Tonga
Dransfields on the high seas
John and Helen Dransfield
Thu 5 Aug 2010 09:06
sadly bypass Auitutaki, Palmerstone and Nuie due to the conditions, we have
been lucky enough to enjoy 3 weeks around Vavau Tonga. After arriving with
the engine needing some serious TLC (not a pleasant experience to know one's
engine is playing up on a 1200nm crossing) we spent the first week basically
recovering after our passage and hanging out in Neifau. What an easy place
to hang out!! With nice cafes, bread shops and a good scene ashore we had a
blast just enjoying some land stuff. With guests arriving, it gave us a good
chance to clean the boat and generally get things organised. Not to mention
the schoolwork mission to get it all finished in time for our guests. First
up, the Danks/Richardson clan arrived with Katie and George in tow. We had
an absolute ball with them - seeing whales, catching tuna, Tongan feasting,
swimming and snorkelling off the back and generally catching up. We went to
a cool underwater cave called Mariners Cave and also dinghied into Swallows
Cave. It was a super week and a lot of fun. Next up our old friends the
Sloanes - also sailors - who joined us for a week. We basically copied the
week before and had an altogether second brilliant week with lots of kids, a
degree of madness but a great time. We loved Vavau and were sad to leave but
as Fiji beckoned it was time to head off.