The Islands Time Forgot
Exploring the South Pacific Under Sail
by
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At six in the morning the dark clouds cleared to reveal a bright windy morning, with the island of Fatu Hiva only thirty-five miles away. Max called “Land ahoy” at 8:00
In the anchorage at Hanavave Bay yachts bobbed at anchor. Strong winds blew off the mountains, through the valley, and into the bay, whipping up the calm water and rattling the rigging, then subsiding as quickly as they came, returning the bay to perfect tranquility. It was an idyllic setting for our arrival in French Polynesia. Waking the next day, we appreciated how spectacular and dramatic Hanavave Bay was. From the deck we gazed at the tall volcanic pillars rising from the thick green vegetation. Because of their strange phallic shapes, early explorers named the bay “Baie des Verges,” which literally translated means “Bay of Penises,” but when the missionaries arrived they were outraged by this, so they added a letter “i” to make the name “Verges” into “Vierges,” which means virgins. Perhaps the original description was more appropriate. The Marquesas, Les Iles Marquises, were our first taste of French Polynesia. There are ten islands, six of them inhabited, with wonderfully lyrical Polynesian names, like Fatu Hiva, Hiva Oa, Tahuata and the largest one, Nuku Hiva. The volcanic mountains, millions of years old, rise dramatically from the sea with razor-sharp ridges and cathedral-like spires reaching up three thousand feet into the clouds. Geographically, culturally, and economically they are unlike the other island groups in French Polynesia, and are more remote and isolated from Tahiti, the capital. When our dinghy reached the stone jetty Janet and I were greeted by dozens of small children who were as excited to meet us as we were to meet them. Fatu Hiva is the most southern island in the Marquesas group and many miles from Nuku Hiva, the main island. The only links to the outside world are a small bonito boat that makes trips twice a week to Hiva Oa, the nearest island, and a supply ship from Tahiti that calls once a month. Visitors are a curious novelty and the few yachtsmen are the only Europeans that the children meet. They gathered round us asking for “bonbon.” We hadn't brought any sweets or small gifts with us so we went back to the boat and returned with colouring crayons, pads of paper, and balloons, and they screamed with delight. More children appeared from nowhere. We wished we'd been better prepared. The villagers invited us into their homes and showed us craftwork they had for sale. The wood carvings of idols were beautifully made. Janet was relieved to find that French is spoken by most people, especially the younger children and the women, and it was proper French, not pidgin, so she was able to have normal conversations and we learned a lot more about the people than we did in the Spanish-speaking countries. Polynesian, the native language, was impossible for us to understand. A crowd of young children gathered around Janet and she asked one of the women with them to explain the school system. She told us that on a small island with a population of only 631, it is impossible to have the proper school resources. But education is a very high priority, so at the age of seven these children playing on the dock with us, along with the children from other outer islands, are sent away to boarding school on Hiva Oa. Even there the school facilities are limited, and at the age of fourteen they have to go to school in Tahiti, many hundreds of miles away. If they are clever enough they will remain to attend the university. The cost is met by the French government, but it must be a terrible wrench for the parents, although they seem to accept it. Like families all over the world, they aspire to improve their children's way of life. Of course some children return to their home island if they can find work, but many never return.
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About the Book
Fifty-five islands, nineteen countries, seventeen thousand miles … and one amazing adventure. A fascinating story of four sailors who discovered the magic of the South Pacific … and the islands time forgot After recovery from a serious illness, Graham Morse vowed to achieve his dream of sailing across the South Pacific with his wife, Janet, and reliving the adventures of his boyhood heroes, Captain Cook, Thor Heyerdahl, and Christian Fletcher. They had expected to find some of the most beautiful islands in the world, and were not disappointed. But they were surprised to find a world where life has changed very little in two hundred years, and where the people have very different values than his own society, and however poor, take pleasure in giving. But sadly it is a world on the cusp of change. Travel with them as they discover the mysteries of ancient Polynesian culture, are welcomed into the homes of humble people, meet fascinating characters, are invited to village feasts, work with black pearl farmers, and swim with seals, sharks, and whales. The voyage --which took them across the world's largest ocean --was not without its dangers, incident, and tragedy. The Islands Time Forgot is not just for sailors who yearn to make such a voyage, but for all armchair travelers who have dreamed about the South Pacific that only a sailing boat can reach.
About the Author
Graham Morse enjoyed a business career in sales and marketing. At aged thirty, he taught himself to sail in a Mirror dinghy, and got the sailing bug. Several boats later, family sailing holidays took them across the English Channel, and then through the Bay of Biscay to South Brittany and Spain. His ocean racing experience included the 1989 Fastnet race. He retired at sixty to spend more time sailing and exploring. In 2002 Graham and his wife, Janet, crossed the Atlantic and spent three years cruising the Caribbean. A few years later, he was struck down by a mysterious illness and vowed that if he recovered he would not miss his last opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream --to sail across the Pacific Ocean. The experience of that voyage gave him the inspiration to achieve another ambition --to be a writer. Graham Morse has four children and seven grandchildren and lives in the Cayman Islands.