Hello All,
We moved to another anchorage yesterday afternoon after checking out of the country. We came down just 5 miles south of the main Island to to Uoleva Island. It has beautiful white sand beaches and the anchorage is all sand with very few coral heads. There is suppose to be good snorkeling around the reefs here so we will go take a look today.
Wednesday I got the boat fueled up and we got some stuff from the grocery store to make the crossing to Fiji. After we had dinner we went to town to Mariners Cafe to have a beer and visit with the owner, a former cruiser and they talked me into doing Karaoke. There were a few locals there and we had a great time. I tried to talk Jon into singing but he was having to much fun watching all of us.
Tonight there is suppose to be a potluck dinner on the beach. There are 6 boats here in the anchorage so it will be fun to meet all of them. We may try to head out to Fiji tomorrow. I will check the weather and see how it looks. The wind has been a bit light so I am hoping it will pick up.
OK,that is all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Walking Tour Foa Island and Lifuka Island
9-26-2010
Hello All,
Jon and I took a walking tour of Foa Island today and had a great time. There is a beach resort where we left the dingy that had the most beautiful beach I have seen. We visited 3 villages along the way and walked all the way to the end of the Island. It is connected to the main Island Lifuka by road. The villages were very clean and the people were all very friendly. This place is most definitely paradise in every sense of the word. After walking for 12 miles round trip we stopped at the beach resort and had a few beers and fish and chips for dinner. We went for a swim after dinner then returned to the boat.
We will head for the main Island Lifuka tomorrow and get fuel and a few things we need for the crossing to Fiji. I hope to leave here by the weekend or so and I will let you guys know what we are up to.
PEACE
9-28-2010
Hello All,
We moved to Lifuka Island yesterday afternoon. The main town Pangai is here. We walked around after arriving and it is a nice but very small village. We had a beer at a little cafe that is owned by a former cruiser. There are a few grocery stores and a gas station. I need to get some fuel for the boat and customs is here so we will be checking out tomorrow and heading for Fiji some time in the next few days. There is not much to do here so after we take care of a few things we will head for another anchorage just south of here.
Our time here has been great. This Island group is fantastic and the weather has been beautiful. These Islands are some what exposed to the sea so we have been fortunate enough to have had sunny days with very little wind.
That is all for now. I will talk to you guys soon.
PEACE
Hello All,
Jon and I took a walking tour of Foa Island today and had a great time. There is a beach resort where we left the dingy that had the most beautiful beach I have seen. We visited 3 villages along the way and walked all the way to the end of the Island. It is connected to the main Island Lifuka by road. The villages were very clean and the people were all very friendly. This place is most definitely paradise in every sense of the word. After walking for 12 miles round trip we stopped at the beach resort and had a few beers and fish and chips for dinner. We went for a swim after dinner then returned to the boat.
We will head for the main Island Lifuka tomorrow and get fuel and a few things we need for the crossing to Fiji. I hope to leave here by the weekend or so and I will let you guys know what we are up to.
PEACE
9-28-2010
Hello All,
We moved to Lifuka Island yesterday afternoon. The main town Pangai is here. We walked around after arriving and it is a nice but very small village. We had a beer at a little cafe that is owned by a former cruiser. There are a few grocery stores and a gas station. I need to get some fuel for the boat and customs is here so we will be checking out tomorrow and heading for Fiji some time in the next few days. There is not much to do here so after we take care of a few things we will head for another anchorage just south of here.
Our time here has been great. This Island group is fantastic and the weather has been beautiful. These Islands are some what exposed to the sea so we have been fortunate enough to have had sunny days with very little wind.
That is all for now. I will talk to you guys soon.
PEACE
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Post Card Island and White Sandy Beaches
Saturday 9-25-2010
Hello All,
The weather here has been awesome. A nice easterly breeze and in the 80s for temperature. Jon and I went for a walk on the Island yesterday morning. We must have walked 8 miles or so. The Island has 3 small villages on it, not a lot of people but lots of pigs and horses. There is quiet a few plantations also.
After getting back to the boat in the afternoon we went over to one of the reefs close by and went for a swim. The coral here is amazing, lots of colors and shapes and sizes. It is some of the most alive coral I have seen. We spent about an hour in the water then returned to the boat. I spent a few hours yesterday looking at the charts for some new anchorages. We are going to move a few miles down this afternoon to another place that is suppose to be very nice.
That is all I know for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Sunday 9-26-2010
Hello All,
We moved the boat a few miles south yesterday after noon to a new anchorage. We anchored behind this awesome little Island with a beautiful white sand beach. After getting settled in Jon went for a swim to the Island and I took the dingy to go explore. The Island was so thick with trees there was no way to walk in the woods so we walked all the way around it on the beach. We spent a few hours just hanging out there and I took a lot of pictures. It was a fabulous day. Today we will go explore the Island next door. It has a few villages on it and a little resort.
I will let you know what we discover tomorrow.
That's all for now.
PEACE
Hello All,
The weather here has been awesome. A nice easterly breeze and in the 80s for temperature. Jon and I went for a walk on the Island yesterday morning. We must have walked 8 miles or so. The Island has 3 small villages on it, not a lot of people but lots of pigs and horses. There is quiet a few plantations also.
After getting back to the boat in the afternoon we went over to one of the reefs close by and went for a swim. The coral here is amazing, lots of colors and shapes and sizes. It is some of the most alive coral I have seen. We spent about an hour in the water then returned to the boat. I spent a few hours yesterday looking at the charts for some new anchorages. We are going to move a few miles down this afternoon to another place that is suppose to be very nice.
