Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga

Carol with "Primrose" purchasing hand made baskets at the market

Free range pigs! (not Carol of course)

School uniforms - long skirts for boys! Green for Mormons, blue for Methodist school

MAGGIE and other boats moored at Neiafu

Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga

June 27 2015

Tonga is composed of some 170 islands. Vava'u is a group of about 50 islands near the north of the chain. These numbers are approximate as islands come and go with volcanic and seismic activity. The "Tongan Trench" along the islands is a major plate boundary so this is an active zone. There has been an earthquake this week but we didn't feel it on the water. That makes for some interesting island shapes. The major island here, Vava'u, has steep sides and a flat top.

This is the only country in the South Pacific that is a monarchy although the government also has some elected officials. There is a coronation of the new king the first week in July with a week of festivities in the southern capital. It will be quite the affair with hundreds of pigs slaughtered and tapas cloth laid out. A priest comes from England as no Tongan is allowed to touch the king. The Tongans have kept all their land locally owned. If you move here or start a business you lease the land.

The Wesleyan Church and the Mormons are the 2 largest religious groups but most people attend church, take their faith seriously and are quite conservative in dress. Churches run the schools. The uniform dresses cover knees and shoulders. The boys wear an ankle length skirt. We plan on getting to a service this Sunday. The singing is supposed to be great. We have heard some in the evenings over the water. The Mormons insist on English in their churches but think we will be more comfortable in the Wesleyan one.

Tonga is sometimes referred to as the "friendly islands". The people so far have lived up to that reputation with their smiles and welcoming words. There was a school reunion at the hotel when we were going by Wed. We were enjoying the music and were invited to join in the lunch. There were 4 small fish and 4 types of seafood in each lunch. We have had laundry done, haircuts, market, restaurants. There is a dvd store with all $1current  movies. One of the 3 we bought worked. Other than errands we have gone for a few long walks exploring. Can't believe the number of pigs wandering about. We went by a vanilla operation yesterday and got a brief tour of the process.

This week has been the type of experience that we enjoy the most about cruising. It is a chance to experience life in a new place, in a secure spot in a sheltered anchorage. This is the furthest south we have been (18 36S) and you can tell it is winter. There is a strong HI coming off Australia. bringing up Antarctic air. But we are enjoying the break from heat and humidity. We have met a few Canadians sailors in the bar and enjoyed swapping info. One couple from outside Calgary have been coming here for 10 years so can share what they love about it. Next week we plan to get out to some of the other anchorages.

Arrival in Vava'u, Tonga

Entering islands of Vava'u - looks more like Lake of the Wood with Palm trees!

             (We've added some pictures to the last several blogs - those posted since leaving Bora Bora)

Arrival in Vava'u, Tonga

Crossing the International Dateline

Tues. June 22, 2015

We arrived yesterday, Mon am, having completely missed Father's Day by crossing the dateline from Sat night to Mon morning. The time of day is still the same as Niue,

-11 UTC. But here it is +13 UTC. It is 7 hours later in Toronto but a day earlier. Or more correctly it is 17 hours earlier. On the clock we are 6 hours earlier than Wpg, and 5 earlier than Calgary. I won't try Kuwait, Wittstocks.  Fiji and NZ are + 12. The dateline should be at 180 degrees but it is moved 800 km east to go around Tonga, and 3600 km around Kiribati. That is because these countries are affiliated with NZ and Fiji. But one of the smaller island groups had the boundary moved in 1999 so they could be the first to enter the new century!

The wind didn't die off much the last day of travel, about 25 kn. We shortened watches from 5 to 3 hours for the last few days. Enjoyed a long sleep last night. To check in here you need tie up at the customs dock. Close to approach I put the engine in neutral and then back to forward for a bit more momentum into the wind. The transmission cable didn't work to get the engine into forward. Fortunately Rob did a great job throwing a line to Kjell on the dock. Bow thruster and reverse both worked ok so no damage this time.

There is a mechanic here, Ian, who is from Vancouver. He was free to spend the afternoon with us doing repairs. The cable wasn't moving enough to engage first gear properly. He adjusted that and the throttle cable so that it is working even better than it had been previously. We feel very lucky that the problem happened when and where it did and that it was easily solved. We are now on a mooring ball and can enjoy the visit.

