Sailing SV Delos · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 53-foot SV Delos anchors in Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, to attend the Matava Festival, a cultural event held every four years.0:58 To mitigate heavy swell and avoid the "death rolls" caused by the boat sitting beam-to the waves, the crew performs a stern-tie maneuver.2:57 They drop a primary anchor from the bow and a secondary anchor from the stern, which keeps the vessel facing directly into the swell regardless of wind shifts.3:10 The festival features traditional Marquesian dance, drumming, and an umu, an underground oven feast consisting of pork, goat, fish, and breadfruit.10:35 Following the festival, the crew conducts a dive in nutrient-rich, low-visibility waters, where they encounter a rare endemic dragon moray and a manta ray.17:14 Stern-tying effectively stabilizes a vessel in swell-prone anchorages, though it reduces cross-breeze ventilation through the hatches.3:24

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