That is all I know for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Sunday 9-26-2010
Hello All,
We moved the boat a few miles south yesterday after noon to a new anchorage. We anchored behind this awesome little Island with a beautiful white sand beach. After getting settled in Jon went for a swim to the Island and I took the dingy to go explore. The Island was so thick with trees there was no way to walk in the woods so we walked all the way around it on the beach. We spent a few hours just hanging out there and I took a lot of pictures. It was a fabulous day. Today we will go explore the Island next door. It has a few villages on it and a little resort.
I will let you know what we discover tomorrow.
That's all for now.
PEACE
Friday, September 24, 2010
Arrived Ha'ano Island Tonga
9-23-10
Hello All,
We made it here at 1100 and got anchored. I am fixing breakfast so more to come later.
PEACE
9-24-10
Hello All,
We are anchored just off Ha'ano Island, It is 10 miles north of the main Island Lifuka. There is suppose to be good snorkeling here and there is a small village. We will go to shore this morning and explore and then come back and go swimming.
We had a good crossing coming down. The wind was a bit strong at first and we were close hauled so once again the engine had to give us some support. I will be glad to head to Fiji from here because the wind will be on our stern so it should be more comfortable and we won't get as wet.
I have picked out 3 or 4 good anchorages in the group and they are pretty close to each other. These Islands are more exposed to the sea than in Vavau but they are beautiful.
I will tell you more after we get out and take a look around.
That's all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Hello All,
We made it here at 1100 and got anchored. I am fixing breakfast so more to come later.
PEACE
9-24-10
Hello All,
We are anchored just off Ha'ano Island, It is 10 miles north of the main Island Lifuka. There is suppose to be good snorkeling here and there is a small village. We will go to shore this morning and explore and then come back and go swimming.
We had a good crossing coming down. The wind was a bit strong at first and we were close hauled so once again the engine had to give us some support. I will be glad to head to Fiji from here because the wind will be on our stern so it should be more comfortable and we won't get as wet.
I have picked out 3 or 4 good anchorages in the group and they are pretty close to each other. These Islands are more exposed to the sea than in Vavau but they are beautiful.
I will tell you more after we get out and take a look around.
That's all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Leaving Vavau
Hello All,
Well, plans always change and this time is no exception. We are headed out of the Vavau Group tonight headed for the Ha'apai group 65 miles south of us. The weather wasn't going to let us stay the weekend so we figured we would get out while the getting was good. Yesterday we got anchored in town and went to shore to get some bread and butter and a few other things we were missing. We got some fuel and water and got the boat ready to get under way.
Last night Jon and I went out for the last time in Neiafu. We had such a good time that I didn't think I needed my wallet anymore. Yup, it fell out of my pocket in all of the excitement. I noticed it was missing this morning and went to the club where we were. They were not open yet so I called my mom and turned off the credit cards. We went to the police to see if anyone had dropped it there and they had not seen anything at that time. The club finally opened and the owner said yes someone did find the wallet and he told them to take it to the police station. So I waited a few hours then went back to the police and they had it. Wow, I was so happy. We finished getting the boat ready and headed out in a rain storm.
I hope the wind is what the weather says it is. We are just making our way to the ocean right now.
I will let you know how everything goes tomorrow.
See ya,
PEACE
Well, plans always change and this time is no exception. We are headed out of the Vavau Group tonight headed for the Ha'apai group 65 miles south of us. The weather wasn't going to let us stay the weekend so we figured we would get out while the getting was good. Yesterday we got anchored in town and went to shore to get some bread and butter and a few other things we were missing. We got some fuel and water and got the boat ready to get under way.
Last night Jon and I went out for the last time in Neiafu. We had such a good time that I didn't think I needed my wallet anymore. Yup, it fell out of my pocket in all of the excitement. I noticed it was missing this morning and went to the club where we were. They were not open yet so I called my mom and turned off the credit cards. We went to the police to see if anyone had dropped it there and they had not seen anything at that time. The club finally opened and the owner said yes someone did find the wallet and he told them to take it to the police station. So I waited a few hours then went back to the police and they had it. Wow, I was so happy. We finished getting the boat ready and headed out in a rain storm.
I hope the wind is what the weather says it is. We are just making our way to the ocean right now.
I will let you know how everything goes tomorrow.
See ya,
PEACE
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Hunga Bay on Vavau
Hello All,
Yesterday morning I got a visit from a guy in a dingy that owns a house boat that he keeps anchored in Tapana. He and his wife are ex cruisers that came in 1983 and stayed. Their floating home is also a business they call the "Ark Gallery". He introduced him self and asked if I had any spare chain. I told him I had about 50 feet I never use and he could have it. He told me that he uses it to repair moorings that he has set up for people to use. He said how much do you want for it, I said do you have anything to trade, he said well maybe. I told him I would like to see his shop and look around. He said sure thing, just talk to my wife and see if there is anything you would like. So Jon and I took the dingy over to the Ark and met his wife. She was originally from Oregon and told me there story in short of how they ended up here in Tonga. She is a very good artist and had a lot of paintings on display. I told her what I did for her husband and she was so happy. She said anything you want here you can have it. I told her it was just some old rusty chain. She insisted, so I picked out a few nice things and we were both happy. We had a nice chat with her also, they are very nice people and I hope to meet up with them again sometime.
