Fiji, Savusavu (28 June – 7 July)

It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and we have just arrived in the port of Savusavu, Fiji!

Today is Gavin’s birthday and he is still finishing off some of his pre-birthday celebration drinks and is very excited (and vocal) about seeing us come in!!! Good to be here. Our first impressions of Fiji are of a welcome.

The terrain is more mountainous and the smell of the land is sweet and pleasant. The moon is full and we can see the beach on the little island with palm trees. It is quiet and calm, Gavin has gone to bed, not a breath of wind. The water is flat and glossy. Onshore yellow streetlights glow in the moist night air and I can hear the occasional dog fight. It feels like we are back in civilization.

The next ten days are a whirlwind of excitement and discovery. Savusavu is a delightful town and we fall in love with the easygoing lifestyle. The Indian influence is apparent with curry specials on every menu and henna tattoos adorning the women. Tiny shopfronts with sewing machines can make “what you like” in an hour. Bula shirts and saris or even a pocket sulu. (a man’s wraparound “skirt” in suit style material with sidepockets) The market place is full of produce and the spices are sold by the gram. I’ve also noticed that the women mostly wear their hair shorter here. Gone are the long plaits of Tonga and the short fuzzy wuzzy hair is in.

A traditional “Welcome Kava Ceremony” is organized for members of the ICA rally and John the ICA director would really like some women to join in so he volunteers my services. We arrive in our new matching outfits; Duncan and Darcy look like they have stepped off the set of “Two and a Half Men” in their new shirts and Seisia and I wear the same “Bula” print dresses. Bula (pronounced Bulla) is the Fijian hello and the louder you say it the better! Now as the only female to partake in the ceremony (how did I guess that would happen) we approach the hand woven pandanas mat, take off our shoes and sit crosslegged around the edge while John presents our gift of Kava to the Chief. Some customary words are spoken and it is agreed that we become accepted and are invited to drink kava. Kava is a plant known for its relaxant properties. In Fiji the kava is dried and then ground or powdered, mixed with water in a wooden kava bowl until it looks like it comes from a puddle and then presented quite ceremoniously in a coconut shell to each person one by one around the mat. There is a series of claps (which is done with cupped hands) before and then after each person drinks the whole shell without stopping. Kava traditionally was drunk by the men when they gathered together to discuss issues and resolve any problems, much like the public bar on a Friday night. It is now acceptable for women to drink kava too and Kava Bars or a Nukamal is the place to do so. The effects are immediate with a slight tingling of the lips and tongue. After my third shell at half tide I am wondering how to ask to politely to “leave the table”.

Later in the night Duncan and Gavin are on the mat with Lino and some deals are struck. It is agreed that some buses will be organized and Chief Lino and a few of his boys will take some of us on a tour around Savusavu with a BBQ at the end.

The next morning I meet Lino at the Copra Shed and am surprised to see him in a smart polo shirt with gold rimmed aviator glasses minus his sulu (sarong). We walk together to the local market to pick up some ingredients for the BBQ which he will prepare while we are out. As we enter the building it becomes obvious that he is a well respected man about town and also someone who is well liked. People are shouting greetings and shaking his hand as we move easily through the crowded aisles between fish mongers until we find three beautiful pink snapper hiding in a deepfreeze. A few more fresh ingredients and a stop at the supermarket for chicken, sausages, canola oil and Chinese “vetching powder” (msg!!!) and I return to the others for our outing.

It turns out the buses aren’t available so we will be travelling local style. A truck with a canvas covering and two long seats down either side transport us up over the steep hills and to a waterfall and swimming hole amidst a beautiful forest of 100 year old trees. The vegetation is lush and the water is freezing but it’s an opportunity not to be missed!

Next we visit the thermal pools where boiling hot water bubbles out of the hillside in shallow pools. It is completely open to the public and local people come and steam their puddings and meals while they go to work. Some are just wrapped in a piece of old blue tarp!

