and videotaped communal festivals, offering the images and videos free of charge to the community via the City Hall and city library
Shared the photos and videos of the community’s largest festival to draw locals to participate in a charitable affair. The proceeds aided a family with an 18 yr.-old son being treated in Paris for a rare form of cancer.
Recovered a 36’ Marquesan fishing boat, adrift 120 nautical miles in open-ocean, helping four families earn a living.

When it comes to leaving Nuku Hiva untouched, we’ve failed miserably. The mayor even has our cell phone number in his mobile phone’s contact list. But I’m proud of the service we’ve provided “our” community. Although we offered more, not all offers were accepted. Ideas tend to be met with greater enthusiasm than follow-through. We’ve lived in Taiohae, Nuku Hiva for eight months now, with our kids attending school, and plenty of time to get to know people and help them, and to follow through the obstacles. It’s a different set of circumstances when a sailboat and its crew are here for a few days or weeks, especially if no one speaks the local language. Leaving a community to its own devices to solve its problems, especially when one doesn’t have the time or communication capacities to make a difference, is a reasonable approach. That said, cruisers often come together to support a myriad of local causes, especially those sailors enjoying a prolonged stay for whichever seasonal reason. So if one has time, ability, and fortitude, helping a community is often well received and very rewarding.

Eric Rigney

Eric's Posts, Experiential, Marquesas, Mindset

School Daze

December 2, 2015 admin

Trent's class photo with the ubiquitious "bird" captured in this Kodak moment, the student at the front-left corner. — Trent’s class’s Kodak moment captures the student at the front left corner sporting the playground’s ubiquitous “bird” on his righthand.

Leslie and I dreamed of Bryce and Trent learning to some day speak fluent French. Although it was not our original intention when setting off to sail around the world, the new emphasis toward cultural immersion in lieu of sailing around the world affords us this opportunity. It is one of the main reasons for our extended stay in French Polynesia, allowing us to enroll Bryce and Trent in a French public school; first in Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, then maybe in Raiatea, Society.

At first, we were all excited to start school, all of us except Trent. He was, and remains, less convinced of the benefits surrounding the acquisition of a new language. For Leslie and I, learning to speak French has become a requirement of them. In August of this year, Bryce and Trent made Nuku Hiva history, perhaps even Marquesas history, becoming the first Americans ever to attend school here. At first, Bryce welcomed the attention his unique circumstances offered. Everyone watched his every move. Girls flocked to him, requesting instant girlfriend status (being a small island of limited population, many kids are related, making it difficult to date, so new blood represents new possibilities). He was instantly popular. Trent on the other hand did not welcome the global attention. No matter where he went, on campus or off, he felt the inquisitive gaze of locals. When at the store, what products would he buy, what items interested him? At school, kids stared to see what clothes he wore, what technology he brought, what skills and attitudes he might introduce. He did not welcome the unsolicited attention that being a blond-haired, blue-eyed, white-skinned American brought him in a school 98% brown-haired, brown-eyed, brown-skinned Polynesian. Conspicuous simply for his differences was an uncomfortable circumstance for Trent. I tell the boys to remember how it feels to be different in appearance from the general population and to be treated like a freak, so that when they find themselves in a circumstance where they see someone different being introduced into their cultural, that they reach out to them to help them feel at ease, to welcome them in a more constructive and caring manner than their current classmates are.

Another challenge for the boys is entering a scholastic social structure unable to communicate. Not understanding what kids are saying to you or each other, not understanding what the teachers are saying when they are teaching, describing the assignments, the homework, and handing out the tests is akin to living a nightmare for an honor roll student like Bryce, or a student like Trent who likes to please others, especially his teachers. “They think because we don’t speak French that we’re idiots. They can’t believe we’re so dumb, coming from America. It’s not fair. We know more about most of these subjects then they do. Just because we don’t speak their language, doesn’t mean we’re dumb. Even little kids think they’re smarter than us just because we can’t answer even simple questions,” they protest. Again, I ask that they always remember this injustice so that when they meet someone learning English, or even a new skill, that they accord them the same allowances that they feel the Marquesan students, and even some of the French teachers, should extend them. For the first 6 weeks, most all the teachers were sympathetic to their circumstance. After the first school break, a one-week vacation, patience ran out. Nearly all of their teachers began treating them as if the grace period for learning to speak French were over. Apparently for many, six weeks is all it should take to be able to speak French.

