David's Take on Fatu Hiva

This is an excerpt from a sailmail that David wrote to his son, Casey:
As you may have heard by now, we made it. It took us 20 days and 4 hours, which is really good time for a 39 ft. cruising boat, but the trip wasn't all we had expected. All the downwind smooth, warm sailing didn't materialize until the last few days. Most of the trip was with a large side wind swell that bounced us around a lot, and the sky was filled with clouds and squalls most every day. There were times we wondered why we had signed up for this beating!

But we are here and it all seems more than worth it as the place is amazing. Clear water and skies, lots of friendly people (both cruisers and locals) and this island of Fatu Hiva and the bay we are in, The Bay of Virgins, is beyond beautiful. Palm trees everywhere and huge volcanic spires sticking up covered with green grass lining the horizon. It's everything I'd dreamed it would be.

Yesterday morning we went ashore for the Sunday church service and it may have been the most spiritual church service I've ever been to. I sat outside the main door on the steps leading up to the over sized door and leaned against the wall, listening to the goings on. Even though it was all in French, the singing was out of this world, with perfect harmony and guitar and ukulele back up they capture all this area is about. The singing flowed like the ocean and the wind, and you could feel the passion and love the people of these islands have for their surroundings. It was so spiritual with the wind blowing through the palm trees, the morning sun lighting up the bay where we are anchored that even I found tears in my eyes. I could go on and on but must stop as this is getting a bit long for a sailmail.