Talofa, or hello, from Samoa. We love hearing the locals say their country's name - its elongated to Saw-moa, with emphasis on the Saw! It is lovely and surprisingly very modern - big buildings, tons of cars on the road, and even a McDonalds! After all the local cuisine in Fiji (did I mention the goat curry?!!) and our own home cooking for so long again, we might just break down and have a Big Mac sometime soon. Yikes! Scary thought!

We arrived in Apia Harbor on Sunday afternoon after a very pleasant sail from Niuatoputapu. The winds had turned and were blowing from the southeast, pushing us perfectly in the right direct. It was sooo nice not beating into it! We left on Saturday morning, sailed all day and night and then did it again on the next day - yet another Saturday! We crossed back over the date line, so we got back the day we lost last year and are again on the same day of the week as home. Other than a humpback whale as we first left the anchorage in Tonga and then some tiny little dolphins right outside the harbor here, we didn't see much. No fish and only one other sailboat that we passed about halfway through the trip. Of course, we did have a few difficulties along the way - what would a passage be without challenges?!!! First, the generator refused to start, giving us a major panic attack after all the $ just spent on its repair, but thankfully it turned out to be just a low battery. For some reason, the electric fuel pump on it hadn't shut off the last time we turned it off and had run the battery down. We're not real happy the wiring isn't perfect, but at least Glen was able to figure it out and we now know to manually check the pump each time we shut it down. Next, the cooling water pump for the freezer seized up and wouldn't run. What is it with these pumps?!!! There was no fixing it while under way, but Glen was again able to work his magic once we got in. He totally took the pump apart, spoke sweet nothings into its impeller, lubed it and tuned it, and then put it all back together. He's very happy to say, it is now a happy little pump and is pushing more water than it has in quite some time! The last problem arose right when we pulled into the harbor. We had been given permission by the port authority to come in and drop anchor but as we came through the entrance, we somehow caught some type of line in the water on our prop. The boat started vibrating and wouldn't shift into reverse. As soon as we got the hook dropped, Captain Glen (who I think needs a super hero costume at this point... red tights, under a blue lavalava, maybe?!!!) grabbed his fins and mask and jumped in to check out the situation. Luckily, in the process of trying to shift forward-reverse, forward-reverse, the rope cutter on the propeller cleared the line, so Super Glen's job turned out to be a mere inspection. :) Customs and immigration are not open on Sunday, so we waited until Monday morning for our clearance into the country. A little boat came out to get us and lead us into a marina area run by "SPA" - Samoa Port Authority. The water got VERY shallow (maybe a foot or so under the keel) coming around a little break water and into the slip we were assigned. We do know, now, our backup shallow alarm works very nicely and after finding the manual, were even able to get it turned off! The marina here is lovely. Not very big, but nice. It is a real marina in the sense there are floating docks we can step down on - no crawling up and over the bow pulpit here! We would prefer to be at anchor because it doesn't cost, but there aren't very many good spots to anchor, so we will enjoy the luxury of a slip for a few days as we explore the area. Most of Monday was spent waiting for the four officials to come and clear us in. The health official, quarantine official, customs official, and then finally the immigration guy came to the boat and we then became "official!" All of our visitors were very friendly and no one wanted any money - yeah! Tonga should take a lesson from Samoa!

We've been out walking the streets (just had to put it that way for Sunday! :) and exploring the town of Apia. Tonight we are going to a Fiafia (cultural show and buffet dinner) at Aggy Grey's Hotel (very famous because of the lady who starred in Mitchner's South Pacific movie long, long ago!) and then tomorrow we are going on a sight seeing tour with a few new cruising friends we met at the marina. We cannot get internet on our boat, but can go to a cafe close by - will try to get some pictures posted in the next few days. We ended up buying a Samoan SIM card for our phone (how did "needing" a cell phone fall back into our life?!!!), but it is pretty pricey to call the states. Just in case, though, our new number is (685 - country code) 761-0377. I'll save all the fun info we've been learning about Samoa until our next entry, but if anyone knows where in Samoa Junior Seau's family is from, we'd love to know!!!

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9-20-09 I've tried sending this several times, but haven't had any luck. Am trying again as we are on our crossing from Tonga to Samoa with a reduced sized picture - will cross our fingers! We never mean to let it go so long - don't mean to worry anyone, just sometimes we can't get large amounts of data out...sorry! :) We saw humpback whales as soon as we left the anchorage - always a treat!