We left the anchorage after that and headed for Hunga Island which was 12 miles away. The Island is one of the most western and has exposure to the ocean. It is also where whales can be found. We sailed most of the way over and right before we got here 2 or 3 whales breached right by us. Jon took some pictures with my camera, he was very excited. That was all we saw before entering the bay.
The bay here on Hunga is unique because you enter it through a very small pass 100 feet wide and only 10 feet deep at high tide. it is a little tricky because once you get in you have to jog around some to miss the coral heads. Once inside it is a big bay and deep. We picked up a mooring in front of the village and we went and looked around. It is a very small village and the people all said hello as we walked around.
This morning we will head back to town. Today is the day to sign up for the sail boat race and I was talked into doing by a few cruisers, so Freestyle will be racing this weekend.
I will tell you all about it in the next blog.
That's all for now.
PEACE
Yesterday morning I got a visit from a guy in a dingy that owns a house boat that he keeps anchored in Tapana. He and his wife are ex cruisers that came in 1983 and stayed. Their floating home is also a business they call the "Ark Gallery". He introduced him self and asked if I had any spare chain. I told him I had about 50 feet I never use and he could have it. He told me that he uses it to repair moorings that he has set up for people to use. He said how much do you want for it, I said do you have anything to trade, he said well maybe. I told him I would like to see his shop and look around. He said sure thing, just talk to my wife and see if there is anything you would like. So Jon and I took the dingy over to the Ark and met his wife. She was originally from Oregon and told me there story in short of how they ended up here in Tonga. She is a very good artist and had a lot of paintings on display. I told her what I did for her husband and she was so happy. She said anything you want here you can have it. I told her it was just some old rusty chain. She insisted, so I picked out a few nice things and we were both happy. We had a nice chat with her also, they are very nice people and I hope to meet up with them again sometime.
We left the anchorage after that and headed for Hunga Island which was 12 miles away. The Island is one of the most western and has exposure to the ocean. It is also where whales can be found. We sailed most of the way over and right before we got here 2 or 3 whales breached right by us. Jon took some pictures with my camera, he was very excited. That was all we saw before entering the bay.
The bay here on Hunga is unique because you enter it through a very small pass 100 feet wide and only 10 feet deep at high tide. it is a little tricky because once you get in you have to jog around some to miss the coral heads. Once inside it is a big bay and deep. We picked up a mooring in front of the village and we went and looked around. It is a very small village and the people all said hello as we walked around.
This morning we will head back to town. Today is the day to sign up for the sail boat race and I was talked into doing by a few cruisers, so Freestyle will be racing this weekend.
I will tell you all about it in the next blog.
That's all for now.
PEACE
Monday, September 20, 2010
Princess Tombs and Rainy Days on Vavau
Hello All,
We are anchored in Tapana anchorage this morning. We made it over here yesterday afternoon after visiting a little Island that has a tomb of a princess from eons ago. The anchorage for the Island was exposed and with poor holding of coral heads and coral sand it is only good for a few hours. We went to the beach and found the trail that winds up to the top of the mountain, which is only about 300 feet tall and found the tomb. I don't know the history of the princess but it has been hundreds of years I am sure. Just past the tomb there was a lookout to see all of the surrounding bays and Islands. I wished it was a nicer day but I got some good pictures none the less.
After returning to the boat we made some lunch and then headed for Tapana anchorage. This bay is very protected from SE winds so it was just what we were looking for. There is also a restaurant here that is run by a Spanish couple. They are very well known in the area so after arriving we took the dingy over to say hello. They were cruisers that came through here back in the 80's and loved it so much they never left and opened a restaurant to cater to the cruisers and tourists. We visited a few hours and they enjoyed talking to Jon in Spanish. We also ran into 2 of the crew from Nirvana there. Amya the 1st mate came over with the boats mechanic yesterday morning to look at a broken generator and ended up spending all day there.
The weather here is still not that great so I will hope it clears enough to make it to the other anchorage.
For now we will be hanging out here and do some exploring so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We are anchored in Tapana anchorage this morning. We made it over here yesterday afternoon after visiting a little Island that has a tomb of a princess from eons ago. The anchorage for the Island was exposed and with poor holding of coral heads and coral sand it is only good for a few hours. We went to the beach and found the trail that winds up to the top of the mountain, which is only about 300 feet tall and found the tomb. I don't know the history of the princess but it has been hundreds of years I am sure. Just past the tomb there was a lookout to see all of the surrounding bays and Islands. I wished it was a nicer day but I got some good pictures none the less.
After returning to the boat we made some lunch and then headed for Tapana anchorage. This bay is very protected from SE winds so it was just what we were looking for. There is also a restaurant here that is run by a Spanish couple. They are very well known in the area so after arriving we took the dingy over to say hello. They were cruisers that came through here back in the 80's and loved it so much they never left and opened a restaurant to cater to the cruisers and tourists. We visited a few hours and they enjoyed talking to Jon in Spanish. We also ran into 2 of the crew from Nirvana there. Amya the 1st mate came over with the boats mechanic yesterday morning to look at a broken generator and ended up spending all day there.
The weather here is still not that great so I will hope it clears enough to make it to the other anchorage.
