Tuesday, March 10, 2009
...to a bare hull....
...with apologies to Ferenc Mate!
The first section sandblasted to bare metal....
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Cape Bream!
Arrived! Safely! In Whangarei! After a fairly relaxing trip….of course rounding Cape Bream, Neptune had to stick his head up and have a look about….then threw 20 knots into our face and raised the seas…but we persevered and made our way up the channel with 1.2 feet under the keel at one point and found the town basin! Hot showers, good friends and happy hour was our reward!
More to follow……
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Whangamumu!
Don't you just love those Maori names? Whangamumu! Wish I knew what it meant…..probably something like "sheltered bay on East coast".
Anyway, we finally got out of Opua…what a relief! As much as we liked it there after the long passages, it was definitely past time to move on. So we crawled out of bed at the crack of 8….another sleepless night for me…I sometimes wish I had a switch in my head that could turn the brain off at bedtime! Set switch to off, had all day to figure out the weather, the tides, plot the course, wonder what the new sails will be like, how about that cracked shoe at the base of the mast, need new jib sheets,
what else was on that list…no, time to rest now…..shut the brain off! But it does not work that way, so they invented coffee! Greatest drug in the world…well, ok, maybe there are a couple of better ones, depending on the circumstances but this one manages to get me moving in the morning. Linda is up and about brewing it and getting us organized, as excited as a kid at christmas…we get to go somewhere new!
Not far, we planned about a 25 mile day or about 5 hours at our rate. The weather forecast is good and the sea is calm, long rolling swells as we clear the Bay of Islands to round Cape Brett. Not enough to sail but we have the new main up and we motor sail through the tour boats hovering around the dolphins like moths to a lantern and around the famous 'hole in the rock' on Motukokako or Piercey Island and turn South for the first time in four months! We did shut the engine down briefly and roll
out the new jib. What a difference! These new sails are going to be fabulous.
But we have arrived already, the entrance to the anchorage is somewhere in that shoreline….supposedly recognizable by an inverted V of green grass….ah there it is! In around the dogleg and a beautiful sheltered bay, open only slightly to the North, awaits! Only a couple other sailboats but by the time the sun goes down, about two dozen other boats, mostly small sport fishing boats will drop their anchors for the night. The wind has died completely and we rock gently to the Pacific swell.
Linda goes all out and produces a spicy lamb curry in the pressure cooker. A couple of glasses of wine and its time to find that switch again….now where was it…behind the ear?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Aotearoa!
The Maori believe that when you die, your soul travels along Te Oneroa A Tohe, the beautiful white sand of the Ninety Mile beach facing the Tasman Sea. The spirituality of the place is tangible. At Spirits Bay, it is believed that the spirit travels through an 800-year-old Pohutukawa tree, down its roots beneath the ocean and emerges 55 kilometers offshore at Manawatawhi or Three Kings Islands where it bids the most final of farewells to Aotearoa (New Zealand), before travelling to Hawaiki, the legendary ancestral home of the Maori.
We raced along this beach at highway speed on a Sand Safaris Tour bus! The driver, a local Maori with a great voice, sang to us as he careened along the beach, giant sand dunes to the right and the receding tide line to the left. His songs were songs of greeting and welcome and also of love. Love for anyone who has recently left this world to make the long journey of the spirit.
At the northernmost end of the beach where we turned inland again, the bus stopped briefly so we could climb the mountains of sand and slide down them on toboggans. It seemed a fitting counterpoise to the magic in the air.
At the very top of New Zealand is Cape Reinga, where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet on a shallow bank. The waves here can stand very high when conditions are right. This is where we found ourselves this afternoon after a two-hour drive from the Bay of Islands.
Ok, this cruising life is rough! Meals to prepare, dishes to wash, bottoms to scrub….so we took a couple of days off and drove up to the top end of New Zealand! We booked into a little 'shoe box' (apologies to the real 'shoe box') in a motorhome campground but on discovering that it did not have Sky Satellite TV, we immediately upgraded to the cottage! The deck proved very handy for consuming local wine and planning our foray into the unknown, at least by us! Long walks on the beach were also 'de rigeur'!
We did not swim, although some brave souls did. We picnicked in Spirits Bay and pushed on. The return leg was inland and though not as inspiring as the beach drive, we were relieved that our spirits could eke out further existence in this mortal coil!
Gumdiggers
Digger is a New Zealand and Australian military slang term for soldiers from those countries, originating during the First World War.
You know what gumboots are but do you know where the term originated? Well apparently the fossilized resin from the Kauri tree has been a much sought after commodity! The sap of the Agathis australis, the God of the Forest, was a thriving industry back in the 1800s. Dalmatians (modern Croatia), Irish and other desperate characters emigrated to New Zealand to work in one of the most difficult jobs of all, extracting the gum from the Kauri trees, buried deep in the ground. These trees had been perfectly preserved, almost to the green of the leaves, due to some cataclysmic occurrence in the past. The orientation of most of these giant trees underground led to speculation that a monstrous tsunami caused the overwhelming destruction of the northern island of New Zealand in prehistoric times. Carbon dating of the trees places them at buried 50 to 150 thousand years ago!
The gum is much like what we know of as 'amber' and was used in varnishes.
The Maori, however, burnt it and mixed the ash to make the ink for their famous Tā moko or permanent body and face marking, distinct from tattooing in that the skin was carved by uhi or chisels rather than punctured, leaving the skin with grooves rather than a smooth surface. The color was definitely unique!
We learned all this while walking through forests of Manuka or Kanuka or what we know as Tea Trees, yes where ‘tea tree’ oil is derived, a natural antiseptic.
But we are back on Toketie, the rain is pouring and the wind is howling again, we are provisioned and almost ready to think about moving around to Whangarei for the next stage of the journey!
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Racing through paradise!
They take their racing seriously here in NZ!
Toketie tugs at her mooring as the swells race down Waikeri Inlet. The wind from the East is a welcome sight to the Friday race out of the Opua Cruising Club as we sit in our sheltered cockpit, sipping a cold white Sauvignon Blanc, a top 100 Gold Medal wine from Crawford Farm….thanks Mikey…good tip that one!
Like most cruising clubs in the world we are treated to the contest every Wednesday and Friday just before the sun goes down.
But we have been in New Zealand for close to three months now. And after sixteen pages of paperwork, passport photos, signatures of a local JP…they have very generously allowed us to stay another three months. What a relief, since there is nowhere to go by boat in cyclone season! Unfortunately, other than the occasional drive into the local villages for supplies, we have seen very little of NZ. Oh, we did go to Russell one day for fish and chips…..and a couple of tall ships sailed by!
But two steps forward, one step back seems to be the order of the day. Most of the rigging problems from Mexico seem to have been corrected. Tip for anyone cruising in Mexico….stay out of Puerto Vallarta….and especially do not have any work done by anyone in the Danielson family, formerly operating as North Sails, we are lucky to have survived what they did for us, literally!
We dropped into Titan Sails, a real sailmaker shop yesterday and witnessed the progress on our two new sails! Now that was nice to see….the jib is about 70% completed and the new fully battened mainsail is cut out with three reef points marked and should be ready next week! It was very exciting!
Soon we will be going around to Whangarei, about 80 miles South, to haul out again and try to resolve an electrolysis problem that seems to have materialized locally and caused problems with the paint below the waterline.
But this is the cruising life. From paradise you go to wondering what the heck you are doing! And we seem to be doing a lot more wondering than wandering lately!
Today we stayed on board and the sun was so hot we had to hide from it, cover up the hatches and put up the air scoop! You cannot imagine how hot it is here. Apparently it hit 40 or more on the South Island…..Warm Rain joined us for a game of scrabble last night…..and John Prine wails in the background….ooh blah dee ooh blah dah…..life goes on…..
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Pine Island
Saturday, January 24, 2009
bottom paint problem
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Friday, January 09, 2009
the fire pit.....
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy New Year!
The Toketie crew brought in the New Year in New Zealand last night! It was a very low key evening with a visit from our good friends Derek & Anthea on Sukanuk. We ate green lipped mussels, drank bubbly and agreed that none of us knew what tomorrow would bring!