We are starting the stay with a relaxing morning of cleaning up and drinking 2 pots of coffee. The scenery is beautiful and the anchorage so well protected there are no waves. It reminds us of a Canadian scene with scattered islands and hills with trees, except they are palms. Last night we had a dinner out with No Regrets. Good food and much cheaper than Tahiti. This afternoon we need to get ashore for Tongan cash, food, alcohol, and doing laundry. I tried yesterday during repairs but found out that my debit card expired the end of May. Another challenge to tackle.

A Traumatic Ending to this Passage Also

 

No wind, calm seas - but trouble on the horizon!

A Traumatic Ending to this Passage Also

Well, as we expected, the weather has been deteriorating. After a frustrating 24 hours of almost no wind, it all hit with a vengeance Wed afternoon. By then we had a forecast of what to expect, somewhat. A high pressure system with its associated cold front has been moving east from Australia and then collided with the normal southeast trades and warmer weather. That has formed a trough of low pressure moving east followed by a "squash zone" of rapidly changing pressures. Translation: It is squally and windy and for a long time. As we saw the clouds approaching we went to reef the mainsail and the inhaul halyard broke! Now with the wind and rain starting Rob is out on deck with lots of loose sail trying to crank it in by hand. We have in boom furling so there was no good way to get it neatly rolled in. But there is a small baggy piece of it up which is doing the job fine.

We did heave to Wed night as we wanted to know if and how our boat does that. We never could get the boat stopped but "sailed " about 2 knots at right angles to the wind. The plan was to get some rest but found it difficult with winds mid 30's and high seas and rain. There is a bad south swell added from a gale in NZ. We were concerned that the bungee cords holding the steering wheel might break, and the frame holding the bimini t was shaking badly with the windage on it. It should have come down. Since then, it has continued to blow 20 to 39 kn. but not as much rain. The seas, of course, can't go down yet. Some of the waves break on the boat and things below crash around a lot. And the cockpit is very wet. One wave last night came down the companion way into the boat. We now have a board in place there which we forgot to do when the wind changed further back.

Yesterday we hand steered most of the time to take the waves better. We had up some staysail up also. We decided not to stop at Nuie as the anchorage would not be good in this weather. Also we would have had to beat more south to get there. So now we expect to be in Vavau in Tonga by Sun. We have taken in the staysail as we are travelling too fast and don't want to arrive in the night. The autopilot is at work now and only cuts out sometimes on a big wave. Seas are probably 12 to 15 ft but various directions.

The new air mass is quite different. The temp has dropped from 30 to 20 C and we are wearing foul weather gear. The pressure has gone up from 1007 to 1015. Things are more stable but it is still tiring. It will actually be Mon when we arrive in Tonga as we cross the date line on this trip. That turns out to be convenient as you can't check in on Sundays there. More on the date line next blog.

A Traumatic Beginning

 

Last visit to Anchorage Island before leaving Suwarrow

A Traumatic Beginning


We had been planning to leave for Nuie on Sat am. With the dinghy up, the lee berths set up, and everything stowed we went to start the engine. Well, it didn't start or even turn over. Rob spent all day working on it, changing filters, bleeding many times, bleeding all the injectors twice, and taking apart quite a few things. He had changed the fuel filters that week so expected air in the line was a likely problem. and probably was. By 3:30 we got it started and let it run for 30 min. Retried an hour later and all was still well. By then we decided to wait until Sun am to leave. Lesson learned: Don't do anything with your engine when you are in a place with no other boats and an anchorage you can't get out of under sail.

When it was time to raise anchor the chain was caught on a coral head but eventually got off. The pass was rougher than our entrance with wind against current. Sunday and Monday were good sails although the swells are high and from different directions. We found out which things were not properly secured, including the new batteries that are just a bit smaller than the previous ones.