For now we will be hanging out here and do some exploring so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Not the best weather on Vavau
Hello All,
Yesterday was a mixed bag of of adventure and disappointment. Jon and I went out to the coral gardens with the dingy. We left the dingy on the beach just short of the area to snorkel. Jon swam out past the breakers to the edge of the reef and I said no way. It was a little extreme for me so I did some beach combing. When Jon came back he said the coral was many different colors and saw some sea life also. He really enjoyed the reef and said it was awesome. After that we came back to the boat and headed out for a place called Mariners Cave. It was located on an Island not far from where we were. It has an underwater cavern with a small entrance under the water. If you didn't know where to go you would never find it. We had some cruisers tell us where it was at last week. I just got close with the boat and Jon jumped in. He found the way in but it was very dark and so with out a light it would be to hard to see anything. So we gave up and about that time the crew off of the mega yacht Nirvana, that we hung out with the other day, showed up in there fancy dingy. We rafted up together for a bit and visited.
It was getting late so we said good by and went to find an anchorage for the night. We picked a place where there were several other boats. It wouldn't have been my first choice but it was close and it was getting dark. Not the greatest anchorage but it got us by till this morning and now the weather is not being very nice. Windy, rainy and cloudy so I don't know what we are going to do today. The anchorage that I wanted to do today has to have good sunlight for visibility as it has a narrow pass to to get through. We will figure something out I am sure.
That's all for now.
PEACE
Yesterday was a mixed bag of of adventure and disappointment. Jon and I went out to the coral gardens with the dingy. We left the dingy on the beach just short of the area to snorkel. Jon swam out past the breakers to the edge of the reef and I said no way. It was a little extreme for me so I did some beach combing. When Jon came back he said the coral was many different colors and saw some sea life also. He really enjoyed the reef and said it was awesome. After that we came back to the boat and headed out for a place called Mariners Cave. It was located on an Island not far from where we were. It has an underwater cavern with a small entrance under the water. If you didn't know where to go you would never find it. We had some cruisers tell us where it was at last week. I just got close with the boat and Jon jumped in. He found the way in but it was very dark and so with out a light it would be to hard to see anything. So we gave up and about that time the crew off of the mega yacht Nirvana, that we hung out with the other day, showed up in there fancy dingy. We rafted up together for a bit and visited.
It was getting late so we said good by and went to find an anchorage for the night. We picked a place where there were several other boats. It wouldn't have been my first choice but it was close and it was getting dark. Not the greatest anchorage but it got us by till this morning and now the weather is not being very nice. Windy, rainy and cloudy so I don't know what we are going to do today. The anchorage that I wanted to do today has to have good sunlight for visibility as it has a narrow pass to to get through. We will figure something out I am sure.
That's all for now.
PEACE
Saturday, September 18, 2010
New Anchorage on Vavau
Hello All,
We moved to another anchorage yesterday off of Vaka'eitu Island. There are some coral gardens over here that we wanted to explore. Yesterday we went for a hike on the Island and went over the hill to a secluded beach. It was beautiful and Jon went for a swim and checked out the reef. I went for a little hike down the beach and found an awesome lagoon. On our return back to the boat we visited with a guy from Tasmania that has built a little house on the beach. He offered us some coffee and we had a great visit.
Last night we were invited over to a chartered catamaran for a sun downer. There was 8 people on board all from New Zealand on a 10 day holiday. There are a few boats here in the anchorage and they invited us over because they thought since I was from Alaska I would be very interesting to talk to. I have had that happen a few times on this trip.
Today we will go out to the coral gardens and snorkel around. We have been told it is awesome.
We have been lucky enough to be able to sail between the anchorages and we have been able to use a mooring every time, which Jon likes because he doesn't have to deal with the anchor.
Well that's all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We moved to another anchorage yesterday off of Vaka'eitu Island. There are some coral gardens over here that we wanted to explore. Yesterday we went for a hike on the Island and went over the hill to a secluded beach. It was beautiful and Jon went for a swim and checked out the reef. I went for a little hike down the beach and found an awesome lagoon. On our return back to the boat we visited with a guy from Tasmania that has built a little house on the beach. He offered us some coffee and we had a great visit.
Last night we were invited over to a chartered catamaran for a sun downer. There was 8 people on board all from New Zealand on a 10 day holiday. There are a few boats here in the anchorage and they invited us over because they thought since I was from Alaska I would be very interesting to talk to. I have had that happen a few times on this trip.
Today we will go out to the coral gardens and snorkel around. We have been told it is awesome.
We have been lucky enough to be able to sail between the anchorages and we have been able to use a mooring every time, which Jon likes because he doesn't have to deal with the anchor.
Well that's all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tongan Paradise
Hello All,
Today was an eventful day of swimming snorkeling and exploring. Jon went for a swim to the beach this morning and I took the dingy in with my camera and took some pictures of the anchorage and of the beach. It is only about a 1/4 mile long but it is beautiful white sand. After that we took the dingy about a mile west of us and found a good snorkel spot. The water was very clear and the coral although not abundant was very colorful. For the first time in my travels I actually saw starfish which was very cool. After that we took the dingy another mile to a point on the Island we are anchored and saw Swallows Cave. The entrance is big enough to get your dingy in and once inside it opens up to several caverns. It is light inside because the sun can shine in a hole in the top. It was amazing and quite big. You can see the bottom and it is very deep. I got some video and lots of pictures of the cave exploration.
We arrived back at the boat a little bit ago and are just relaxing now. We are going to move to another anchorage tomorrow morning and check out a little more of this Tongan paradise.
Bye for now.