So for all you folks still living in the past (behind the international dateline :) we wish you all the best for the coming year!
May your hopes and wishes and dreams come true!
David & Linda
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Omata Vineyard
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
On to New Zealand!
Stretching between Tonga and New Zealand are the Tongan Ridge and the Kermadec Ridge. These are mountain chains below the sea. I suspect they are the cause of a lot of interesting water patterns on the surface! In addition, there are volcanoes below the sea, many of which are still active. In fact, we felt an earthquake while anchored of Pangai Island in Nuku'alofa. It was reported later at 7.2 on the Richter scale. We felt it through our anchor chain and recognized it immediately for what it was.
So having decided to make the run for New Zealand, we set a course just slightly West of South. Several people had recommended making Westing early to avoid having to beat into SW systems coming off of Australia. The common theory seemed to be to head SW till you are at a position directly N of your destination and then to head due South. It seems that getting to the top of the North Island of New Zealand by boat is usually a trial as some form of headwinds invariably arise the last few hundred miles. And if you are unlucky enough to arrive as a low pressure system forms, you could get very strong winds and large seas from the direction you wish to travel. The old saying…"gentlemen never go to weather"…..sounds great at the yacht club bar but there are times when you have to crank the sheets in, put the rail down and hang on! This was to be one of them!
In the southern hemisphere, high pressure systems rotate in a counter clockwise direction over hundreds of miles. Low pressure systems rotate in the opposite direction. So when a high and a low come within 500-600 miles of each other, between them you get what is termed as the 'squash zone'. If you draw a picture of both weather systems rotating, you will see that the winds between them are accelerated due to the combining of the circular patterns where the winds blow in the same direction. On a high seas surface analysis or prognosis chart, downloaded over the HF radio to special software on the laptop as a weatherfax, these areas of increased winds show up as parallel lines called isobars and the closer they are to each other, the stronger the wind in the area. We had been warned that such a scenario was developing ahead of us. A large stationery high east of New Zealand was about to be met by a low moving east across the Tasman Sea. We had no way of knowing how strong the winds would be in the squash zone but were expecting they could reach 35-40 knots. And given the locations of the high and the low, the winds should come at us from the SE, which meant Toketie would be going hard to weather. Whether we could lay a course for Opua in New Zealand would depend on how well we could point into the wind and how much the seas would push us off to the west. This was all predicted to occur about three days from now.
It was now day 6 out of Tonga, and we were sailing at about 4 knots with light winds from the east. Over the next couple of days, the log would show winds anywhere from 3 knots out of the east to 30 knots out of the SW. Reef in, reef out, furl headsail, unfurl headsail, staysail up, staysail down were to be the order of the day and night. Another sailboat hailed us by VHF as it passed us on the starboard beam. Four guys on board were delivering a charter boat from Tonga to New Zealand. Their HF radio had quit so they asked us for weather info. We told them what to expect and set up a schedule to talk to them every evening. They could transmit over short distances only and could not download weather files.
By day 8, we were in 20-25 knots of wind, with gusts to 30, from the ESE. On November 10, Toketie put in a run of 150.2 miles over 24 hours, the best we have ever done. That meant we were averaging over 6 knots. This wind was to continue for three days and the seas would gradually build till we estimated them to be 4-5 meters from trough to crest. Despite the condition of the sails, Toketie was in her element! With a fairly steady 25-30 knots and gusts to 35, finally we had enough wind to really sail her and she took to it as she was designed to. This is where the heavier displacement hull really shone. We ploughed through the seas, water running down the lee rail and spray flying right over the hard dodger! The inclinometer sat pretty much on 30 degrees the whole time. We were very glad of the handrails we had installed before leaving as you needed to hang on when moving around down below. Linda used the strap in the galley for the first time to keep her from being thrown back when preparing meals on the stove. We tied up the lee cloths to keep from falling out of the berth when sleeping and used lots of pillows as a cushion. The guys on the charter delivery boat reported that they had an electrical fire on board but had it under control and then their autopilot quit so they were hand steering. The boat was a 42' Beneteau and they worried the mast was going to jump right off the deck! They were hove-to (stopped) to rest for a while.
We, on the other hand, were loving it! We were making good time, finally, and the motion kept us alert but comfortable. As long as nothing broke, we were laughing!
I guess we had paid enough dues because by day 11, the winds started to ease to 15 knots and the seas were moderating. We were still making good time and almost able to make our rhumb line directly to Opua. A strong west setting current was working against us. But with only 120 miles to go, we took the reefs out of the main and began to believe we might actually make it to New Zealand…touching wood of course as we thought this! The sun came out the last day and we motor-sailed in lighter winds to try to make landfall before dark.
Twelve days….not a record passage for sure but considering how the first few days went, we were happy with it. Motoring into the Bay of Islands and up the Veronica Channel to Opua to arrive at the customs dock just as the last light faded to the west was a very satisfying feeling!
We have been here for a month now! We were treating ourselves to a month at the dock in the marina, which is now turning into two months. We love New Zealand! The people are really nice and it is so refreshing to go into stores that are well stocked, whether it is food or marine gear. We are busy tackling a long list of changes designed to make Toketie easier to handle by two people. We have ordered a new jib and a new mainsail. We are scheduled for a haulout in January to paint the bottom and replace the zincs. I have also ordered new instruments to replace the aging and failing original speed, depth and wind. This will entail two transducers being replaced through the hull and lots of wiring. A stainless steel rack is being fabricated to move the solar panels up over the bimini and away from the rail. Linda bought paint and plans to give the interior a much needed face lifting.
And on and on……not sure how we are financing all this so if any of you have connections in the publishing industry, maybe someone would be willing to give us an advance on future adventures! After all, wouldn't we all like to carry this on across the Indian Ocean to Africa? J
Friday, December 05, 2008
The last leg....
Well, not really the 'last' leg, we hope! But the passage from Tonga to New Zealand was a trial in many ways, both for Toketie and her crew.
We left the anchorage off Pangai Island, Nuku'alofa in Tonga about noon on the 3rd of November. The winds were very light from the East and we motored for about 10 hours to clear the land. Sailing among reef-strewn countries like Tonga is not for the faint of heart. Moving around in daylight minimizes the chance of running into one of the famous and poorly documented 'uncharted reefs' that abound both here and in Fiji. We had a long list of them that cruisers pass along to each other, you have to wonder how they discovered each one, but we plotted them and tried to avoid the areas. As night fell on our first day, clouds formed and lightning filled the sky. This was to be the first of three severe thunderstorms we would encounter in the first few days of the passage. Now I grew up on the prairies and am no stranger to thunder and lightning but nothing prepared us for the power in a tropical thunderstorm. The whole sky would light up for long periods of time and huge thunderbolts of lightning would come down to the water much too close for comfort. Friends of ours sailing within 20 miles later told us they lost all their electronics that night. The worst of the lightning seemed to be concentrated west of us where most of the other boats in our small fleet were concentrated.
About 0800 on the second morning, as daylight popped over the horizon, relieving us of the night bogeymen that the lightning brought, we saw a very dark band of cloud that filled most of the Western horizon. It was hard to tell whether it was a stationery front or a system that could be moving towards us. As a precaution, we put two reefs in the mainsail. That was fortuitous as only moments later the wind and rain hit us like a ton of bricks. We had no time to check instruments to see how strong the wind was but I would guess it had to have hit 60 knots because our jib was caught aback and Toketie went over on her ear like a toy boat in a bathtub. For what seemed like eons but must have lasted a few minutes, we were laying over about 70 degrees on our side. We shipped water over the coaming in the cockpit, lots of water, scary amount of water. We were both in the cockpit at the time and I was behind the wheel and watched Linda slide down the cockpit till her feet were planted on the lower inside of the coaming, in the water! She had been trying to zip the enclosure on the high side closed to keep out the downpour of rain that accompanied the wind. We watched as a cushion floated up and out the lower side and Linda hesitated only for a moment before deciding it wasn't worth reaching for it….hanging on was more important at that stage. After what seemed like ages, Toketie slowly righted herself and the water in the cockpit drained away.
