1Euro = 1,85 NDZ
This morning I took a bus (bus ticket: 4 NDZ) to the waterfall and then I took a walk in the forest and later on the beach where I started to snorkel. The water reminded me to an aquarium :))
Lunch: baguette.
The afternoon spent on the Internet (2.2 Hrs. Cost 4 NCZ). Finally I found a place where it was possible to use the “pendrive”. Uploaded the log and the pictures. Next I looked in the Harbor Master’s office and told them that I have no electricity yet and I am still waiting for the Health Official.
A fishing boat came in today and I started to talk with the guys. They were Fijian fisherman.
Finally around
Supper: biopont with smoked sprotni.
I planned the next
stage with the new scanned maps (INT606, INT605) or with the MaxSea. I also
added some more data that I read in the Pacific Crossing Guide about
In the evening I talked with about 10 locals like fishermen, an older lady and a younger man... A 66 year old man invited me to stay with him. He wanted me to stop sailing on... I could spend the hurricane season right here too, he said. He was very kind, but I told him that I have to move on : ))
In the evening I visited Bobby and Peter's boat. That one is a huge 46 feet long sailing boat:) Later I looked at movies and drank coffee with the fishermen.
Here is a link: www.facebook.com
Afternoon:
I spent a lot of time talking to a local, who told me that a reporter might come out to talk to me, but I cannot wait any longer.
Bobby and Pete came over to say good-by, and later we went out to eat. The cheese burger cost 3 NDZ. It was happy hour. This was a festive farewell lunch. Then the guys insisted that I stay for the big Banana C party and postpone my departure until tomorrow.
Afternoon
Checked out the boat and after that I went out to do some last minute shopping. Again talked with some local people and tourists. (An other storytelling time.).
Around
Prices:
Baggett: 1.5 NDZ
Beer: (0.33l): 1.6-3 NDZ
A medium sized papaya – 1 NDZ
2 kg. onion – 4 NDZ
1 snake shaped cucumber – 1 NDZ
2 green peppers - 2.5 NDZ
Instant soups – 1 NDZ
Chocolate – 1.5-3 NDZ
Peanut butter– 3.5 NDZ
Chili sauce – 3.5 NDZ
Coconut - 2 pieces free
Pressure: 1019 -> 1017 mbar
Temp. 29
deg C. Mild wind (Bf 2-3) E- NE.
I start the engine at 07. The sun is shining. I ran the engine for 1 hour and after that set the sail. ----Breakfast: scrambled eggs with onion and baguette.
Unfortunately I could not find the needed part for the autopilot so I used a screw instead and taped it with insulating tape to hold it together.
I aim to get
to
Lunch: Chinese instant soup (2 pcs.), canned beef, onion and baguette. Nasi: canned guavas and chocolate. I slept an hour in the afternoon.
The waves are big and because of that the autopilot has some difficulty keeping the preset direction. The battery charging is inadequate. The wind is weak to operate the wind generator and the solar panel does not develop enough current for the autopilot. To steer the boat becomes a nearly constant job.
Supper: spaghetti
POS(21-09S; 160-47W). I am from 808 nautical miles from target.
I completed 54 nautical miles since I started.
Peter (VK2VZ) 5-8
The batteries are getting weaker and weaker. No wind and the sunshine are kind of intermittent today.
The wind slackened quite a bit. It became a quiet night and I can sleep now.
Pressure: 1019 mbar
Temp.: 25 deg. C in the morning and by 10 it has risen to 33 deg. C
I woke at 5 and spent the whole morning steering. I found a flying fish on deck, but it was too small for breakfast.
Wind: Bf 1-2 and easterly.
Speed: 2-3 knots – 270 deg. sometimes it is only 1-2 knots.
I sailed 88 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.
The sun remains very strong the whole morning.
Breakfast: Yesterday’s supper plus 1 papaya and 1 chocolate.
Last night I was hallucinating and again this morning. (Sometimes it happens but I rarely write about it). It happens mostly when I’m tired.