.....Original entry................

It's hard to believe we have already been here on this little island for over a week! Where does the time go?

The wind has finally calmed a little so its easier to get around and from the boat to shore. Although the anchorage is fairly calm for the big boat, it had been pretty swelly for the dinghy - we were getting pretty wet any time we tried to go ashore. It didn't stop us, just made us wet and salty! There is a concrete wharf by the anchorage - that's where we take the dinghy to tie up. Depending on the tide, the whole getting out of, or back into, the dinghy can be pretty exciting. During high tide, the sloped concrete gets wet and extremely slippery. We've learned to try to go at a low enough tide that the concrete has had a chance to dry - much less challenging! Our first trek ashore was to walk to the village of Hihifo - the capital village of the Niua Group. There are three villages on the island of Niuatoputapu. The one closest to the anchorage is called Falehau, and is the smallest. About a mile down a dirt road that skirts the shore is the middle village of Vaipoa, then another mile down the road is Hihifo. The customs officials, the only bank on the island, and the biggest fale koloa (bush shop) is in Hihifo. Our two mile walk felt wonderful after not being off the boat for several days. We found the bank, but were told they didn't have enough money to change for us (and no ATM because that would mean they would need electricity!), so they sent us to a little store - not an obvious store, but given the description of a white house with blue trim, we found it! Instead of having a sign that said store, it said "Kindergarten!" Truly a building of all sorts! Anyhow, the woman there was very nice and changed our US dollars for Tongan pa'annga so we could pay our fees. The island gets all its supplies by boat - a ferry that usually comes once a month, but because of the tragic sinking of one of the ferries (over 100 people lost) a few months ago, no supplies have been brought in for over three months. Instead of visitors being able to buy stuff at the store, the locals are all asking the yachties what they might have to spare. We shared what we could and were given some pawpaw, mangoes, and a huge chunk of freshly caught tuna for four kilos of flour. We've also been given a list for when we get to Samoa - in case we find a boat heading this way. Can't imagine what it must be like having no idea when you might get your next supplies. And fuel?!!! There are a few generators for electricity, cars, and boats on the island, but the fuel also comes on the non-existent ferry, so there is precious little of that as well. Unfortunately, that has led to the cyphoning of fuel tanks from dinghies - not a good thing! The quality of the fuel that some lucky individuals had, however, was so deplorable, its no wonder very few motors on the island work.

The Tongans here all seem very happy, however, and we were invited to several of their activities. It was the end of term last Friday and the elementary school in Falehau celebrated with a big cultural dance program. I hope I am able to send the picture with this entry - the children were wonderful. As they danced, the parents (mostly the mothers!) yelled out and laughed and hooted for their children. It was very interesting because if parents did the same thing at one of our programs at home, we would think it quite rude! There was lots of laughing by the audience, but the children just kept smiling and dancing. During one of the dances, the girls covered their arms with coconut oil so that while they danced, money could be stuck to them. It looked sort of like a money dance at a wedding. It was a way to "fund raise" for the school. After the program, it was fun to meet the children and their boisterous parents - all wanted their pictures taken so they could see them on the camera's screen. We gave the school a few dozen pencils and printed quite a few pictures and took them back to the village. They were thrilled to get them.

That same Friday night, we were invited to a party hosted by a lady named Laura (the goodwill ambassador who came at check in time) who owns the only "resort" on the island. She sent a van and a truck to collect the yachties at the wharf (to save us the 2 mile walk back to Hihifo), but when they let us out on a stretch of beach and pointed across a reef to another part of the island, we realized we still had quite a walk ahead of us. Luckily it was low tide, so we only had to wade up to our knees to get across. The party was a hoot! It was pot luck and BYOB and was a great combination of locals and yachties. After the meal, Laura and a couple from a yacht named Gannet put on a wonderful mini version of Cabaret including the songs "Welcome", "Don't Tell Mama," and "Two for One." They did a fabulous job and it put everyone into the dancing mode. We danced and danced and danced! Glen played sax with the islands best yukeleli (sp?) player and several others joined in on pots and pans, spoons, bamboo sticks, etc... We had way too much fun and were saddened when the call was made that it was time to leave. It was now high tide and there was no walking across the reef, so Laura has a small boat she uses as a ferry. This ferry doesn't have a motor, however, it has a lovely Tongan man that pulls it across the reef. To save him from making more than one trip, it was suggested we all try to crowd on to the boat for one trip across - big mistake!!! Glen and I, with his sax, were amongst the last few to get on, which meant we were some of the first to jump overboard as the boat started sinking! We were only in water thigh high, but with all the "partying" everyone had done, it seemed like a major event! The boat was bailed, a lot less people got back on and Tuleme (the ferry puller) started across once again. Somehow Glen and I, along with 3 others, ended up in a little dinghy with another man pulling us across. The men had to swim the boat across in the deepest part. The truck and van were to meet us on the other side, but when our little boat arrived, there was no sign of either. We started walking down a road thinking we were heading to the main dirt road, but it soon became obvious we had no idea where we were going! It was pitch black - no lights anywhere! We finally went to a house and tried to get some directions, but the lady didn't speak English. She took us to another home and they headed us in the right direction. Right as we made the main road, we saw headlights and were saved the two mile walk! Other than Glen's sax case getting soaked (he gave the sax a good shower when we made it back to the boat), there were no injuries and looking back at it, everyone just cracks up. It may be in bad taste, but everyone involved have been saying we are survivors of another Tongan ferry sinking!