The force of the wind in the jib was what pushed us over. And eventually one of the jib sheets parted, easing the pressure and allowing the jib to fly free. This of course took the pressure off but now we had a headsail flapping wildly in the wind with her sheets flying while the wind and rain beat on us. As we could not budge the roller furler, that winds the headsail up, we took the line to a winch and slowly cranked the headsail in to relieve the strain on it. We managed but it was pretty obvious that the sail had suffered considerable damage in the process.
We lost one of the dorade vent scoops off the cabin top. A large puddle of water found its way inside and was pooled in the galley under the stove. This is where the new laptop that wasn't secured on the chart table landed and was destroyed! Water found its way through the hatches in the cockpit into the lazarette as well and made its way to the bilge, stopping briefly to soak anything in its path.
This experience, called a 'knockdown' because of the extreme angle of heel and was the only time in our travels that we felt that we did not have control of the boat. We both admitted later that it was unnerving, scary as h… might be a more appropriate way to describe it.
When the adrenaline settled, along with the passing of the squall, hours later, we surveyed our situation. We motored in very light winds for the rest of the day and into the night, finally turning the engine off at 0400 to sail slowly in a more or less southerly direction. News came over the cruiser net that Obama had beaten McCain…it felt good to know that something might be improving somewhere on the planet!
The next day was sunny and the winds and seas were light so we unfurled the jib and pulled it down and back into the cockpit to survey the damage. There were five major areas of damage, including seams that had parted and the leech (outer edge) having frayed from the wind. One of the sheets had broken and the other had run free to combine into the biggest Gordian knot I've ever seen! As this was our only headsail, other than storm jibs and a drifter we could not hank on since we installed the roller furler, we pretty much had to fix it or we'd be out here for months. Linda had put together a fairly comprehensive sail repair kit before we left and now we hauled this out and both of us spent the entire day in the cockpit pushing this huge sail around while Toketie steered herself slowly SW, more or less towards NZ. The duct tape we had bought at Lee Valley Tools in Vancouver proved a godsend. This is not your ordinary hardware store brand duct tape and cost a small fortune when we bought it but the glue stuck even where the sail was not completely dry and on the worst seams, we hand stitched it to both sides of the sail. By dark we had a headsail again, though we had no idea how long the repairs would last. We had 800 miles to go to NZ. We were exhausted, physically and emotionally.
The 4th day arrived with clear skies and light winds and seas again and we began to discuss our options. It was then that we discovered the two top slides that hold the mainsail to the mast had broken off, likely in the knockdown. Added to this, the engine had been making an unfamiliar noise and as we did not carry enough fuel to get to NZ, it was beginning to look like we would have to turn back to Nuku'alofa and attempt to replace or repair the sails.
Another option was to work our way NW to Minerva reef and attempt to repair the main ourselves. I thought I might have one spare slider somewhere on board. As we were too tired and discouraged to make a decision, we decided to sleep on it and set a course half way between due West and Minerva reef. In effect we were going further from NZ! This was undoubtedly the lowest point in our travels.
But it is amazing what reserves you find when necessity drives you. The next day, Neptune was kind and as we sailed slowly NW under the greatly reduced trysail and the newly repaired jib, we unhooked the boom from the mast and dropped the entire mainsail off its track to get at the broken slides. I found the one spare and we lashed it on with webbing and sewed the webbing tight. Later the sailmaker in Opua would comment on it and offer me a job as a sailmaker….
So we now had a jib, held together with duct tape, a mainsail with a reasonable repair to it and the engine was a big question mark! We decided that turning back was not an option. I think we both knew that if we pulled into the harbor in Nuku'alofa, we might never get out of it again. So we turned south once more and laid a course directly for Opua, NZ. It was now over 850 miles due to our lack of progress.
Next episode….the squash zone!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Opua, NZ
Sorry for the long delay in blog entries! It is a long story and I shall unravel it in time. Suffice it to say that we have arrived safely in Opua, NZ and it feels great to have made it! The laptop crashed the second day out after flying across the cabin and landing in a puddle of water. That was because the sudden squall with god knows how many knots of wind in it knocked Toketie on her ear and as we watched cushions float out of the cockpit and Linda slide to the lee side eventually standing
on the coaming, we thought hmmmm this is interesting....and why are we doing this again? But we got through it and almost had to turn back due to damage to sails but we persevered and sewed miles of duct tape (thank you red/green) on the sails, jury rigged the rest that was broken and turned south once more to do the 800 remaining miles to get here! Easy to say now that we are here but a bit trying at the time.
But the welcome we received by our friends on Sukanuk and Wyntersea outweighed any doubts we entertained about the reasons for doing this last challenging leg to NZ. And it was challenging! Toketie performed like a trooper and when the chips were down, we buried the rail and drove her through mountainous seas, spray flying over the dodger as she ploughed through the waves. It was awesome!
Feels strange to be at a dock after so long at anchor. Long list of boat chores to attend to before we can explore the cruising grounds here. For now, must get some rest! Cheers
on the coaming, we thought hmmmm this is interesting....and why are we doing this again? But we got through it and almost had to turn back due to damage to sails but we persevered and sewed miles of duct tape (thank you red/green) on the sails, jury rigged the rest that was broken and turned south once more to do the 800 remaining miles to get here! Easy to say now that we are here but a bit trying at the time.
But the welcome we received by our friends on Sukanuk and Wyntersea outweighed any doubts we entertained about the reasons for doing this last challenging leg to NZ. And it was challenging! Toketie performed like a trooper and when the chips were down, we buried the rail and drove her through mountainous seas, spray flying over the dodger as she ploughed through the waves. It was awesome!
Feels strange to be at a dock after so long at anchor. Long list of boat chores to attend to before we can explore the cruising grounds here. For now, must get some rest! Cheers
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Anchor aweigh!
We received McDavitt's weather routing plan and the worst thing on it seemed to be some light wind and some motor sailing. So having no excuse to linger, we upped anchor Monday morn and are now just clearing the bottom of Tongatapu! Wind is fair forward of the beam and Toketie is making close to 5 knots with all sail set. We are heeled moderately to starboard and the seas are not uncomfortable so far. But we expect conditions to vary a lot along the way so more sail changing and course monitoring
perhaps!
I will begin posting our position reports today on winlink and Yotreps. For those who have not looked it up, go to their 'position reporting' site (google will show you the way) and find VA7DXF on the list. That will show a chart of our last reported position!
New Zealand here we come!
perhaps!
I will begin posting our position reports today on winlink and Yotreps. For those who have not looked it up, go to their 'position reporting' site (google will show you the way) and find VA7DXF on the list. That will show a chart of our last reported position!
New Zealand here we come!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Ready Set Wait!
Tuesday was 'fuel' day! An early ferry into town, making the rounds of the Port Captain's office, customs and BP fuel depot were the steps involved in lining up delivery of 200 litres of dutyfree diesel to the wharf. Then ferry back to Pangaimotu and bring Toketie back to town to take on the fuel! It would have been much easier if we could have tied up to the wharf to do the paperwork but the only mooring is med style and with the breeze across the harbour it would have been more trouble to set
that twice than taking the ferry in! But we managed and then rafted to a catamaran, pumped the diesel out of the drum into our jerry jugs, lugged them across the catamaran and siphoned them into our tanks. Fortunately the rain held off for those two hours! Back to the anchorage in time to catch a special ferry back to town to go to an Italian restaurant for dinner with four other boats.
Wednesday was paperwork day again and we went in and cleared out of the country officially! But don't tell anyone as we are still here, waiting for the right weather window to leave. Tomorrow is All Hallows Eve and a party will be held at Big Mama's and Saturday night Big Mama has invited all the 'yachties' in the anchorage to a barbeque to celebrate her son and her husband's birthdays. So if we don't get out of here for a few days, we should be busy.
We also sent the water jugs in by ferry to be filled and transported them back on board. The infrastructure in this port is pretty bad. There are no taps for water at the dock and no pumps for fuel. It all has to be trucked down and loaded by hand or pumped out of the tanker truck in the case of a larger quantity.