I’m listening to music (mp3) while steering.
The course is 270 deg. the jib is tied down and the boom is tied forward.
Wind: Bf 1; speed is 2 knots.
Lunch: instant chicken soup with coconut (1 DNZ :-)
Afternoon: I do not know why but I am tense the whole day. I hope everything is O.K at home.
Then I listen to music and rest.
Supper: scrambled eggs with beef, then coconut milk and porridge.
I start to read the bible and that calms me.
Position: (21-04S;162-07W)
I talked to Peter (BK2VZ). The signal strength was 0.
Somebody on 14285 KHz. was talking Spanish and had a very strong signal; sometimes I could hardly hear Peter.
Tibor, HA5APK, sends his greetings, and I am too, but the
distance from
The target is still 733 nautical miles away.
In the last 24 hours I sailed 75 nautical miles.
Evening: speed is 1-2 knots to 270 deg.
Steering till 3 in the morning. The night was quiet and I was listening to music.
Target: 700 nautical miles.
(Distance traveled in the last 24 hours: 74 nautical miles
1016 mbar
Temp.: 28 deg. C
Mild easterly wind, (Bf1)
Breakfast: liver pâté on baguette with onion and cucumber and added 1 papaya. From now on I stuff myself with vitamins too.
Morning: I read my Bible and rest. In order to sleep I
need cooler temperatures. (At
Lunch: Chinese instant soup (it’s crazy hot), then coconut rice with beef and finally onion/ cucumber plus peanut butter.
Afternoon: The wind stopped. Bf 0-1 from NE.
I run the engine for 1 hour in order to charge the battery. I cannot run the engine longer, because I have only 50 liters of gas left. I am waiting for the wind. The cabin temperature is 40 deg. C.
Supper: leftover from lunch.
I spent the whole day fishing, but did not catch any.
POS (21-02S; 163-07W)
I have 677 nautical miles to go.
I could just copy Peter (VK2VZ), but he hardly heard me
The whole night was without wind. It was raining. At dawn Bf 3-4 from SE.
.
I have 648 nautical miles to go.
I traveled 52 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.
1017 mbar
27 deg C.
Morning: The wind is from the East. Bf 4-5. This means I steer for the next 8 hours.
Breakfast and lunch is yesterday’s leftover with curry.
It’s cloudy out there so the solar panels don’t charge much, only the wind generator puts out some current but not enough.
The waves constantly slam the cockpit. They come from every which way.
Since I started I have not seen any birds, which is strange. However flying fish are in abundance.
Afternoon:
1017 mbar
25 deg. C
At 1600 I reef in the main sail (2/3). The wind is a stable Bf 5-6. If I don’t do this then the boat is very difficult to handle.
The compass light does not light up so I started to repair it. The cable connectors started to rust so I cleaned them. Now, sometimes they make good connections.
- Reading the Bible.
- I sew my pants
- Then I started eating a little chocolate, a little canned pear and opened a can of peanut butter. While I was doing all this I broke my diving knife, but I have a spare so it’s not a big deal.
As usual on 14.285 Mhz. somebody was shouting in Spanish and so I had some problem copying Peter.
Peter was 5-7 and he gave me a 5-5.
On 14.290 Mhz. I heard Hungarians speaking. Feri from
POS (21-03S; 164-48W)
I have 583 nautical miles to go.
Probable weather: 20 knots wind from the east.
From tomorrow on the radio time will start at
Speed: 4-5 knots to 270 deg.
The night was calm and the wind quieted down.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs, baguette (onion, cucumber, curry)
I have 539 nautical miles to go.
In the past 24 hours I traveled 109 nautical miles and for this section this is a record.
Morning:
I am sailing with full sail making 4-5 knots. Direction 270 deg.
I am steering till
The wind weakens to Bf4. The wind generator does not charge at all and the solar panel only a little.
Lunch: tuna with spaghetti and coconut plus chocolate.
