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Firefly - Uoleva and Uonukuhihifo Islands, Haapai Group, Tonga



Firefly has spent to last 5 nights at 2 beautiful anchorages just to the west of Uoleva and Uonukuhihifo islands, sharing the tropical paradise with about half of the ICA fleet, no other yachts have been seen as yet probably because its still quite early in the season and this area is also off the main 'coconut milk route' through the South Pacific.



The trade winds have been blowing steadily from the south east and while we have been well tucked in behind sandy islands and reefs, there has been quite a swell coming in at times and Firefly has been rocking and rolling quite a bit. If we were experiencing this while cruising in the UK we would probably find it quite uncomfortable but after a while one seems to get used to it.



On arrival at the Haapai Group we had anchored off Lifuka Island outside the Haapai Beach Resort who arranged for the officials to visit Firefly in a RIB, the formalities with customs and immigration being completed in a very friendly manner. On the second night a pirate party was arranged and there was a lively session during which individual boats competed by telling 'tall stories and making nautical brags'. Firefly is now the proud holder of the 2015 Pacific Circuit Rally 'Braggers' award - for amongst other things, claiming that while hove too off Nimuka Ika Island, the night before we officially checked in (so really should not have stopped anywhere) - that the anchor accidently slipped off the bow and held firm, so we left it there and went to bed! Following the awards we were treated to 3 local girls doing some traditional Tongan dancing and some relatively unimpressive fire dancing by a local lad who was probably a younger brother of one of the dancers.



A couple of nights later we had another social night at the Serenity Beach Resort on Uoleva, the resort was basic but in a beautiful setting and we were treated to excellent Tongan food, more dancing and this time, some expert fire dancing. A fire was built on the beach and we sat around it, singing songs, accompanied by a local Tongan musician who had played his guitar in many places around the world but recently settled back home. We spent the next day ashore playing volleyball and boules and all BBQ'd together at a small beach bar run by Craig a South African ex pat who could not have been more friendly.



Probably the best named anchorage of the entire circumnavigation, Uonukuhihifo island, about 10 miles south of Uoleva is really remote and initially there were no signs of human habitation. There are several small islands with quite thick areas of vegetation, with coconut palms being the tallest. The islands being connected by sand bars and surprisingly there were a herd of domestic black and white cows that appeared just before sunset, making their way to the southernmost islet - so we assumed that locals must visit here every so often. Snorkeling here has been the best since we arrived back in the tropics with a large black and white sea snake being the most memorable creature we had seen in amongst the corals. Bird life is quite sparse with just a few terns and one frigate bird spotted nearby so far.



Most of the fleet will be heading back to Lifuka in the next few days in order to do their internal check out before heading about 80 miles north to the Vava'u Group. As we visited that area and spent 2 weeks cruising there last year we are going to spend longer in Haapai and will probably be the last ICA boat to leave the fabulous Haapai area. Our arrival at Vava'u will coincide with the arrival of the World ARC. We don't officially re join the World Cruising Rally until we are in Fiji in July but are looking forward to meeting up with those who left St Lucia this January and whom we will be joining all the way through to Darwin.



Paul and Susie

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