09/24/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
This was not the best day to provision as the weekly supply ship does not call until Wednesday, but I am anxious to sail to some of the outlying islands for a few days so I decided to load up today. The outdoor produce market is good for a few tropical fruits and some vegetables such as lettuce (a real treat), cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage, carrots, and, of course, taro, breadfruit and yams. There are several small bakeries in town so fresh bread is no problem. Eggs are available but dairy products are hard to find except, perhaps, just after the ship arrives. The fish market only has snapper. I have seen no chicken but there are cuts of frozen beef in 5 kilo bags along with ground beef. There are plenty of chickens and pigs wandering around so I know they are eaten but do not seem to be available at the market. Beer, wine and liquor are available but the selection is limited and the price high. At any rate, my food locker is sufficiently full so that I can head out and not worry.
All else is well onboard. Sand Dollar will depart Nieafu tomorrow for a short cruise to a more secluded anchorage in the island group.
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09/23/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
Our hired whale watching boat spent the entire day chasing a dozen or so humpbacks trying to find a stationary whale that would let a small group of swimmers approach. We did find a cooperative mother and calve and four of our 11 passengers were able to spend a few minutes in the water close to the whales. For them it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and truly incredible. For the rest of us it was an opportunity lost - the mother and calve got tired of us and took off, never to return. We were unable to find any other cooperative whales the rest of the day. Although the trip is booked as "swimming with the whales" there is no guarantee one will actually be lucky enough to get in the water with them. All in all it was an interesting day. However, I have been closer to whales while in my own boat or while fishing in Alaska.
All else is well onboard. The provisions here are decent, especially for fruit and vegetables so I am loading up.
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09/22/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
This morning a group of 13 cruisers including myself rented "off-road go-karts" and went on a guided tour of the island of Vava'u. We drove through jungle, swamp, and plantations and ascended to a couple of high mountain lookouts. The views were absolutely breathtaking with 1000 foot cliffs and whales breaching below. Off in the distance was the Tonga Trench, the second deepest water in the world at about 30,000 ft. We also saw a colony of large fruit bats hanging from tree branches. When we approached they took to flight, being quite impressive with a wingspan of 3-4 feet. All of this sightseeing was very "touristy" but worth it just the same.
Tomorrow the tourism continues when I join a whale watching group to "swim with the whales". Can't wait.
All else is well onboard. Old friends continue to arrive and depart.
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09/21/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
Fishing for mahi mahi has been especially good lately in Tongan waters and quite a few of the sailboats set up for fishing have caught their share. This evening we had a fish fry onboard the only power boat in the fleet, "Special Blend", a Nordhavn 43 trawler. It was a potluck affair and the food and drink were excellent, as is usually the case. There were three U.S. East Coast boats, two West Coast boats and a Canadian boat from B.C. in attendance. All are planning to land in Opua, New Zealand at the start of the cyclone season in early November. It was fun to compare notes and discuss plans.
All else is well onboard. It will be hard to leave this place.
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09/20/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
This little town is certainly set up for the cruisers. It is somewhat touristy but in a low-key way. There are no tee-shirt shops and trinket stores but lots of cafes and restaurants situated over the water with views of the harbor. Each morning there is a produce market where I found locally grown lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. There are at least six internet cafes although the service is painfully slow. The airport has several flights per week to the capital of Nuklualofa so this is a decent place for crew changes. Several sailboat charter companies have operations here but their business has been slow, apparently because of a general drop in tourism following a bout of civil unrest after the King died recently. I believe Tonga has the only surviving true monarchy in the world and many would like that to change.
The social life here rivals that of Zihuatanejo, Mex. At this point on the "coconut milk run" most of the boats know each other or at least have heard of one another so there are many group activities and parties. Last night 18 of us went to an all-you-can-eat barbecue at a local restaurant. On Saturday 13 of us are renting dune buggies to go on an off-road tour of the interior of the island. If one gets tired of all the amenities and activity there are 30 secluded and idyllic anchorages just a few hours away by sail.
All else is well onboard. Last night there was no wind so I got eight hours of continuous sleep, the first time in weeks.
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09/19/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
Sand Dollar arrived in Nieafu on the island of Vava'u in Tonga at 1:30 this afternoon after a fast and comfortable passage from Niuatoputapu. At times boat speed over the bottom was 7.4 knots, quite unusual for my little boat. There must have been 1/2 - 1 knot of favorable current. A boat which left two days before me met very strong head winds, ripped their headsail, and broke their main halyard. I don't think they were monitoring the weather very well.
There are probably over 100 sailboats in the Nieafu harbor including a fleet of charter boats. The village is charming and has many bars, restaurants, outdoor cafes and gift shops. This is a far cry from the last port. I have encountered several cruising friends I have not seen in months. Naturally, we sit around and trade "war stories" about our adventures.
All else is well onboard. Tomorrow morning I will cut up the 15 lb. mahi mahi I caught during the passage this morning and distribute it to some of the other boats that have been generous to me.
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