Afternoon: Map check (INT 606). The “terrain” looks clear
to
1 Breakers
2 Beverage Reef
3 Harans Reef
4 Albert Meyer Reef
POS (21-11S; 166-11W); that means that I rounded the Globe half way. (Koper: 13-43 E) Half way!.
So far I was getting farther and farther away from Koper, but from now on I am getting closer.
So extra rum to Carina, to the Ocean and even the Captain is getting a little :-)
Afternoon: Rest, reading and steering.
POS (21-13S; 166-40W)
Peter 5-5
Feri (HA3MQ, from
The band was noisy and also because of a few interfering stations they could not hear me at all towards the end. I could not even say goodbye.
Supper after
At 24:00 I took the jib down; the wind is getting stronger.
I am 438 nautical miles from my destination and in the last 24 hours I sailed 102 nautical miles in good direction and this is not half bad.
1018 mbar
Temperature: 28 deg. C.
Morning: I spend 5 hours steering.
The sun is shining and that means the solar panel is charging the battery. (In the future I should have more batteries here.)
Speed 3-4 knots. Direction 300.
My frame of mind is not the best. I was not sleeping well. The waves constantly tossed the boat back and forth. It’s hard to get used to it.
Breakfast: Japanese instant soup (vegetable), peanut butter, coconut (the leftover stays for days even after it has been opened.) I also ate the last papaya.
Lunch: Tuna with hot spaghetti with onion.
Afternoon: It rains constantly.
Wind: max Bf 5, but variable.
Sail complement:
It is raining in the evening and of course everything is wet.
Today I did not turn on the radio – I overslept. The alarm
did not wake me. I woke up at
I had bad dreams during the night.
1014 mbar
29 deg C
Distance: 363 nautical miles.
In the last 24 hours I sailed 75 nautical miles.
Wind: Bf. 5-6 and northerly.
I am sailing in quarter wind to 270 deg. Speed 1-2 knots. (The big waves constantly blocking)
Sail complement:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with tuna pieces plus onion and paprika. I finish up the chocolate and the canned pear.
Sunshine. Both the solar panel and the wind generator are charging. The battery is ok.
I take off the main sail. The mast starts to bend. In 30 minutes and on the right side the first small side stiffener breaks. (This one was repaired on Nuku Hiva.)
With ropes I make quick repairs.
This way the original side stiffeners’ role was taken over by the rope.
The GPS gave the wrong coordinates so I switched it off, then on again. Now it’s good.
Lunch: instant Chinese soup with baguette (my last baguette.)
Afternoon: It’s raining and the wind is variable, but mainly westerly. Bf. 0-1.
15:00. I start the engine. There is no wind and this way the battery is being charged.
Speed: 3-4 knots from 270.
Supper: Makrela with rice, onion and chili sauce. Today again I could not catch any fish.
Peter 5/5
POS (21-30S; 169-14W)
Distance: 335 nautical miles.
Weather information: by October 30-31 the wind will be 25-28 knots from 110. So far it is 10-17 knots.
The wind stopped completely, but the rain intensified. Visibility is zero. Just keeps raining for hours with no wind.
At dawn (
Today it’s full moon.
Distance to travel: 333 nautical miles, and I finished 30 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.
Breakfast: Rice with milk, jam and honey.
Morning hours: Weak wind; Bf. 2, speed 2-3 knots to 270.
Sometimes the direction is 300 or 240 or 270.
Tidying up the cabin.
My bugs ate the last coconut (the inside naturally.)
Lunch: instant vegetable soup.
Afternoon: The sun is shining and a gentle wind blows and my speed is 2 knots.
Sunset was around
Peter (AUS),
5/9
Joska (AUS) was weaker.
I also heard Arpi (USA).
Ferenc, HA3MQ (
Tibi, HA5APK can’t hear me, but HA5CAR, Karesz hears me and I hear him too but can’t understand him. Tomorrow and the day after it is radio contest time so the reception will be more difficult.
