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Tahuata's Hanamoenoa Bay (map, #2) is another favorite, located just around the corner
from Hiva Oa's tightly packed Tahauku Bay. Here, a perfect sandy crescent fronts a quiet
anchorage with depths of ten to twenty feet. It's a rarity in this archipelago, otherwise typ-
ified by rugged, boulder-strewn coastlines. Wild horses graze on the green slopes in this
uninhabited corner of the island, and the resident manta rays are another prime attraction
(see below).
While there's no such thing as an ugly bay in the Marquesas, Taioa Bay (map, #3, also
known as Daniel's Bay) on the southwest corner of Nuku Hiva is the only anchorage that
can really hold a candle to Fatu Hiva's Bay of Virgins. There, mountain slopes descend to
the sea in echoing folds, each catching and scattering light at different angles. This is also
one of the better protected anchorages in the archipelago; when you approach from the
sea, it's almost hard to believe there's more water beyond the jutting headland. There is a
potable fresh water tap at the head of the bay, where a number of gardens but no perman-
ent population is located. Anchor in twenty to twenty-five feet.
Anaho Bay (map, #4) on the northeast coast of Nuku Hiva is unique as the only reef-lined
anchorage in the Marquesas. It's just far enough off the usual track that few boats make
the trip out here, but hugely rewarding for the isolated beauty of the place. This might just
be your best chance to escape the cruising crowds while anchoring in a secure place with
a scenic sandy beach (anchoring depths twenty-five to thirty feet).
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