The boys were learning. And as in when learning any language, they were beginning to understand what was being said, more than they could speak, especially when others made the effort to speak very slowly and deliberately. When a debutant linguist asks a native speaker to speak slowly, he or she slows down from 70 mph to 55 mph, but still freeway speed. What a very beginning student of a language wants is for a person to speak at 5-10 mph, crowded parking lot speed. You want each word clearly spoken and separated from each other with a fair pause in between. Only someone in the process of learning a new language seems to appreciate this requirement. Others soon tire of the effort and slowly ramp back up to freeway speeds. As parents introducing non-speaking students to their class, it’s not fair to ask teachers to teach their class in a manner necessary for Bryce and Trent to understand, either by translating in English or by slowing speech to a snail’s pace. So, to assist their learning, we hired a professional French-as-a-second-language teacher, experienced in teaching French to Americans. Bryce and Trent meet with him outside of school, 3 times a week. In a constructive environment, he instructs them in basic French, addresses their language questions related to any recent experiences, and helps them with their homework.

Language is not the only challenge confronting Bryce and Trent’s introduction to school in the Marquesas. Cultural differences make for difficult and unpleasant social lessons. Petty theft, lying, vulgar acts and language, and threats of violence are commonplace behaviors in Taiohae’s secondary school. The boys’ backpacks are pilfered through when they’re not looking, during recess, lunch, or physical ed. Bryce and Trent’s stationary supplies are taken from their desk when the walk away to approach the teacher with a question. Locker locks are picked open and items removed. Those whom Bryce thought were his frie

Bryce's Posts, Experiential, Marquesas, Mindset

School au Collège de Taiohae

November 27, 2015 admin 9 Comments

October 16, 2015

Trent starts French public secondary school in Taiohae, Marquesas

Moving from one school to the next is hard. Every school is different. You have new kids to deal with; new teachers and you have to start the friend making business all over again. All that is a pain in the butt, yet eventually it all turns out fine. Starting up at the school in Taiohae was a little different for my brother and me. It’s all French and we don’t speak French.

School entrance with guardian monitoring comings and goings

Our parents brought us to this island out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and threw us in school. We had no clue about the Marquesan culture, what the kids would be like, and the hardest part was we had no idea how to communicate. In a nutshell our parents enrolled us in a school, on a remote island, without us knowing the culture, the language or other kids, then told us how long we were going to attend – one year! That’s what I call a little bit of a challenge.

Eastside of campus reveals open-air cafeteria

On our first day of school we woke up at 6 in the morning since school starts at 7 a.m. We quickly got dressed and ate breakfast, drove our 8’ inflatable dinghy to shore then started our 20-minute walk to school. We walked up to meet the principal and to check out the school: where the restrooms were, lunch would be, basketball courts were, etc. The bell rang so it was time to find my first class. The vice principal told this random girl to lead me to my class. We arrived in a classroom. The teacher looked at my schedule book and pointed to the class I had to go to. It was math class with Monsieur Evain. He spoke to me in English, telling me to sit next to a boy across the room whose English was okay. His name, I learned, was Phillip. He was really nice.

Bryce's class, Bryce center. Phillip is on the end, to Bryce's right — Bryce’s class, Bryce center. Phillip is on the end, to Bryce’s right, Mr. Evian, to his left.

We were the first Americans to ever attend this school. Everything you did or said they thought was what all American kids did or said. In a way, we represented all American kids. It was like we were celebrities and everything we did they thought was cool. The reaction I would normally get arriving at a new school in America would have been much different: no one would have noticed me or cared to know my name or try to make me feel comfortable. But in the Marquesas, it seemed to be the opposite. It was, “Oh, you need help? Let me help you.” Practically on our first day of school everyone knew our names. After math was Physics and then History/Geography and following that was Physical Ed. We played basketball. The kids here are terrible at basketball. I am probably the best player in 7-9th grade! At home, I was just passable.

Bryce's English class. His teacher by chance visited Ventura this past summer, during the 4th of July. — Bryce’s English teacher, standing in the back of the class, by chance visited Ventura this past summer, during the 4th of July.

After P.E. we had lunch. Phillip led me over to the lunch line. For lunch there is a different protocol than the schools attended in Southern California. You grab a metal tray; slide it on the rails in front of the kitchen while servers place fresh food on your tray. That first day we had rice, lentils, grapefruit and a piece of French baguette. When I saw the spread I thought, “Geeze, this is so good, and it didn’t come out of a bag!” When I was done there was not a crumb left on my plate. It was so delicious – like rich kids’ food. After lunch, surprisingly, I was finished with school. That’s when I started thinking, “Man, this is the best school ever. Fantastic lunch, school finishes at twelve most days, and I’m treated like a celebrity.” This school was really turning out to be a great experience for the both of us.

