After the long day sailing here yesterday, we had a restfull day today. It’s been overcast and windy so, despite its very tempting turquoise color we didn’t even venture into to sea for a swim.
Our main activity has been playing cards.
Slalom
The alarm went off at 3am. A quick coffee and we set sail. The wind was anything from 90 to 140 degrees off our stern as we zigzagged through the slalom of bommies and reefs. Most of the time we maintained 7knts speed with lots of sail changes. It has been a 14 hour day to get to a sheltered bay in Haapia. There is some high winds and rain coming in the next few days so we wanted to be somewhere well protected.
On the way I tried fishing. It was only two minutes before the first strike. Unfortunately it didn’t stay on. Twenty minutes later I hooked a small blue finned tuna (52cm long). Tuna stakes and rice for dinner..
Day of departures
Connie and John have not returned to Imagine as while ashore Connie has broke a rib, making it unsafe for her to continue sailing with us. This morning we dropped Pauline ashore on Pangaimotu. She has had enough of being with us oldies and wanted to pick up another boat to continue her travels.
We went to the mainland to pick up a little more fresh fruit and book out of Tongatapu with Customs. We then headed out to Motutapu Island where we will set off from in the early hours of the morning. That way we will arrive in the Haapai group of islands in daylight hours making it safer to navigate the reefs.
Fuel
What a mission! We hauled anchor this morning and headed across to the mainland. We arrived about 9.30 and anchored outside the Harbour, as the harbour was full of boats. The Harbourmaster asked us and several other boats to wait. So all waited and waited. We contacted the guy who was organising the fuel and told him we would call when we get to go in. Eventually two boats were allowed in. By 12.00 we could see the wharf was clear. We and others repeatedly called the Harbourmaster who must have gone for lunch.
We contacted the fuel guy and said we will ferry the 10 jerrycans ashore in the dinghy. It then took till 4.30pm to do several trips in the dinghy then in his truck to the petrol station to fill up. B and I were pouring the fuel in our tanks between each trip but not only the fuel was pouring so the rain and we were both soaking wet and fuel smelling.
Tonight we appreciated the delicious pumpkin soup that Chrissy prepared for us before leaving Auckland.
Tsunami
This morning we left Imagine and dinghied ashore to catch the water taxi to the mainland. Once ther we started to walk into Nukualofa to do some shopping. We only got half way down the road when a siren sounded. Then over a loud speaker system first in Tongan then in English came the announcement, there had been an earthquake off Tonga and there was a force 4 tsunami alert.
A few minutes later the Police were trying to rush us off the streets. We made our way as quick as possible to the wharf. The taxi that brought us, was nowhere in sight. We managed to get a local with a big outboard to take us back to Imagine. We didn’t bother to stop and pick up the dinghy from shore. We just hauled anchor and headed to deeper water.
Most of the boats we had spent the night with were already ahead of us. The remaining boats had their owners stranded on the mainland. There was one boat with 2 onboard and a brocken motor and another with only one onboard that couldn’t move the boat on her own. Unfortunately there was nothing we could do to help. Our first priority was getting Imagine away from shore and to safer water.
As we pulled out of the bay we were battening down the hatches and strapped everything down. The radar was on to see if we could see it coming. After an hour sitting out in deep water the all clear was given. The main wave had passed Tongatapu and we were safe.
The flotilla of boats all returned to the bay by lunch time and had a quiet afternoon.
Lucky guys
This morning we experienced a crasy scene. A crew member from a nearby boat was returning to his boat. He lost control of the dinghy and fell overboard. He didn’t have the cutout switch attached, so the outboard motor continued at full throttle. The out of control dinghy danced dangerously between the boats for about 15 minutes. Several of us jumped into our dinghies to try and help. One dinghy pulled the guy out of the water only to be knocked back into the water by the wayward dinghy. They were lucky they weren’t cut to pieces as the dinghy drove over them.
We tried running floating lines across in front of it, hoping the propeller would tangle and stop the engine. That didn’t work, we couldn’t get close enough. Eventually the dinghy hit a catamaran and spun into the bridle/snubber, which stopped the engine.
The original guy was the only one injured and he was lucky to get away with only small scratches to his head. It could have been a lot worse.
The rest of the day has been quite boring.
Party time
It was another relaxing day. Around 5pm like all the other boaties, we hopped in the dinghy and made our way ashore. Big Mama who runs the island and her family had set up everything and cooked pig on a spit and local food. The local police band was there providing the music. Everyone mingled and told their stories of their trip to Tonga. The food was delicious, pork, lamb, octopus, fish all prepared in the traditional way.
Pangaimotu
I have spent the day just chilling out while B spent the day cleaning. We went ashore this morning, met Big Mama and booked to join the party tomorrow night. We then took a walk along the beach, escorted by the island dogs. We came across a 1 room bungalow (needs a little work), hidden amongst the overgrown grass. It is 50m from the shore. I’m sure you could get it at a reasonable price. A real fixer upper.
We relaxed on Imagine for the afternoon while more and more boats arrived. Then we went back ashore to have drinks and meet other boaties. Talking to others we had a good run to Tonga even though we took the long way around, we beat a lot of them here.
Our current concern is fuel. We used way too much fuel getting here. We have been told that you can only order 1000ltr minimum. So we found other boats to share the 1000ltrs, but now the tanker truck has broken down so we have to fuel up by Jerry can. We have only one 20ltr can and we need 600ltrs. That is 30 trips back and forth. We are looking at what other options we have.
Nukualofa
It was hard trying to sleep in the Harbour tied to the wharf. There were some many lights and sounds we hadn’t heard for weeks and we were attached by a squadron of mosquitoes. We awoke at 6.00am to the sound of the fishermen returning from their all night fishing. As they pulled up against the wharf people were already gathered to buy their catch. I tried to buy some lobster but someone beat me to the only bag of lobster they had.
After breakfast, Tala a local taxi driver took B, Pauline, John and Connie into town and to a laundry (the Savoy). I stayed with the boat getting a few jobs done. Everyone returned about 10am. John and Connie had decided to spend a few nights in a hotel (long showers & no mosquitoes). So they stayed onboard and packed a few things, while Pauline, B and I went back into town to do some shopping and pick up the laundry at 12.00. Pauline was amused by the supermarket sound system. A large and loud boom box.
when we returned to Imagine, Connie and John were ready to head to the hotel and we had to move from the wharf to let boats to arrive. We are now anchored across the bay at Pangaimotu Island along with 10 other boats.
We made it
After a beautiful sunny day with no wind we finally made it to Tonga. We spent an hour outside the Harbour waiting for a container ship to tie up to the wharf. Then another hour waiting for customs to arrive, so we hung out all the bedding to freshen. The process was very easy. Imagine was so hot that they didn’t want to come inside to inspect anything. They even took B and Pauline to the ATM to get Tongan money.
Once we were done with the formalities, John, Connie and Pauline went to get some cash, while B and I went across the road for an Ice-cream. This evening we all enjoyed a drink in the cockpit as the sun went down.