When we arrive at Lino’s place for the BBQ we are astounded by the scene that greets us. The grassy block is speckled with tropical plants that Lino has transplanted himself. It turns out he caretakes this land and it is actually for sale. I want to pull out my cheque book on the spot! But Duncan holds me back. Coconut trees dot the foreshore and the low tide sands lead out to tiny, coral, rocky outcrops jutting up, some with a single palm growing on them. Lino has laid a table with a colourful table cloth that flaps in the warm breeze, some dogs lie lazily in the shade. There is a relaxed happy feeling and I have a stupid grin on my face. “Welcome” says Lino. “We are family. We are one.” This becomes his catchphrase and we hear it over again as we share the beautiful meal, a beer and companionship on a memorable afternoon. The young fellows who were playing at the Sailing Club the night before appear out of the bush with their guitars and play again for us. They are happy and carefree, joking with one another and larking around. One thing I’ve discovered in the South Pacific is that Dr Hook, Elvis and The Eagles are still cool. “That’s the Savusavu way…”

Overwhelmed by generosity we ask how we can repay the kindness. A suggestion is raised and we all wholeheartedly agree to help. Waqa (Wanga) is custodian of the reef on the point. His family own the little island surrounded by reef that is under the care of famous French marine biologist Jacque Cousto. He is like a marine ranger and it is his job to protect the reef and so we agree to take a few boats out the next day and help remove the terrible Crown of Thorns starfish that is destroying the reef. It is a successful venture with about 4 fertilizer bags filled with the horrible creatures that will be left out in the sun to die and then burnt. It starts to rain on the way back but that’s ok because we have Rodney and Sonny still smiling and playing guitars with another round of “The Savusavu Way”. Suddenly there is a bit of a panic and then a shrug of the shoulders followed by a laugh. It turns out that Rodney is due to play at a wedding at Cousto’s Resort in less than half an hour and he’s not worried if he doesn’t make it. We don’t want to be responsible for a cranky bride so we make sure he is delivered with 10 minutes spare to change and practice before the ceremony begins!

For the rest of our time in Savusavu we catch up with friends we have met on the rally, catch up on some schoolwork to post and explore a bit more around town and the bay. I have made friends with Siteri who is a lovely woman who washes our laundry. Every day she teaches me some new words and we become quite friendly.

One day I visit the market. The musty smell of kava roots hanging from the rafters and pungent aroma of turmeric and cumin fill my nostrils. It is a pleasant, happy place and I make my way to my favourite stall. The woman there looks tired today and when I ask if she’s ok she explains that as it was a cold night last night she didn’t get much sleep as she doesn't have a blanket!

Before we leave Savusavu we spend a few quiet nights anchored out near Cousto’s Resort. Waqa visits us in his longboat and we enjoy his company. Late one afternoon Duncan and I go for a walk and meet the manager of the resort who gives us the grand tour and is very friendly. He says we are welcome to join the paying guests for dinner as it is a traditional Fijian dinner – cooked in the ground and only about $40 per head. We thank him for his offer and head back to Catina. Just on sunset Waqa arrives with an esky full of hot food for us. It’s a traditional Fijian dinner – cooked in the ground, straight from the resort! We laugh and enjoy the tasty dish of fish and coconut milk wrapped in leaves and steamed under hot rocks. Delicious!

                                                     Savusavu... a welcoming town...

One & a half men!

                                        The kava Ceremony... can I go while I can still stand up?

                                                         An angel in the waterfall...

                                                               Dinner is in the bag!

                                                                    My Retirement...

                                                          The evil crown of thorns starfish!

The ladies of the Savusavu marketplace

Passage to Fiji

Up early to leave on departure day and we were greeted by an eerie orange sky. “Red sky at morning, sailor take warning”, flashed through my brain. Just a fleeting thought.

A carload of women arrived on the wharf honking the horn in the hilux. We went ashore to find that they had organized a parting gift of coconuts and pawpaw. Another display of generosity unparalleled by anyone else we had met. I made sure we only took enough for the passage as I did not want to be taking the food off their tables. It was a cheery and tearful goodbye. They were enterprising women striving to make a future for the next generation and I felt the unspoken message, saw it in their eyes, a plea for help and for us to pass on the word about this amazing community and their plans to sustain their way of life. As we left them there on the rocky wharf I wondered who the next visitors would be and when they would arrive… I thought about the hardship of living in such a remote place and vowed to do something to help.

