09/17/2007, Niuatoputapu, Tonga
The weather window for departing has now arrived. Sand Dollar will weigh anchor early tomorrow morning for the 180 mile sail south to Neiafu, Tonga. If the wind and waves cooperate I will arrive at the harbor just before dark on Wednesday. There are two other boats heading south about the same time.
I have enjoyed the people here but there is not a lot to do outside of working on the boat and socializing with the other yachties. The water is too turbid for good snorkeling and the fishing is poor. The next port, Neiafu, is very popular and I expect there to be perhaps 100 boats in the neighborhood.
All else is well onboard.
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09/16/2007, Niuatoputapu, Tonga
The heavy rain and high winds started up again last night accompanied by thunder and lightening. I think I bailed 10 gallons of water out of the inflatable this morning when the rain stopped. My departure has been postponed until further notice. I am anxious to leave but not anxious to pound into 12 ft. seas with 25 knots of wind just forward of the beam. It will be at least a couple of days before the wind is favorable for sailing south.
This afternoon there was a potluck lunch on a beach at one of the small islands near the anchorage. Most of the crew from the 13 boats now anchored were in attendance. Cruisers love these potlucks.
All else is well onboard. There is a sliver of a moon tonight and no rain so far.
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09/15/2007, Niuatoputapu, Tonga
The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) is back and the weather maps show it going right through Niuatoputapu. This, along with a trough of low pressure has brought unseasonably heavy rain and wind. Early this morning in 30 knots of wind the Finnish boat dragged its anchor and collided with an American boat. The damage to the boats was minimal but the damage to Finnish pride, I would guess, was considerable. It's not like the Finns were inexperienced. They have been out cruising for eight years making two ocean crossings and transiting the Panama Canal. Luckily it was a minor event.
I finally caught a fish for dinner. It was a blue fin trevally of which I have caught many in the past four months. There is no comparison to tuna or wahoo but it made a nice meal nonetheless.
All else is well onboard. I had hoped to leave tomorrow but looks like the weather will keep me here for a few more days.
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09/14/2007, Niuatoputapu, Tonga
More attempts at fishing have been fruitless. When I check with the locals I see that all they are catching are very small mullet using casting nets, technology that has not changed in hundreds of years. For large fish like tuna or mahi mahi they travel offshore 14 miles to a reef which is productive. However, the trip there is in open water and requires good weather which has been in short supply the past couple of days. Last night it blew to 30 knots in the anchorage but no boats dragged their anchor. I think it was a sleepless night for most. Today brought steady rain in the morning and partly cloudy skies in the afternoon.
All else is well onboard.
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09/13/2007, Niuatoputapu, Tonga
I learned more about last night's kava drinking session. The event occurs three nights per week among the three villages on the island as fund raisers for the three Catholic churches. It's sort of like bingo night but is for men only. The cost is $2.75 for all you care to drink until midnight. The kava itself is a concoction made from the root of a pepper plant grown locally. The men sit in circles of about 10 people while a hostess pours the kava into coconut bowls and passes them around. There were perhaps 80 people in attendance. I honestly don't think it will catch on in the U.S.
Early this morning I took the inflatable out through a small pass in the reef to troll for dinner. The sea was a bit lumpy for my small dinghy but what really bothered me was the pod of humpback whales in the neighborhood. All of a sudden one surfaced about 100 ft. away in shallow water. That was all the encouragement I needed and I scurried back inside the reef. I caught no fish and am beginning to think that the waters around this island are fished out by the natives. Nevertheless, I will keep trying.
All else is well onboard. There are now 11 boats in the anchorage, all being pestered for cigarettes.
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09/12/2007, Niuatoputapu, Tonga
This evening a local family entertained the cruisers from the seven boats at anchor by having a traditional Tongan pig roast at their home. Besides the pork we had mixed vegetables, chow mein, breadfruit, curried horse meat, and candied mangoes. The horse meat was very much like beef and much more tender than I expected. Naturally, a good time was had by all.
On the way back to the wharf we stopped at the town hall to join an informal kava drinking session. The patrons, mostly men, were very happy to have us join them. Kava is a very mild intoxicant the Pacific Islanders have been drinking socially and ceremonially for many centuries. It tastes like mud! After several cups and feeling very little effect I decided it was time to head back to the boat while I could still walk.
All else is well onboard. The anchorage is very secure and I am sleeping well.
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