PEACE
Today was an eventful day of swimming snorkeling and exploring. Jon went for a swim to the beach this morning and I took the dingy in with my camera and took some pictures of the anchorage and of the beach. It is only about a 1/4 mile long but it is beautiful white sand. After that we took the dingy about a mile west of us and found a good snorkel spot. The water was very clear and the coral although not abundant was very colorful. For the first time in my travels I actually saw starfish which was very cool. After that we took the dingy another mile to a point on the Island we are anchored and saw Swallows Cave. The entrance is big enough to get your dingy in and once inside it opens up to several caverns. It is light inside because the sun can shine in a hole in the top. It was amazing and quite big. You can see the bottom and it is very deep. I got some video and lots of pictures of the cave exploration.
We arrived back at the boat a little bit ago and are just relaxing now. We are going to move to another anchorage tomorrow morning and check out a little more of this Tongan paradise.
Bye for now.
PEACE
Anchorage Hopping
Hello All,
We had a very eventful Wednesday. I went to the sailmaker and he had my sails done. The yankee he had to put a lot of work into but did a very nice job of fixing it. The staysail was a pretty easy fix. After all of that was done I went and found post cards to send home and found a coffee shop where I could fax my paperwork for arrival in Fiji. We came back to the boat after that and hung out for a bit. Last night the crew from the big ketch invited us to go with them to dinner and then to a bar that had a show. It was really funny because it was where 6 local guys dressed up like girls and did a dance on stage. The place was packed and every one had a great time.
Today we got the boat all ready to go and then we were invited aboard the big ketch for a tour. The 1st mate Amaia is from Spain and is a very nice girl. We had such a good time with her last night and the rest of the crew. The boat is amazing, it is basically a mega yacht with 2 masts and massive sails. The main mast is 192 feet long and the boat is 170 feet overall length. It is aluminum construction for the hull and the masts are carbon fiber. The interior is well, very plush. Jon and I were extremely impressed. The owner has a garment company in Spain. I am in the wrong business, oh wait, i am not in any business lol.
After the grand tour Jon and I headed out to one of the anchorages that has some very cool caves you can run your dingy into. We got here a little late so we will check it out tomorrow.
Well that's all for now. I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We had a very eventful Wednesday. I went to the sailmaker and he had my sails done. The yankee he had to put a lot of work into but did a very nice job of fixing it. The staysail was a pretty easy fix. After all of that was done I went and found post cards to send home and found a coffee shop where I could fax my paperwork for arrival in Fiji. We came back to the boat after that and hung out for a bit. Last night the crew from the big ketch invited us to go with them to dinner and then to a bar that had a show. It was really funny because it was where 6 local guys dressed up like girls and did a dance on stage. The place was packed and every one had a great time.
Today we got the boat all ready to go and then we were invited aboard the big ketch for a tour. The 1st mate Amaia is from Spain and is a very nice girl. We had such a good time with her last night and the rest of the crew. The boat is amazing, it is basically a mega yacht with 2 masts and massive sails. The main mast is 192 feet long and the boat is 170 feet overall length. It is aluminum construction for the hull and the masts are carbon fiber. The interior is well, very plush. Jon and I were extremely impressed. The owner has a garment company in Spain. I am in the wrong business, oh wait, i am not in any business lol.
After the grand tour Jon and I headed out to one of the anchorages that has some very cool caves you can run your dingy into. We got here a little late so we will check it out tomorrow.
Well that's all for now. I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
good times in Neiafu
Hello All,
We have had some fun days here in Neiafu. Sunday we didnt do much, I had a few things I fixed on the boat and that was about it. Monday I got my sails to the the repair guy. He was very nice and talked to us for a little bit. He asked me how bad they were and we just looked at each other and he said before we could reply, no worries, I will fix him for you no problem. The yankee got hit the hardest while we were leaving Savaii. The sail wasent tied down and slipped over the side in the dark and got pounded by seas into my downwind whisker pole for about and hour and it put some pretty good rips in it. The sailmaker is up here from New Zealand for the busy season when all of the boats show up. We will go visit him today and see how its going. We also checked in with customs and got all of that squared away. We also did the boring task of doing our laundry. It has been a while so I had quite a pile.
After all of that fun stuff was over Jon and I took a hike up Mt. Talau. It is very close to Neiafu and is 430 feet tall. It offers a spectacular view of the anchorage and outer Islands.I got some very nice pictures and will share them with you when I get better internet.
When we returned Jon took a trip in the dingy out to a 170 foot ketch owned by a guy in Spain. That is one big sailboat with 2 masts. The owner wasent around but the crew was onboard and he went out to say hello. The boat is from Spain so he was curious about who they were and where they were from. It turns out the 1st mate of the boat has common friends with Jon so they hit it off right away. A few of the crew invited us to have a few beers with them last night at a few of the bars . We had a great time and we are gonna hang out with them tonight at one of the clubs that is putting on some kind of show. I will let you know how that turns out tomorrow.
Well thats all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We have had some fun days here in Neiafu. Sunday we didnt do much, I had a few things I fixed on the boat and that was about it. Monday I got my sails to the the repair guy. He was very nice and talked to us for a little bit. He asked me how bad they were and we just looked at each other and he said before we could reply, no worries, I will fix him for you no problem. The yankee got hit the hardest while we were leaving Savaii. The sail wasent tied down and slipped over the side in the dark and got pounded by seas into my downwind whisker pole for about and hour and it put some pretty good rips in it. The sailmaker is up here from New Zealand for the busy season when all of the boats show up. We will go visit him today and see how its going. We also checked in with customs and got all of that squared away. We also did the boring task of doing our laundry. It has been a while so I had quite a pile.