Once underway and clear of the reef we popped up the genaker (which is a cross between a genoa or jib and a spinnaker). The wind was behind us and we settled into the comfortable downhill ride. Duet, another catamaran, popped their spinnaker and Dol Selene ran along goosewinged. We spread out and for three days we dodged rain and squalls, pulling the genaker in at night and doing 8.5 to 9.5 knots during the daylight hours.

On the morning we sighted landfall we all rushed into the cockpit eager to see the new country. After a short silence Seisia was first to speak. “Looks just like Tonga” she said in a dry unenthusiastic voice. Duncan and I just cracked up laughing. I don’t know what she was expecting but it was more than a deserted island that’s for sure!

It took all that day and half the night to reach Savusavu, our next port of clearance. We passed Taveluni which if wasn’t covered in cloud would have revealed waterfalls cascading down to the sea. Just before the kids went to bed we crossed the 180 degrees longitude where it changed from 180 West to 180 East. Dol Selene appeared out of the darkness and we followed them into the bay. It always amazes me that you can leave the same time as someone, not see them for three days and then arrive at the same place and same time. As we rounded a light on the reef we caught a massive barracuda. Stripey and smelly with jaggered sharp teeth, this was one fish that was not welcome onboard!

                                            Enjoying a beautiful sail up the front...

                                                         Crossing 180 degrees Longtitude

                                                                 The stinky barracuda

Niuatoputapu (20 June to 25 June)

The Jewel in the Crown of the Kingdom of Tonga –
One of the highlights of our journey is without a doubt, our time spent at these most Northern islands of Tonga. Closer to Western Samoa than it’s own capital, and made up of a group of 3 islands, one an extinct volcano, we are now in one of the most remote and isolated villages we will visit in all our adventures. The plane comes once every 3 weeks, if you’re lucky. The last once hasn’t been for months. Last October, 2009, minutes after an earth tremor in Samoa, a tsunami wrapped around the volcano island and ripped across the tip of the main island completely devastating everything in it’s path. The other end of the island where one of the three villages is located and incidentally where Captain Cook came ashore was the worst hit. The wave tore through anihilating stone buildings and sweeping away huts like toys in a storm water drain. Residents had only 15 minutes warning before the wave hit and ran for the hills. Sadly nine people didn’t make it. We were the first visitors to the island since that day.

Arriving on a Sunday we were once again treated to the beautiful singing voices in Church. Now we have become accustomed to the ways of the Tongans we showed respect by taking it easy on the boats and not showing too many outward displays of “working”. Scrubbing the salt off the decks will have to wait for another day! The anchorage lies within a lagoon and a welcome relief after the overnight sail and a tricky entrance. We spotted turtles and the water was a beautiful milky turquoise.

When Captain Cook named Tonga the “Friendly Islands” he must have been referring to these people. Over the next few days we were treated to the warmest and generous hospitality you can ever imagine.

Bundled into twin cab utes we were driven down a beautiful new, wide dirt road that now connected all three villages within a few minutes instead of 40. The Government Representative who addressed us said they called it the “welcome tsunami” for before the Aid from the Australian Government and the help from the Army life was a little tougher and they never dreamed they would have a road quite as good. As we drove along we listened to stories about the morning the villages were woken from their sleep and rushed to higher ground. As I look out through the coconut trees to a sparkling blue lagoon we learn that before the tsunami you couldn’t see 5ft into the dense undergrowth and that the wave literally cleaned out all that lay in it’s path. It was mostly government housing that was destroyed. Close to shore and on the cleared, flat level ground they were right in the path of the wave’s destruction. Slabs of concrete lay as a reminder that once buildings stood in their place. The old hospital has an eerie feeling and we hear how the waves lapped at the coral fence surrounding the church. At its furtherest reaches the tsunami travelled a good 6-700m into the village…

Later that afternoon we ride in the backs of trucks to the high school where we will be treated to a “Welcome Feast”. As we drive up the track a game of Rugby plays out its final minutes. Crowding the sidelines kids taunt and cheer the teams.

