The sail from Niuatoputapu island to Neiafu in the Vava’u group is on. But there actually is a lot more wind than predicted. In Port Maurelle a sailor said this is due a local compression zone that is often present near Tonga. Other sailors reported 60 knots of wind on their short passage from Niue to Vava’au.
Tonga and Vava’au is famous for its Humback whale sightings. The whales arrive every year in July to mate and give birth, raise their young on mother milk before returning to Antarctica again in November, one of the the longest journeys mammals make yearly.
Neiafu looks a bit run down at first sight. It has been battered continuously by natural and man made disasters like earthquakes, vulcanic eruptions, tsunamies and Covid. The people we meet are very friendly and of good spirit while they are rebuilding their beautifull country.
It is time for us to leave Tonga and sail to Fiji. So back to Neiafu and tell customs we want to check out. They answer ‘you must bring your boat to the jetty". We asked them because we know already there is a wreck in front of the jetty that we must avoid when we come along side so it is a bit risky.
So we need to check out then find a safer place to stay than on these seemingly unreliable mooring buoys in the exposed Neiafu anchorage.
That was hectic but disaster avoided thanks to the warning and the help of a fisherman. When checking out the first question was “where is your boat?” so I pointed at it. Had to fill out a couple of forms all very relaxed.
