Shock whitebait!

Ordered whitebait thinking it would be Mediterranean deep fry - received small fish in an omelet! Oh well live and learn!

Convert to camper!

From 40ft catamaran to a 20ft camper albeit a deluxe camper with two beds, dining, kitchen, shower, toilet and mod cons. Weighs about three and half tons and drives like a large SUV. Challenging tortuous roads of the Coromandel keeps speeds around 30 mph!

Tongan language !!!!

There is lot of aircraft instructions in the Real Tonga flight from Vava'u to Tongatapu! Looks like a lot faka this and faka that! I think I'd better behave!

Anchorage #26

Flying out of Vava'u we climb over the eastern shore and pass over anchorage #26 and the island of Olo'ua where we spent Sunday listening to the village signing - started around 10am and was still going strong at 6:30pm, occasionally a gap for pealing bells.... and they started again at 5:30am Monday morning! Difficult to comprehend the devotion and complete village participation - we did not a soul at all anytime that day!

Trip itinerary update

Richmond to Atlanta to Los Angeles (8 hrs)
Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand (13 hrs)
Auckland to Tongatapu main island.... (2 hrs)
Overnight then Tongatapu to Vava'u (2 hrs)
Charter catamaran for 12 days
Fly Vava'u back to Tongatapu main island (1 hr)
Overnight in Nuku'
Tongatapu back to Auckland (2 hrs)
Pick up camper!

Bye Raymond

Leaving Moorings base on Vava'u today for Nuku'alofa on Tongatapu on the main island. Eleven days sailing in paradise with expert advice from native Tongan Raymond Siasau who manages the joint Moorings / Sunsail charter base in Neiafu. Raymond handles the outgoing and returning briefing while one of his six daughters serves us fried egg and hashbrowns breakfast at the waterside Mango Cafe.

Breakfast!

I had intended to fish during the trip, in fact I brought along a short rod, reel and lures. However I ended up feeding flatbread pieces to the fishes and gathered quite a frenzy!

Last charter anchorage #8

Last sunrise from the good ship Vahanoa which means the big wide open sea and sky out of sight of land in Tongan (I'm told). Taking her back into charter base mid-morning and boarding a Chinese two engine 18 seater puddle jumper whose airworthiness certificate is in some dispute with the New Zealand authorities! Well what to you expect it was a gift from China to the Tongan government! Update to follow on safe arrival in main island.

Meals galore

A continuous stream of dishes flows from the galley with all four cooks taking turns to conjure dishes from the fresh produce, spices and huge refrigerator. Jaz does an exotic Mexican breakfast dish of Chiliques with tortilla strips, cheese, green chili peppers, eggs, onions and garlic. You never know what will come next... fruity snacks appear periodically, fresh papaya, pineapple, coconuts, hands of native bananas, and water melons.

Vava'u Catholic Church

Tongans are deeply religious and honor Sunday as forever sacred in the Tongan Constitution. No sporting events, no work or trading, no noise, and contracts signed on Sunday are void! Centered in Neiafu the Catholic Church dominates the township. Santiago Sosefo KOE Tangata Ngaue adorns the main sanctuary door - the scoop classrooms surround to make a fenced compound invaded by uniformed school kids and dozens of small piglets awaiting their turn to be the keynote item in the Tongan suckling pig feast!

Anchorage #26

Tricky navigation to reach the eastern islands in Vava'u group required locating the Fanua Tapu pass, a dogleg channel through the reefs with two almost imperceptible buoys marking the channel. Finding a small white buoy amongst Force 4 whitecaps was almost impossible but Jaz's sharp eyes spotted the first starboard black buoy and the overhead sunlight revealed the channel amongst the coral heads and the sand bars and slow ahead on both diesels got us through the reef separating east and west sides of the Vava'u islands. First stop anchorage #25 for a quick dinghy run to Nieafu to pick up alcohol and other basic supplies, then on to #26 (my favorite number) at Olo'us island for a peaceful night in 30 meters of water off the village beach.

Everyone cooks....