The cafeteria serving station before lunch

By the time this week was finished, my brother, Trent, and I were top news for most of the island. Everyone was giving us greetings when we biked down the street. Random people saying, “Bonjour,” “Salut,” “Hi!” In sum it was looking really good for us. People we had never seen before knew us.

The next week was even better. During our morning breaks, we had pretty girls asking if they could be our girlfriends. But after awhile it got a little annoying having people pulling you over into their group and examining you, asking the same silly questions. At the same time, I liked the attention. For the first month, this was the normal day. Then the attention started cooling off. People were getting used to us, which was a bad thing.

Students in the courtyard before the first bell

Now during school I have to watch my back because everyone wants to fight us, putting up their arm saying, “I’m gonna fight you!” I never know if someone is going to pounce on me, and every time I turn around there’s at least one person giving me the finger or shouting, “F-you, Bryce!” On top of that, everything got harder. Now I’m expected to understand everything being said in class and I have to do homework in French. Fortunately, after school I go to a tutor for help with my French.

Getting flipped off is a regularly occurrence. — Getting flipped off (face blurred) is a regularly occurrence.

A few times now I have had trouble with a couple kids. One day before my English class, this kid named London all of a sudden came at me and said, “Shut up, be quiet!” then put his chest against mine and peered down at me like he was going to hit me. Then I said, “Go, go, come on. Allez, allez, viens!” In my head I was thinking if this guy hits me, he would have more pain than me once it’s all over. Since the village of Taiohae has a small population of 2,000, everyone would know he’s the one who struck the American who doesn’t even speak French, for no good reason. Plus his parents and the school would be very mad. As this was going on, a teacher came out and the kid cooled down. It was over and he apologized after class. Anyway, it’s happened a few times after that before it totally ended. It is now resolved without any physical confrontation.

After that first month, the college turned into a bit of a wild school and hard to handle. You can’t even leave your backpack alone without fear of some kid rummaging through your stuff and picking out what he wants. The way I look at, it’s just a few more months before it will all be over. So, in the meantime, just toughen up and deal with the problems straight up. Attending this school has been a crazy new experience. At the moment it seems worth my while. Although I do have to say, I can’t wait until it’s all over and things go back to normal: homeschooling with mom and dad.

Kandu in Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas

by Bryce Rigney

Experiential, Marquesas, Trent's Post

Swinging on the Rein

November 23, 2015 admin 1 Comment

August 11, 2015

Smiling after three days of rope swinging.

At Tahuata Island in Vaitahu Bay we used our boat swing. It was really fun, but it was difficult at first because Bryce, Mom and I had to set up the swing without Dad’s help. We first had to pull out the spinnaker pole that is attached to the mast, which is a bit challenging. Then we had to attach the thick swing rope to the end of it. Once that was secure, we had to raise the spinnaker pole as high as it could go and then tie it off. The last thing we had to do was set-up two “preventers” [guys] to make sure the pole would not sway from side to side. We needed the pole to stay in place hanging directly perpendicular to the boat, placing us, the swingers, out as far as possible from the boat.

Swing set up off Kandu in Vaitahu, Tahuata.

Once everything was ready we stepped up onto the kayak propped up on it’s side on the deck and jumped off. We got to swing as much as we wanted. Bryce and I first sat on the swing’s bottom knot. Then we stood on the knot and dove into the water jumping off the knot pushing off with our feet. That’s all I could do, but Bryce could also perform a back flip off the rope. The rope swing was set-up for three days. The day after the first day, I was terribly sore from swinging so much, but it didn’t matter. I was determined to swing as much as possible while the swing was set-up.

Kandu's boat swing at sunset in Vaitahu, Tahuata, Marquesas. — Kandu’s boat swing at sunset in Vaitahu, Tahuata, Marquesas.

The last day, a Marquesan dad we’d never met before motored over to our boat on a small fishing boat with his son and daughter. He explained that his children wanted to play with us on the swing while he went to check his fishing stuff. My dad said it was okay and that we would bring the kids back to shore at noon, about an hour and a half, when we had to leave for shore. The kids were very nice. The little boy was 7 and the girl was 9. They were curious about the boat so we gave them a tour. I thought they were brave to hang out with us, having never met us before. We played together on the swing until it was time to leave back to shore. The dad gave us some grapefruit as a thank you.

by Trent Rigney

Editor’s Note: Vaitahu (translation “water fire-igniter”) is historically significant for the Marquesas. The first documented European to visit the Marquesas, a Spanish explorer, landed here in 1595, naming the archipelago after his benefactor’s wife. The second European to visit, British Capt. Cook, made landfall here in 1774. The French admiral, Dupetit-Thouars, in 1842, after fighting a successful battle for the chief of Vaitahu, signed a treaty with the chief annexing all of the Marquesas to France. Vaitahu, as I understand correctly, is reportedly the only Marquesan valley owned by France, such that the inhabitants lease the land upon which the build their homes. In the other valleys, private parties own the land.

