09/28/2007, Vava'u Island, Tonga
There seems to be very little fish life in Tongan waters, probably because of over-harvesting by local subsistence fishermen. I approached and talked to such a fisherman this afternoon who had spent the entire day gathering a couple dozen reef fish the size of my hand. He seemed to be somewhat embarrassed by the size of his catch. I have had no luck whatsoever fishing these islands and have begun to lose interest.
The anchorage, nonetheless, is quiet and beautiful. I'll stay here until tomorrow, then head to Tapana Island for a Tongan feast on Saturday evening.
All else is well onboard.
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09/27/2007, Neiafu, Tonga
Last night in the anchorage at Neiafu with heavy, dark clouds overhead, the wind went from an absolute dead calm to 30 knots in a matter of 10 seconds. A particularly strong squall passed through dumping enormous quantities of rain and blowing so hard that travel to and from shore was impossible for several hours. Those cruisers leisurely dining at waterfront restaurants were suddenly in a panic to know whether their anchors or moorings were holding and were crowding the VHF radio channels to ask neighboring boats for reports. Most of the 80 odd boats were on secure moorings and no one broke loose or dragged their anchor. Out in one of the distant anchorages a frantic crew on a Seattle Boat, "Sisutyl" was calling for assistance as their boat had been blown aground and they were unable to free her as the tide was dropping. No one was able to reach them because of zero visibility and extremely difficult navigation around reefs. Fortunately, they settled on smooth sand and waited for the tide to rise in the morning after which they reported to be "floating like a cork" with only very minor damage. It was a lively night on the water and on the radio.
This afternoon Sand Dollar finally escaped the clutches of civilization and headed out for a few days to a remote anchorage 16 miles to the east. There were three other boats there, two of which belonged to American friends. The navigation around numerous coral patches and sand bars was challenging and could only be attempted in good sunlight. The anchorage is well-protected and offers good holding but the little snorkeling I did was not too exciting. There are three small uninhabited islands nearby calling out for exploration.
All else is well onboard. Radio transmission is now much better after leaving the proximity of high hills and many tall masts.
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09/25/2007, Nieafu, Tonga
There will be no reports until radio transmission improves.
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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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