A few nights later, we were invited to a fund raiser for the lady's group in Falehau. The women are the main money makers in the family - the men fish and farm, but really have no way to earn cash. The women weave mats to sell - most being sent to bigger cities like Nuku'alofa. For about $10 US, we were treated to a wonderful dinner of local dishes - some roasted pig, lots of fish, taro, and other things we have no idea about (and probably don't want to know!). There was lots of native dancing, including more with the coconut oil, then the ladies put on a demonstration of how they make their mats. It was really interesting and we are amazed at how much work goes into them. They start by pulling leaves off of a panderas plant, cut them, boil them, soak them in the sea for many days, then dry them for weaving. Next time we get internet, I'll put photos in the gallery - amazing! We didn't buy a mat (they were all too large and expensive), but I did buy a cute woven headband.

Another day, we went for a hike up the ridge overlooking the island. I should say we tried to go up the ridge! Several of us hired a guide to take us through the jungle - not even what we would call a trail, but he went so fast and the incline was so steep, I couldn't keep up for the last bit. Yikes! Pretty embarrassing! Glen walked me back down the way we thought we had come up, but we got a bit lost and wandered for quite a while within the over growth. We finally came out in someone's "plantation" (what they call a big garden!) and eventually found the main road. After hearing from the rest of the group what they went through on the last bit up and then the steep slide back down, we were very happy we turned when we did! Laura, the English resort lady, invited us for Sunday brunch (we furnished the fish - a wahoo Glen had caught on the way here) and again had the experience of crossing the reef - walking at low tide, then being ferried across at high. There were a lot fewer of us this time and we made it without incident!

We've had a good time getting to know some of the yachties in the anchorage, but no one is heading our way, so we are saying goodbye yet again. We'll be leaving in a couple of days for Samoa - the winds are supposed to finally turn to a favorable direction for us. It should take us about 2 1/2 days to get there once we leave. During this crossing, we will cross the date line and be back on the same day of the week as everyone at home, and are now only four hours behind instead of five! Already feels like we're closer to home!

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The little island of Niuatoputapu (almost as much fun as saying Topolobampo!) is in the northern most island group of Tonga. It's name means "The Sacred Coconut." Last year, we visited the three southern Tongan groups, but the Niuas are quite a bit north from the rest of Tonga (half way between Vava'u and Samoa) and you might say somewhat off the beaten path. There are three islands in the Niua group - the biggest one, Niuatoputapu has a population of 1,400 living in 3 main villages. It has an area of 18 square kilometers. We are anchored just off its northern edge. There is a lovely barrier reef that surrounds most of the island. The entry through the reef into the lagoon is a bit intimidating - a VERY narrow entrance flanked with crashing breakers opens up to a little bit wider route that doglegs through several shallow areas (our draft is 5.5' and there were spots that were only showing 11'!). The little island in the foreground of the picture is actually a motu on the reef and is called Hunganga - very pretty! Another of the islands is Tafahi (pictured) - uninhabited, although we hear there is some farming on it. It is only 9km from the anchorage - thankfully it is an extinct volcano. The other island is called Niuafo'ou and resembles a floating doughnut in the sea. It is still an active volcano, although there hasn't been any major activity since 1946. It's population is only 745. Unfortunately, there are no anchorages there, so we won't be stopping!