But in spite of all this, we like Nuku'alofa and are glad we stopped here. Some boats left directly from Neiafu and passed us yesterday without stopping but a squall hit them and turned three or four of them back 100 miles to do some repairs in Nuku'alofa.
So other than the final stowing and lashing, we are ready to go. We are expecting McDavitt's weather report and routing plan in the next few days and will then head south to Opua, NZ!
that twice than taking the ferry in! But we managed and then rafted to a catamaran, pumped the diesel out of the drum into our jerry jugs, lugged them across the catamaran and siphoned them into our tanks. Fortunately the rain held off for those two hours! Back to the anchorage in time to catch a special ferry back to town to go to an Italian restaurant for dinner with four other boats.
Wednesday was paperwork day again and we went in and cleared out of the country officially! But don't tell anyone as we are still here, waiting for the right weather window to leave. Tomorrow is All Hallows Eve and a party will be held at Big Mama's and Saturday night Big Mama has invited all the 'yachties' in the anchorage to a barbeque to celebrate her son and her husband's birthdays. So if we don't get out of here for a few days, we should be busy.
We also sent the water jugs in by ferry to be filled and transported them back on board. The infrastructure in this port is pretty bad. There are no taps for water at the dock and no pumps for fuel. It all has to be trucked down and loaded by hand or pumped out of the tanker truck in the case of a larger quantity.
But in spite of all this, we like Nuku'alofa and are glad we stopped here. Some boats left directly from Neiafu and passed us yesterday without stopping but a squall hit them and turned three or four of them back 100 miles to do some repairs in Nuku'alofa.
So other than the final stowing and lashing, we are ready to go. We are expecting McDavitt's weather report and routing plan in the next few days and will then head south to Opua, NZ!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Preparations!
Last night was the 'bring your own'meat barbeque at Big Mama's! Lots of boats in here now, counted 26 yesterday and they are still arriving from the N islands. There were about 12 when we arrived a week ago. The theme for the Barbeque was 'pirates', kind of an early Halloween. We cobbled something together and had fun!
But there is an underlying tension here as everyone plans for the last 1000 miles to NZ. As I may have mentioned previously, this passage is less predictable weatherwise. Because it can take 8-10 days to complete it, the weather systems coming off the coast of Australia and moving E over NZ can develop in 4 or 5 days time so your best guess when you leave can change radically by the time you approach NZ. We have engaged Bob McDavitt who is the local weather guru to do a prognosis for us on the
best departure date. At this point we are targeting sometime in the first week of Nov! Meanwhile we have to figure out how to do the paperwork for the dutyfree diesel. As we have not taken fuel on since French Polynesia, we can now take 200 liters and the savings are about 1/3 the cost. As we will need to go into the harbour to top up our water tanks, we will top up the fuel tanks at the same time. It is complicated though because they will not issue the dutyfree form until you clear out of
the country and then they expect you to leave. We plan to do the formalities and then wait for our weather window with everything stowed and ready.
Repaired the windless! It was a terribly corroded wire under the foredeck which was difficult to diagnose, difficult to access and almost impossible to repair! But it's done and works and should last to NZ where I can replace the whole plug. The cooling water coming out of the engine exhaust vent hose on deck is not so easy. The checkvalve must have failed and I cannot replace it here. So other than pouring water down the side deck when we motor, there does not seem to be any harm in leaving
it till NZ.
Provisioning has begun, a couple of trips into Nuku'alofa, using the small launch from Big Mama's as a water taxi, has us about 80% ready. We will go in tomorrow (Mon) and get the rest of what we need for about 2 weeks of meals. Linda has it down to a science now where she figures out what we need and I just lug the heavy bags around in the hot sun!
Spent a couple of hours in the water with a plastic scraper lashed to a stick, scraping the growth off the bottom of the boat! Brian next to us was doing the same when he decided to quit after a 2' black tip reef shark was taking an interest in him! I carried on oblivious!
So life here continues! We work and party and visit with other cruisers we have met along the way, meanwhile hoping the weather down S is settling down for our arrival in NZ and no cyclones are developing up here before we depart! When we do leave, I plan to update the position reports along the way so all those vicarious voyagers can follow our progress. I will also log into Opua Offshore, a HAM radio net out of NZ daily to report where we are and what the conditions are like.
So pray the weather gods will be gentle with us.....15-20 knots on the beam would be nice!
But there is an underlying tension here as everyone plans for the last 1000 miles to NZ. As I may have mentioned previously, this passage is less predictable weatherwise. Because it can take 8-10 days to complete it, the weather systems coming off the coast of Australia and moving E over NZ can develop in 4 or 5 days time so your best guess when you leave can change radically by the time you approach NZ. We have engaged Bob McDavitt who is the local weather guru to do a prognosis for us on the
best departure date. At this point we are targeting sometime in the first week of Nov! Meanwhile we have to figure out how to do the paperwork for the dutyfree diesel. As we have not taken fuel on since French Polynesia, we can now take 200 liters and the savings are about 1/3 the cost. As we will need to go into the harbour to top up our water tanks, we will top up the fuel tanks at the same time. It is complicated though because they will not issue the dutyfree form until you clear out of
the country and then they expect you to leave. We plan to do the formalities and then wait for our weather window with everything stowed and ready.
Repaired the windless! It was a terribly corroded wire under the foredeck which was difficult to diagnose, difficult to access and almost impossible to repair! But it's done and works and should last to NZ where I can replace the whole plug. The cooling water coming out of the engine exhaust vent hose on deck is not so easy. The checkvalve must have failed and I cannot replace it here. So other than pouring water down the side deck when we motor, there does not seem to be any harm in leaving
it till NZ.
Provisioning has begun, a couple of trips into Nuku'alofa, using the small launch from Big Mama's as a water taxi, has us about 80% ready. We will go in tomorrow (Mon) and get the rest of what we need for about 2 weeks of meals. Linda has it down to a science now where she figures out what we need and I just lug the heavy bags around in the hot sun!
Spent a couple of hours in the water with a plastic scraper lashed to a stick, scraping the growth off the bottom of the boat! Brian next to us was doing the same when he decided to quit after a 2' black tip reef shark was taking an interest in him! I carried on oblivious!
So life here continues! We work and party and visit with other cruisers we have met along the way, meanwhile hoping the weather down S is settling down for our arrival in NZ and no cyclones are developing up here before we depart! When we do leave, I plan to update the position reports along the way so all those vicarious voyagers can follow our progress. I will also log into Opua Offshore, a HAM radio net out of NZ daily to report where we are and what the conditions are like.
So pray the weather gods will be gentle with us.....15-20 knots on the beam would be nice!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Nuku'alofa
Anchored off Paingamotu in Nuku'alofa! This was probably the best passage we have had to date! A steady 15 knot breeze on the beam carried Toketie along comfortably at an average of six knots. Not bad for us! We are tired though and the windless won't work and salt water is coming out of the air vent hose to the engine...oh well I needed something to do anyway...tomorrow!
Friday, October 17, 2008
At sea again
Sailed out of Vava'u at dawn. Now underway with very comfortable 15 knot wind on the beam. Sun and clouds and not very big seas make for a pleasant passage to Nukualofa...so far!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
On the move!
The turkey was great! We had five good nights in the lagoon of Hunga Island, got to know one of the locals, and met the schoolteacher and many primary school children who knocked fresh mangoes out of the trees for us to eat!
But we have checked out of the Vava'u Group of Tonga and plan to jump the 165 miles directly down to Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga. We are preparing to go to sea again after almost two and a half months in Vava'u. Nukualofa will be the last stop before NZ. So I am busy studying the weather patterns down south and they can be very interesting! As the stormy season comes to a close in NZ, the typhoon season begins in Tonga and we will try to time it to avoid the worst of both! There is lots
of weather information available fortunately and many other boats planning the crossing. The only concern is that once you set out on the ten day (for us anyway) passage, the situation can change in NZ when you are half way there. So the strategy is to pick the most favourable conditions and then pray!
Meanwhile the weather up here has been stable and the forecast is good for our passage down to Nukualofa. If I get a chance, I will submit a position report!
