Today was a good day. We were anchored in Neiafu this morning and went to town for emailing at a hot spot restaurant which also sent off our advanced arrival notice to New Zealand. About 1100 hours we released the line attached to the mooring ball and drifted astern. Out went the genoa and off we were. We sailed for 90 minutes to the anchorage, no motor, dropped the hook, snagged a coral head which abruptly jerked us 90 degrees and set us firmly in place. We decided there was too much fetch and wind so we tried to haul in the anchor and head for a more northerly anchorage with less fetch. Well the anchor wasn't going anywhere!!. We pulled to port then starboard then ahead with force and nothing happened. I dove on the anchor but it was too deep and the water was murky. We decided to use the hookah to dive on it. A hookah is an onboard compressor providing fresh air through a 50' hose to a mouth piece. Nona drove the boat forward to locate it above the anchor. It was only 28' down and lodged under a coral head. I was able to shake the chain back and forth to back it out from under the coral head. Nona pushed the up button on the windlass and we were clear. That was the highlight of my day, but dinner was a close second. We motored to another anchorage in the lee of land which was more protected from wind and waves. Nona prepared chicken and dumplings in a pressure cooker for dinner with fresh beans from the market and dressing. It was a great meal. She is a great cook!. I was going to dive for lobster tonight but I am too full from dinner. Tomorrow we snorkel.
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
tonga
Our next port of call in the kingdom of Tonga:We arrived in Neiafu,Vava'u, with Oda,the name of our Norwegian friends boat,
on 9/9/13 and of the same day were invited to a shady character's feast at his house along with 10 other sailors. Most of them were off a square rigger which sailed around the world. The 1st mate was a german fellow who sat next to me. His name is Ioafa and every morning he would row his small wooden boat through the anchorage selling bread and lobster. He was a good sized Tonga, being fit from rowing and riding his bicycle. He was about 70 years old and weathered. We followed him through town and into the residential area passing pigs, dogs, smiling and waving children and adults to his house made of plywood and corrugated metal roofing. We all took off our shoes and sat around a woven mat on the floor covered with various plates of Tongan food: More lobster than we could eat, breadfruit, chicken, pork, fish, taro,cocoanut juice and koolaid. Then Ioafa would break out in song! He sang several songs in the Tongan language. Then he served his home made beer which was horrible. He tried to sell the yeast packages to us but no takers. As Tongan feasts go it was OK but we went to another later on Lape island which was outstanding. It included a roasted weiner pig.
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on 9/9/13 and of the same day were invited to a shady character's feast at his house along with 10 other sailors. Most of them were off a square rigger which sailed around the world. The 1st mate was a german fellow who sat next to me. His name is Ioafa and every morning he would row his small wooden boat through the anchorage selling bread and lobster. He was a good sized Tonga, being fit from rowing and riding his bicycle. He was about 70 years old and weathered. We followed him through town and into the residential area passing pigs, dogs, smiling and waving children and adults to his house made of plywood and corrugated metal roofing. We all took off our shoes and sat around a woven mat on the floor covered with various plates of Tongan food: More lobster than we could eat, breadfruit, chicken, pork, fish, taro,cocoanut juice and koolaid. Then Ioafa would break out in song! He sang several songs in the Tongan language. Then he served his home made beer which was horrible. He tried to sell the yeast packages to us but no takers. As Tongan feasts go it was OK but we went to another later on Lape island which was outstanding. It included a roasted weiner pig.
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radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com
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