![\"Tau](\"https:\/\/yachtadina.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/DSC_1481-640x418.jpg\")
<\/a>Tau Island – picture perfect<\/p><\/div>\n
Expectations were a little low as we\u2019d read many articles saying Nuku\u2019alofa was dirty, full of burnt out buildings, unfriendly, the harbour had rats and so on. In fact I started questioning why we were going there at all but we think it\u2019s important to make your own impressions and see a country warts and all! After a smooth seven hour crossing between the island groups and managing not to bump into any humpback whales, we anchored off the tiny island of Tau. With it being only 15 miles from the capital I\u2019d expected to be sharing it but no, here was another picture perfect island and we had it all to ourselves. Sundowners are a tad special when you look out at palm trees and white beaches on the one side of the boat and on the other side whales are putting on a show, playing, flapping their tails on the water, breaching. So we spent a weekend of walking the beach, snorkelling and taking in the sun before we knew our \u2018holiday\u2019 would be over and we\u2019d hit the city and get back to work on Adina, getting her ready for the crossing to Fiji.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Sunrise Pangaimotu Island<\/p><\/div>\n
Having been told the harbour was \u2018rat-infested\u2019, we anchored off an island close by called Pangaimotu, location of a yacht club with the grand name of Big Mama\u2019s Yacht Club. Places in Tonga are called yacht clubs but truth be told they are watering holes for sailors. Come to think of it, isn\u2019t that what all sailing clubs are? And cricket clubs and rugby clubs? Maybe not knitting clubs but I wouldn\u2019t know. We strolled in and it was all a cruising sailor wanted. Floors with beach sand, flags everywhere, coconuts which past sailors had written on, good beer, good food, sunshine. And Big Mama Ana was the real deal! Maybe Nuku\u2019alofa wasn\u2019t so bad. And the whole area even has fibre optic cable boosting 3G+ capabilities so we could catch up on world news, social media and get some weather forecasts. Actually it was the best internet we\u2019ve seen since leaving Europe.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Whales enjoying flapping their tails on the surface of the water<\/p><\/div>\n
The next morning we headed in to see this allegedly awful place, Nuku\u2019alofa. We found new buildings, a fabulous fresh fruit and vegetable market, good coffee shops, modern shops and so on. Somebody is either spreading stories to keep sailors in the north or Nuku\u2019alofa has undergone a bit of a facelift.<\/p>\n
Back in the Ha\u2019aipai islands we\u2019d met David Hunt who had promised to show us around. David has lived in Tonga for more years than he cares to remember and we took to him immediately. He runs, amongst many, many other things, a super yacht agency and was a busy man, but true to his word he took a day off to show us Nuku\u2019alofa. Well, we had to make a stop in the vegetable market to get some lettuce to be flown to a super yacht in Vava\u2019u in the north who didn\u2019t like the lettuce in the market there. Hang on, I miss Lea & Perrins Worcester sauce \u2013 think I\u2019ll make a quick phone call.<\/p>\n
We enjoyed seeing some of the sights of Tonga but truth be told we just loved all the stories David regaled us with. He\u2019d built a resort with the King, owned a charter boat, owned land, had an electricity box for boats, was working with men putting in poles in the street – he was the real deal. And in the evening he introduced us to people so we got a good flavour of what it was like to live there and we were a little tempted.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Bandit were big fans of the Ha’apai islands too<\/p><\/div>\n
Back to the boat in the dark and we noted someone had anchored next to us, thought nothing of it and went to bed. Waking up in the morning we were delighted to see it was friends David and Brenda on their yacht Bandit. Seasoned sailors, they had been sailing for well over eight years and were about to embark on their final leg back home to New Zealand. What we like about David and Brenda is not only are they wonderful company but will happily help you and you can learn so much from people like them. So we did what cruisers do and hosted each other for dinners, breakfast, coffees etc. In many ways, it\u2019s sad as we realise our so called \u2018moving village\u2019 is slowing breaking up as cyclone season approaches and people branch off to various countries to sit it out. You live in fear of not seeing these people again but David and Brenda love travel and agreements have been made to meet up again.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The most interesting refuel we’ve ever done!<\/p><\/div>\n
With departure day arriving we headed into the harbour to check out and pick up duty free fuel. It was ceremoniously dumped in two large drums on the wharf and we were left to get it into Adina. With help from our local friend David we got a large hose, but the pump didn\u2019t last long. To the rescue, seasoned sailors Bandit had the brain wave of using our dinghy pump to pressurise the fuel drum through the hose and the fuel slowly made its way into Adina\u2019s thirsty tanks. A final farewell dinner with Bandit and we weaved out of Tonga, setting course for Fiji.<\/p>\n
I had decided to dedicate the sail to the memory of Narlee Clever who sadly passed away. I did my Scuba diving Divemaster course with Narlee way back in time in Cairns, Australia, when I was taking some time out. Narlee was a lot more responsible and was doing it to try and make a new life for herself. I\u2019ll never forget meeting her. Four of us, all from England, including the instructor Chookie, in the classroom. John and Sauf were already friends and so it was clear Narlee and I would be divemaster buddies. \u201cAw right Tom, where are you from?\u201d with a big beaming smile. \u201cErrr\u2026London\u201d, \u201cI know London, whereabouts?\u201d, \u201cCentral\u201d, \u201cCome on, where?\u201d, \u201cErrr\u2026Chelsea\u201d, \u201cChelsea boy hey! Nice\u2026 I\u2019m from Windsor! Well, a council flat in Wimbledon!\u201d and reels off laughing.<\/p>\n
Over time Narlee would regale me with stories that opened my eyes, in fact my eyeballs would often nearly pop out! But I loved her no matter how rubbish a divemaster buddy she could be. I lost count of the times I\u2019d pitch up at the swimming pool to practise and Narlee wasn\u2019t there. I\u2019d find her in her flat, giggling away, I just couldn\u2019t get upset. We had some theory exams to do and asking her how her studies were going, she pulled me aside and confided she couldn\u2019t do maths. I was stunned, heart broken and actually angry all in one. How does this happen in modern England? So we sat down and did mathematics. Good girl, she passed.<\/p>\n
Doing our practical exams were just pure entertainment. We had to do one exercise meant to demonstrate how you handle stress and you had to swap diving kit with each other underwater in the pool. John and Sauf, well-practised, pulled it off. Narlee and I winged a quick practise. Come the real thing it was a shambles; things were dropped, kit was on the wrong way but it was so funny, tears were rolling in all of our eyes. We did it again and passed.<\/p>\n
In one test we had to demonstrate assembling dive kit onto a scuba cylinder. Narlee and I, side-by-side facing our instructor\/examiner Chookie. For the divemaster exam you just had to demonstrate kitting up but you were encouraged to do it like an instructor and talk through what you are doing. Old clever clogs here decided to talk it through. Off we went, Narlee choosing not to talk. There was a slight delay between us as I got a little ahead but we did exactly the same things, Narlee looking sideways at me from time to time. In my head a slight fear started that Narlee could just possibly be copying me. Come the end of the test, Chookie turns to Narlee and says \u201cNow Narlee, you didn\u2019t simply do what Tom was saying and copy him, did you?\u201d Priceless, Narlee just looks up sheepishly, smiles and says \u201cYes!\u201d I laughed so many times with her. Narlee went on to achieve her PADI Scuba Diving Instructor qualification and I shan\u2019t forget the joy many people had on that proud day. She was one lovely big hearted girl with the biggest laugh and I\u2019m so sad I only saw her once more in London. I do know she would have loved the sail to Fiji.<\/p>\n