POS (21-15S; 170-07W)
Distance is 285 nautical miles.
I sailed 40 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.
I steer until
At
The rudder’s upper holding nut often gets loose and I constantly have to check it, and tighten it. I tried to glue it in place and it held.
Distance: 252 nautical miles
I traveled 80 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.
1012 mbar
28 deg. C
Wind is from the East. Bf 5-6
It is raining and the visibility is poor.
The larger waves splash into the cockpit from the rear. (The cabin, of course is locked.)
Breakfast is cereal with milk and vegetable soup.
Everything is wet including the sleeping bag, the covers and the bed.
The wind sometimes becomes less violent and sometimes starts up again. I have to keep watch constantly and I constantly steer.
Lunch: scrambled egg, biscuit, onion, omelet, (I put some flour in it too). I use up my last green pepper.
The rain stops in the afternoon. Later starts to drizzle. I am doing 3 knots with full sail.
Wind: Bf 3
I start fishing but no luck.
I check the boat every day. Sometime 1 or 2 screw gets loose. For example today the jib’s hoisting mechanism wore out completely so I had to improvise.
Evening:
Speed: 2-3 knots to 270.
The battery has less and less charge. The sun was not too strong today and the wind was weak too.
POS (21-07S; 171-23W)
The distance is 213 nautical miles.
Weather information: Until the end of the month the wind will be weak then it will be getting stronger.
Dawn: At
1011 mbar
26 deg. C.
Distance to travel: 196 nautical miles.
I sailed 56 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.
Wind: Bf. 3
Speed: 2-3 knots to 270.
Breakfast: cereal.
Rout check: I am rounding
Sunshine and calm wind. Bf 1-2 knots. Speed is only 2 knots to 270.
A list of canned goods:
1 pcs of cabbage.
1 - bean goulash
1 – pork stew
2 – ground meat
5 – meatballs with tomato sauce
15 – liver pâté
8 - Coconuts
5 – large cans of fish
10 – Small cans of fish
2 – cans of pea (1/2 kilo)
1 – carrot (1/2 kilo)
Expiration date: 2008-2010, so there is plenty of time left.
Lunch: Cuscus, sardines and onion.
(Try to fish, but I can’t catch anything.)
Speed: 1-2 knots to 270. It’s a slow going.
I found a lot of water in the middle section. I do not understand how it got there, because it was not raining that much.
To relax I start to read Leon Uris’ Topaz.
In the afternoon:
I check the fuel: 18 liters in the main tank and 10 liters in the secondary tank. I will need the engine in the last 15 nautical miles because the entrance is pretty narrow. I also check the engine; (the last two spark plugs became quite sooty (see the picture gallery.) I don’t understand why?
I found some water in the rear cabin too. I did not close it up properly for a couple of days. My main problem is the rudder’s hold down nut and its washer. Both of them are moving constantly and that’s a no-no. I keep tightening them and applied same glue and I keep checking those parts daily.
Peter was 5/9
Possible weather: 13 to 21 knots wind, which can increase 23 knots.
Peter and Karesz (HA5CAR) keep talking on the radio, but I don’t hear Karesz.
POS (21-10S; 172-20W)
Distance: 148 nautical miles
The battery is weak so I keep the airtime short.
In the evening the wind keeps getting stronger. Next to me are the rain-laden clouds and the very ugly clouds. The waves are getting higher too. So again a difficult night is expected.
The night wind gets to be a Bf 6. I reef in the main sail and keep steering.
This day was lost due to crossing the date line.
Lucky me! This is not my birthday :))
I did not sleep well. The boat needed my constant attention.
Distance: 104 nautical miles.
I sailed 84 nautical miles in the last 24 hours
1019 mbar
Temp: 26 degree C.
Breakfast: cereal
When I was airing the cabin a big wave slammed into it.
I had to look after the anchor all the time, because it is not secured properly. The hold down metal fitting has been broken.
Steering all morning.
At
1020 mbar.
Temp. 28 deg. C.