But we have checked out of the Vava'u Group of Tonga and plan to jump the 165 miles directly down to Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga. We are preparing to go to sea again after almost two and a half months in Vava'u. Nukualofa will be the last stop before NZ. So I am busy studying the weather patterns down south and they can be very interesting! As the stormy season comes to a close in NZ, the typhoon season begins in Tonga and we will try to time it to avoid the worst of both! There is lots
of weather information available fortunately and many other boats planning the crossing. The only concern is that once you set out on the ten day (for us anyway) passage, the situation can change in NZ when you are half way there. So the strategy is to pick the most favourable conditions and then pray!
Meanwhile the weather up here has been stable and the forecast is good for our passage down to Nukualofa. If I get a chance, I will submit a position report!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Gobble Gobble!
Thanksgiving is near! And we are prepared to give thanks, Canada style, from Tonga! We found a really nice turkey and shared the small fortune it cost with Anne & Barry on 'Cat's Paw IV'. 'Tarun' may be in the neighbourhood on Monday as well so Brian & Cathy along with their current NZ guests may join us for the feast.
Meanwhile after three nights in Neiafu Harbour with the 100+ other boats, we were more than ready to depart for quieter places. Water tanks are full again, gas for the outboard, laundry done, provisions....etc.... So yesterday we sailed around the outside of the Vavau'u Islands,to Hunga Island on the Western side and ducked into a tiny opening through a reef at high tide to find ourselves in a large, well protected lagoon and only two other boats way off on the far end! This morning we drift snorkelled
the pass at low tide and can see why they advise coming in at high tide! Lots of nice fish and the ubiquitous black and white striped coral sea snake just to keep Linda on her flippers!
The sun has been out for days now and although some clouds darken the horizons, we are enjoying warm weather with a gentle breeze for a change. In the afternoon we took the dinghy through another reef at high tide into the "Blue Lagoon"! Lots of interesting coral reefs and wave action from the exposed SE side. Some resort huts on a beach, very secluded. A walk on soft sand, a giant turtle checking us out.
So enjoy your Thanksgiving Feasts wherever you are and we will raise a toast to the friends and family we miss so far away.
Special greetings to Doug and Karen....our hearts are with you.
Meanwhile after three nights in Neiafu Harbour with the 100+ other boats, we were more than ready to depart for quieter places. Water tanks are full again, gas for the outboard, laundry done, provisions....etc.... So yesterday we sailed around the outside of the Vavau'u Islands,to Hunga Island on the Western side and ducked into a tiny opening through a reef at high tide to find ourselves in a large, well protected lagoon and only two other boats way off on the far end! This morning we drift snorkelled
the pass at low tide and can see why they advise coming in at high tide! Lots of nice fish and the ubiquitous black and white striped coral sea snake just to keep Linda on her flippers!
The sun has been out for days now and although some clouds darken the horizons, we are enjoying warm weather with a gentle breeze for a change. In the afternoon we took the dinghy through another reef at high tide into the "Blue Lagoon"! Lots of interesting coral reefs and wave action from the exposed SE side. Some resort huts on a beach, very secluded. A walk on soft sand, a giant turtle checking us out.
So enjoy your Thanksgiving Feasts wherever you are and we will raise a toast to the friends and family we miss so far away.
Special greetings to Doug and Karen....our hearts are with you.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
More news from Tonga!
We did the Tongan feast again and this time it was wonderful. Participated in a kava circle, sitting around on mats on the ground as the sun set. Several musicians playing guitars, a banjo and traditional drums from a log. Very relaxed atmosphere and friendly group. I had three bowls of the kava but felt no effect at all. The young dancers were very energetic and talented. Especially two young boys, maybe about 12 years old, who danced a traditional Tongan dance where they lunge with their
spears. One of the boys had lots of 'attitude' and seemed to really enjoy it. The girls that danced were also well decked out in beautiful clothes and jewellery and their enthusiasm was contagious. Then they piled the food on the long table and it was varied and bountiful! All sorts of seafoods, from octopus, clams, fishcakes, marinated raw fish to some less recognizable varieties. Packages of pork or lamb or beef all wrapped in leaves and tied with vine. And different kinds of taro and breadfruit,
bananas, etc... No cutlery or plates were used, everything was served wrapped in nature's bounty and eaten with fingers.
So we have been back in the Tapana anchorage for over two weeks again and rode out another squally night with high winds, heavy rain and lightning, though not as dramatic as we had when Abe was with us. We are finally getting restless and will probably wait till after the weekend to go back into Neiafu and take on water and butane before checking out to head down to the Hapai'i Group of Islands about 60 south of us. They are supposedly more remote and have small villages with fewer visitors. We
have had sunshine for two days in a row now so managed to get over to the small island around the corner and snorkel on the reef. It was interesting but not spectacular. The beaches and islands and clear turquoise waters make it a very beautiful place though. Yesterday we actually blew up the two kayaks, first time since the Tuamotus, and paddled around the bay, following the shoreline where the coral is visible only a few feet below you.
We have managed two great parties lately with 'Cat's Paw IV', 'Tarun' and two bachelors who are singlehanding at the moment; there is Ernst on 'Accord' who is from Switzerland and has spent time in more remote areas and even a year in Japan, and Mike on 'Kokoamo' who is shares his year between his home in Scotland and New Zealand. We play dice and pigs and dominoes, drink a bit and laugh a lot. Linda made her famous Red Snapper fish soup last night and it was well received by all.
So rumours that we are bored and don't know what to do with ourselves are greatly exaggerated and some days we even do more than read a book!
spears. One of the boys had lots of 'attitude' and seemed to really enjoy it. The girls that danced were also well decked out in beautiful clothes and jewellery and their enthusiasm was contagious. Then they piled the food on the long table and it was varied and bountiful! All sorts of seafoods, from octopus, clams, fishcakes, marinated raw fish to some less recognizable varieties. Packages of pork or lamb or beef all wrapped in leaves and tied with vine. And different kinds of taro and breadfruit,
bananas, etc... No cutlery or plates were used, everything was served wrapped in nature's bounty and eaten with fingers.
So we have been back in the Tapana anchorage for over two weeks again and rode out another squally night with high winds, heavy rain and lightning, though not as dramatic as we had when Abe was with us. We are finally getting restless and will probably wait till after the weekend to go back into Neiafu and take on water and butane before checking out to head down to the Hapai'i Group of Islands about 60 south of us. They are supposedly more remote and have small villages with fewer visitors. We
have had sunshine for two days in a row now so managed to get over to the small island around the corner and snorkel on the reef. It was interesting but not spectacular. The beaches and islands and clear turquoise waters make it a very beautiful place though. Yesterday we actually blew up the two kayaks, first time since the Tuamotus, and paddled around the bay, following the shoreline where the coral is visible only a few feet below you.
We have managed two great parties lately with 'Cat's Paw IV', 'Tarun' and two bachelors who are singlehanding at the moment; there is Ernst on 'Accord' who is from Switzerland and has spent time in more remote areas and even a year in Japan, and Mike on 'Kokoamo' who is shares his year between his home in Scotland and New Zealand. We play dice and pigs and dominoes, drink a bit and laugh a lot. Linda made her famous Red Snapper fish soup last night and it was well received by all.
So rumours that we are bored and don't know what to do with ourselves are greatly exaggerated and some days we even do more than read a book!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Holy Crap!
Thanks Emma! Gramma really laughed when she saw your comment on the blog! "That's so like Emma", she said. We are not sure if it was the sea snakes or the lightning that got your attention but it was a fun time for sure!
Meanwhile, we seem to have settled down at Tapana Island. The weather cleared up for almost a week and we did some swimming and exploring by dinghy. Now it's rainy again so we try to keep busy. Linda walked into Neiafu the other day, a little over an hour walk and she got a lift in part of the way. I think the wine was the priority! I spent a half day in the water under Toketie with a young local fellow scraping the growth off the bottom of the boat. Was trying to arrange a haul out but even
though there are two rails to haul boats out in town, one only wants to do multihulls now (I think the sides that hold up the monohulls are rusted out) and the other is jammed in among the bars and restaurants so we are worried we would get rats or cockroaches on board....so we cleaned the bottom as best we could and hope to make it to NZ for a proper haul out.
