Off to Tonga

We have just lost Thursday.

Bowling along on Wednesday, 6^th October, midnight comes, we cross the international date line and suddenly it is Friday, 8^th October.

Very strange …......

In Niue we shared the anchorage with 5 other boats from UK, USA, Netherlands and New Zealand. One of the American yachts, out from the Virgin Islands, was also called Gryphon, we met them briefly in Rarotonga but we were departing the morning after they arrived. Months ago Gryphon had arrived in Shelter Bay Marina, Panama after we had left but there had been a mix up whilst we were there with the office giving us their post which had arrived in advance. This sorted, we didn't think any more of it except that it was interesting to know of another Gryphon.

Gryphon followed much the same routes as Gryphon II through from Panama to Galapagos and French Polynesia, they often heard that we had just left ahead of them but we were unaware. It was because we were delayed by hauling out in Raiatea and they had spoken to our friends James and Lucy from Snow Leopard that they eventually caught up with us in Rarotonga. We discovered then that not only is their boat called Gryphon but it is owned by Jeff and Lorraine. Lorraine is also called Raine as I am by Chris and we have now discovered that she is also a non-meat eater. So many coincidences are beginning to feel rather spooky.

Raine and Jeff are heading off to New Zealand to stay and work for a few years so we shall probably see more of them. We have had time to chat now and get to know them a little but I wonder what other coincidences might turn up as time goes on, we Lorraines are somewhat astonished.

Very frustrating …..........

Tuesday, 05.10.2010.

We started out from Niue under engine at 06.45 a.m. and continued without wind for eleven hours, the engine thrumming relentlessly. We knew from the forecast that there would be no wind for the day but we need to get on and wind was forecast for

Wednesday. A very high swell but long, slow waves rolling across from the port side gave a very tolerable motion. Looking across the sea was like looking across the sand dunes of a desert with its big sweeping undulations, it's just that this desert was on the move. As the sea was big and slow we were able to open hatches and windows without risk of inundation and this dissipated the heat of the engine keeping the cabins cool.

Caught a Mahi Mahi, couldn't land it, it swam off, no doubt fish-chuckling to itself, we need to leave them longer to tire out.

Wind ruffled in at 17.45 p.m. and the iron sail was turned off, speed dropped from 5 to 3.5 knots but the relief of hearing the sea instead of the engine was good compensation for a while. Various sail plans were tried and tweaked to wring the last bit of speed out of the wind but it fluked around and gradually faded away.

Ocean Pearl, a New Zealand yacht with Danny and Yvonne making their way home, left Niue about an hour after us and are having identical conditions. They are 4 feet longer than us so will be faster.

Wednesday, 06.10.2010

Engine on at 01.00 a.m. 5 knots again for 1½ hours. Rain, hatches and windows closed, hot.

Engine off at 02.30 a.m. back to peace and slow speeds in fluke wind – 1½ hours. Rain, keep hatches and windows closed, hot.

Engine still off at 09,00 a.m. Spinnaker went up, wind changed, spinnaker ripped, taken down. Genoa poled out on whisker pole, wind suddenly whipped up in squall, pole bent, taken down. Caught another Mahi Mahi, lost it. Agggggggghhh!

Engine on at 13.30 p.m. 5 knots, we need to make up time otherwise we shall be arriving in Tonga in the dark. Rain, hatches and windows closed, fan on, not too bad. The long slow swell has speeded up and motion is more pronounced. Lunch outside, damp, cold even after galley heat.

Engine off at 15.00 p.m, a lovely 7.2 knots was reached but only for about ¾ hour then it was a pathetic 3-4 knots again.

Engine on at 17.30 p.m. just in time to cause maximum heat for preparing the evening meal. Fan on, not too bad.

Spoke to Ocean Pearl on short wave radio at 19.00 p.m., they are well ahead now but similar conditions and they have ripped their headsail whilst flapping about in these winds.

Crossed international date line 00.00 midnight. No Thursday!

Friday 08.10.2010

Engine off at 01.13 a.m. Full genoa, a bit bouncy for the skipper trying to sleep but a very nice 5.4 knots is being achieved. 02.45 a.m. wind still good only 35.8 miles to go so fingers crossed that this will continue and we should arrive at our waypoint at 10.00 a.m. Then it is another 20 miles to the harbour at Neiafu in Tonga's Vava'u group of islands.

