We are so enjoying the Ha'Apai group of Tonga. It's funny... so many cruisers say its too difficult a place to visit with all its hazards - reefs, swell, and unprotected anchorages, but we are finding it enchanting. There are so many little islands to visit - many uninhabited and those that have villages are still very primitive.

Ha'afeva is one of those islands that have a village, but still feels "untouched." A local man, Peter, came out to the little wharf that they have for when the supply ship comes every couple of weeks and was yelling "Hello, hello!" Glen went to see him in the dinghy and Peter insisted on taking Glen out to his "garden" to pick papaya, lemons, green onions, and a type of green they call pele. Glen says he was traipsing all over the place to keep up with Peter. He brought Peter back to the boat so he could show us how to cook the greens (in a pot of boiling oil!) and we invited him to stay for dinner. It was so cute - it was like he was going to have celebrity status within the village because he had been out on one of the yachts. He kept watching to see if anyone was on shore to make sure he was seen by as many as possible. We sent candy and batteries back with him to help out his family - he would have liked to take our hand held VHF radio, but we couldn't let that go.

Our next stop was an anchorage near Nomuka Iki. There is a "big" island of Nomuka that has a good sized town (complete with a Mormon church), and the little (iki) uninhabited Nomuka. The beach there was another picture perfect stretch. There was a wrecked fishing boat (maybe 55') onshore and it was fun to explore it and see all the little crabs that now call it home. The snorkeling was good and we saw quite a bit of cabbage coral. Kristen (Charisma) and I have become great snorkeling buddies and we are in the water all the time. I don't think a single day has gone by that I haven't seen something new - either fish or coral. I love it!

We are currently at the island of Kelefesia. It is way beyond gorgeous! (I am going to try to send a picture - don't tell sailmail!) There are sandstone cliffs that remind us of the Marquesas (in mini form) along with the beautiful white sand beaches typical of Tongan islands. There are reefs all around us (okay, that does still freak me out at times!) that provide the best snorkeling ever. We arrived on Sunday and it was perfect weather. Once inside the reef bound anchorage, there was very little wind or swell. It was the perfect day for exploring the reefs - unfortunately, I didn't take the underwater camera with me. The island is uninhabited except for one man (we couldn't ever figure out his name?!!) who has 5 dogs, a cat, and a little runt piglet that follows him everywhere. Although he doesn't speak much English, the boats here before us were able to find out that he had hurt his arm by falling out of a coconut tree. When we went ashore on Monday, we took him a bottle of ibuprofen along with some fresh baked banana, papaya, mango bread. He totally scarfed the bread and seemed grateful to get the medicine. We were better able to see what he might need, so today we took him a sling and got him set up with it to take the pressure off his shoulder. His son, who lives on another island, is supposed to come and get him in a few days (we think!). Everyone from the boats in anchorage went through their cupboards and took in several cans of food to help him out. It was so sad to see him trying to fish this morning in his outrigger without being able to paddle - he was using a pole with his good arm. He should have enough Spam and other "goodies" to last 'til he is picked up. There are mama pigs with lots of babies everywhere. We think he must trade or sell them. I know we did the Pig on a Stick roast thing, but these little guys are so cute, I can't imagine anyone wanting to eat them!

We have been traveling more or less in a group of 5 boats lately - Charisma, Destiny, Morning Light, Bold Spirit, and us. It has been so much fun to get to know more of our fellow cruisers and with the potential for problems out here, it is comforting to have a friend close by. Sunday night, Charisma hosted a pot luck. They and Destiny had come to the anchorage a day before us and had a visit by a local fisherman who wanted to trade for lobster. They traded batteries (almost all the locals need them), hats, and t-shirts for 10 small lobsters. Yum! We hadn't had lobster since being out. It was a great meal topped off with my fried bananas for dessert.

Monday was laundry day and I had every available line covered with drying clothes. While I was busy top side, Glen was under the boat with the hookah cleaning the bottom. There was a lot of growth that really slowing us down. After chores, it was fun exploring on shore (after our visit with the local man) and the other 2 boats in our group came in on Monday afternoon (from Nomuka Iki). We hosted an appetizer dinner followed by karaoke. The five of us women decided we are now to be called "The Flying Foxes" when we call on the radio - when we call one boat, everyone else follows anyhow, so that way we're all included. (It's going to be so hard to go back to telephones where you can't listen in on everyone's conversations! :) It was a very fun time.

Today is Tuesday here (I know, Monday back home!) and the winds are doing very strange things. Sometime throughout the night, the winds switched 180 degrees and almost every boat here (including us!) wrapped their anchor chain around a coral head (we call them bommies). It took us a while getting unhooked, but no harm - no foul... thank goodness! The winds are clocking back around from where they came from, so we won't be surprised if we're re-wrapped in the morning (did I mention this still freaks me out?!!!). We're thinking we'll probably stay here one more day, then head south to the first island in the Tongatapu (Southern) Group of Tonga. Life is back to a much slower pace being away from the city of Neiafu, and we're really enjoying it. We almost hate to go to Nuku'alofa (capital of Tonga), but we do need some provisions for our crossing. We are completely out of beer and rum now, so for the first time the whole trip, we are roughing it with lemonade and ice tea. Maybe that's a good thing too!

A quick congrats to my friends in K back at North Broadway - today was their first day in newly re-organized classes back to 20 kids (instead of 32!). I am so happy for you guys! :)