We walked into the small village today to try to send some pictures to the blog but the internet in Vava'u is down again. We picked up some bread and milk and garlic! On the way back to the beach where we left the dinghy we met the young couple who were preparing for the 'other' Tongan feast tonight, the Ano Beach one! They seemed really nice and were willing to include us at the last minute as they said they had 34 people coming and lots of food. So we will try it again and hope it is a better
experience than the first one!
It's cloudy and muggy and I am trying to figure out how to catch rain water so we don't have to rush back into Neiafu's noisy crowded harbour. The Ark Gallery has taken a couple of our water jugs and has offered to fill them from their roof. Lots more rain is in the forecast over the weekend so we should be able to figure something out.
The days and weeks are flying by and soon we will have to start seriously thinking about the 1200 mile trek down to New Zealand. But today there are still good books to read and a feast to starve for.....
Meanwhile, we seem to have settled down at Tapana Island. The weather cleared up for almost a week and we did some swimming and exploring by dinghy. Now it's rainy again so we try to keep busy. Linda walked into Neiafu the other day, a little over an hour walk and she got a lift in part of the way. I think the wine was the priority! I spent a half day in the water under Toketie with a young local fellow scraping the growth off the bottom of the boat. Was trying to arrange a haul out but even
though there are two rails to haul boats out in town, one only wants to do multihulls now (I think the sides that hold up the monohulls are rusted out) and the other is jammed in among the bars and restaurants so we are worried we would get rats or cockroaches on board....so we cleaned the bottom as best we could and hope to make it to NZ for a proper haul out.
We walked into the small village today to try to send some pictures to the blog but the internet in Vava'u is down again. We picked up some bread and milk and garlic! On the way back to the beach where we left the dinghy we met the young couple who were preparing for the 'other' Tongan feast tonight, the Ano Beach one! They seemed really nice and were willing to include us at the last minute as they said they had 34 people coming and lots of food. So we will try it again and hope it is a better
experience than the first one!
It's cloudy and muggy and I am trying to figure out how to catch rain water so we don't have to rush back into Neiafu's noisy crowded harbour. The Ark Gallery has taken a couple of our water jugs and has offered to fill them from their roof. Lots more rain is in the forecast over the weekend so we should be able to figure something out.
The days and weeks are flying by and soon we will have to start seriously thinking about the 1200 mile trek down to New Zealand. But today there are still good books to read and a feast to starve for.....
Friday, September 12, 2008
Gunk holing!
Ok, we are being very lazy! I admit it. Rather than scheming to move to the more remote areas and smaller atolls out there, we are pretty much hiding in the old harbour of Vava'u in Tonga, doing some boat chores and relaxing. Maybe it is the sudden realization that we have close to 10,000 miles under our keel since leaving Victoria in August of 2006. Or maybe 'racing through paradise' is just too tiring! I don't know but we have the luxury at the moment of being lazy so we are taking every advantage
of it! Our friends on 'Tarun' are down exploring the next group of islands in Tonga, the Ha'apai Group and another couple on 'Pacific Star' got itchy feet and headed for Fiji the other day. Meanwhile we had this bay to ourselves the first night, probably because the pass is inconvenient to access as you navigate with charts that are about half mile off and not completely accurate in marking reefs and coral heads. But with a small amount of hair pulling to find the small floats that mark the entrance
to it and perseverance driven from an overwhelming need to stay away from the crowded and noisy main harbour in Neiafu, we managed to get here and are quite comfortable anchored on the edge of a reef near the small village of Makave that none of the tourists seem to bother with. And today we discovered it is only a short walk into Neiafu if we really need supplies we can't get here, like tonic water to make the gin palatable.
Two other boats have now joined us in our isolation. A very small pocket cruiser, a Contessa, named 'Mamiti Vava'u' (the name of the native woman that Fletcher Christian married when the Bounty mutinied)....you all knew that though....and another young couple on 'Madeline' who have come through the South Pacific via the Panama Canal and the Galapagos. They are both very relaxed and also seem to be enjoying the solitude in this bay.
So until the water tanks run low, we intend to sit here and re-charge our batteries, both literally and figuratively and if I don't send too many updates.....well it's probably because there isn't much to say!
of it! Our friends on 'Tarun' are down exploring the next group of islands in Tonga, the Ha'apai Group and another couple on 'Pacific Star' got itchy feet and headed for Fiji the other day. Meanwhile we had this bay to ourselves the first night, probably because the pass is inconvenient to access as you navigate with charts that are about half mile off and not completely accurate in marking reefs and coral heads. But with a small amount of hair pulling to find the small floats that mark the entrance
to it and perseverance driven from an overwhelming need to stay away from the crowded and noisy main harbour in Neiafu, we managed to get here and are quite comfortable anchored on the edge of a reef near the small village of Makave that none of the tourists seem to bother with. And today we discovered it is only a short walk into Neiafu if we really need supplies we can't get here, like tonic water to make the gin palatable.
Two other boats have now joined us in our isolation. A very small pocket cruiser, a Contessa, named 'Mamiti Vava'u' (the name of the native woman that Fletcher Christian married when the Bounty mutinied)....you all knew that though....and another young couple on 'Madeline' who have come through the South Pacific via the Panama Canal and the Galapagos. They are both very relaxed and also seem to be enjoying the solitude in this bay.
So until the water tanks run low, we intend to sit here and re-charge our batteries, both literally and figuratively and if I don't send too many updates.....well it's probably because there isn't much to say!
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Cruising Tonga!
Well, our crew member has gone back to that other world! About 36 hours each way was a really long way to go for a three week holiday but we are sure glad that Abe made the journey. Although we did not get to do all the things we had planned, due to weather (more about that later), I think he had a good time overall and we managed to work in a few experiences one usually only reads about!
We found some reasonably interesting reefs to snorkel on, had whales blowing in the bay we were in on two occasions, were chased out of the water by sea snakes twice, managed a couple of hikes and resolved most of the world's problems over several bottles of rum!
But the weather, assisting another boater in trouble and the yacht race were memories to carry away to that other world.
A high pressure system, higher than any on record (1040 on the barometer), formed East of Australia, and a low pressure system north of us combined with the South Pacific Convergence Zone to give us some very interesting weather. None of the local forecasts seemed to capture it accurately but you just had to look out the window to see something unusual was going on. I think we were playing scrabble one night with the wind howling in the rigging when Linda thought she saw a light flashing out the
porthole. We ignored it for a while but eventually it got our attention and looking out the cockpit we saw what looked like broadsides from HMS Surprise off in the distance. The clouds would light up then blackness would swallow it. Strange! Couldn't be lightning? An hour or so later the sky lit up like broad daylight, sheet lightning everywhere, fairly constant and obviously getting closer. Every now and then a bolt would come to earth and we began wondering whether we might possibly be struck!
This went on all night! I have never seen anything to compare. Then the rain came and although we had the full enclosure in the cockpit, it came down so hard the zipper seams leaked! All this time the winds had been slowly building till at one point our neighbour registered 47 knots. We had seen 42 knots which was impressive enough in a sheltered anchorage! Fortunately the moorings we were on were sound and because we were tucked in behind and island, we had no seas to contend with.
The game was interrupted again by the sound of a sail flapping violently in the wind! About two boats over in the anchorage, we could see several people under lights on the foredeck trying to wrestle with an obviously out of control headsail! Not able to resist an opportunity to help out, Abe and I jumped in the dinghy and hoped our 4 horse Johnson could hold its own in the wind and waves! About six of us fought for two hours to try to get half of a fairly large headsail under control. Seems
they had fouled the furling line somehow when they came into the anchorage. We won but not without some bruises and bleeding knuckles. The boat, Gecko, was very grateful and thanked us again the next day! Further on in the bay, another boat dragged anchor, their engine failed and when they attempted to sail back to anchor, they struck the reef! I don't think too much damage was done but it was a wild night!
Can't remember who won the scrabble game.....