Controlled chaos in the galley... rolling out flatbreads and grilling them on the barbecue is a daily delight. Supplies mostly come from New Zealand approx 1500 miles south of here so creative use of local supplies helps. There is only one town / harbour Neiafu on the archipelago so running out if anything requires return to port. Mid charter we refilled our water tanks, replenished fruit, veg and dairy.

Robertson & Caine 3900

Built in Cape Town, South Africa and delivered to Tonga three years ago - what a ride that must have been! Standard sail plan with curling genoa and lazy jacks for the main. Powered by two Yanmar diesels and Northern Lights diesel generator she has the full Raymarine electronics package, GPS, chart plotter and auto-pilot. Every anchorage we have been overnighting in we laud out the full 60 meters (200 ft) of chain and anchor which I conservatively estimate to be near a 1/4 ton of iron we are moored to so we sleep sell despite gusting and varying wind directions.

Wednesday anchorage #11

Refilled water tanks in Neiafu and sent Ben and Jaz to shop market for fresh produce. Stopped by the Chinese Fortune store and made a pile of provisions that were promptly delivered dockside and loaded to Vahanoa. Motored through light rain mostly on autopilot around Kapa island and dropped 60 meters of chain off Tapana Island. Dinghy over to The Ark Gallery where Sheri the artist earns a living as well as leasing moorings to ocean crossing sailors who have semi-abandoned their boat here in Vava'u. Ben prepping green mango pickle, Korean cucumber relish, flatbreads (we have a sourdough base on board continuously being fed and portions being baked on the barbecue) arugula salad, lightly fermented cole slaw, papaya, sweet potatoes with garlic and lastly chicken salad for the carnivores. Cocktails served at 17:00 local Wednesday which is midnight Tuesday in Virginia. The sun is always is setting somewhere!

Close Encounter of the Third Kind

Nothing quite like meeting a full size female humpback whale face to face, a few feet between us, having a pair of beady eyes quietly evaluate whether you are a suitable individual to trust her calf child to for a few minutes. Having passed the test she silently glides down in 50 fathoms of ocean until she is barely an outline and leaves her two month old baby to cavort and frolic amongst our bodies, gliding between us, thrusting itself out of the water and plunging back in to come from a different direction and thrill us with her antics. Ten minutes of laughter and thrills later mother emerges like a ghost from the depths to let baby know its time to move on. We have the distinct feeling we were borrowed to baby sit and entertain one of nature's most intriguing mammals. Mother and baby will head off the Antarctica as soon as she is strong enough to brave the long journey south. Photos thanks to my new GoPro Hero camera and Ben's steady nerves under pressure!

Yoga time !

Foredeck is plenty spacious on the 40ft catamaran to hold evening yoga lessons and practice!

Dubious guest in board!

Should we dump Jasmin over the stern? What's the translation?

Captain's Log Saturday October 11th

High winds that were part of a major cyclone have passed by and moderate winds are forecast switching from east, going through north overnight and westerly in the morning. Using WindGuru app to figure best protected anchorages under fluctuating conditions! Using a Tongan SIM card ($15 for 1GB) to stay online on an old iPhone 4.

Banana Man

Welcome to anchorage #16 located on the island of Vaka'eiteo in the western Vava'u group. Abandoned resort to explore and a coral garden to snorkel....

Rotisserie ?

Garden next to the Vava'u marina has just the tight size piggy to fit on my rotisserie at home! One day!!

Negotiating supplies

Ben and Jaz being vegetarians took charge of boat provisioning for the ten day charter negotiating in good humor with the Tongan Farmers Market! Don't worry we have carnivorous supplies already aboard!

Double rainbow

Wake up to a double rainbow near Pangaimotu island with Jaz taking an early morning swim - had to use Photosynth to get the whole rainbow in three shots. Vava'u is about as east as you can go and be on the new day side of the dateline. Technically we are at longitude 174 degrees west of Greenwich but the date line makes a determined detour in this part of the South Pacific to the east to include us on the left hand side of the dateline. Some countries like to be first at New Year... not last! Latitude is 18 degrees South.

Tongan sunset from #5 anchorage

Captain's log Friday, October 10th....

Gift from Japan

A long line tuna fishing boat was a well intentioned gift to the Kingdom of Tonga.... unfortunately it hit a reef on its delivery voyage and the cost of repair was beyond the Tongan budget so it sits and rusts!

