Ha'afeva Ashore
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 24 Nov 2013 23:57
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Sunday – What an Experience –
The early part NOT TO BE REPEATED.....
 Half past four on Sunday morning a
single flash of lightning followed immediately by the biggest crack of thunder.
Within seconds a massive downpour. Winds stayed at an average of between twenty
five to twenty nine knots with regular gusts up to thirty five. That brought the
swell and we bounced up and down for the rest of the night. Bear sat in the
cockpit and I sat in the bedroom to listen to the snubber (the thing that takes
the strain off the anchor chain – making a loop of it). Instruments on at half
seven, we hadn’t moved but the rain was still pouring and it was time to move
around the other side of the island. This weather was completely unpredicted.
Bear waited until between gusts, had to strap himself
on to raise the swim ladder.
 Bear went to the front and all I
could do was watch him bounce up and down. Kneeling
and strapped on, he had to fight to lift the anchor. With ten feet of water
below us, the sea was really getting rough and in an onshore wind, from the
south east, we had arrived in an unusual northerly. We were at risk if we stayed
put. I followed Bears pointing finger and kept us at 0.6 knots to stay on the
spot, as soon as the skippers thumb went up, I could power us forward into
deeper water. Frightened no, never on Beez, but concerned especially for Baby
Beez bouncing around put that concern at eleven out of ten. We headed in to the
waves and at the last minute turned sharp right and headed into calm, shallow
waters on the other side of the island. Mass, why not.
 We left Beez behind, still very overcast and quite dark.
 We headed to the
concrete jetty and walked across the island along a
track.
  Along the
way
  The
cemetery.
 
 
 The baby power
station.
 Oops.
 Soon on the main
road, we found the tiny Catholic chapel, congregation – eight. The
singing was lovely.
 
 We popped into the ‘big church’ to see if we could find Star or Polo. The
high winds had ladies hanging on to their hats.
Everyone was very welcoming, but no one had seen the sisters this morning.
Nothing to do but to have a little bimble and get home before the threatening
rain. I did the usual, but nutty thing and swam back to Beez, minus most of my
church clothes........ What a current. Bear always circles me even though I
always protest to being OK. No sooner back on board than there was shouting from
the jetty. Polo had heard of our village visit and come racing down the track to
find us. Bear went to see her and promised a return visit next
season.
 Haʻafeva is a small island in the
Haʻapai group of Tonga, but still the main island of the Lulunga archipelago.
Kolongatata is the name commonly given to the village on Haʻafeva and is a
reference to Haʻafeva's exposure to strong winds, well, you never
say......................... The inhabited area of Haʻafeva can be divided into
Hahake, Hihifo, Tuʻa Kolo, Loto Kolo and Uta. The Island has a population of
about three hundred people.
 History: It is the
home estate of chiefly line of Tuʻuhetoka, (now merged with Lasike). It was
Moatunu, one of their ancestors who once saved Tāufaʻāhau I from losing a
decisive battle and even death at the Battle of Velata in 1826. When Tāufaʻāhau
had come to Haʻafeva to ask the chief for help with his war against
Laufilitonga, the last Tuʻi Tonga to be, initially the chief did not want to
help him, having his allegiance with the other. But when his sister threatened
to go instead, he switched loyalty, and fought close to Tāufaʻāhau. Then the
latter was hit on the head by several attackers and lay unconscious on the
ground. The Haʻafeva chief fought off all the enemies until Tāufaʻāhau came to.
Later this warrior was named "Tuʻu-he-toka" meaning "Standing while the chief is
sleeping".
Interesting note: if
Tāufaʻāhau would have been a commoner instead of a chief, the proper term would
be tuʻu-he-mohe; if he would already have been king, tuʻu-he-tōfā would have to
be used.
It is also of note that the area
around the island was the site of the 1789 Mutiny on the Bounty.
Archaeology:
Haʻafeva is home to an excavation site dubbed 'Mele Havea' site after Mele Havea
whose house is nearby. Hundreds of pieces of early Eastern Lapita pottery were
unearthed at this site in 1996 and 1997 along with various other artifacts of
early settlement of the Island. Carbon dating places these bits and bobs at
approximately 2690 to 2490 years old.
 Recent events:
Haʻafeva was to have been the destination of the ill-fated MV Princess
Ashika, an inter-island ferry which sank on the 5th of August 2009
tragically claiming many lives. the majority of those killed were women and
children as it is usual in Tonga for men to sleep outside on the deck of boats
whilst women and children shelter inside.
 The rest of the
day stayed dark, but no more rain.
ALL IN ALL WHAT A
DAY
A DAY OF
EXTREMES |
