Ha'apai Group

Wayward Adventure
Mon 19 Oct 2009 04:31
19:56.603s  174:43.254w
 
      After spending almost 2 months in the Vava'u Island group of Tonga, it was high time for us to be setting sail and heading out, especially as we have our new "crew" flying in to the capital of Tonga, Nuku'alofa, on the 21st. As well as the two additional crew ladies we are picking up for the passage to New Zealand, we already have a third crew member onboard, David, or as we like to call him "Boat Boy". David joined up with us a week or so ago as he was ready to leave Tonga and needed a ride to NZ. He had previously been on s/v Carinthia with our friends Dietmar and Suzanne so we already knew he was a great guy and a hard worker, filled with all the excitement and energy that a young man traveling the world as a 20 year old would be filled with..... and to top it off he does the dishes! You can't beat that combination right?!  ;- )
      So now with 3 aboard, the Wayward is headed through the Ha'apai group to the Southern island group of Tongatapu. Breaking the trip into small hops, we completed 25 nm today and will do about the same tomorrow before anchoring off of another small (and hopefully well protected!) island before we complete the final 50 nm jump to Tongatapu. It will be nice to have a whole new city to explore and new people to meet as we get ready for the next big crossing to New Zealand in November.
     
       We had a great time while in Neiafu and will miss all of our new "Palangi" (Tongan for 'foreigner') friends who interestingly enough, were comprised of the majority of the restaurant owners in town.....no big surprise there huh?! We made an effort to have one last meal at all of our favorites: The Giggling Whale with owner's Sandy & Cathy, the Crow's Nest with "Southern Indian cooking Extraordinaire" Tess & her husband Steve "The Baker", the inexpensive and tasty (but randomly always empty?) Blue Lagoon Cafe, and last but not least, the most amazing six-course Thai dinner prepared by the owner Gene at the CocoNet Cafe.
 
Thanks again to everyone who made our stay in Vava'u so pleasurable and for all the great memories!.......We hope to see you all again in the near future ;- )
 
XoXo, Lauren