The evening begins with a welcome and a thank you… to us! The people are so grateful that we have come to visit them. They present each and every one of us with a beautiful lei handmade with local scented and colourful flowers and foliage. The mood is electric and emotionally charged.

In this community it is the women who are the breadwinners. The men of course work, toiling the plantations and fishing. But it is the women who produce the finest and most sort after handicrafts in all of Tonga. They show us the plants they use and explain the processes involved in harvesting and bleaching the pandanas, wild hibiscus and tiny seashells to produce beautiful woven mats and the traditional wedding attire. Their work is exquisite.

The young boys from the villages show us their unique warrior dance and they are good. The percussion is another boy just outside the doors beating on a sheet of gal iron with a big stick. Loud and effective!

Sadly the ladies have been working too hard and are so tired they won’t be able to show us some of their dancing tonight however one spirited gal keeps us entertained as she whoops and slaps her ankles enthralling us as she wafts around the room with a gappy smile and twinkle in her eye.

Dinner is served buffet style on a piece of banana tree trunk complete with notches carved into the ends for decoration. Deep fried fish (whole), freshly grated coconut, octopus, sea cucumber, beads of salty bursting seaweed, corn on the cob, island cabbage and of course taro and pig if you care for it. Fresh drinking coconut and the meal is complete.

We are speechless and grinning from ear to ear. I make up my mind to do something to help the communities on this island. That night we have the best sleep ever…

The following day Duncan takes care of Darcy & Seisia while I go for a trek up to the top of the mountain. What starts out as a quick up and down to take in the view turns into a 5 hour hike sometimes on hands and knees grasping for tree roots and vines to abseiling down rock faces and balancing on precipices from one end of the mountain to the other. It was fantastic! The view to the far side was amazing with a line of surf breakers and the sapphire sea, and the view back to the lagoon and out to the volcano island was breathtaking. Friendships were forged, skin was lost and drinking coconuts quenched our thirsts on an unforgettable adventure. I smiled to myself at one of our guides who did the whole trek in a pair of white rubber thongs! We descended into the village plantations on the back of the mountain and walk back along a dusty road. We pass the new block building which houses the tsunami warning centre and Anna our guide shares some sugarcane with me. We stop by her house. It is neat and tidy with a pig and a dog. Later we all swim in the spring fed pools in the crystal clear cool water. Little fish suck on our cuts. It’s another meaningful day to remember.

A walk to the far side of the island to go beachcombing and looking for shells turns out windy and lonely. Small coral pieces lie tumbled into piles and we don’t find many shells intact. There is plenty of flotsam and jetsam washed up on the beach. A cyclone earlier this year wrecked havoc on this side of the island. The wave this time penetrates the bush a 100m or so. It hardly seems fair but it is a reminder of the power of nature and a good lesson to take the forecast and passage planning seriously!

As a way to repay these people for their kindness and hospitality we arrange to hold a BBQ on the beach of the small motu on the edge of the lagoon late one afternoon. We all prepare salads and bake a cake as it is these little treats that we know they go without. When we arrive we are all totally flabbergasted again by the ever smiling willing workers who have spent the day fishing and preparing a pig for an Umu (like a hungi), sitting on mats, weaving baskets and happy they welcome us to our “Thank You BBQ”… It is a fun afternoon. We manage to give them a few laughs by auctioning off some hermit crabs and then racing them amongst the crews. The winnings we give to the head of the Women’s guild. Hopefully they can buy a sewing machine or new stove for their teaching centre. Guitars are produced and this time it is our “heavenly” voices singing the Beach Boys “John B Sloop”. The words really hit me as I realise that none of us really want to go home at all… These people seem to have the least, in worldly possessions anyway, but in other ways they have the most… The cakes are devoured but mine hasn’t been iced yet as it was fresh out of the oven so the icing is licked out of the bowl on sticky brown fingers into wide grinning faces.

