To Tonga
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 2 Nov 2013 23:57
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To Port Maurelle, Vava’u
Group, Kingdom of Tonga
 Chores done, Baby Beez hoisted, we
left buoy thirteen and bade a very fond ‘farewell’ to the beautiful island of
Niue at midday, soon disappearing from view. We had a
go at goose-winging (sail out on each side) for a while, but the wind shifted.
The only notable occurrence during the two hundred and forty seven mile journey
happened when Bear went forward to take the genoa support pole down. A rope flew
toward him to bite his head and succeeded in whipping his shades off, last seen
flying to a watery grave. Darn and words
like that were uttered, but I won at backgammon as if
that was a booby
prize..........Grrrrrrrrr. Don’t
you be growling and gnashing teeth, you won. I’m still
growling about my shades. It’s the Visa card that should be making
the noise.........Mmmmmm.
 The other thing was Bear being
robbed of a day of my life, never to get it
back. Yes dear. Tonga is New Zealand time and therefore beyond the
International Date Line. We left on the last day of October and at midnight I
put the clock forward, same time but on the second of November. The first twenty
four hours of our journey we completed one hundred and twenty seven point eight
miles.
   Our second day at sea was
unremarkable but as the third day dawned it was clear we would have to motor
sail the last bit. I got up to see Tonga just in sight – time for our third
flag ceremony in as many weeks. I lost at backgammon
AGAIN, so I did a bit of growling....
 Tonga
surrounded by gorgeous coloured water.
  The
captain had forgotten about date lines before he planned our date of departure,
meaning we would arrive on a Sunday. It was decided we would head to Port
Maurelle and anchor, then Monday morning do the five miles to Neiafu to clear
in. The Kingdom of Tonga is made up of three main groups – Vava’u, Ha’apai and
Tongatapu, spread over one hundred and seventy one islands, many uninhabited.
The Vavu’u group of islands are shaped like a jellyfish, as we rounded the ‘top
end’ the many ‘tentacles’ appeared (sixty one
islands)surrounded by deep water. Known as one of the great sailing destination
of the world, one or two anchorages, so plenty to explore before we make our
final journeys of the year throughout the groups to New Zealand.
   Time at
sea provides plenty of time for ‘planning meetings’ and it was exciting to think
about our long overdue trip to the UK. A bit of discussion led to next seasons
stomping grounds – Tonga as a jumping off start to:- The Samoas, Wallis, Tuvulu,
Fortuna and Fiji before heading back to New Zealand for the following cyclone
season. Marvelous. For now we can sit back and enjoy these islands, rugged beauty and sandy beaches.
 Interesting shapes all around us, three hundred
feet of water below us.
 The dinghy next to this stand alone
rock looks tiny.
  Always
amusing when Beez decides to settle on dry
land.
 A happy, perfectly still and quiet anchorage.
As we approached yachts we recognised
all the yachts – To our right Wind Witch (last seen in the Galapagos),
in front of us Tribe. To our left Almacantar, Gallivanter,
Millennium and Sonsie (all in a variety of places along the
way). John on Millennium came whizzing over to act as the welcoming
committee, lovely to catch up. Steve and Clare (Almacantar) popped over
on their home from diving. Time for a swim, just in front of Beez, Bear can be see snorkeling over the anchor. I snorkeled
over to Gallivanter, where Jim from Sonsie had joined Adam for
a beer o’clock. En route home I popped over to Tribe to say hello.
Everyone said tomorrow was a Bank Holiday, so here we will be until Tuesday.
Caves nearby are full of swiftlets and the island has massive fruit bats and
green parrots, that will do for our spuddle tomorrow. Not really allowed ashore
until we check in – everyone reassured us that the islands here are “very laid
back”, half the boats here are already check out awaiting their weather windows
for onward journeys. We stayed in the water and began a good scrubbing session
on Beez bottom and then it was time to shower, have supper and for me to get my
revenge. A follow up five nil and the captain declared, time for a film. No arguments from me.
ALL IN ALL CANNOT WAIT TO
EXPLORE |