First View of Land

Greetings from Nuku Hiva

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January 22nd 2008
Greetings from Nuku Hiva Jan. 19 and we finally saw land! What a glorious sight! We arrived about 7 AM at Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia, the largest of the 10 Marquesas Islands of which only 6 are inhabited. Herman Melville signed aboard the whaling ship Acushnet in 1841 but, after 18 months, he deserted here at Nuku Hiva where he lived for four months among the Typee people. He wrote Typee ... read more

Oceania » French Polynesia » Nuku Hiva

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The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January ... ... read more