From my FB -
Sailing to Vavau, the top islands of Tonga on a traditional double canoe(73FT) tomorrow - hope to make it in 4 days(Big winds - passage in 45 hours), then small plane to Nukolofa and Air NZ back to Samoa next Tuesday. Then I can tick off another Bucket List item. Bought a carton of M&M Peanuts for my crewmates - Samoans, French, Vanutu and Tongans and Aussie me.(It was actually 11 nationalities in 17 crew, also Japanese, Finish, South African, Canadian, French Polenisian, Tokalaeuan).
The other Va'a were from Fiji and NZ.
Hi to all, arrived in Vavau, Tonga yesterday after 2 days hard sailing up to 13kts in a twin canoe (Va'a). Bit seasick first night - slept on deck both nights and got a bit wet from waves, spray & rain - the va'a was an excellent thrilling ride. Vavau is the jewel of the pacific.
Flying home tomorrow ....
Got a twin Prop Convair, the fifties aircraft featured such luxuries as LEG room and six escape window hatches, carried their own stairs, ashtrays for the faint at heart, the luggage was behind the pilots who left the door open for that windscreen view, also good vibrations from those rotation props .....
The AirNZ back to Samoa was 1 1/2 hours late ...
EXCELLENT adventure with lots of tourist shopping and great friendships of the 70 odd involved on the Va'a and the support boats. Two great parties, one onboard and the other at the Tongan Beach Resort, Vavau. 9.2GB Video + Stills - Edit - edit - edit .....
Having fun in the South Pacific, back to water aerobics this morning followed by mud cake at Morning Tea - going flat out with life ...
