Telekitonga - Our Last Anchorage of the Season in the Haapai Group

On our last night in the Ha 'Apai group we anchored off Telekitonga.  The day we arrived the swell was coming from a rather unusual Southwest direction and the West side of the island had the most violent shore-breaking surf we have seen.

It's not typical to see such breaking waves on a beach.  Normally a barrier reef shelters the beach.

Whale Swim Bust!

We just picked up anchor and we're leaving Numoka Iki for a small island called Tokulu.  I doubt we will have internet for a while out there. The cell service here isn't so hot for uploading photos.

Rich on the look out for whales!

We hired Whale Discoveries to take us out for a whale swim.  Unfortunately none of the whales were interested in staying around with us.  It was an overcast day and we noticed that the whales weren't out playing when the sun isn't out.  I was happy that we did find whales at four different times.  I had my full wetsuit on the entire time and I was freezing.  The wind was blowing and without the sun to warm us up it was miserable.  

Nomuka and Nomuka 'Iki Islands

This is Nomuka and Nomuka Iki (little Nomuka). We anchored between the 2 islands.  There is another small island off the tip of Nomuka Iki with a cluster of manicured trees that resemble a large hut. That little island had an encircling reef that was a great place to snorkel.  Large breaking waves made it challenging on the windward side.  But fun!

We are anchored between the 2 islands.  This is looking at the East end of Nomuka Iki.

Aug 2018 - Kelefesia Island, Tonga

We spent the last 4 days at our first landfall in the Ha'apai group: a small island called Kelefesia. It is a beautiful place. It’s about what you would picture in your mind as a “lovely tropical island”. The water looked like glass in every shade of blue and turquoise. 

Shot before the sun came up.

Walking around the Capital City Nukalofa, Tongatapu

We had a few errands to run in town yesterday that had us walking all around the city of Nukalofa. My iron levels run too high and I needed to get blood drawn and sent to a lab.  Visiting a hospital earlier this week we were told to visit a local physician who accepts walk-ins in a clinic. 

Local school

Tongatapu - Big Mama's Yacht Club

The kingdom of Tonga has 4 main island groups.  We are in the southern-most group: Tongatapu.  Specifically, we are at Nuku’alofa the capital of Tonga.  Tonga has approx. 174 islands and this group has 30-46 islands.  The royal palace is located here as well.  Most of the population is Polynesian.

Rachel our local friend and taxi driver.  She was a lot of fun!

We have arrived in Tonga!

We cleared into Tonga yesterday which marks the end of our first major passage with just the two of us. We left New Zealand on June 23rd and sailed for 6 days to North Minerva Reef. We stayed at Minerva Reef for 3 weeks and then sailed 2 more days to get to the island of Tongatapu which is the capital of Tonga.

Bye NZ!  Whangarei heads as we sail past.

July 2018 - Gorgeous Beaches in Tonga

We arrived to Tonga in early July 2018.  Our plan was to spend some of the sailing season in Tonga and then sail over to Fiji for the remainder of our time.  However, we enjoyed Tonga so much that we spent the entire season there with the whales and the many uninhabited islands.

North Minerva Reef

We cleared into Tonga yesterday which marks the end of our first major passage with just the two of us. We left New Zealand on June 23^rd and sailed for 6 days to North Minerva Reef.   We stayed at Minerva Reef for 3 weeks and then sailed 2 more days to get to the island of Tongatapu which is the capital of Tonga.

Aka is the boat anchored on the left.

Sailing away from New Zealand heading to Tonga - 2018

June 23, 2018

These photos go back to the very beginning of our sail. They are as we left Marsden Cove Marina where we checked out of New Zealand. We sailed out right into the beautiful headlands. I’ve posted photos of this area before so you will likely recognize the landscape. Our first day out the wind was low and we motored all day. The seas were so calm that I was able to do an oil painting on canvas without too much trouble. Good thing I did it right away because the next few days the seas were big and we were sailing. There was no way I could have a steady hand. Though it may have made an interesting abstract with lines jumping all over the canvas! We were very fortunate with the weather for our entire sail to North Minerva Reef. There were 3-4 days of decent sized seas (but nothing crazy) where we averaged about 8.5 knots and Rich was usually trying to slow the boat down by putting less sail out.

Sunrise as we left Marsden Cove marina.

New Zealand Poor Knights Islands June 2018

June 23, 2018

These photos of the Poor Knights Islands were taken at the beginning of our passage from New Zealand to Tonga. Rich altered our course just a bit so we would pass right by them just as the sun was setting. We arrived right at the lovely “golden hour” lighting. It was a pretty spectacular setting to say the least. A bit chilly but it is winter here in New Zealand.

The Poor Knights are about 10 miles off the coast near Whangarei. They have been a marine reserve for the last 40 years. Rich went diving there last year and it was cold but interesting. There was a lot of underwater vegetation resembling kelp. The Poor Knights Islands are the long chain you see in the distant photo. Viewed from the mainland they resemble a disabled knight in armor lying on his back.

View all our sailing photos visit https://michellemarshall.smugmug.com/

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A "day off" hike up Mt. Manaia

After 6 weeks of non-stop boat projects we had our first day off. We hiked up nearby Mount Manaia. It was a lovely clear day so I took the drone along to get some footage from the top.

Fall morning flight over Whangarei Town Basin

This is some drone footage from Whangarei Town Basin on a clear Fall morning. There are many boats here prepping and provisioning for the annual migration North to the tropics. 

You can see our friends on Mango Moon hoisting their new main sail as I fly up the river.  Last night the temperature dropped to 45 DegF. It's time to go!

Click here for the video

Going Back in the Water!

Pogeyan goes back in the water tomorrow morning after 14 months sitting on blocks here at Norsand Boatyard. I really like the way Norsand sets blocking to support catamarans.  They use big wooden cube blocks about 2 feet on a side.  At each support location they slipped softer material between the blocks and the hull.

The yard put her on the hydraulic lift Friday so they could apply bottom paint to the locations where she sat on the blocks. It rained and blew up quite a stink on Friday night - rocking the boat around on the lift. Not a lot of movement. Just different and unsettling.  We'll sleep better with her bobbing in the water again.

We put a serious dent in the boat projects. I've not worked with my hands this much in years. I am so totally wiped out at the end of each day!  I fell asleep at the galley table last week and woke up in the middle of the night. I'm loving it!

Next we head a few miles up the river to Town Basin where we'll finish pre-passage projects and get our new canvas. Then some shakedown trips and more prepping for the passage to the tropics.

I've got to say the view off the stern is about as good as it gets for a boatyard. I've been back here 3 weeks and I'm still caught off guard by the beauty of this place.

Probably the last photo with the yellow canvas

Going up on the trailer lift so bottom paint can be finished

The view off the back is pretty pleasant for a boat yard

You can see some of the old bottom paint

Our brand new folding props with a fresh coat of Prop Speed

They lift exactly where the manufacturer recommends.  I checked.

Heading back to the Real World

It's finally time to head back to Pogeyan.

We are checking off the last few items from our to-do list before we jump on a plane to Auckland.

Last visit to the storage unit.....check