After all of that fun stuff was over Jon and I took a hike up Mt. Talau. It is very close to Neiafu and is 430 feet tall. It offers a spectacular view of the anchorage and outer Islands.I got some very nice pictures and will share them with you when I get better internet.
When we returned Jon took a trip in the dingy out to a 170 foot ketch owned by a guy in Spain. That is one big sailboat with 2 masts. The owner wasent around but the crew was onboard and he went out to say hello. The boat is from Spain so he was curious about who they were and where they were from. It turns out the 1st mate of the boat has common friends with Jon so they hit it off right away. A few of the crew invited us to have a few beers with them last night at a few of the bars . We had a great time and we are gonna hang out with them tonight at one of the clubs that is putting on some kind of show. I will let you know how that turns out tomorrow.
Well thats all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
good times in Neiafu
Hello All,
We have had some fun days here in Neiafu. Sunday we didnt do much, I had a few things I fixed on the boat and that was about it. Monday I got my sails to the the repair guy. He was very nice and talked to us for a little bit. He asked me how bad they were and we just looked at each other and he said before we could reply, no worries, I will fix him for you no problem. The yankee got hit the hardest while we were leaving Savaii. The sail wasent tied down and slipped over the side in the dark and got pounded by seas into my downwind whisker pole for about and hour and it put some pretty good rips in it. The sailmaker is up here from New Zealand for the busy season when all of the boats show up. We will go visit him today and see how its going. We also checked in with customs and got all of that squared away. We also did the boring task of doing our laundry. It has been a while so I had quite a pile.
After all of that fun stuff was over Jon and I took a hike up Mt. Talau. It is very close to Neiafu and is 430 feet tall. It offers a spectacular view of the anchorage and outer Islands.I got some very nice pictures and will share them with you when I get better internet.
When we returned Jon took a trip in the dingy out to a 170 foot ketch owned by a guy in Spain. That is one big sailboat with 2 masts. The owner wasent around but the crew was onboard and he went out to say hello. The boat is from Spain so he was curious about who they were and where they were from. It turns out the 1st mate of the boat has common friends with Jon so they hit it off right away. A few of the crew invited us to have a few beers with them last night at a couple of the bars . We had a great time and we are gonna hang out with them tonight at one of the clubs that is putting on some kind of show. I will let you know how that turns out tomorrow.
Well thats all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We have had some fun days here in Neiafu. Sunday we didnt do much, I had a few things I fixed on the boat and that was about it. Monday I got my sails to the the repair guy. He was very nice and talked to us for a little bit. He asked me how bad they were and we just looked at each other and he said before we could reply, no worries, I will fix him for you no problem. The yankee got hit the hardest while we were leaving Savaii. The sail wasent tied down and slipped over the side in the dark and got pounded by seas into my downwind whisker pole for about and hour and it put some pretty good rips in it. The sailmaker is up here from New Zealand for the busy season when all of the boats show up. We will go visit him today and see how its going. We also checked in with customs and got all of that squared away. We also did the boring task of doing our laundry. It has been a while so I had quite a pile.
After all of that fun stuff was over Jon and I took a hike up Mt. Talau. It is very close to Neiafu and is 430 feet tall. It offers a spectacular view of the anchorage and outer Islands.I got some very nice pictures and will share them with you when I get better internet.
When we returned Jon took a trip in the dingy out to a 170 foot ketch owned by a guy in Spain. That is one big sailboat with 2 masts. The owner wasent around but the crew was onboard and he went out to say hello. The boat is from Spain so he was curious about who they were and where they were from. It turns out the 1st mate of the boat has common friends with Jon so they hit it off right away. A few of the crew invited us to have a few beers with them last night at a couple of the bars . We had a great time and we are gonna hang out with them tonight at one of the clubs that is putting on some kind of show. I will let you know how that turns out tomorrow.
Well thats all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Saturday, September 11, 2010
In Vavau Group, Neiafu Tonga
Hello All,
We got in here yesterday at 1100. The crossing was wet to say the least. We were on a close reach the whole way with a southwesterly swell so we were pounding into seas the whole time. Not my favorite point of sail at all. We got in and picked up a mooring from one of the sailing charter companies. The anchorage here is very deep so it is easier to just get a mooring. The price with the exchange wasent to bad. Compass Rose, the American boat we met in Pago Pago was here so after getting settled in we went over and had a sundowner with them. Their son Nick took us out last night into town and we watched some of a rugby game at one of the local bars and after that just walked around town. They have been here for a few weeks so they know the place well.
We will be here long enough to get my sails fixed buy a local sail repair guy and fix a few things on the boat, then we will do some anchorage hopping. There is dozens of Islands in the area all protected from the sea. It kind of reminds me of Prince William Sound because of the protection and the many Islands and bays,just on a smaller scale. There are Humpback whales here right now up from the south to give berth to there calves so there is alot of whale watching and the amazing thing is you can also swim with them. Compass Rose did that the other day and said it was awesome. You have to be with a guide boat and it is a little expensive but I am told it is worth it. There is no guarantee to swim with whales but most I have talked that did it have. We will be here for a week or 2 before heading to the central group so alot to do with little time.
Ok well I should get going so I will keep you updated as we go.
By the way,there is internet here but it is very slow so uploading pictures will have to wait for now.