We hope to see whales as humpbacks breed off Vava'u and should still be there before migrating south for the summer.

Land ahoy ….........

As it became light at 06.00 a.m. the skipper saw land from a distance of 15 miles and it looks like a long low wedge of black rock in the sea.

Engine on at 08.00 a.m. as wind tailed away. As we near the land the sea has picked up and is choppy despite the wind falling away.

More engine on and off, we're glad we haven't got another day of this. By 09.15 a.m. we are doing 5-6 knots across the head of the wedge and now the carpet of trees and vegetation can be seen but it is a grey day with lots of rain in the air and no blue in the sky. Like Niue the low cliffs are full of caves but look small and shallow; unlike Niue this island is of volcanic and not coral limestone origin. Also unlike Niue there are lots of white beaches straddling the shoreline some in tiny coves, if the sun were out it would look idyllic but the heavy cloud persists.

Crossing the top end of the wedge the waves calm down aaaah! Rounding the headland it flattens out even more and we are sailing in perfect wind on a perfect sea.

Whoa ............... very unexpected.

As we round up into the harbour Vava'u is revealed. There are islands, lots of small and even smaller islands, these and the mainland are undercut by the sea so when the tide is low, as it is now, there is a substantial overhang which would make it impossible to land if it where not for the coves, beaches and inlets. The route into the harbour winds through the islands and as we look back the sea has disappeared, this reminds us of the Swedish Archipelago or being in the Scottish lochs or Norwegian fiords, even the rain feels familiar though it is 80º and humid.

Tying up on the customs dock we are greeted by a local who has seen that we don't have a courtesy flag yet. His daughter makes them and after helping us to tie up next to Ocean Pearl who arrived earlier, he goes off to get us one. The customs dock is high and the tide low, it is a leap to get ashore, the wall is encrusted with rough old barnacles so we play fendering off as the tide creeps slowly up. The skipper of a Swedish boat in front of us asks if we are going to take part in the race this afternoon, we're tired out. They are on a world trip and have 8 on board. 6 are part of a constantly changing crew, mostly from Stockholm, who fly out and back home to and from various destinations in order to take part in at least one leg of the voyage. Their white blonde hair flashes as they prep the boat for the race, we wish them luck.

Danny and Yvonne from Ocean Pearl tell us where the market is, James and Lucy from Snow Leopard dinghy over to give us local info and book us up for humpback whale watching and swimming on Wednesday, Sarah 2 call us up on VHF to say hello and see you later. The local man comes back with our flag which is hoisted.

Officials arrive after lunch and the boat is filled with 4 large Tongans one of whom is a Bishop of the Mormon Church but also Neiafu's Immigration Officer. Then there are the Customs Officer, Quarantine Officer and the Agriculture, Food, Forest and Fisheries Officer. All forms completed, no inspections are made! Our rubbish is not inspected but tied and taken for burning complete with tins and jars, perhaps is will be sorted later. Tongan dollars are acquired from a nearby ATM machine to pay all the fees and we are free to wander. A quick trip to the market to restock before seeking a place in the harbour, pineapples, English style cucumbers, apples, lots of local fare all looking great. Bag full.

Whilst waiting for the officials to arrive we heard a MAYDAY relay on VHF for a French boat in the Haapai group of islands immediately below this group. They are  four people stranded on an atoll with enough food for 2 days, their ketch has sunk after striking a reef. The MAYDAY has gone out over the radio nets as well now asking for help from any yachts in the area and giving information as to where it happened for the safety of others. This is very sobering at this stage of the voyage and keeps us aware that anything can happen out here. We hope they are rescued quicly, for the moment the lives of these four French people have been wrecked as they have lost everything, our wishes are with them.

 There are lots of boats here enjoying a few weeks in Tonga that will sail down the chain to Nuku Alofa where, like us, they will wait for the weather window to make the journey to New Zealand of just over 1,000 miles. The passage to NZ is out of the trade winds and over this sea area the winds are likely to be very changeable, influenced by the low pressure systems that track across the country. The trick is to get far enough west early enough so that if one of these systems appears we do not have to fight it to get to Opua. It is very likely that we will experience some rough weather as there are frequent gales, so it could be our most difficult passage  .......and of course we will soon move out of the tropics into cool temperate weather that we have not experienced for a long time. Long trousers and fleeces at the ready!

In the mean time the water in the harbour here is as flat as a pancake and we know that this is going to be a perfect anchorage. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................