For his last night in Tonga, we took Abe into town and he got himself on to a sailboat named 'Macy' for the Friday yacht race in Neiafu Harbour! It's a fun event that occurs every week and ends in the Vava'u Yacht Club's Mermaid Bar for beers and tall stories! They took third place and had great fun doing it!
We were sorry to see him go, wishing he could have stayed for the next 1000 miles to NZ, but duty calls and I guess his PHD is a higher priority at the moment than bashing around the ocean! There is always the Indian Ocean Abe....and at the rate we are going, you may have your degree by the time we get there!
So here we sit, the weather has calmed down, a quick trip to town to renew our visas today, buy some beer and cheese (cruiser staples), and relaxed visiting with friends nearby.
Not sure where we will go from here, too early to head for NZ as the weather down there is still unpredictable. More to explore locally and another island group south of us to check out. Will keep you posted!
Cruising Tonga!
We found some reasonably interesting reefs to snorkel on, had whales blowing in the bay we were in on two occasions, were chased out of the water by sea snakes twice, managed a couple of hikes and resolved most of the world's problems over several bottles of rum!
But the weather, assisting another boater in trouble and the yacht race were memories to carry away to that other world.
A high pressure system, higher than any on record (1040 on the barometer), formed East of Australia, and a low pressure system north of us combined with the South Pacific Convergence Zone to give us some very interesting weather. None of the local forecasts seemed to capture it accurately but you just had to look out the window to see something unusual was going on. I think we were playing scrabble one night with the wind howling in the rigging when Linda thought she saw a light flashing out the
porthole. We ignored it for a while but eventually it got our attention and looking out the cockpit we saw what looked like broadsides from HMS Surprise off in the distance. The clouds would light up then blackness would swallow it. Strange! Couldn't be lightning? An hour or so later the sky lit up like broad daylight, sheet lightning everywhere, fairly constant and obviously getting closer. Every now and then a bolt would come to earth and we began wondering whether we might possibly be struck!
This went on all night! I have never seen anything to compare. Then the rain came and although we had the full enclosure in the cockpit, it came down so hard the zipper seams leaked! All this time the winds had been slowly building till at one point our neighbour registered 47 knots. We had seen 42 knots which was impressive enough in a sheltered anchorage! Fortunately the moorings we were on were sound and because we were tucked in behind and island, we had no seas to contend with.
The game was interrupted again by the sound of a sail flapping violently in the wind! About two boats over in the anchorage, we could see several people under lights on the foredeck trying to wrestle with an obviously out of control headsail! Not able to resist an opportunity to help out, Abe and I jumped in the dinghy and hoped our 4 horse Johnson could hold its own in the wind and waves! About six of us fought for two hours to try to get half of a fairly large headsail under control. Seems
they had fouled the furling line somehow when they came into the anchorage. We won but not without some bruises and bleeding knuckles. The boat, Gecko, was very grateful and thanked us again the next day! Further on in the bay, another boat dragged anchor, their engine failed and when they attempted to sail back to anchor, they struck the reef! I don't think too much damage was done but it was a wild night!
Can't remember who won the scrabble game.....
For his last night in Tonga, we took Abe into town and he got himself on to a sailboat named 'Macy' for the Friday yacht race in Neiafu Harbour! It's a fun event that occurs every week and ends in the Vava'u Yacht Club's Mermaid Bar for beers and tall stories! They took third place and had great fun doing it!
We were sorry to see him go, wishing he could have stayed for the next 1000 miles to NZ, but duty calls and I guess his PHD is a higher priority at the moment than bashing around the ocean! There is always the Indian Ocean Abe....and at the rate we are going, you may have your degree by the time we get there!
So here we sit, the weather has calmed down, a quick trip to town to renew our visas today, buy some beer and cheese (cruiser staples), and relaxed visiting with friends nearby.
Not sure where we will go from here, too early to head for NZ as the weather down there is still unpredictable. More to explore locally and another island group south of us to check out. Will keep you posted!
Cruising Tonga!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Rain & Wind
Hunkered down behind a small island, 20 knots winds howling overhead and forecast to increase over the weekend. Lots of clouds and rain too! But we are well provisioned and have managed to explore all the reefs here. Today we walked a trail up the hill to find what used to be a resort but has been abandoned for some time. We picked a few coconuts and hacked them up with a hatchet to get at the juice inside!
Had hoped to do more sailing but weather is making it a challenge! Reading lots of books!
Had hoped to do more sailing but weather is making it a challenge! Reading lots of books!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
King George Tupou V
Crew arrived after 36 hour odyssey via Fiji!
King arrived as well to great celebrations in the streets, along with singing in the church and lunch in the school! We escaped to the quieter more secluded anchorages nearby. Only a couple of hours away, we had the place to ourselves briefly before another boat showed up. Snorkelling on the reef between two motus! The navy showed up late at night and were very busy erecting some structure on the spit of white sand. A couple with a child in a dugout came by to sell us some carvings and told
us the king was coming to the beach for lunch! Sure enough, a small procession of boats arrived and to great cheering and singing, the king stepped off onto the beach to be greeted by the locals. The navy boat hung out all their flags and hovered nearby! We took some pictures and moved to another anchorage!
Have booked a Tongan feast for Saturday night!
King arrived as well to great celebrations in the streets, along with singing in the church and lunch in the school! We escaped to the quieter more secluded anchorages nearby. Only a couple of hours away, we had the place to ourselves briefly before another boat showed up. Snorkelling on the reef between two motus! The navy showed up late at night and were very busy erecting some structure on the spit of white sand. A couple with a child in a dugout came by to sell us some carvings and told
us the king was coming to the beach for lunch! Sure enough, a small procession of boats arrived and to great cheering and singing, the king stepped off onto the beach to be greeted by the locals. The navy boat hung out all their flags and hovered nearby! We took some pictures and moved to another anchorage!
Have booked a Tongan feast for Saturday night!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Mt Talau
Sure is nice not to be rolling! This harbour is so deep and sheltered that even though the breeze finds its way through it, there is no swell. So after a great night sleep, we were out exploring the town of Neiafu. A kingdom of 170 islands, of which 134 are inhabited, and 101,000 people, Tonga has been independent since the mid 70s. The combination of high volcanic and low coral forms gives them a geology all of their own. But this is a very unstable area of the Pacific. There are volcanic
islands below the surface of the sea that still erupt regularly and islands that magically rise and sink periodically. Makes for interesting navigation! There are three groups of islands, the Vava'u group that we landed in, the Ha'apai group which is mostly reefs and coral atolls in the center and further south, the capital of Nuku'alofa is in the Tongatapu group. It is apparent that the best cruising and anchorages is in the Vava'u group. We managed to talk the Moorings charter base into selling
us a copy of the guide they provide to their customers, listing all the special places to explore. Places like the Swallows Cave where you can take the dinghy in to find a large cavern full of swallows. And Barnacle Beach where the traditional Tonga feast is held, complete with Kava ceremony. And then for the more adventuresome, there is Mariners Cave which has some challenges! There is no anchorage near it so someone has to drop you off or keep the engine running while you go over the side and
dive down, find the opening , then proceed to swim about 20 feet underwater, always looking up for the opening, to emerge in what sounds like a magical cavern! We'll see whether we get to attempt that one! And of course, coral gardens and pristine beaches etc etc....I know, sounds pretty boring but hey, it's a hard life out here!
Meanwhile back to town, the new King was coronated recently and arrives in Vava'u this weekend for various ceremonies. So lots of cleaning and painting going on and the brass band seems to be practising around the clock! The people really are genuinely welcoming and it's not hard to see why they have been called the 'friendly islands'. Added to this is a layer of relatively new commerce, mostly New Zealanders, Aussies, and some Americans, and one Austrian baker, most of which is welcome to cruisers
but I suspect it has driven the economy up. For instance, bars and restaurants have prices not that different from back home which is incongruent here! If you go to the local market, you can find produce and crafts very reasonably priced and today we found where the fishermen sell their catch and bought a nice red snapper for 7 Pa'anga which is about $4Cdn.
