Berengere (B) flew back to Tonga last night and this morning after a quick refill of veggies at the fresh market, we headed out of Neiafu. We didn’t go far. We dropped anchor in Port Maurelle an hour later. We will more likely stay here till next week, watching the weather, getting ready for the trip and just rest. As soon as the weather looks right we will head north to Niuatoputapu, the northern most Tongan island. It will take about two days sail to get there and it should be a nice stopover before another three day sail north west to Isle of Wallis (Wallis and Futuna French colonies).
Category Archives: 2024 season
Mother and baby
Water poured down her glistening black back as she came out of the ocean. At the last minute she turned to reveal her white belly. She fell backward into the sea creating a large splash as she disappeared out of site. Moments later she appeared spouting out water and sucking in a lung full of fresh air. She rolled on her side and started patting the water with her pectoral fin as she summond her calf. The majestic beauty of a34 ton whale playing with her baby.
Tonga is one of the few places in the world the you can swim with the whales. Sometimes getting only metres away from the graceful giants.
Sorry for the lack of blogs we had to leave Imagine in Vavau and rush back home for personal reasons. Normal transmission will resume next week.
Family
We had sheltered for several days as the wind and rain passed. This passed week we have spent time with my brother and his wife. Darren and Chrissy were staying at a resort on Mounu island and for three days we could anchor off the island before the wind changed again.
The first day they went swiming with the whales while we checked out a few more snorkle sights and went fishing out of the reef with the dinghy. B caught two fish, one snapper and one generous size a coral trout which made lunch for four the day after. The next days we took them sailing and snorkeling at our favourite sights. We also all went snorkeling at Swallows Cave, Darren caught a Tuna for lunch and saw lots of whales on the way. We spent the evenings having dinner at the resort.
We are now getting ready to head back into Neiafu Harbour.
Rainy days
We have sheltered in a bay, where we have been before. We took a walkalong the beach to the reef at low tide. The rain has started, so what do we do on rainy days? We reupholster the seating. It is taking us a long long long time, nothing is straight, neither square and we haven’t choose the easiest pattern, but we have now completed the cushions seats and now have just started on the backs.
Deja vu
Tonga doesn’t like Imagine or Imagine doesn’t like Tonga. I’m not sure which one. When I was here in 2019 the engine salt water pump stopped working and the Gopro camera that we use mostly for underwater videos and pictures, died. I had to get replacement ones sent from New Zealand. Funny but not funny this is happening again: the saltwater pump is leaking, which means it needs to be replaced as we cannot run the engine without that cooling water pump; and guess what? the Gopro didn’t survived an accidental underwater case opening. Luckily my brother and family are coming soon to Tonga to meet up with us and they are kind enough to bring those items from New Zealand.
We have no more ham on the bone left and B keeps eyeing up the local pigs as we go down the road. She can only get close enough to take pictures. If you come across a three legged pig it may be that B caught it. The whole pig would be too much for our freezer. In Tonga pigs are like the cows in India, they roam free in the street.
B has been talking to locals and other boaties, which help us to find a place to buy a leg of lamb and some chicken breasts. The lady at the shop said that what was available now is all they have and the next shipment would be in two months. Also this morning B asked a local fishermen who was passing by Imagine in his dinghy, chasing a school of mackerel if he could catch some for us and he came back an hour later offering us two mackerel which I fileted straight away. This is Christmas in July!
After two days anchored in Neiafu, getting fuel and food we have had enough. Despite the winter season it is quite warm and humide here and we needed a swim, so we have moved back to Vaku’Eitu Island. There is a storm coming and this bay should give us shelter.
Update
Starlink has a six month contract with Tonga, so we have internet back. We have uploaded new photos for the last three blogs, so look back at them.
We are back in Neiafu to stock up with fresh veggies. This is when we discovered the saltwater pump (cooling for the engine) is leaking about 1ltr per hour. Luckily my brother is flying to Neiafu next week and hopefully can bring parts.