Darcy and Seisia are having a good time around the point building a shelter and a bonfire. I walk through the palms to see them and again am reminded of the force of the wave as trees lie uprooted, the dry debris spread out and in some places tumbled on top of each other making a wall of dead branches.

The sun is setting and it’s time to get back before dark. Boats are loaded and we all make a dash for home. Racing and laughing we all get splashed from the chop blowing up. A local boat gives us some coconuts again to thank us for such a fun time?! It is sad to leave. We have felt honoured to have spent the few days here with these humble people.

                                                               The Welcome Feast

                                                     The women "bleaching" the pandanus

                                                             Outside Anna's house

                                                              Simple and happy people

                                                               A heartfelt farewell

                                             The old volcano that blocked most of the tsunami

Neiafu, Vava’u, Tonga (1 June to 19 June)

We awoke the following morning to the clanging of a bell, roosters crowing, dogs barking and the most angelic children’s choir voices, singing hymns at the church above us on the hill. It was simply breathtaking.

Neiafu Harbour was full of surprises. The next was the giant purple jellyfish that blobbed their way around the boats! Most of the yachties choose to moor their boats as this area of Tonga is so steep above and below water that it is sometimes hard to find a suitable anchorage close to shore that is not too deep.

Fringing along the foreshore were all manner of businesses. Dive companies, fishing charters, bars & cafes. Behind, above a steep escarpment, ran the main street and business centre of town. Several small stores run by the ever hardworking chinaman offered cheap out-of-date biscuits, cotton undies and flyswats. One day when I was walking around the streets I saw a couple of octopus hanging on the line with the washing! Something different to the usual little pig trotting along the path I suppose!

We got to get to know some more of the cruising folk while in Port, both in and out of the ICA rally - we watched Rugby matches on Sky TV at Lawrences Pizza place with rivalry between the Kiwi’s and Aussies, Friday night twilight races on Graeme & Lyn’s Atomite and the odd cuppa with a few of the girls!

We also discovered a great place for a cold drink and an entertaining yarn. The Giggling Whale with fantastic views over the harbour and the only toilet I’ve ever been to inside an old tank! The best fish cakes with wasabi sauce and the cleanest floor we’ve seen so far in Tonga. Thanks Sandy & Cathy for being so accommodating to the yachties!

We were able to find most of the provisions we needed and stocked up enough to spend the next few weeks in, out and about the 60 islands in the archipelago that make up the Vava’u Group of islands. Interestingly, this area was the last to be discovered by Europeans and now it is a cruisers playground. I don’t think family back home believed me when I kept writing in emails “today we swam at a white sandy beach, snorkeled over a coral reef and then sailed to a new island for the night”… it was true and we enjoyed every sun drenched glorious day. 


The weather was good and one of the highlights was Swallows Cave which is a beautiful limestone cave big enough to fit several dingies inside with a high ceiling and if it is afternoon the bluest glow coming up from under the the water. It was so clear you could see all the way to the bottom without getting wet.

And then there was the Mariner’s Cave which is underwater and only marked by a shaggy pandanus tree up on the rocky hill. To enter the cave you need to dive 1m down and about 4-5m across underwater to come up inside a cavern in the dark. Can you imagine how I felt as I watched Darcy, 8 years old disappear down out of site? The minutes felt like hours, then with a triumphant shout they all appeared again beaming and high fiving! This was an amazing feat for Darcy and there was none prouder than Duncan. In the company of Sol Maria and Brian & Gail from Dol Selene it was a rewarding day. Thanks guys for your help on this one. Darcy took a big step up the ladder that day. He also tells me that when the sea surged against the rocks the cave would instantly fog up and you could feel the pressure on your ears! And apparently it wasn’t that dark because the sun was streaming in through the entrance like a luminous glow. Well done little mate!

Another day we sheltered in Tapana Bay from a bit of a blow and discovered The Ark Gallery which is a floating art gallery run by a lovely lady Cherie, with all her own work showing the Tongan way of life.They say you should never hesitate and I wish now that I had bought something while I was there. She also had a very amusing cat who is said to catch his own fish from off the pontoon! Clever cat!

