Tonga

Well Tonga is beautiful, such a shame we were delayed leaving NZ. Will definitely be back here. 

We checked it at the Ha'api Group but only had time for a few days there before doing an overnight sail up the Vava'u Group.

The ICA Rally had a pirate party at the Ha'api Beach Resort and the local school band and the Governor attended. I can only guess they were a little surprised at some of the antics of our fellow sailors, especially the scantily clothed wenches. The band were great and played lots of dancing music like La Bomba, Do you know the way to San Jose, some Beach Boys classics. as well as music for some traditional dancers.  It was lots of fun. 

We are in the Vava'u group and spent a night out on one of the eastern island anchorages, Kenutu. No villages there, it is used as a fishing outpost by the Tongans and has a lookout at the top of the hill which we clambered up to in the afternoon.  The lookout itself did not look very stable so we edged forward to the cliff top for a spectacular view of waves crashing on the reef below us and out to the south.   Sunset drinks at the beach on the sheltered side of the island and some fun running hermit crab races.

Although our time in Tonga has been all too brief we have experienced some spectacular anchorages, sampled some local culture and good times socialising with fellow rally boat crew.

The biggest banyan tree we've seen

Local transport with very friendly kids

One of the many churches in Vava'u

We have cleared Customs out of Tonga today and will be leaving for Fiji tomorrow morning Tuesday 20 June. The weather is looking like a fast lively 2 day trip and we should arrive in Fiji on Tursday into the Lau Group at Vanua Balavu.