Month: January 2024

Cruiser Friends

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in Sailing

I just love our sailing friends!

Some anchorages just have that super strong sense of community, it’s hard to pull anchor and leave. We have been so blessed in this small bay named Hooumi. 4 boats are our good friends from Mexico, 6 boats are new friends we met a few months ago here in FP. We feel like such family, with daily activities loosely organized by different people every day. The spontaneity and variety is just so cool. 19 friends showed up for my Yoga and meditation this morning, hugs of gratitude all around. Yesterday, some of us dingied up the river to a little village, bought a few staples and did cannon balls in the clear and refreshing river water with the local children.

We all laughed and drummed ourselves silly the other night at the beach. Bonfires and s’mores are always fun. One boat had us all over for Taro Card readings and appetizers. There was a scotch tasting on SV Captain Music. Last week, Ingrid made enough Poke Bowl to share with us all. Luckily, English is our common language but we’re from 6 or so countries. It really doesn’t matter the age, socio economics, political opinion, religion, how long cruising, what country you launched from or where you are headed. We all have one thing in common, a positive outlook with an adventurous spirit. Mind you, not everyday is easy and fun, but we are in it together.


To Name a few: Joanne Pilkington and Scott, Jutta Birfelder and Mike. Michelle Fetkenhour and Jeff. Margot McKirdy and Elliott. Bruce Balan and Alene. Ingrid and Adam Lewis. Emma Aingé and Dan. Candice Deal and Jason Deal. Jan, Inge, Lauren and Liam.

My 15 day Sailors Yoga Camp is now compete!

YOGA CAMP

Testing out my new skills was easy and fun with my cruiser friends. I tried new poses, transitions, meditation themes and even stumbled my way with chatty children and a few locals at my side. The last day I was presented with a special card signed by all the Hooumi Bay sailors. Then they performed a ‘Trust Experience’ for me, where 20 students lifted me up, wow I felt so loved and cared for. I’m feeling inspired to do Yoga Around the World!

California and Texas Visits, (First Scott then Kathy- as someone had to babysit the boat)

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Travel

Scott was able to spend a week in Texas and a week and half in California. “Spending a fantastic Thanksgiving day with Family in Texas! Nothing like excellent family, food and wine! Anarchy Wine Co.
(Darn cold here in the states) 😉

Happy Thanksgiving to all those missing Thanksgiving down under in the South Pacific and south of the border!!

California visit for Kathy was so, so special, two relaxing and perfect weeks. “I want to thank my family and friends for taking GREAT care of me and providing healthy land time. A much needed break from the rolly boat, heat and just missing my CA peeps. I did manage to get important check ups, select better sunglasses (and back ups) find essentials like Kirkland nuts and peanut butter, and basically enjoy normal life for awhile. I started in Santa Cruz on Christmas Day with a lovely time with Mom, Roland and my brothers’ family. I was lucky to borrow Mom’s car to drive to Fresno to couch it with my son. My daughter came over and we 3 headed to the Sierra foothills for a few days of R and R. Cooking amazing meals, singing on the Kareoke machine, silly card games, fun dance pad and mostly enjoying a large, flat, non moving home, lol. Some big hugs and a few tears later….”

I was off to San Luis Obispo to visit our rental and hang with great friends! My final 4 days I spent back at Mom’s in Santa Cruz with my Aunt, Uncle, Sister in Law and Dad. Overall, an action packed and special time for all. Soon, I make the 24 hour long journey (only an 8 hour flight over the great Pacific) returning to home on the water in Marquesas and best of all, back to my Hubby Scott.

But then, guess what happened?!.!?

Homeless Day in Tahiti

…and it sucked. I was grumpy. 😦I had hardly any sleep on the red eye, and our new foil board was not at baggage claim! It’s lost!😮Whine, whine, I know it. The nice, but French speaking attendant, insisted I report it right then, so it can hurry on the next the plane. But, it’s now 6am and I miss my connection flight to Nuku Hiva, by just 2 minutes. AAAH! 😱😱😱And still no board. 😡So, I book a new flight for 4:30 am tomorrow, book a close by lodge, and ditch my heavy bags in this sortof hotel (but-check in is at 4pm!) What to do allllll day???? Homeless for a day. I find a bus riding into downtown, mind you it only now 7:00am. 😳Searching for an open coffee shop like a homeless person, on very tired feet and sluggish mind, I sit for a needed Quiche Lorraine. Shoot!My phone doesn’t seem to have data or cellular and has only 35% battery. I tried plugging it in, but the outlets aren’t compatible! 😭NOT MY DAY! I wander from closed shop to closed shop and find the famous Papeete Market, but “closed on Tuesdays”, I mainly just wanted a bathroom. 😤UG. Getting a bit lost without any GPS, I find a park bench, to rest, feeling very homeless by now. I brushed my teeth in the public bathroom, thanking the French for having clean water. It’s 9am. 😖I only have 7 more hours to kill wandering aimlessly. I see a great book store, super right? I can sit and read for a few hours, but, no. Only French books here. 🤪Next stop, find the Air Tahiti office to file a claim. They send me to Air Tahiti Nui, 6 blocks away. Pointing a finger at each other I think. I would call… but no cell. It starts raining buckets, 🙈UG! One of those days! I am soaked within minutes, I hop on a bus to stay dry, head east, no clue where to. 😩I am kind of familiar with this city, thankfully. I explored around a favorite grocery store, bought some tops, and ate some yogurt and bananas. I managed to get my phone back running, after 45 minutes with TMobile. 😳I do have the time though, tons of time! I continued walking aimless about. (It’s, only noon) I will end this lengthy drama with a positive…you know me. I bought Scott some onions and potatoes, put them in my purse. Our anchorage town in Nuka Hiva is all out. (more heavy items for my carry on) grump, grump, grump 😁