Experiential, Marquesas, Trent's Post

Sight for Sore Eye

November 18, 2015 admin 2 Comments

July 4th, 2015

Today we just got back to Taiohae, Nuku Hiva from our big adventure to the island, Eiao (pronounced Ay-EE-OW-oh). We were all very tired after unloading so we stayed on the boat for a bit to rest. Bryce and I watched the movie Footloose on our small portable BluRay player powered by a 12-volt car charger; the player can also take 110/220VAC. After awhile we got bored, since we had seen the movie before, so Bryce and I decided to take the dinghy to shore, to the petit quai (means “little wharf” in French). Mom came with us to drive the dingy back, but she was a very bad helmsman. When she left the wharf, after dropping us off, she bumped into another boat, tied to the wharf, two times before getting the hang of it. There was a bunch of Marquesan people watching. It was embarrassing.

Trent back in Taiohae aboard Kandu, after Eiao, ready to head ashore.

Bryce and I decided to walk to our friend’s house, Raymonde and Sebastien’s, because we were going to eat dinner there later. While walking, Bryce found a coconut tree that was small enough to climb to get a coconut. When he was climbing he pushed down a small branch that was full of dirt, and because I was looking up at him, the dirt fell into my eye. I rubbed my eye to get the dirt out, but instead I scratched my eye. It really hurt, so I was very mad at Bryce.

Bryce climbing coconut tree to bring down "drinking" nuts. — Bryce climbing coconut tree to bring down “drinking” nuts.

The walk to Raymonde and Sebastien’s house is about a mile and ½, so we were fortunate when other Marquesan friends drove by and gave us a ride in the back of their truck to the house. When we arrived, my eye was still bothering me a lot. Raymonde is a nurse. She rinsed my eye with a bunch of sterile water to try to clear the dirt, but my left eye still hurt a lot. Whenever I closed my sore eye, it felt a little better.

Our dear friend and nurse, Raymonde Ly-Falchetto, living on Nuku Hiva

My parents thought that we might have to go to the emergency, but I really didn’t want to because that evening after dinner, the family planned to go see some Marquesan dancing and I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to go. But after taking a nap, my eye was miraculously healed! We were able to go to watch the dance after all.

by Trent Rigney

Eric's Posts, Experiential, Marquesas

So Much To Share, How to Start?

August 14, 2015 admin 9 Comments

Ua Pou Hakahau — Kandu moored off picturesque Hakahau Bay at Ua Pou in the Marquesas Islands

Since entering Mexico, sailing down the Baja coast to the Puerto Vallarta region, then to the Galapagos, and now at the Marquesas, so much has happened. We want to share all of it, but how? Do we apply our posts in chronological order of our travels, or do we skip around to what’s of interest at the time, present and past?

Yesterday, Trent started college here in Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, the first American to do so. Bryce started today. Their fellow students are nearly all Polynesian, with the occasional French child here and there. Other foreigners, a New Zealander and a Russian, have attended previously, but as Americans, they make Nuku Hiva history. The college follows the French educational system for its outer territories. The class level numbers lessen as the child advances, thus the college takes kids from the 6th level to the 2nd. The more advanced 1st level and higher academics are provided in Tahiti. Trent entered the 6th and Bryce, the 5th. As they learn French, and if room is available, Bryce and Trent well be allowed to advance to higher grade levels (lower number). Course work includes Math, Science (Biology and Earth), Technology, French, English, Marquesan, History and Geography, Art, Physical Education, and Music. The student body is gentle and kind, everybody knows everybody and are typically related by some familial association. What occurs at school is immediately reported to the family. The teachers seem patient as French is also the Marquesan’s second language. Trent’s principal teacher is the 6th level’s English teacher, so this circumstance falls well in his favor as he begins his transformation into the French language.

With the boys in school, we plan to give them time to learn French and thus stay in Taiohae, giving Leslie and I time to write and post our previous and current experiences. We have plenty to write about, so stay tuned.

by Eric Rigney

The Rigneys' Great Adventure