Marquises Islands

We just arrived yesterday into Papeete Tahiti the first major goal of our sailing adventure. Now have bit better internet service although still expensive like everything in French poly.
Will mention a bit more about our trip through the Marquises. We spent 3 days in Fatu hiva doing lots of walking try to get our sea legs back in shape. There was only one tiny store and we had no French Poly money and no banks here so we could not buy anything here. But we did trade some pencils and a bar of soap for a handful of bananas from one family along road.
The anchorage was very gusty with winds to 50 knots blowing for 4o seconds to a minute then stop and then blow again. We were glad we had a good anchor.
After 3 days we left for the next island Hiva Oa about 40 miles away and we had a great sail all the way there, and anchored in Atuona bay. It is a 40 minute walk into town where we checked in with the local Gendarme ( the French police not the local police) for our offical entry into French Poly. We were using a agent so did not have to post a bond equalling the cost of a airline ticket out. Got some new food finally although very little in the way of veggies. Food prices are double those back home. We did some exploring of the area including a hike out to some petroglyphs There was a old stone shack by the anchorage with a over head tap you could use for a showere which we made use of.
After 3 days here left for Takuata island only a few miles away and spent one night there at a wilderness anchorage with a super sand beach. It was a difficult surf beach landing so we anchored the dinghy and swam into shore to walk the beach and do a bit of snorkling. Left here the next day for Ua Pou 63 miles away. We were up at 3am for a early start and had to motor a few hours before the wind filled in and we could sail with a moderate wind on the beam. Arrived about 5pm just before dark. Only one other boat was there, our friends from Coup de Soleil
A dredge was working in the bay so keeping boats out at times.
This is another beatiful island with towering rock pinnicales. After a couple of days went around island to another anchorage which we had to ourselves and then the next day as we were going to another anchorage we got a awful vibration from engine area, I soon found we had a loose engine mount which I tighened but we decided to turn around and go back to the main anchorage of the island at Taioa Bay and check the engine alignment. This is another Rolly anchorage but had fun exploring the town and even got a few fresh veggies at a local market. After 2 days we rented a vehicle which was a 4x4 pickup, all the vehicles on the island were trucks and suv's. We found it a different experience to see the inside of one of these islands. The narrow roads were very steep in places as they curved along near vertical hill sides.
We parked at one place and did a 2 hour hike up over a pass and down to a super looking bay, this trail was also used by pack horses carring suplies. While we had the vehicle we got 15 gallons of water at a tap on other side of island with great drinking water as cant us the water where we were anchored. The watermaker does not always keep up with what we use.
The next day we motor sailed over to Daniels bay where the tv show survivor was filmed . We also did an incredible hike into this gorge with towering cliffs on each side of us.
Time to leave the Marqueses and head for the Tuamotus 480 miles away.