Still at the dock.
22 September 2012 | Neiafu, Tonga
Bill
We're still tied up to the Customs Dock! Customs and Quarantine showed up promptly this morning right after 0900. Forms in hand and ready to get too it. We were starting to get boats rafting up along the dock. At one time, every boat that was tied to the dock had two more boats tied to their side. One boat had three tied up making them four deep. All the paperwork went smoothly and passports were stamped and we were advised of the $23.00 fee to be paid to Quarantine. That necessitated a walk into town(5 minutes away) and then the real wait started. The Health Inspector was no where to be found. Just about all of us were stuck. Some of the boats were already cleared to leave and they were waiting for duty free fuel($1.96/liter). The tanker truck showed up later and lots of tanks were filled with diesel. At $1.96/liter, it's cheaper for fuel here than in Fiji. Figuring we used a good 100 gallons to get here, we will be buying more before we leave. During our trip into town, we looked for one of the restaurants we loved last year(small Chinese place). It's now a very small grocery store. They are gone. A shame as they had great food. Other placed had moved and new places have opened during the 11 months we've been gone. We had lunch on board and waited for the Health Inspector. When he shows up, you get to give him a $100 donation for the local hospital. It's not an option(the donation) so we don't see how it's a "donation". We went up to the Customs shed and they put in a call as at least 5 boats were waiting for him. He was apparently up at the hospital attending to business and in the end, never did show up. At least three boats left the dock and are now at anchor. They should be back tomorrow to wait again since if you have to take him out to your boat, the "donation" doubles. So we sit and wait. Yesterday, shortly after we tied up, we were greeted by Ed and Fran from Aka. Folks we had met while were were in San Carlos back in Mexico. He's the one that stuck the chisel through the thin spot we found in the hull while we were in dry dock. A great couple that know just about everything about boats and what to do should anything go bad. They stayed for a lunch of curry chicken salad on tortilla chips and a desert of Tracy's Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies. Who could ask for anything more. Fran loves waffles so I expect we will have then over for a waffle dinner in few days. We had dinner at an "Italian" restaurant where Tracy had lobster served on a bed of noodles and I had a pizza. Good food. Tomorrow is another day.