Tonga · Fiji · Vanuatu

Crew: Paul C, Ivo & Susan

On May 8 th we leave for Tongatapu, the sourthernmost island of Tonga . This crossing took us 6,5 days which is good going, averaging 200 nm a day. Well we did have strong following winds! A low passed by very close to us, luckily passed to the South of us which meant good following winds for us. Winds of 45-50 knots for 36 hours.

Oh, and we had ‘forgotten’ the hydraulic oil back in Sydney that the auto pilot feeds on. So this was a crossing with hand steering only. Good practice says the captain. Never again says the crew and ask whether Ivo had ever heard of keelhauling, a particularly unpleasant punishment. We are in Captain Bligh country, it was in Tonga that the mutiny of the Bounty took place…. Well, Ivo did a good job of steering through the worst of the storm, 6 hours nonstop when the waves were huge and gusts of over 50 knots. The crew could not have handled that. One night during this weather Susan was nearly swept overboard during her watch. If she had not been wearing harness there is no doubt ishe would have gone overboard. Very frightening.

Eventually the storm passed and we were then in the tropics and the layers of clothes began to come off.

In the fishing department, Paul had brought a smoker so we smoked fish which was delicious. And then a greedy booby got caught on the fishing line and was exceedingly angry but Ivo managed eventually to free him!

At last we arrive in Tongatapu at night and find a spot in the bay to anchor. Imagine our surprise and dismay when we look around in the morning and see only rusting shipwrecks everywhere! What the… Luckily Paul spots a little boat full of tourists disembarking on a small island nearby and off we go to investigate. It is Sunday and in Tonga there is a strict observance of religion so no activities are allowed on that day. Well, on the little island there is a bar, a nice little beach and some very friendly locals (Big Mama). We just love the place, and over the next few days keep coming back.

Tongatapu, Southern group of Tonga.

Hapa'i Group, Middle Group of Tonga

Eventually we leave for Ha’apai & Vava’u group of islands further north in Tonga. The Ha’apai group is poorly charted so we are not comfortable with night sailing. We stop at a few places, first stop is Kelefesia island, which is sometimes inhabited but not while we where there. We then stop overnight in an unpleasant windy and reefy anchorage by Nomuka-iki island (how did we manage to not go aground?), and continue up to Haaefa island. There is a village here with lovely people, we are given fruit and vegetables, and visit their village which has about 500 inhabitants. Ivo & Paul go to the church service on the Sunday (hmmm, their singing would not win them first prize in any contest). After the service the priest invited them to have lunch with his family. To return the favor, Ivo invited them to visit us on FIU! Luckily Susan made pancakes that morning so we had something to offer them as well - kids enjoyed our pancakes! This was the first time for all of them to be on the yacht! There is catamaran anchored next to us and they kindly lend us a ‘hooker’ their compressor and hose so that Ivo and Paul can dive under the boat and clean it. After two hours of hard work & perspiring Fiu's bottom was finally clean and we gain at least a knot from a now clean bottom!

We had a great time here, but then we continued up to Lifuka for a brief visit before heading off to Vava’u. On Lifuka Paul and Ivo meet some other locals (the other end of the scale of Tongan society really) and had a meal of barbecued pig with them. The week before a person had been shot on the beach. Such a contrast to the village life in Ha’apai.

After a night’s sailing we arrive in Vava’u and this turns out to be the best sailing grounds yet. It is still early in the season so not very many boats around although we heard that it gets very crowded later on. In Neifu we participated in the local Friday harbour race, and won (of course). Everyone we subsequently met were so pleased that we had won, they were fed up with the Mooring’s staff winning every week. So beer all round and a good evening at the Mermaid’s bar! Except Susan got food poisoning and was then sick for a couple of days.

Weather is now generally good, we are definitely in the tropics, and the sea is a beautiful colour. The boys go snorkeling where they can while Susan recovers from the bad food. The islands here are different to the rest of Tonga, quite abrupt granite rock with steep sides to them and very green and lush. Where we are able to anchor, of an island or a reef, the water is turquoise and the sandy beaches very white.

The area is also better charted and the Moorings Charter base has a small guide & chart of the area indicated safe anchorages. So less reef sniffing here.

All in all, visiting Tonga was a mixture of rusting shipwrecks, uncharted reefs, sudden appearance and disappearances of volcanic islands, lovely people, traditional lifestyles on remote islands, beautiful sailing grounds, we'll come back!

Next - Fiji - Sailing from Tonga to Fiji

Crossing from Tonga from Fiji was in a way uneventful - good wind, good sailing, fishing, all the 'usual stuff!