So needing exercise, today we did a short hike up Mt Talau. It was only about 2km out of town but a most scenic walk through parts of the village where the Tongan people live. Wild pigs and chickens ran around everywhere, then a fairly steep trail on mostly coral with ropes in places to pull yourself up to several paths radiating from the top of the hill to give views in all directions of the islands. There were banded Iguanas and geckos as well as various birds but we only heard them and could
not spot them. It was a good hike and we got some lazy muscles working again.
#1 son arrives Saturday with our mail which will also be welcome!
islands below the surface of the sea that still erupt regularly and islands that magically rise and sink periodically. Makes for interesting navigation! There are three groups of islands, the Vava'u group that we landed in, the Ha'apai group which is mostly reefs and coral atolls in the center and further south, the capital of Nuku'alofa is in the Tongatapu group. It is apparent that the best cruising and anchorages is in the Vava'u group. We managed to talk the Moorings charter base into selling
us a copy of the guide they provide to their customers, listing all the special places to explore. Places like the Swallows Cave where you can take the dinghy in to find a large cavern full of swallows. And Barnacle Beach where the traditional Tonga feast is held, complete with Kava ceremony. And then for the more adventuresome, there is Mariners Cave which has some challenges! There is no anchorage near it so someone has to drop you off or keep the engine running while you go over the side and
dive down, find the opening , then proceed to swim about 20 feet underwater, always looking up for the opening, to emerge in what sounds like a magical cavern! We'll see whether we get to attempt that one! And of course, coral gardens and pristine beaches etc etc....I know, sounds pretty boring but hey, it's a hard life out here!
Meanwhile back to town, the new King was coronated recently and arrives in Vava'u this weekend for various ceremonies. So lots of cleaning and painting going on and the brass band seems to be practising around the clock! The people really are genuinely welcoming and it's not hard to see why they have been called the 'friendly islands'. Added to this is a layer of relatively new commerce, mostly New Zealanders, Aussies, and some Americans, and one Austrian baker, most of which is welcome to cruisers
but I suspect it has driven the economy up. For instance, bars and restaurants have prices not that different from back home which is incongruent here! If you go to the local market, you can find produce and crafts very reasonably priced and today we found where the fishermen sell their catch and bought a nice red snapper for 7 Pa'anga which is about $4Cdn.
So needing exercise, today we did a short hike up Mt Talau. It was only about 2km out of town but a most scenic walk through parts of the village where the Tongan people live. Wild pigs and chickens ran around everywhere, then a fairly steep trail on mostly coral with ropes in places to pull yourself up to several paths radiating from the top of the hill to give views in all directions of the islands. There were banded Iguanas and geckos as well as various birds but we only heard them and could
not spot them. It was a good hike and we got some lazy muscles working again.
#1 son arrives Saturday with our mail which will also be welcome!
Thursday, August 07, 2008
TONGA TONGA!
After a 3 night passage from Niue, we are now anchored in Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga and flying the Tongan flag that Phoebe made for us while visiting in Mexico!
The passage was pretty good, as far as passages go! The first 24 hours were very light in wind but we managed to maintain steerage and sail, if only at 3 knots for the most. The following two days, the wind gradually filled to 25 knots and we had to slow down on arrival early this morning so as not to arrive before dawn. There was no moon and the night was very black. This combined with wind and seas made for very poor visibility. And rumour had it the charts were off by a mile or so!
But we found it and made our way in, did the paperwork today or most of it anyway, seems the 'Health' department was not available so we have to look for them next week.
So far the people have been really friendly and there seems to be lots to explore. More to follow when we have rested and launched the dinghy.
The passage was pretty good, as far as passages go! The first 24 hours were very light in wind but we managed to maintain steerage and sail, if only at 3 knots for the most. The following two days, the wind gradually filled to 25 knots and we had to slow down on arrival early this morning so as not to arrive before dawn. There was no moon and the night was very black. This combined with wind and seas made for very poor visibility. And rumour had it the charts were off by a mile or so!
But we found it and made our way in, did the paperwork today or most of it anyway, seems the 'Health' department was not available so we have to look for them next week.
So far the people have been really friendly and there seems to be lots to explore. More to follow when we have rested and launched the dinghy.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Hair cutting ceremony
Kind of like a Niue-an bar mitzvah....a rite of passage or coming of age ceremony! As it was explained to us, in the old days when neighbouring groups came by to raid your village, they killed all the men and made off with the women and children. So what the locals did was grow male children's hair really long to give them a slight advantage when trying to escape from the raiding party. When they reached a certain age they had a ceremony to cut the boy's hair and then he became a man. Of course,
attending this 'hair cutting ceremony' today, we found it was not quite as simple as that! Seems it was also a very complex bartering or banking system. Invitations had gone out and relatives of the boy, yes there still was a young boy with long hair at the center of it all, had come from as far away as New Zealand to take part in the ceremony. And everyone contributed something. We got there around 10:30 in the morning and we missed the pig sticking event. Many had brought pigs as their contribution!
And they were live when they arrived. They were slaughtered en masse and stacked in a pile with some palm leaves over them (pictures to follow). We arrived as the fish were being unloaded from the pickup trucks! And what a load of fish! Sailfish, marlin, tuna, even a moon fish! Most of them taller than me! These were duly strung up by their tails from poles suspended over the pile of pigs. Then there were countless boxes of frozen chicken parts...not sure where they came from but I guess
it was easier than plucking the hundreds of chickens that wander loose over the island! Also there were bunches of taro root, about 100 square feet of it that apparently had been grown especially for this ceremony. There was a grandstand area, with chairs decorated with the family coloured prints and someone with a microphone introducing members of the community, speeches of course. Two people sat at a table with a large ledger book and recorded the donations. At the end of the day they would
carve up all the food and distribute it back according to what had been donated. Money was also acceptable! Then a priest and a grandmother and an uncle and countless others would each take a lock of the young lad's hair, tied with a blue ribbon. It was a fascinating experience actually and while we sat on log stumps under the coconut trees, members of the family circulated with trays of juice and fresh baked goodies.
Back to the yacht club for a beer! Some groceries, laundry in the tub and showers and we are back on board and ready to fire up the barbeque. Seven boats in the bay now! Weather is fairly stable, sun and clouds, the odd shower of rain. There had been a swell coming in that caused us some discomfort as the boat never stopped rocking but that seems to have died down now.
attending this 'hair cutting ceremony' today, we found it was not quite as simple as that! Seems it was also a very complex bartering or banking system. Invitations had gone out and relatives of the boy, yes there still was a young boy with long hair at the center of it all, had come from as far away as New Zealand to take part in the ceremony. And everyone contributed something. We got there around 10:30 in the morning and we missed the pig sticking event. Many had brought pigs as their contribution!
And they were live when they arrived. They were slaughtered en masse and stacked in a pile with some palm leaves over them (pictures to follow). We arrived as the fish were being unloaded from the pickup trucks! And what a load of fish! Sailfish, marlin, tuna, even a moon fish! Most of them taller than me! These were duly strung up by their tails from poles suspended over the pile of pigs. Then there were countless boxes of frozen chicken parts...not sure where they came from but I guess
it was easier than plucking the hundreds of chickens that wander loose over the island! Also there were bunches of taro root, about 100 square feet of it that apparently had been grown especially for this ceremony. There was a grandstand area, with chairs decorated with the family coloured prints and someone with a microphone introducing members of the community, speeches of course. Two people sat at a table with a large ledger book and recorded the donations. At the end of the day they would
carve up all the food and distribute it back according to what had been donated. Money was also acceptable! Then a priest and a grandmother and an uncle and countless others would each take a lock of the young lad's hair, tied with a blue ribbon. It was a fascinating experience actually and while we sat on log stumps under the coconut trees, members of the family circulated with trays of juice and fresh baked goodies.
Back to the yacht club for a beer! Some groceries, laundry in the tub and showers and we are back on board and ready to fire up the barbeque. Seven boats in the bay now! Weather is fairly stable, sun and clouds, the odd shower of rain. There had been a swell coming in that caused us some discomfort as the boat never stopped rocking but that seems to have died down now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