(The next day)

When I go to check in at 4:00 am, the lost baggage office is open and there is our new Foil Board!

The Tattoo…and our daughter Hope’s fun visit.

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in Sailing

So if anyone is interested…. “The Tattoo”

Hope Erwin had been planning to get a tattoo during her visit to us in Marquesas for nearly 6 months. The tattoo process here started with a conversation between her and Ahi the Artist in Nuku Hiva. The interview was a week earlier than the time of work and it consisted of sharing important aspects of Hopes life and family. At the time of the interview, we saw volumes of books of symbols and drawings of century’s of Marquesian body art with historical meanings. The selection of what art is to be “Hope’s tattoo” was all up to Ahi although Hope wanted a few specific items that meant more to her.

On the day of the work we showed up at 8:30 am where Ahi was explaining to a lady a tattoo he had placed on her the day before. She was flying out that day and was emotionally overwhelmed (in tears) by the art and symbolism representing her life. Hope at that time was very moved about the process awaiting her.

This is all free hand and no computer or graphic images helped along the way.

Ahi is 28 years old and has been taught by the Guru of Marquesan history. This history was almost forgotten over generations of cultural suppression by the Catholics and the French. Only in the latest 2 generations have the Marquesians demanded that their culture survive and be celebrated (much of this we saw in the Matavaa festival). Fortunately, the artwork was well documented in the 18th and 19th centuries and still practiced in small circles. Ahi explained that the art work is at the root of the culture and “has”’ to be shared. “Marquesans are proud of who we are and we want our Tiki to be known”. Thus, the tattoo culture is shared with others and not just kept to themselves.

The process was as interesting as the history. Ahi free handed for hours in green and pink with many revisions until he was happy with his canvas. Only then did he sit with Hope and explain the meaning of each symbol which we recorded on video. (One Hope will keep private). The whole process was complete by 3:30.

BTW, the Marquesans seem to have a very strained relationship with both French Polynesia and France. It’s one I would relate to a rebelling teenager in their middle to late teens. They are striving for their history, culture and independence. Marquesans are absolutely the most generous and kind people we have met yet, but there is an underlying anger from the last few hundred years. Time will tell if this generation will heed to parental supervision or will they push for more independence. In its present form these Islands are similar to Hawaii 100-150 years ago. -Scott

What a great couple of weeks with our daughter Hope Erwin.

Hopes trip has been a blur of cruising life in the South Pacific. Only 10 days and she had dove with Sharks, swam with mantas, videoed turtles, hiked the Hakatea Bay (Daniels bay) and made an effort to learn how to foil behind the dinghy.

Pictures can’t explain how proud we are of this soon to be 21 yr old college grad!

Community Outreach in Taiohae Bay.

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Sailing, Travel

December 2023, a few cruiser friends and I (Emma on SV Margot and Joanne from SV Fundango) thought up a special way to give back to the little town we all are staying in for a few months. Taiohae Bay is in Nuku Hiva, in the Marquesas Archipelago of French Polynesia. I counted 150 sailboats all anchored in the bay, most are staying for the month to see the Festival Traditions of Matavaa. See my other posts. Since we are all just guests of their bay, I thought it would be a caring idea to “give back”, especially since the locals have graciously hosted us all and included us in all the their dances and singing events of the festival.

https://youtu.be/ZDv2FzqNui8?si=MIxwGQmbN6iqfsy4

We went to the local Tourism office and inquired about the local elementary schools. We shared our idea of bringing each child of the town a wrapped treat, goodie, or cookie. We were shown gratitude and a sense of appreciation.

There was a bit of red tape and logistics, with one school being Catholic, but with perseverance and organization the plans began working out well. Once we were approved, we made plans to go to 2 elementary schools, all 40 of us, and hand deliver treats to 320 youngsters, their teachers, food service helpers, principals, the mayor and even a few parents.

A few days beforehand, the three of us zipped around the bay all day asking local cruisers to participate in this “giving back”. Most of them loved the idea and wanted to join us and wanted to go to town to hand out treats.

So, the date was set for the last day of school. We gathered at the dingy dock, discussed some logistics (in French and English) and went walking into the town with goodie bags in tote. This was a fun activity for us and an important little treat for the town. The children were so surprised. They haven’t seen so many Caucasian faces ever probably. They treats were a hit. Our photo and story was even posted in the local news.