Aqua water
We left Ofu island and headed back to Euakafa island. This time we went in from the south, through the reef and anchored on the West Side. This is where we saw the best Coral and range of fish in Tonga so far. There are plate Coral 3m across and fish of all sizes. We walked the beach and meet up with Makito who lives on the island. B found lots of big shells on the beach. The anchorage was well sheltered until the wind turned more north. This put us side on the the waves which made it a bit rolly at high tide. Our next stop was the Blue Lagoon. Everyone said we had to go there. After navigating the narrow passage in we anchored in the middle of the lagoon. We were well sheltered and low tide left the water like glass. We were surprised that the snorkeling was very poor. The lagoon was beautiful untill high tide, when the waves crashed over the reef making it another rolly night. Early this morning we hauled anchor and went in search of calmer waters. As we got out of the lagoon we came across two lots of whales cruising through, so we stopped and watched for a while. We then headed to Port Maurelle, where we have been before, and knowing it would be a quiet night there. After anchoring we jumped into the clear water for a Snorkel. We found a bommie full of fish which kept our attention for a long time. This afternoon we took the dinghy and explored the famous Swallow Cave. This is a stop everyone should make. The afternoon sun beamed into the cave lighting up the aqua water. The cathedral like cave towers above the beautiful clear water. Below the water is a large school of fish making patterns as they swerl around. We will be back to see this again.
And the sun goes down
The gentle rock of Imagine. The warm sun on our backs. We gaze out across the Bay, watching the waves crash on the reef. A glass of wine and a bowl of nuts. Pointing out the turtles peering out of the water as we scan the Bay looking for whales. After Bastille day we sailed to Mafane island for the night and then moved on to Kenutu island where we had been before.
On the way to Kenutu we stopped in a bay on east side of Ofu island to see if it was worth coming back to when the wind changed. As we cruised the Bay we found a mother Whale and her calf also checking out the Bay. I was up the mast and B was at the helm when she spotted something coming out of water, I straight away told her that it was a whale . She put the engine out of gear and glide slowly across the Bay. B got a couple of photos but just the tail (we will had them when we will have Internet again).
This morning we took the dinghy across to the neighbouring island (Umuna)and walked the track across it. On our way back to Imagine we did some snorkeling. This afternoon we headed across to Ofu island (our whales Bay) for more snorkeling and a walk along the beach.
There are no whales here at the moment, but we are still scanning the Bay as the sun goes down.
On the way to Kenutu we stopped in a bay on east side of Ofu island to see if it was worth coming back to when the wind changed. As we cruised the Bay we found a mother Whale and her calf also checking out the Bay. I was up the mast and B was at the helm when she spotted something coming out of water, I straight away told her that it was a whale . She put the engine out of gear and glide slowly across the Bay. B got a couple of photos but just the tail (we will had them when we will have Internet again).
This morning we took the dinghy across to the neighbouring island (Umuna)and walked the track across it. On our way back to Imagine we did some snorkeling. This afternoon we headed across to Ofu island (our whales Bay) for more snorkeling and a walk along the beach.
There are no whales here at the moment, but we are still scanning the Bay as the sun goes down.
Happy Bastille Day
This morning after breakfast B raised the French flag and saluted Bastille Day. We then went ashore to explore. There was a set of concrete stairs that lead up the cliff side. At the top there was a mandarins tree and several cow trails through the scrub. We eventually came across a dirt road and local farming paddocks. As it took an hour to get to the road we decided to head back to Imagine for a swim and lunch. This afternoon we did a few Paint jobs and rowed to other boats in the Bay to socialise. It’s always interesting to listen to other boaties stories.
No internet
This may be our last blog for a while as Tonga has ordered Starlink to cut off all internet services in the Tongan area. That leaves us with no emails, no blog, no weather updates.
Landline internet (buying a sim card) in Vavau is very slow and patchy as the underwater data pipeline has been damaged.
our plan was to sail north to Isle of Wallis then to Fiji. That may change and just sail to Fiji.
We will post again when we can