Mr Legoman, who has been with us from the start of our journey, now feels safe to come out and enjoy the trip. He has a walrus face and when we asked for a name back came John Lennon since he sang “I am a walrus”! Staying in the rope locker he felt trying to sneak out at night was become a bit of a bore. So now he’s out and about. [Read more →]

Humpback whales bread in Tongan waters but feed in the waters of the antartic.  They start to leave in October to go south and we are doing the same.  We did manage to see a small group with a baby, they were entertaining people from a sight seeing boat who were swimming with them by coming up really close!

We have left the Vavau group of Tonga and now at the next group south, Haapai.  Less boats here.  great sail down in 17-20 knots.  A few tacks to winward required in the last 20 miles.

Position: 19°44′ 174° 19′ [-19.738,-174.32] at local 18:00, GMT 06:00 October 25

The Apia marina dinghy meets you in the bay and escorts the yachts into their marina berth, they have been known to direct sailors to share a berth with a bommie , yes a bommie one of the large coral heads that can put holes in a glassfibre hull. The game starts when the dinghy rushes ahead and beckons you to follow, they try to get you into the bommie berth before the other sailors on the pontoons have time to rush down to warn you. They are quite happy when arriving yachts decline the bommie berths, they shrug their shoulders and then direct you to another berth. Just seems a slightly odd game.
So that’s the beginning, with yellow flag up, the Samoan authorities arrive dressed in their lavalavas, shirt and sandles, customs immigration health and quarantine. All close at hand as this is the capital of Samoa. No swine flu, we are not carrying illegal drugs, guns, spear guns or anything we shouldn’t have so we are free to go about as a palangi tourist. [Read more →]

Tonga is the oldest and last remaining Polynesian monarchy. It is divided into four parts, volcanic Niuas in the north, Vava’u group, Ha’api group low coral and high volcanoes, and Tongatapu in the south with the capital Nuku’alofa. We start with the Niuas, arriving at Niuatoputapu just after the tsunami, there are three villages on this island. Two of the villages were seventy five per cent destroyed and the third almost completely destroyed by the tsunami wave. We thread our way through the reef, our anchor goes down. The destruction is obvious on shore and there is a smell, not really sure how to describe it. [Read more →]

We would all like to thank you for all the emails you sent during the last couple of weeks, they meant a great deal to us. Replies will be coming out but as you probably guess life was a bit hectic, we were exhausted physically and mentally. We could however sail away, I hope we made a difference to these wonderful people in Nuaitoputapu, they certainly deserve all the help they can get. Maybe one day we will get back to see them. Any support you would like to give to the Red Cross will I’m sure get through to them and they certainly appreciate everything that is being done.

Photos of the damage and the initial recovery of this northern Tongan island now in the gallery.

Link to gallery

How often does a custom’s official thank you for your help at your previous destination?  He was really concerned for his fellow Tongans at Niuatoputapu.

We have a mobile SIM for Tonga.  You can skype this number as well as it accepting normal phone calls (send us an email for the number).

Position: 18°39′ 173°59′ [-18.655,-173.983] at local 08:19, GMT 19:19 11th October

Weather charts have a nice force 3 northerly wind but we have had none for 14 hours now just a whisper from the SW.  Spent from 07:00 to 14:00 no sails up with an oily sea all around.  I think this has been our longest spell of no wind at sea to date.

Position: 17°44′ 174° 19′ [-17.73,-174.32] at local 16:00, GMT 03:00 11th October
69 miles to Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga. ETA at 5 knots: 06:28  12th October local time

On route again.  I guess the sadder you are to leave, the more you enjoyed being there. It was very hard to leave Niuatoputapu.

A low is passing to the south of us and the wind is due to go through the north and west before going SE.  So far it has gone from east to SSE!  Sea is smooth so able to keep sailing at the moment.

Position: 16°36′ 174°15′ [-16.606,-174.248] at local 16:00, GMT 05:00 October 10th
135.7 miles to Neiafu, Vavau. ETA at 6 knots:  15:22 11th October local  time
Wind: SSE 7 knots Sea: smooth with SE swell 2m
Sky:  70% cloud cover

Evidence off Tsumani all round us.

Locals have never lost their spirit and looking forward to their sunday worship.

Some sailing boats were in this anchorage when the Tsumani hit but were OK.

Position: 15° 56′   173° 46′ [-15.941,-173.769]