PEACE
We got in here yesterday at 1100. The crossing was wet to say the least. We were on a close reach the whole way with a southwesterly swell so we were pounding into seas the whole time. Not my favorite point of sail at all. We got in and picked up a mooring from one of the sailing charter companies. The anchorage here is very deep so it is easier to just get a mooring. The price with the exchange wasent to bad. Compass Rose, the American boat we met in Pago Pago was here so after getting settled in we went over and had a sundowner with them. Their son Nick took us out last night into town and we watched some of a rugby game at one of the local bars and after that just walked around town. They have been here for a few weeks so they know the place well.
We will be here long enough to get my sails fixed buy a local sail repair guy and fix a few things on the boat, then we will do some anchorage hopping. There is dozens of Islands in the area all protected from the sea. It kind of reminds me of Prince William Sound because of the protection and the many Islands and bays,just on a smaller scale. There are Humpback whales here right now up from the south to give berth to there calves so there is alot of whale watching and the amazing thing is you can also swim with them. Compass Rose did that the other day and said it was awesome. You have to be with a guide boat and it is a little expensive but I am told it is worth it. There is no guarantee to swim with whales but most I have talked that did it have. We will be here for a week or 2 before heading to the central group so alot to do with little time.
Ok well I should get going so I will keep you updated as we go.
By the way,there is internet here but it is very slow so uploading pictures will have to wait for now.
PEACE
Thursday, September 9, 2010
16 59.77S 173 56.26W
Hello All,
We battled through the night 25 to 30 knots. We are close hauled so we are pounding into the waves a bit. The weather didn't really show this but we are making it okay. This morning we blew the staysail out, a fitting came loose and ripped it. I have a spare so we are up and moving. I am motoring a little just to get the boat speed up to maintain steering. We are 90 miles from Vavau at the moment so we should be getting there in the morning sometime.
Okay that is all I have for now, I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We battled through the night 25 to 30 knots. We are close hauled so we are pounding into the waves a bit. The weather didn't really show this but we are making it okay. This morning we blew the staysail out, a fitting came loose and ripped it. I have a spare so we are up and moving. I am motoring a little just to get the boat speed up to maintain steering. We are 90 miles from Vavau at the moment so we should be getting there in the morning sometime.
Okay that is all I have for now, I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Still in Niuatoputapu
Hello All,
We are still here. The weather is still coming down so we thought we would let the seas come down a bit more before heading out, besides we got invited over for a tour of the 62 foot east coast boat last night so I didn't want to miss that.
We will try again at 1600 today (Thursday in the U.S.). I will check weather again this morning but so far it looks good.
Okay, that is all I have for now. Talk to you soon.
PEACE
We are still here. The weather is still coming down so we thought we would let the seas come down a bit more before heading out, besides we got invited over for a tour of the 62 foot east coast boat last night so I didn't want to miss that.
We will try again at 1600 today (Thursday in the U.S.). I will check weather again this morning but so far it looks good.
Okay, that is all I have for now. Talk to you soon.
PEACE
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Leaving Ninatoputapu, Take 2
Hello All,
We will be leaving here today about 1600. The weather looks like it will cooperate. We have been waiting for a easterly wind and it is suppose to fill in today. Last night we had the Australian couple over for pizza and had a really good time. They are heading home after being in Tonga for 4 years. They just bought there boat and are touring around the Islands before heading back. Hey Mom, I still have some of that bread mix and it worked great for pizza dough lol. We will see customs again and check out one more time, leaving Niuatoputapu take 2. The boat is basically ready to go, Jon got the rest of the barnacles off of the keel yesterday. He said he felt bad doing it, he wiped out all kinds of barnacle villages in the process, they are homeless now. Maybe they can hitch a ride on the next boat that comes in.
That's all for now and I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We will be leaving here today about 1600. The weather looks like it will cooperate. We have been waiting for a easterly wind and it is suppose to fill in today. Last night we had the Australian couple over for pizza and had a really good time. They are heading home after being in Tonga for 4 years. They just bought there boat and are touring around the Islands before heading back. Hey Mom, I still have some of that bread mix and it worked great for pizza dough lol. We will see customs again and check out one more time, leaving Niuatoputapu take 2. The boat is basically ready to go, Jon got the rest of the barnacles off of the keel yesterday. He said he felt bad doing it, he wiped out all kinds of barnacle villages in the process, they are homeless now. Maybe they can hitch a ride on the next boat that comes in.
That's all for now and I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Monday, September 6, 2010
Windy Days on Niuatoputapu
Hello All,
We are still waiting for weather to turn in our favor. Tomorrow the wind is suppose to turn to the east so we will try again to make it down to the Vavau Group. The wind has been blowing 30 knots out of the south east for the last 2 days.
We had a new boat come into the anchorage yesterday. It is an American boat about 60 feet with 3 people on board. They came down from Pago Pago and said they got there butt kicked on the passage with all of this weather.
We are having the Australian couple over for dinner tonight. We ran into them on the beach yesterday and visited for a while. We were talking about making Pizza but we will see.
We have just been hanging out not doing to much. I finished my varnish job yesterday so today I will just get the boat cleaned up for company.
Thats all for now and I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
We are still waiting for weather to turn in our favor. Tomorrow the wind is suppose to turn to the east so we will try again to make it down to the Vavau Group. The wind has been blowing 30 knots out of the south east for the last 2 days.