Yesterday the skies, clouds and seas appeared different from normal. Some kind of system was moving in from the west although our winds were east. Looks like a frontal system which usually is further south than this. We checked out the grib files from SSB for a weather forecast and we are definitely in for a challenge. All of today and much of Wed there is little wind and from clocking directions. The swells are rising from 2 directions. We are managing to go about 3 knots south now as we don't want to motor that long. Then we will be hit by a squall line and high south winds for several days. The area is extensive so no sailing away from it to a different destination. We could have made it to Nuie if we had left Sat as planned. The anchorage there is not well protected except from the east so don't if it would work anyway. The plan is to head that way but continue on to Vavau in Tonga if we need to. We also plan to practise how to heave-to in this boat so we can use that technique when needed for a serious storm. You stall the boat 50 degrees off the wind and drift downwind. That creates a slick that breaks the seas on your beam.

For watches we are trying to stick to a daily schedule to see if that improves the sleep. Rob stays on watch until midnight, I do 12 to 5, and Rob is back on while I sleep in. He then needs an afternoon nap. Good so far. It is too bad we have no moon this week. That was a treat to have a full moon on the way to Swarrow.

Carol's Perfect Snorkeling Spot

SPCZ sqalls passing to our north

"Friendly"  black tipped sharks swimming around our boat.

Carol's Perfect Snorkeling Spot

We are still in Suwarrow. The weather has been gusty and squally all week but particularly Thurs and Fri over a broad area. So we decided to stay here until Sat am.

There is a wide coral reef all along the shore of the island. We took snorkelling gear in to the beach and went exploring from there. Lots of different kinds of fish everywhere. Where the reef ends and drops off into deeper water, it is especially beautiful. Of course the fish are larger also. Because the water is so shallow it is very warm, and no currents. You can also find places to stand up and be out of the water. You can see why I enjoyed it! We hoped to get back today with a camera, if it ever stops raining. We need to get in to check out, also. Out by the boat there are always black tipped sharks swimming by. They are supposed to be more curious than dangerous but haven't checked that out.

I have had a cooking morning doing bread, granola and cookies .We are out of fresh provisions except for Marquesan grapefruits that we got from Joyful. It should be another 4 or 5 days before stopping. We could go a week to Tonga, or stop at Samoa to the west or Nuie to the south to break up the trip. The weather looks better right now for going south to Nuie. I think we are sitting in the band of disturbed weather called the South Pacific Convergent Zone, SPCZ, that currently is running from the Solomons to the  Samoas, and northern Cooks.

The new dinghy has been working out well. It is smaller and lighter so is easier to get on deck for traveling and up the side for overnights at anchor.

We have had a chance to talk to all our kids this week by sat phone. It was fun to catch up. Dan may join us on the boat in Aug in Vanuatu. We watched a dvd last night that Luc made on those islands. Every area has more to offer than we would ever have time for.

Climate Change in the Cook Islands

Low lying islands around Suwarrow atoll

Climate Change in the Cook Islands

We were asking Harry, the Park Warden, what changes he has seen over the years on his job here. The weather is warmer and, for this area, wetter. This week's spell of squalls and high winds is unusual. . These low lying atolls notice even slight rises in sea level which causes flooding. The change that has affected them the most, however, is the disappearance of some species of fish that used to be a part of their regular diets.

Garbage is constantly washing up on the shores which is surprising as we passed no land and one boat in a week. Currently they are trying to eradicate rats that were brought in, and some invasive weeds. There are strict park rules for yachts leaving anything behind. Scientists from Raratonga come here to conduct research on numerous ocean topics.

I am currently reading Naomi Klein's book, "This Changed Everything". It is not so much on the science of climate change which most scientific communities agree on. Rather it discusses our responses and lack there of. It is not night time light reading but thought provoking, none the less.

Suwarrow

Warden's residence - sleeping quarters are upstairs

Tom Neale memorial on Anchorage Island

Suwarrow

Harry is one of the 2 wardens living on Anchorage Islet in Suwarrow. The other is his wife, Vaini. That is a good plan for them as they are the only residents and live here for 8 months of the year. All of their supplies for that time come with them by boat from their home in the capital, Raratonga. Boats are only allowed to visit between June 1 and Nov 1, out of the storm season. As well as doing an hour's worth of paper work to check in, we had a chance to learn more about the island from them.