It was a bit sad to leave Fiji - the people are so warm and wonderful. While in Savusavu, we met a man named Semi who came to the boat looking for work. We're broke, so at first we told him no, but he came back day after day and finally wore us down! Actually, we were so impressed with how hard he was looking for work, that we decided he needed a break. He completely scrubbed (even got the rusty spots off!) and waxed the entire hull. Our old girl hasn't been so shiny in quite some time! Semi worked hard for three days and it was fascinating getting to know him and hear his story. He is 35 and has 5 children - yikes!!! In the past he has worked as a carpenter, but the economy is awful here too, so there isn't much construction. He and his children walk 2 miles each morning to get to the bus that will take them into the actual town of Savusavu. It costs him $12. per week for his children to take this bus to get to school. He says he will not move his family into the city because he wants his children to grow up with good values and learn how to grow their own food. Sounds kind of corny as I'm writing about it, but seeing the sincerity on his face and how hard he works made us fall in love with him. He is also a wonderful keyboard player, so after work time, Glen got out the keyboard for him to play. He was almost in tears to be given the chance to play and when Glen started playing sax with him, it was magical! He brought one of his sons, a darling 5 year old named Rico, with him on his last day. He was very shy but so wanted to help his dad with the cleaning. I videoed the last music session they did and both Rico and Semi loved watching themselves on the TV. Semi made us promise we would send him a copy - we're embarrassed to admit we still don't know how to copy from our digital tapes! We'd also like to send him a keyboard some day and will be checking out the used stores in Samoa. As we were leaving, we gave his children a scholarship for their next term in school. It only cost us $90. US and will allow his kids to attend the public school in Savusavu for the next 3 months - something he wasn't sure he would be able to afford.

Our last day in Savusavu, we hired a taxi to take us sight seeing. We ended up going right by the Namale Resort where Tammy had said her old friend worked, so stopped by to say hi. Oh my gosh!!! If you ever want to escape to "Paradise" and can afford the luxury of an upscale resort, we'd highly recommend Namale! Hudson was a doll and gave us a tour of the entire resort. It is owned by the motivational speaker Tony Robins (who bought it when he was only 23!!!) and it is absolutely gorgeous. I put a couple pictures in the gallery, but check out their website for more. Millionaire Magazine wrote about them and said that "The Garden of Eden does still exist - it's called Namale!" Anyhow, it was the highlight of our Savusavu sight seeing tour - thanks Tammy!!! We again had to say goodbye to more cruising friends (Morning Star), but this time did it over goat curry at the Waitui Marina! Not something I'd want everyday, but pretty tasty for that one time. We checked out and left Savusavu the next morning (Thursday for us).

The first day of the crossing wasn't too bad and we became illegal aliens again by anchoring at Vuna Point on the island of Taveuni (once checked out, you're not supposed to stop). We didn't go ashore, but the island looked beautiful and was covered with coconut trees. Friday morning we hauled Little Dot on board, pulled anchor and headed out. The weather gribs didn't look too bad, but once out there, the winds quickly picked up to 30 - 35kts. I'm not going to go into it, but let me just say - it wasn't pleasant and we were soooo thankful to make it here and drop anchor Monday afternoon. The check in procedure here is to pick up 5 people in your dinghy and bring them back to the boat. There was a quarantine guy, a health official, customs, immigration, and then a sort of "goodwill ambassador." The boat was a total mess after the crossing, but their inspection wasn't real rigorous, so no worries. We were both exhausted and it felt like heaven for both of us to sleep in our real bed at the same time. Tuesday was clean up day - putting stuff that had fallen or flown during the crossing away and cleaning salt off of everything. We were still very tired and now sore, so didn't even go ashore to explore. The winds have continued to howl and even though the anchorage is somewhat protected, it is very choppy. Going ashore means a pretty wet and wild dinghy ride. Wednesday morning we made it in, got tied up to the concrete wharf, ice skated across its slippery top, then walked two miles to the village of Hihifo to exchange money and pay our check-in fees. We had forgotten all about the Tongan pigs, but were quickly reminded as we saw so many of them on the dirt road and on the beach. There are hundreds of them and they are free to wander about. I took way too many piglet pictures again, but they are just so darn cute! If you look carefully at the picture, you will see some of them snuffling their way along the tide pools (it was low tide).

I'll stop at this point and try to get this sent. Sorry for taking so long to get this out - between the rough crossing, cleaning, and exploring, its been hard to sit down and write. We've already had lots of fun experiences in Niuatoputapu, though, so will try to get another entry in soon.

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