We had a new boat come into the anchorage yesterday. It is an American boat about 60 feet with 3 people on board. They came down from Pago Pago and said they got there butt kicked on the passage with all of this weather.
We are having the Australian couple over for dinner tonight. We ran into them on the beach yesterday and visited for a while. We were talking about making Pizza but we will see.
We have just been hanging out not doing to much. I finished my varnish job yesterday so today I will just get the boat cleaned up for company.
Thats all for now and I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Waiting for weather
Hello All,
Since we arrived back in Niuatopatapu we have just been hanging out on the boat. I have been doing some varnish work and maintenance and Jon has been practicing playing guitar. We were the only boat in the anchorage but shortly after we got here a young couple from Australia showed up. They are on there way home after touring the Tonga Islands for 4 years.
Jon and I took a break from our tasks on board and went for a walk on the Island. We went out to the northern point of the Island where it looks as though the locals were clearing some land. After getting there we realized it wasn't cleared by man it was cleared by water. The tsunamis ripped trees right out of the ground and stacked them up like cord wood. The beach was so littered with down fall it was hard to even walk. What would have taken weeks for a construction company to do the water did it in minutes. It was an amazing sight to see what mother nature can do. It makes you feel very small.
We returned back to the boat and just hung out for the evening. Today we have been invited for a lunch on the beach. After church services the locals have a big lunch and they always invite the boats if there is any here so we will go mingle for a few hours this afternoon.
We hope to leave by Tuesday afternoon and I will keep you updated as we go. Talk to you soon.
PEACE
Since we arrived back in Niuatopatapu we have just been hanging out on the boat. I have been doing some varnish work and maintenance and Jon has been practicing playing guitar. We were the only boat in the anchorage but shortly after we got here a young couple from Australia showed up. They are on there way home after touring the Tonga Islands for 4 years.
Jon and I took a break from our tasks on board and went for a walk on the Island. We went out to the northern point of the Island where it looks as though the locals were clearing some land. After getting there we realized it wasn't cleared by man it was cleared by water. The tsunamis ripped trees right out of the ground and stacked them up like cord wood. The beach was so littered with down fall it was hard to even walk. What would have taken weeks for a construction company to do the water did it in minutes. It was an amazing sight to see what mother nature can do. It makes you feel very small.
We returned back to the boat and just hung out for the evening. Today we have been invited for a lunch on the beach. After church services the locals have a big lunch and they always invite the boats if there is any here so we will go mingle for a few hours this afternoon.
We hope to leave by Tuesday afternoon and I will keep you updated as we go. Talk to you soon.
PEACE
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Rick's retreat
Hello All,
We left Niuatoputapu last night and now we are back here anchored. What was suppose to be a calm evening filling in with an East wind this morning turned out to be a south east wind last night and more of it this morning. My course to Vavau is mainly south so I need an east wind to make the boat go and the seas are to big to motor. We will keep a close eye on the weather but for now it looks like we will be here 3 days or so.
I will let you know whats going on in the next few days.
PEACE
We left Niuatoputapu last night and now we are back here anchored. What was suppose to be a calm evening filling in with an East wind this morning turned out to be a south east wind last night and more of it this morning. My course to Vavau is mainly south so I need an east wind to make the boat go and the seas are to big to motor. We will keep a close eye on the weather but for now it looks like we will be here 3 days or so.
I will let you know whats going on in the next few days.
PEACE
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Mountain Climbing on Niuatoputapu
Hello All,
Today was an awesome day of exploring. We went for a hike up the mountain in the middle of the Island. It is 450 tall so its not huge but the views we got when getting to the top were fantastic. I got some very nice pictures that I will share with you when I get a chance. We walked the ridge from one end of the mountain range to the other. We got a pretty early start so we would be done before it got to hot. We hiked down the back side of the mountain to the last village of the Island, stopped to get some bread at the local bakery, which is just a woman that bakes bread for the village, stopped at the fresh water spring for a cool bath and then walked back to the boat.
After returning I did some work on the engine and then after that I scrubbed the bottom till I couldn't stand it any more. I still have the port side to do but Jon said he would do that side for me and I can do a few other things.
We were invited to a pot luck on the beach tonight hosted buy one of the local families. We had a nice dinner and got to visit with a few of the 5 boats here in the anchorage.
We will leave tomorrow after noon for the Northern Tonga Group. It should take us a day and a half to get there. This has been an excellent stop over and a beautiful Island and I would recommend to anyone coming this way.
That's all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Today was an awesome day of exploring. We went for a hike up the mountain in the middle of the Island. It is 450 tall so its not huge but the views we got when getting to the top were fantastic. I got some very nice pictures that I will share with you when I get a chance. We walked the ridge from one end of the mountain range to the other. We got a pretty early start so we would be done before it got to hot. We hiked down the back side of the mountain to the last village of the Island, stopped to get some bread at the local bakery, which is just a woman that bakes bread for the village, stopped at the fresh water spring for a cool bath and then walked back to the boat.
After returning I did some work on the engine and then after that I scrubbed the bottom till I couldn't stand it any more. I still have the port side to do but Jon said he would do that side for me and I can do a few other things.
We were invited to a pot luck on the beach tonight hosted buy one of the local families. We had a nice dinner and got to visit with a few of the 5 boats here in the anchorage.
We will leave tomorrow after noon for the Northern Tonga Group. It should take us a day and a half to get there. This has been an excellent stop over and a beautiful Island and I would recommend to anyone coming this way.
That's all for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
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