I spent the whole day in my wet waterproof suit. Huge waves keep tossing the boat non-stop and the wind is a steady Bf 6 from 120.
Course: 260
Speed: 4 knots.
The autopilot connector is not OK. It needs repair, but cannot be done. Everything is full of water, however with the help of some glue and silicone I make do.
The whole day is cloudy and the sun appears only
occasionally. Between
Lunch: meat, biscuit and onion.
In the afternoon I keep steering. The wind is strong (Bf 6) so the waves occasionally slam into the boat from all sides.
To protect the auto pilot I use silicon grease. At certain critical points I use it in quantity to waterproof it.
Supper: green peas, meat and onion.
19:00: I completely take off the main sail and leave only the storm jib up. The wind has strengthened.
20:00 turned on the radio (06 UTC)
14.287 MHz USB
POS (21-14S; 174-06W) Distance from destination: 50.3 nautical miles.
Peter does not hear me; his noise level is 9, but I hear him fine.
Although Joska hears me somewhat and tries to relay but even he could not understand my position report.
Speed: 3 knots.
Course: 300 deg.
Around 2 in the morning a great noise woke me up. One of the hold down ropes of the wind generator broke and its acid resistant supporting post swung back and forth in the wind. I quickly went outside and tied it down with another rope.
The support plate of the wind generator’s pole broke in a number of places and because of that water seeped into the cabin.
I drifted too much in a northerly direction so I changed course.
10-30-2007 (day 401)
7:00: POS (21-01S; 174-35W). I am 23,4 nautical miles away from my destination.
Breakfast: Crackers and coffee
The wind is a possible constant 6 Bf; I say possible because I cannot measure it. The measuring instrument is broken.
I had only the storm jib up all night and even with that Carina was flying. She is unbelievably unstable in a leading wind that means that the course has to be compensated 20 degrees. If that is done than the autopilot can keep the set course – maybe. When this condition occurs I set it to a 5, in calmer winds this adjustment can be only 2-3. This means less correction and less consumption of electrical current.
Morning Hours: The wind weakens so I adjust the main sail first to 1/3rd then 2/3rd, and finally I try the normal jib, but this becomes too much. It gives too much stress to the boat and to the mast. So at the end I wound up with no jib and only with a 2/3rd main sail. A 1/3rd main sail covers only 1/9th of the sale’s total area and because the height is 1/3rd that is the reason that I call it 2/3rd main sail; in reality though the total area is 4/9th … .
The capital city is Nuku’Alofa, Togatopu is the island; Tonga Kingdom (Friendly Islands)
I chose the Piha Passage and rounded the Eaiki Island from the North then kept a 26-06.5 S course.
I sailed next to Mono Afe (direction about 270), then up close to Makaha’a (course 342).
Before I got here I looked up this place in the MaxSea and in the Pacific Guide and in addition to that I have a map from this area (1385, 1962 edition last updated in 1992). The place is full of reefs and the entrance is very narrow (even its name is a reminder: Narrow). I put my fate in the buoys but they did not put them out!! Naturally I missed the entrance and only the GPS reminded me that I passed it. But I could not find anything there!!
“Easy does it” I said to myself. (This is a key fraise with me)… The engine was already running and this helped me to go back slowly against the wind, without the buoys, looking intensely at the water and following a dark green path. This is how I got through the narrow pass. After that it was easy to find the harbor:)
At 17:00 I put into port. The fishermen let me anchor next to them and right away we started to make friends:))
Friendly Islands: here everybody is smiling and says hello.
The rate of exchange: 1 USD - 1,86 pa'anga (100 semiti – 1 pa'anga)
Tonga consists of 3 parts:
Vava'u Group
Ha'apai Group
Tongatapu Group (That is where I am.)
Supper: Chinese food (pork, greens and rice) – 6 pa’anga.
(The woman who was the chef and the waitress at the same time wanted to start something with me very much. She thought that I am a well healed tourist, but I hardly looked like one.)