Back in Neiafu we reprovisioned in readiness for out next trip North. The market place was busy and it seemed everybody came to town on Saturday morning. From very early the cars came in a steady flow down the oneway street that circled the town market place. We were able to buy lettuce and tomatoes this week for the first time in ages and cucumbers and potatoes. Some fresh herbs, paw paw and bananas and we were ready to go. There were bundles of Taro root, Kava and stacks of watermelon. We bought the kids some doughnuts for a treat and later fed them to the fish.

Up town the street took on a life of it’s own. Boom boxes were balanced on planks of wood between 2 chairs and cranked up to the max outside of grocery stores with a live DJ rapping as people passed by. I’m not sure if it was meant to attract customers but it actually turned us away, covering our ears! Uteloads of joyriders cruised the streets and they all seemed to have their own wave. 2 fingers or 3… you had to be in the cool crowd.



Anyway, it was a good taste of civilization for a while. We were able to stock up, get some rest on a secure mooring, meet some great new friends and prepare for the next leg of the journey. The only misgivings were that we were too early in the season to sea the humpback whales…









Seisia & Darcy, Sisia Island, Tonga



Catina taken from inside Swallows Cave

Darcy about to dive Mariner's Cave, Tonga 2010



The Ha'pai (part two)

Ha’efeva,


The next morning was bright and clear. We decided to leave Oua and make our way out to the Eastern group of islands. As we were leaving the lagoon we changed our minds and decided to go North first and then East tomorrow. What happened next just makes you realise why we depend on our common sense, our Mark II Eyeball and Gut Feeling. After a quick look at the chart Plotter Duncan pointed out a small island that we were to pass on our Port Side. I was on Bombie Alert on the cabin top looking for any unchartered reef or “bombies” of coral that mushroom up and appear out of nowhere. Ahead I could see still water that just looked different from the rest. “ Are you sure?” I questioned. Well, it was like the comedy hour. We turned Catina around to go back to our original plan then after a quick discussion decided that it would be better to go North. For the next 10 minutes we changed course 4 times. Each time we went North I felt uneasy. Something just wasn’t right. So we would turn around again… This time I jumped down off the roof and had a look at the charts myself. A quick plot of our position onto the old fashioned paper charts soon revealed that we were heading for the wrong island and had come up a “dead end” in the maze of the reef! A simple error. Nothing to worry about. We quickly plotted our route and were soon on our way North to Ha’efeva, an flat island with a small village on it. It was a beautiful calm day and the water was glassy. We sat on the trampolines motoring with the autopilot doing all the work. Some of the little islands we passed that day were just like the “brochure” coconut fringed, white sandy beach island you would expect to see in the South Pacific. Just before sunset we rounded the point and anchored in the bay on the Western side of the island. There is a wonderful anchorage in a lagoon on the East but we wanted to get an early start in the morning so opted for the Western side which would be easier to navigate in poor light. Further to the West we could see sillouetted against an orange sky, two volcano mountains. One of them was smoking!

Darcy's 8th Birthday

Birthday Boy!!!

26th May and we were up bright and early. Today was Darcy’s 8th birthday. Happy Birthday little man! And as far as birthdays go I think this one would almost top them all!!! Pineapple icypoles before the sun came up, we had a present opening ceremony and up anchored for our adventurous day. It was like a floating Mc Donalds that morning: we dined on bacon & eggs, hash browns & juice, croissants & coffee then Duncan caught a Tuna. Another breathless day we motored over glossy deep water while the kids watched new DVD’s opened that morning. There was a feeling of happiness. It was lovely. By lunchtime we had arrived at Uonukuhihifo, two sandy islands joined together by a sandbar. We anchored in about 16m and it was so clear we could see the shells on the bottom! It was just getting better and better. One of those happy moments that lasted all day. We snorkeled together for the first time as a family over lovely coral reef. The children diving a few metres deep totally comfortable under the water. Later we took them for a spin in their Wipe Out behind the dinghy. They are such good friends and very close. They were having the time of their lives.

