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Exody - Days 139-147: Taste of Tonga



.........is the name of one of the several mainly 'incomer' - owned businesses here specialising in foods - prepared (at least this season) specially for yachties in transit - but it is also a good description of the ten day June stopover here in the 'Friendly Islands' - a misnomer coined by Captain Cook who was apparently unaware of the Tongans' foiled plan to kill him - mainly because they could not agree on a method of despatch!



Our fleet here is enlarged to about 36 boats as we coincide with the Islands Cruising Association (ICA) from New Zealand on their, comparatively leisurely five month South Pacific rally circuit. We sail and clear (ie with Tonga and then Fiji authorities) in company for the next 280 mile leg to the Lau Group within Fiji, leaving Monday 8th June.



The several businesses here serving the yachting and tourist community run a helpful 08.30 morning radio net combining weather, contacts, events, buy/sell and of course services 'ads'. So we have got used to the changing accents of the net controllers - American, New Zealand, Australian, various European and of course Tongan. Our sails went one each to 'Seams to Me' and 'Vava'u Canvas Repairs' for some essential anti-chafe measures and minor repairs- though they are still in pretty good shape having brought us 13,500 miles since new last June!



After settling in with laundry, shopping and a first bout of internet, we set off last Sunday 31st May to explore some of the multiple nearby islands and anchorages -42 numbered on the Moorings/Sunsail skippers chart. At the first, Nuku, a magical shallow patch with clear water close in to the island with great snorkelling potential we encountered our first unfriendly yachtie- who swore at us for sharing what he perceived to be a one boat anchorage! We lunched and moved on to anchor off Ovalau in a good breeze over clear waters where we stayed a second night after snorkelling and walking ashore. Both nights the temperature went below mid-20's - extra bedclothes were dug out!



We crossed over to the 'Blue Lagoon' off the south end of Hunga on Tuesday 2nd - exactly what it said on the tin, a reef strewn entrance to a beautiful, fairly intimate pool bounded by three wooded islands with sandy beaches - Fofoa, Foeata and Foelifuka, one housing yet another sadly closed down resort. We sailed the 9 miles back to Neiafu on Vava'u just in time for the evening World ARC prizegiving and dinner - Exody came third out of only five boats to comply with all the sailing directions for the last three-stage leg - so mid fleet position as usual! The event was at the Mango Cafe-one hub of activity here - with local dancing, good food and a little too much beer and wine!



The splendidly named Haniteli Fa'anunu met us off the rickety chinese 'hand me down' school bus that took us on our day tour to the delightful Ene'io Botanical Garden and beach on Wednesday 3rd. This former government minister had started planting this garden on family land with local and imported species over 60 years ago at age 8 and formally opened it just 8 years ago. His colourful descriptions, accompanied by a demonstration of traditional crafts - making the ubiquitous woven mats, decorated fabrics, vanilla essence, coconut oil and cava from first principles (start with bark, roots or a frond and take it from there - nearly all by female hand!!). We enjoyed a Tongan 'feast' for lunch and walked on the beach - full of coral/volcanic formed rock pools - tide out so no swimming.



Thursday 4th and Friday 5th saw us focusing on the reasonably good internet, some from the boat, some ashore, to address a raft of administrative tasks - downloading charts, organising arriving crew bureaucracy, booking flights for daughter to Mauritius in October, planning our cruising and haul out in Fiji and Australia, online visas for Australia etc. These are all online tasks that are surprisingly hard won on this trip - but this is a relative oasis in the South Pacific internet desert- even if we do have to buy by the gigabyte and have the patience of Job when it comes to downloading!



Saturday 6th we were up early to the fruit market, to the gas station for outboard fuel, to collect our two sails, one delivered by quad bike! We joined the ICA at Aquarium Cafe for a joint briefing on the Lau Group passage and clearance process. Marian and I accompanied seven others from World ARC for a guided snorkel trip to the Coral Garden - a steep-to reef bordering the island of Vaka'eitu, then Mariners Cave on Nuapapa, where only two of our number were up for diving down 2 metres and along 5 metres to an apparently magical internal cave lit only via the subterranean sea entrance. As we left A Plus 2's dinghy arrived to do the same with 78 year old Rui from Allegro putting us to shame for not giving the underwater entry a try!! The fast aluminium launch then took us into nearby Swallows Cave on Kapa, a tight squeeze, though once in over the 2 metre bar - we were in a large 18 metre deep pool - the cave open with near circular 'windows' to the sky and foliage above. We all snorkelled through the multiple schools of small fish, then out of the cave and along the coast to its neighbour- superb snorkelling!



Overall it's been good to be parked in one place for several days, and, although there must be nearly fifty boats here, it does not feel overly busy! Today, our second Sunday here 7th June, we hear the early morning church bells and can appreciate the singing from our cockpit!



Peter (Skipper)


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