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The
KINGDOM
of
TONGA
2003 |
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Vavau,Tonga - 10/14/2003-11/7/2003
We left Niue at 10:30am,Oct.14,2003. We were on a nice, close reach with winds North at 12 knots, a full jib and a double reefed main.
Grace was moving along at a beautiful 6 knots p/h.
We sailed for only 2 days with very favorable weather and arrived at the pass to Vavau the morning of the 16th. We crossed the dateline right before we hit Tonga so it was already the 17th there.
Although the weather had turned dark and drizzley with 25 knots of wind we sailed into the pass and rounded a few small islands to view the Neiafu anchorage with up to 100 sailing yachts anchored. We felt somehow like we were coming home although we had never been there.
We saw many old friends that we had met up in French Polynesia. We also recognized and eventually met many yachts whom we had talked to only by radio.
Neiafu is definitely the gathering place of all the yachts that had left the east many months prior, visited varying ports only to meet up again in this picturesque group of islands before heading down to New Zealand for the cyclone season.
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The land area of Tonga stretches over 718 sq km (280sq miles) with 171 islands. These islands are within 4 island groups- Tongatapu, Ha'apai, Vava'u and the Niuas group. Tonga is a monarchy based on the British parlimentary system. With the King being the head of government, he appoints the prime minister and the cabinet. The islands do not have diverse climate conditions but the northern groups of Vava'u and The Niuas are noticeably warmer than the Southern groups of Tongatapu and Ha'apai.
The first European contact was in the 1600s by 2 Dutchmen, Jacob Lemaire and Able Tasman and it was a century lanter that Englishman Captain Samuel Wallis arrived followed by Captain James Cook who dubbed Tonga the "Friendly Islands". |
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visiting with friends, Peter & Linda on board their yacht, Neva
click photo to enlarge |
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Neiafu Market
Fruits, Veggies& loads of local Art & Basket Weaving
click photo to enlarge |
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buying fruit,shells & tapa cloth from local woman
click photo to enlarge |
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We spent a lot of time up at the Vava'u Yacht Club, a.k.a. The Mermaid Bar & Restaurant. This was the hang out for most of the yachties in the Neiafu anchorage. It was run by a terrific couple, John and Holly from England and New Zealand. There was many a night spent there, often into the wee hours of the morning. It just so happened that the Whale Watching trip that our friend Cat from Kona was working with was also run by the same couple and we had loads of fun catching up with her and learning even more about the area via Cat Sweeney. |
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Here we are at "The Mermaid with one of the partners and Cat Sweeney from Kona
click photo to enlarge |
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Because we stayed so long in French Polynesia and longer than expected in both Rarotonga and Niue, we didn't have the time in Tonga that we wanted. We visited only a few small islands in the Vavau group and spent most of our time catching up with old friends. We didn't even take many pictures. We were often finding ourselves on shore without the camera. Our plan is to return to Tonga in the next cruising season starting May of 2004. Then we will have a chance to update the website with more stories and pictures from this exceptional Kingdom in the South Pacific.
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click here for Tonga 2004 |
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click here to return to home page |
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