As more and more ICA boats came into the bay it was decided that a bonfire on the beach would be a great way to catch up and for Darcy, a wonderful way to finish his special day. We all took fish that we had caught that day and Sol Maria had a beautiful Coral Trout that they generously shared in the coals. A pot luck salad table completed the meal. That night was another of those memorable nights with new friends, good food and a starry sky above. Darcy made his own little fire and was busy lighting sticks and making “candles” out of empty coconut shells. We shared a chocolate cake with Kit Kat’s and all went home to bed happy and content that night.

Ueleva/Pangai Harbour

The Cats on the Beach, Ueleva Tonga

The ICA rally was gathering for another Umu in Ueleva so after a few nights we sailed North to join them in the bay at Ueleva. We enjoyed our stay there swimming and playing off the beach. Together with Sol Maria we beached the cats one day to get some work done at the low tide. Every bloke in the bay came over to lend a hand or offer words of support as Duncan and Gavin completed their maintenance jobs. One of the great things about sailing in a rally is the network of friends. Expertise and tools were all shared and before long friendships formed that will bond us for life.

We completed our internal customs clearance in Pangai Harbour which was a delightful little town, and spent our last night in a cosy anchorage with Sol Maria, Recluse, Avant Garde II and Rotumanu. Sol Maria offered us the services of a very reliable European Auto Pilot, namely their Dutch friend Diede!! To accompany us on our passage to the Va’vau Group of islands a half day sail away.

It was an early start, up way before the sun and sailing North leaving the Haipai to the Va’vau Group of islands in Tonga. That day we enjoyed the breeze and choofed along doing 8 and 9 knots. It was a great sail and we all enjoyed it. There was an unofficial race between the island groups and this added to the fun on the day. There was a lot of friendly banter over the radio and the Cats (Sol Maria and us on Catina) sailed into Neiafu by lunchtime.

Disaster!

It was about this time that we RAN OUT OF VEGEMITE!!!

The Ha’pai (19th May to 31st may)

Kelefesia


At almost the same time as I was born 40 years before, we were up in the dark on my birthday brushing our teeth and then pulling up the anchor from Big Mama’s. As we made our way through the reef that morning the sun rose and shone golden through the bank of clouds on the horizon. We sailed North to central group of islands in Tonga known as the Ha’pai group. It was a very pleasant day sailing and by lunch time we were approaching our anchorage for the night. A little island called Kelefesia. In our guide it said for the adventurous, sounds perfect. It is difficult to explain just how beautiful this anchorage is. Imagine striated sandstone bluffs, white sandy beaches fringed with swaying palm trees, turquoise water surrounded by reef, breaking at the entrance and not a cloud in the sky. It was breathtaking and we had it all to ourselves. On approach it seemed a bit tricky but once inside the reef we relaxed, dropped anchor and set out to explore.

We walked along the shoreline amazed at the coral and fishlife so close to the shore. One little brown fish was disguised as a leaf, mimicking the way a leaf would float and swirl in the water - incredible. There was also a lot of coral pieces washed up on the shoreline and many, many shells. We noticed a brightly painted wooden boat cross through the lagoon and realised then that perhaps we weren’t alone. Later we discovered that there was a small fishing camp around the point.

We went to the shore twice that day, the second time late in the afternoon, where we swam off the sandy point in the crystal clear water. It was lovely splashing about and having fun with Duncan and the kids in the warm water. The fishing boat we had seen earlier was anchored around the corner and we met Moses who owned a nearby island. He held up a writhing octopus offering it to us for our dinner. We thanked him most courteously but explained that we already had something out of the freezer. He showed us his handmade lure/jig which looked like it had been made from a beer can cut into strips attached to a wire with a shell on it. It was most impressive and I was surprised and excited to see such traditional methods of fishing still being used.

Just before sunset we went back to Catina, showered on the back steps and then remembered that it was actually my birthday and we had presents hidden away! It was an exciting time and the kids helped me rip into all the wrappings while we popped a cork on a bottle of bubbles that Duncan had managed to sneak onto the boat. A big thank you to everyone who sent cards and pressies before we left and for the birthday emails I kept receiving for weeks afterwards! It was truly a special day for me and to spend it alone with my family in this magical place was the best birthday present I could have wished for.

