A Close Call

Ripple2
Tue 26 Sep 2006 05:19
We almost ran out of beer on Ripple II !!!!!!!!!!!!
 
How can this happen? you ask.
 
Well ...........................................................................
 
We haven't bought beer since Bora Bora in August.It was expensive so I didn't do a big stock-up. Just enough to get to Tonga. We sailed for 5 days to Suwarrow. No beer there. Noational Park. We stayed about a week. Then we sailed to and stopped at Rose Island. Nothing there. Wildlife Sanctuary. We were there or 2 days repairing the mainsail. Then we sailed for 4 days to Niuatoputapu. All the time consuming beer. As you know i was able (with considerable effort) to get a dozen cans of VB there. Thank God! We stayed there for a week. Not to worry I had a few left and was less than 48 hours to the Vava'u group and a big town.
 
Well the "less than 48 hours" turned into 4 days! We sailed into SE headwinds of 20 -25 knots with the associated big waves. We had to sail due south.  We couldn't go exactly the couse to Vava'u. Our volicity made good was sometimes 3 knots.Mostly less. Our speed through the water was 4, 4.5 knots. This was going to take a while. Anyway to cut a long and wet and rough story short I ahd my last beer when we had taken a mooring at Vava'u.
 
But 200 meters from the boat is the Vava'u Yacht Club! And not far away in town were shops that had beer. It vwas going to be OK.
 
A close call though.
 
PS They have internet here so we are working on sending some pictures. Wish us luck and stay tuned.
 
Cheers 'till next time
 
Darren