Second time around - Neiafu, Vava'u, Tonga
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Sun 21 Jun 2009 17:28
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On June 13th we left the Hunga Island lagoon
(the pass was much easier on the nerves the second time through...really
the fourth time through if you count the times we went in and out on Storyteller
for our fishing outing) and motored? sailed? (can't remember) the few miles back
to Neiafu's harbor. Oh yeah.....we sailed. There was good wind and
we used it to detour out past one of the FADs (Fish Attraction Devices) about
six miles off the coast of Hunga. We were hoping to catch that mahi-mahi
that got away, but no luck. In case you are wondering, a FAD is a kind of
a man-made reef floating out in deep water. The idea is that it will
attract the little reef fish that will in turn attract the bigger ocean fish,
which then attracts the fishing charter boats and other hopeful boaters like us
and Storyteller. The FAD worked in that it attracted us, we just aren't so
sure about its effect on the fish.
Back in Neiafu our plan was to re-join Lady Kay
(who had left us in Hunga a few days earlier), check weather, clear out of
Tongan customs, etc. by way of the northernmost island group
(Niuatoputapu), fuel up with duty-free diesel, stock up on fruit and vegetables
at the market and sail off to Niuatoputapu, weather permitting. Key
phrase, weather permitting. It didn't. It was clear when we looked
at the forecast that there was no wind in our immediate future, followed by a
big low pressure system with big winds and rain. Our choice was to
wait out the weather and still make a run for Niuatoputapu, which would then
leave us about a week short on time to spend in Fiji (5 weeks instead of 6), or
wait out the weather and then sail directly to Fiji without stopping in
Niuatoputapu first. We decided on the latter. We are disappointed
that we won't get to the fourth and most remote Tongan island group, but we
feel like it's time we moved on to Fiji. The other
advantage to leaving Tonga sooner rather than later is that the ICA rally is
also leaving for Fiji as soon as the weather breaks. We decided to just go
with the rally for the trip since we were going to go at the same time
anyway. The advantage is that the rally coordinates check out for Tonga,
duty-free fueling and check in for Fiji. The overall hassle reduction is
well worth the price of the rally.
Storyteller didn't bother to wait for the right
wind. For them, no wind is a good thing so they cleared out of Tonga
as soon as they could last Tuesday (6/16), filled up with diesel (4,000 liters!)
and headed off for Fiji on their own. They arrived in Fiji a little
over two days later and all reports are that their trip was uneventful
with the exception of one 30 knot rain squall. In the meantime, we decided get out of Neiafu with Lady
Kay while there was no wind and good sun and stay in at least one
more lovely Vava'u area anchorage before heading back to Neiafu a third time to
wait out the big wind and rain before clearing out and sailing to Fiji. We
waved good-bye to Storyteller while they were fueling up (a several hour
ordeal involving the commercial wharf and diesel delivered directly from a
tanker truck) and motored the few miles out to Port Maurelle for the
night. The next morning we moved on to where Lady Kay was waiting for us
off Kenutu Island.
Anne
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