Kelefesia was also the place where we met our new dear friends off the Sol Maria. The lovely Lica, the crazy madkeen freediving spearfishing champ Gavin and their beautiful teenage daughter Shae (who also swims like a fish!) Travelling with them was the 25yo Flying Dutchman Dida who is training for the world ironman championship in Hawaii later this year. They came in on the second day and it was great to meet some other people in the rally. Who would know that we would become such good friends in such a short time.

Nomuku Iki


With the weather expected to take a turn for the worst we set sail for Nomuka Iki. (Iki just simply meaning the “little” island) We were tucked inside the passage between the two islands protected by a reef and rode out a few windy days. Our visits to shore were brief and only spoilt by the surging waves that threatened to swamp our dingy. The kids played on the white sand and we explored the wreck on the beach.

Oua

A few days rest and the winds dropped. We moved out to a reef lagoon surrounding Oua. On our passage to the island we were surrounded by rain showers and right on cue as we approached the reef entrance we were caught in a heavy downpour. Unable to see any further than a few boat lengths we were forced to stop and hold our position under motor for 15 minutes or so until the rain passed. This turned out to be a good decision as two of the marker buoys were nearly non-existent, broken off at water level. Oua was another calm anchorage, this time with milky green waters. As we arrived, Kokomo were leaving, but we were soon joined by Sol Maria, Scott Free and The Godspede, all ICA rally boats. We thought we would be social and so invited them all over to Catina for a Pot Luck Dinner.

What a funny night that turned out to be. Each boat contributed to the dinner and it was a wonderful feast! There were fishing stories, recipes swapped and the kids got to play with someone not quite as old as their parents. By the end of the night we were all happy and had made friends with some extraordinary people. It is in these moments when different people with a common interest are flung together that you end up having a memorable time.

The next day we all went ashore for a visit to the village. As we climbed the hill escorted by their spokesperson I was aware of his big machete. One little man (perhaps a bit simple?) was hovering around giggling and I thought to myself how he reminded me of “Baldrick” – perhaps there is one in every village! The track was lined with mango trees and I saw a few bush lemons. Along the path was a purple flowered “sensitive” plant that closes it’s leaves at night and whenever you touch it. First stop was the little school. A neat well kept lawn surrounded the white 2 classroom building. A blue plastic shoe lay on the grass. A small brown bantam hen scratched with her chickens and we were led up towards the classroom . Monica was the teacher there and she chatted to us outside as we presented her with some gifts of chalk and stickers for the children. All the while the children in the classroom were becoming more curious and had ventured to the doorway. Barefoot but beautifully dressed in uniforms with matching ribbons and big brown eyes they looked us up and down taking in all our peculiarities. Cheeky smiles, giggling and pointing at us they were getting more and more vocal until their teacher hushed them. We took some photos and spoke with them and then took a peek in the senior room where the bigger kids sat, a broken orange plastic chair lay upside down near the window. We noticed the classroom rules and one caught our eye… “Do not hit the little kids”.

A tour down the “main street” took us past well kept gardens and homes. Women sitting outside on mats weaving, hushed voices as we passed by windows, a child crying somewhere and pigs running across our path. We stopped at the last house and negotiated a bunch of bananas. Paul from Scott Free was also hoping to get a little pig and was ushered around the back of the corrugated iron building and was gone a considerable amount of time. We were wondering if somewhere in the translation it might have been suggested that he was to be roasted over the fire when again someone appeared and escorted us all out to the back garden. Freshly cut lawn, paw paw trees and a neat pig pen to house the bustling hogs were a welcome surprise and there was Paul with a giant bunch of bananas that took two men to carry. Our visit to the village was a great experience and as we climbed back into our dingies we left the older man on the steps with some fishing lures. His eyes lit up like pearls. “Malo” “Malo” he said, which is thankyou, thankyou in his native tongue.