Pics - from Tonga to Fiji
Kokamo's Pacifc Meanderings
Tom and Rachel
Wed 14 Jul 2010 10:41
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A backlog of photos to
catch up on. So here are a selection from the end of our time in Tonga and
passage to Fiji. As you'll see I have a new toy (or rather relieved
Chris of his new toy - cheers Chris), a waterproof camera...
 Vava'u, in Tonga, has
lots of steep cliffs like this. And under this one you find
this...
 Mariner's
Cave. Chris is just diving back out through the entrance
here. If you duck dive down a couple of metres, and then swim forward 5 or
6 metres, you can surface inside the cave. There is a great effect when
the swell rolls in and compresses the air inside, you get an instanteous thick
mist inside, lasting just a couple of seconds.
 We set off for Fiji,
running dead downwind
 And before long catch
our biggest fish by a long way yet! A good size tuna - which took some
butchering on the duckboard hanging off the back of the boat. Filleting it
while it kept twitching seemed to put Chris right off eating it!
 The wind eases and comes
forward, and we get some good use out of 'stealth drive' - the new
gennaker
 Before you know it, it's
back to Pina Colada's in port (and you thought we were joking...)
 We spent five or six
days near the town of Savu Savu, hanging out with the guys in this band, who
call themselves 'The Longbeach Boys' after their home beach in the
background. They could play an impressive mix of tunes, in a variety of
mashed up styles (reggae being the favourite). The chief of
their village Chief Lemi, threw an amazing barbecue for a few of us on this
afternoon.
 We also went
snorkelling...
 and helped the 'Jacques
Cousteau Resort' nearby spear the recently arrived 'Crown of Thorns' starfish
which are destroying the reefs locally (as they have done large areas of the
Great Barrier Reef apparently)
 And generally had a good
time (Dieter on the left from another boat we've spent quite a bit of time with,
'Sol Maria'), before Chris had to head back to the UK.
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