My opinion:
I got on the Internet and sent messages that I have arrived.
Cold beer: 3 pa’angas and also bought Chinese instant soups:)
You find big smiling people everywhere. Captain James Cook sailed around here in1773 and 1777 and named these islands Friendly Islands.
10-31-2007 (day 402)
Happy birthday!!!!!!! "Ofá kiá koj!"
After 3 in the morning I could not sleep and there are many possibilities why not.
For example it could be because of my irregular sleeping rhythm and the calm water around me.
I started to work. I cleaned the spark plugs, checked and cleaned the autopilot’s connector and after that I cleaned the kitchen (never ending job).
I left the INT 605-4605 map out, (Tonga-Fiji).
While I was putting gasoline into the tank I met Feszi (a 19 year old local). He was fishing with his friend; they were constantly pulling the fish out. They knew what they were doing. Our topic was life and kava the local drug. I invited him for coffee and later he showed me the family fishing boat. Six men work for them. The boat does not have a lifeboat and that is not a common thing around here.
Many around here smoke marihuana (6 USD 1.5 g.), but the worship kava.
I changed places and anchored next to an other fishing vessel. An other boat will occupy my place this afternoon.
Language lesson:
ikáp - no
io - yes
hivá – to sing
ápini – at home
áá káu – my home
loá - day
uhá - rain
há hingoá? – what is your name?
Something extreme: Ofá kiá koj! – I love you!
Féfé háké táhá hiné – Are you happy?
Morning: I walked over to custom’s and paid 23 pa’angas (quarantine dues.)
I met with Grehhem and Judit. We first met in Colon and spent a few weeks together, (Nomadlife.)
Within days they’ll start sailing to New Zealand. They invited me to have supper and a drink on their boat.
As usual I checked out the fish market.
In the immigration office I spent 30 minutes waiting, but they could not figure out what to with Hungary. I explained to them where Hungary is and have told them that we are members of the European Union - nothing helped. I got here without permission so where is my visa?
Again I have explained to them that I can stay in Tonga, without visa for 31 days. So finally after 10 minutes he came back and said ok and stamped my passport. (With my long beard and with my long hair I was not very recognizable. He had problem with that too.)
I took a walk to the tourist office, where I found maps and also information. Since tourists are scarce around here the office space is big and quite empty.
Afternoon:
I looked around the market place, and then with a local car I was taken to the Tonga National Center, which is The Tonga National Museum. The price of the ticket to get in was 3 pa'angas. I used the bus to get back (the ticket was 0.5 pa’anga). I needed an adapter for 220V, which cost 2.5 pa’angas. If one would take the world’s adapter supply one would not find any that fit here. I also bought coffee (0.3 kg for 4 pa’angas). This I take with me to tomorrow’s dinner. I even know the recipe: it has to be wrung through a cloth. One should drink a small amount, which gives one a feeling of relaxation (no stress).
In town I met Feszi’s mom. (Sziju) who took me with microbus to the king’s palace. It is a small palace. It consists of about 30 rooms:) After that I looked at the king’s grave, the parks and the churches:)
Late afternoon I got on the Internet, but the connection was slow.
2,2 hours (9 pa'angas)
I filled up my water bottles with 20 liters of fresh water. This might be enough. I packed up a few things at the boat
Purchases:
8 pcs. Chinese instant soup (0.5-1 pa’angas/ piece)
5 pcs. Canned beef (2.5-4 pa’angas/ piece)
3 liter of milk (3 pa’angas/ liter)
Hot chili (3 pa’angas)
Different sauces (4 pa’angas
Canned fruit (3 pa’angas)
After 6 in the evening Han invited me for a cup of coffee. Han is an employee of a local firm; the firm is US owned and delivers fish to Hawaii. Interesting, but he is Korean just like the big boss. I tried out my Korean language skill. Han complained that that in this month the ketch was poor and he also suggested to me to stay here and that Carina would have a place. However this area is too dangerous. The waves and the wind are all too big. A few years ago they rescued a sailing boat near Tahiti…
(Someone wrote to me that according to him what I’m doing is really a vacation, which is maybe true, but not quite :)
By 8 in the evening I was at the International Dateline Hotel (I found a clean t-shirt but unfortunately my pants were not clean, but they did not throw me out :-)
Until 9 pm. The locals played and served local dishes, and then from 9 to 10 they played traditional dance music. Up to this point this was the most original (see the videos later). Cost: 25 pa’angas.
