By Maria Andersen, apprentice from Denmark
February 26th, 2014
There you go, that was Nuku Hiva, we are leaving tomorrow, so we’re hoisting the boats this evening and saying goodbye to this lovely French Polynesian island. It is a weird feeling leaving an island and knowing that the chance of you coming back is relatively small, but we did get around and saw a lot of things and it was amazing and before we know it we will be on our way to the next gorgeous place.
I think I am speaking on behalf of everybody on board when I say that we are excited to go sailing again, at least I know I am. I need some wind in my face and some cool night watches, because as pleasant as the heat and sun are, Danes are not suited for this climate and most times during the night I have to go on deck just to cool down a bit before trying to crawl back in my bunk and sleep. Donald the cook says the I am not allowed to complain about the heat, as he says, “You Danes came on this ship to enjoy better and warmer weather!” and I know he is right but when the sweat is running down your face and the sun is burning your shoulders, is it then too much to ask for a little breeze?
The best part of the day when we are anchored used to be the swim calls, but unfortunately we haven’t had any of them here in Nuku Hiva, and I think it has something to do with all the sharks swimming around in the bay. A couple of days ago we saw a huge hammerhead shark just off the starboard bow and yesterday the guys actually caught a big shark on one of the fishing lines and they had to cut it because of the size of the creature. Many people including some of the people from the Picton Castle actually enjoy going out diving with these sharks and Nuku Hiva is apparently famous for the shark dives. Personally I don’t know what they are thinking, they’re sharks! I will stay on board the ship and look at them, but I am certainly not going in the water. However the guys who went out diving had an awesome dive with colourful fish, manta rays and sharks.
Today starboard watch is getting the ship ready for sea, lashing things and making sure that everything is in its place so that we can leave first thing tomorrow and head towards Tahiti.
Tahiti will be the next island to pay a visit and I am looking very much forward to see what kind of place that is, I have heard a lot of different things about the island, but now I will check it out myself together with some awesome people on board the Picton Castle. New destination, new places to explore and new adventures to be written about in the journal.