| Nuku'alofa is the Capitol of the Kingdom of
Tonga and Tongatapu Group is the southern most group of the Tongan Islands. This is the
starting point for most cruising boats for a 1200 mile passage to New Zealand. |
| Our sail from Nomuka to Tongatapu was made in company with GRAY
HAWK and AMALTHEA. The winds were strong from the East at the
start and we raced along at 7.5 knots in smooth seas. As the day progressed the winds
dropped as well as our speed and we ended up motoring the last 2 hours. One of the better
fishing days as well. We caught a dorado but as we brought it up to the boat it thrashed
with renewed vigour and tore itself off the hook. Then we managed to hook and land a
rainbow runner and a dogtooth tuna. Each was filleted immediately and placed in the
freezer compartment. |
| At Nuku'alofa we were helped moor in the small boat harbour by several friends
who took stern lines ashore as we anchored stern to the harbour behind the breakwater.
After a delicious pizza dinner at a local restaurant, we slept in a perfectly still boat. There
are several tourist sites to visit, the
royal palace, tombs and archeological sites and a bird sanctuary, which we did by taxi.
The rest of our time in Nuku'alofa was spent in getting visas for New Zealand,
provisioning and getting TETHYS ready for the passage to New
Zealand. Many of our friends are here waiting for a weather window and so there is
also a lot of socializing. We have been to more restaurants in the few weeks at Nuku'alofa
than at any other island group in the Pacific. |
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| The web site was finally updated and lots of email exchanged with
friends. Tonga has one internet provider at this time with another service just recently
licensed. We found a local technical school with very cheap access (T$3 per hour),
however, a week after our arrival, the school closed to move premises. The next best
access is at the Telecomm office, one terminal only, but fast access at T$8 per hour. |
| Waiting for a weather window, getting weather charts from the
Internet, weather faxes over HF radio
and long strategic discussions with friends took much of our time. All cruisers worry
about the passage between Tonga and New Zealand. Finally we left in company with several
others and spent 11 days at sea. |