The previous name that we have seen in some books, Savarov, was given to it by Russians who "discovered" it. Since independence it has been Suwarrow. Captain Cook claimed it for the British. Although the Cook Islands are named after him he only found 2 of them. Currently they are a protectorate of NZ. The residents have NZ citizenship and often go there for schooling or jobs. They are Maori by ancestry, as are the Polynesians and  Hawaians. Their navigation routes formed a large triangle from NZ, Tahiti, and Hawaii.

 The crew on Pacific Eagle are Australian and have traveled around the South Pacific, not always by boat. They think the Cook Islanders are the friendliest country, although the anchorages are poor. They are also known for great singing voices, especially in the churches. Chapter 2 and Tahawus are certainly finding a warm welcome at their current stop in Palmerston. Too bad we don't have time to stop more places.

Suwarrow was made famous by 2 hermits who lived alone on the atoll for many years. Robert Frisbee was here before WW2 and the Kiwi, Tom Neale, lived here most of the time from 1952 to his death in 1977. he wrote a book about his experiences called "An Island to Oneself". There are still some structures intact from that time. Harry and Vaini's home is open on the ground level for cooking and eating and visiting. The second floor is for sleeping.

The entire atoll has less than 100 acres of land scattered around the encircling reef. Much of that is awash in heavy seas. Near the pass is the small motu, Anchorage Islet, that we are anchored behind. It is .5 nm long and .1 nm wide and the only one people are allowed to land on. The others are protected for bird nesting and other wildlife and sea life as a national park. Birds are always flying overhead, and sharks swimming by. On land the ground is covered by crabs scurrying about.

Anchorage Island

Pleased to say that we are anchored off Anchorage Island in Suwarrow - only other boat in the anchorage is Pacific Eagle that anchored here four hours ahead of us (ok they left two days after us!) Haven't had a chance to meet them yet but will do so tomorrow. Customs, Immigration and Biothreat officer came out to our boat to clear us in, after radioing us anchoring instructions which were helpful. He told us there was a four knot current running out of the pass (we had caculated slack tide) however it was only two and one-half knots and not a problem. Disconcerting to see several black tipped sharks in the water every time we look overboard. Will have to get in the water and see how interested they are in us! Instructions here are to throw no garbage in the water as it will attrack more aggressive sharks. Fun! Winds were 18-22 knots for the past two days with frequent squalls day and night so we finally started to make good time after some slow days. Rhumb line to Suwarrow was 690 NM. We travelled 750 NM daily waypoint to daily waypoint, however suspect we covered even more distance as some days we traveled the two short sides of a right angled triangle. Good to be stopped after six days, and will enjoy what there is to see here before moving on - not sure where yet.

Sailing to Suwarrow

 

Only boat we saw in six days

One of our calmer sailing days

Sailing to Suwarrow

This passage has started out as our slowest to date. With light winds we sailed where we could which was northwest towards China. First day was squally with no wind in between, and the second day we even had winds from the west. Spent half the time motoring which we hate to do. Today is day 4 of what looks like a 7 day trip and we have good wind. The trouble with these downwind trips is you can't get the right wind angle to your target. At least we are getting a lot read about upcoming places. We also spend a lot of time sleeping to make up for the nights awake.

We have just heard that this is now an El Nino year, the strongest in 120 years. It doesn't usually start this late. One of the effects is lighter and more variable tradewinds. Another is drought in India which has already begun. The rain carrying southwest monsoon is late arriving. We will have to be careful to get regular weather updates.
Another thing we read on the news was one of the volcanos on Isabela Island in the Galapagos erupted on May 28, 30 years since the last one.

Our destination this trip is the tiny atoll of Suvarov (or Swarrow) in the Cook Islands. It is a National Park with only a warden living there and we had to write for permission to stop. It is one of the endangered islands of the South Pacific due to rising water levels so wanted to talk to the warden about that. We hope the conditions will be ok for getting through the pass and anchoring inside. There is a good swell and wind from the south coming from a winter storm in NZ this week. Apparently they are getting snow in the alpine areas there.

This afternoon we crossed the border from French Polynesia into the Cook Islands. It is still another 800 nm east to west before Samoa. We saw our first boat today, a freighter that passed within a mile of us. The BPO fleet is expected in Vavau, Tonga, June 18. We are all taking different routes there. Once a day we are sending our positions to Rally Control and also to Zeke on No Regrets. He is then emailing them with any comments back to us.