Then came Frederick and both of us visited a kava party where 20 to 25 men sat on the ground and were constantly drinking kava. Sometimes they sang with guitar and violin accompaniment, and then sometimes we watched TV like wrestling:)
They taught me how to make the kava drink. The kava dust is put into cold water for 5—10 minutes, then it has to be drained through a cloth or a sieve and this process has to be repeated again.
The effect of all this is relaxation and rest, it is like a strong downer. I drank it for 3.5 hours (22:30-02:00) and was more that a liter and that was its effect on me.
The meaning of all this is that by drinking kava together all those men become more than friends, they become brothers. Kava gets people together. For example a minister (he used to be the president of parliament), 18/19-year-old boys and even an 82-year-old man who traveled by bicycle and drank kava:)
This is a special festive drink. Those who drink it feel honored. It is much more then just beer drinking. The kava is put in a conventional bowl and for drinking we used coconut shell. I was sitting on a low and small chair, which is like what the locals use. I had to say a few words about my boat and the sea and the reason I’m doing this for. There were some who wanted to come with me and others asked me to take them to an Island:))
Thank you - máló
2007.11. 01 (403 nap)
This morning I got up at 8:30 and not at 6:00. Fredrick stopped by to look at the boat then after a few words he went to work.
Morning Hours:
Homua city is the southeast part of the island. This is the place where you can find Blow Holes. The waves gush forth from among the rocks, like a geyser. After this I visited the NW side of the Island. I rode a bus. (The bus ticket cost 0.5-1.5 pa’angas). I have seen Captain Cook’s Tree, Terraced Tombs and Hoi (city).
Lunch: kale (3.5-5 pa’angas) a typically local dish (Mutton with vegetable and sauce).
Afternoon: Ha amonga Trilithon, ten a little beach time and Internet.
Out in the country everything is cheaper and the local people just keep coming and want to make friends. I have not seen this kind of behavior anywhere else – Friendly Island.
I used a local ferry (motor boat) to go to the opposite island to fulfill Grehem and Judit invitation (Nomadlife, www.nomadlaife.uk).
Every evening on that small island, the sailors get together in Big Mama’s tavern for a little drink and talk. Most of them came from the USA, but I saw one from Poland, one from Chile, 2 from South Africa, three from Germany and 2 from England, but most of them Americans and everybody sails to New Zealand. I am the only one who goes to a different direction – I’m going to Fiji.
I had supper with Judit and his husband. The course was sea-crab with vegetable.
11-02-2007 (day 404)
Happy birthday Csiga!
In the morning I sailed back with NomadLife to Nuku'Alofa. They start tomorrow to sail to New Zealand and they want to spend the last evening in the harbor.
Morning: I bought gas, (22 liters for 57 pa’angas).
Rig repair in a local shop. A few locals helped.
I checked the engine (changed the spark plug and did some cleaning).
I anchored the wind generator’s mounting; I used ropes and also silicon to seal around the mounting.
Lunch: Fish&Chips - (7 pa'angas), next to the fish market.
Afternoon:
Immigration Office (I told them that I start tomorrow.)
Customs, Port Authority (I told the I start today. This was necessary because nobody works during the weekend)
Internet 1,5 hr. (6 pa'angas)
11- 03-2007 (day 405)
In the morning I took a bus ride to Kolovai to admire the
flying foxes. These are peculiar animals here at
Then Internet.
Tomorrow I sail on!!.
Translation:
Károlyi L (wa6ypp)