Picking up our Moorings 3900 in Vava'u

After 5 flights and three extended layovers we finally arrive in the northern Tonga island of Vava'u where they kindly let us slip out of the main harbour a day ahead of the charter start time! Now at anchor at anchorage #5 for the night and bread dough has been initiated for morning flatbread. Ben & Jaz luggage lost in Japan finally arrives after 6 days via Bangkok, Auckland and Tonga.

Trawler selection process

This 43 ft Menorquin has a lot of space, twin diesels and adequate guest accommodation! I like the low aspect profile and heavy 40,000 lbs deep keel, high bow and aft fantail. Only a few of these in the US! Quite a process.....

Checking out Ranger 31

TrawlerFest Baltimore... part of the line up of trawlers we want to look at and evaluate. Very full specification in a 31' hull, full accommodation, integrated nav systems, bow and stern thrusters, trailerable, dual use of many features.... but a tight squeeze in moving around the boat and a lightweight at 10,000 lbs. Not sure I could live aboard for a month!

Rivahaven Yacht Club Kitchen

Newly remodeled after 18 months of fine craftsmanship and latest tech wizardry the RYC kitchen has been put to the test for several events!

Birthdays and Anniversaries...

Another birthday

Let no birthday go by without celebrating with oysters! At Meroir restaurant run by Rappahannock River Oysters - these are Old Salts from Chinoteague! Splendid!

Birthday cruise

Capt taking me for a Rivah cruise at speed!

Wine on the Water

Perfect party venue downriver - docked out Tritoon at the Minor Farm dock for an evening with Midnight Coal Company band with Rick Garrett on guitar and an excellent wine selection to enjoy!

River Day at SMS

Called back to duty for opening the 2014-15 year we embarked several tours and navigated the highlights of the local Rappahannock visiting the Caponka wreck, the old Tappahannock wharf, fishing gill nets, Downing bridge, and the river activity pontoon where girls took turns on jetski rides... getting over 100 girls multiple on the water experience in one day takes organization!

Love those bridges and tunnels...

Always seem to be choosing routes that take us over or under the water - here we are deep under Baltimore harbor on the I-895 Harbor Throughway....

Back again at St Viatour Bagel shop

One of the must stop spots north of the Canadian border - sesame bagels from a wood fired oven....

French Regiment de la Sarre Reenactors in Montreal

Finally the two day 18th century market comes to a close and the French regiment fires off its last wad... peace in the hood! As it turns out they were in Canada only a few years and after the defeat by the British the officers were all shipped back to France leaving the foot soldiers to marry their Canadian girlfriends and start a new life in Quebec...

Covered Bridges of New England….

Checking out covered bridges in New England!   I always thought it was to keep them clear of snow in the winter.... turns out the roofs are to stop rainwater from rotting the timbers and needing to completely replace the bridge every 10 years! This bridge is in Rexleigh - New York state.....  The bridge below is on the Vermont - New Hampshire border and crosses the Connecticut river.....

RYC Barman skills

Celebrating DE's forthcoming nuptials, Dale demonstrates shaken not stirred ! Rope lights and tiki torches add to the ambiance !

Summer highlight !

Nothing epitomizes summer on the Rivah like steamed blue crabs. Crabs come up river in runs or waves and some weeks the yields are negligible and then suddenly they arrive! Ten crabs does dinner for two and needs at least an hour of picking! Delish!

Visit to Onancock - by land

Weather precluded our cruise to Onancock this summer. Having booked two nights in a B&B we headed down to Hampton Roads and the Bay Bridge Tunnel to get to the Eastern Shore. Just as well... as our return was intercepted by a fast moving killer tornado....

New dock at RYC

Nothing like a new salt treated dock to brighten up the riverfront. RYC added another finger pier to allow access go Elektra on both sides for maintenance and boarding... total luxury.... now we need a nice 10-15 knot wind to go sailing!

Elektra back on rebuilt lift

Coast Guard Services Rappahannock River Buoys

Coast Guard cutter returns to Tappahannock with buoys #76 and #78 from Port Royal - buoys are being serviced as part of routine maintenance using Tappahannock as a temporary base port.