However, there was a 'catch' - back in our minds there was a serious concern - according to some un-official reports that are circulating between cruisers, there are over 30 reported but NOT CHARTERED REEFS in the waters between Tonga & Fiji!! Susan marked carefully position of all these un-chartered 'reefs' on our charts (see the copy below) with the idea that we'll do our best to steer away from those suspicious areas - but .. this is not all ... This area is notorious in Pacific and known as Bermuda Triangle of South Pacific - this is the area with the most active volcanic activity within the (in)famous Ring of Fire. Islands are appearing and disappearing every year! As they say, seeing is believing, while in Tonga, Allen, the owner of a small and lovely resort on Mounu Island, showed us a photo that he took two years ago of a small island. Island was created on the Metis Shoal, some 50 miles SW of Vava'U Group. He was there and had a chance to take a photo of the 'new-no-name' island while it was still 'hot' and all in steam and smoke and practically created in front of his camera. Few days latter the island disappeared into the depth of the deep blue ocean! We would certainly like not to have the opportunity to take similar photos during our crossing from Tonga to Fiji - and decided to keep on a safe distance from the Metis shoal and all other 30+ un-chartered reefs marked on our charts - chartering new islands is definitely not our favorite pass time!

Three days latter arrived safely to Fiji - luckily did not 'charter' any new reefs and sailing was a smooth as it can get. However, an interesting encounter should be mentioned here - although we have no proof but you should take our word for it. We were some 50 miles E of Suva, Fiji's capital, sailing slowly when suddenly noticed on the horizon many birds - usually indication of a tuna or dorado feeding frenzy - ideal opportunity for us to catch a fish on our trolling lines. So Ivo steered in that direction and soon we realised that this time we are not heading towards tuna feeding ground but towards something else. Ahead of us there was a big humpback whale! But why so many birds around the whale - they usually don't attract birds?! The mystery was soon revealed - the whale was giving birth and it was surrounded with a big-dark cloud from the broken placenta on which birds were feeding! Unfortunately we did not see the calf as Susan was afraid the whale might be irritable and attack us if we hang around for too long or too close - so we sailed off .. and missed one in a life time opportunity!!

In Fiji, Jagoda and Paul's partner Jan were due to join us for ten day holidays. We spent three days to clear the mess and tidy up all the cabins, heads, saloon - and after a lot of 'sweat, tears & beers' Fiu was as new - see attached photos. Conclusion - it is certainly beneficial to have VIP guests!!

Next day off we went to explore this little island ...

Next day sailed north to the famous Yasawa group of islands. Yasawa group is a semi-remote area not frequented by tourists. When visiting such areas it is a common practice to pay respect to a village chief, give him a present (usually kava, a mild and very common drug that is greatly enjoyed by mainly male population of the South Pacific Islands - we bought loads of this drug in Fiji - mind you, in this part of the world this is all legal stuff ) and his family/villagers (things like pencils, notebooks, batteries, T-shirts, etc. are highly appreciated). Once the permission was granted by a village chief we were allowed to roam around and talk/trade/barter with villagers. It was a very pleasant and unique experience to all of us - especially to our girls, Jagoda & Jan.

Few more photos from the famous Yasawa Group - curtsey of Colin, our cruising friend from Manu Tara who had more luck with the weather while cruising in this Island group.

After a week we sailed back to the Vuda Point marina, booked the haul out and the following few weeks spent on the dry dock in Vuda Point Marina. It was a good opportunity to put a new antifouling on Fiu which was already due and at the same time to change the oil, check rigging, polish the hull and fix dozens of small-little problems that were on To Do list for a while but never enough time to fix them.

During our stay in the marina made many new friends and spent many evenings in nearby resorts and yacht club chatting over a beer or dinner.

One weekend went sailing with Roquie on his Lagon 55 catamaran to the neighboring Beachcomber resort - it was a welcomed break for us. We spent a lovely day in a company of nearly 20 people whom Roquie invited for sailing.

Next - Vanuatu - sailing west to Tanna, Vanuatu

Next - Vanuatu - Sailing from Fiji to Vanuatu

Tanna in Vanuatu was a revelation to us: one of the few islands we've been to in the Pacific where the traditional lifestyle is adhered to. Family & community values, no plastic, no outboard engines, bartering rather than currency, villages spontaneously friendly and generous. We traded yeast, batteries & clothes for fruit and vegetables. Ivo spent a morning in school teaching physics.

Beach village at Port Resolution offering all the yachties a feast.

Next - GBR - Back to Australia and sailing north along the Great Barrier Reef all the way to Darwin