Ha’ano and Pangai Photo Log

October 2-7, 2014

Ha’ano is an uninhabited island in the very north of the Ha’apai group. We stayed a couple days before moving on to Pangai, which is the administrative capital. Pangai was devastated by a cyclone in January, and the wreckage as well as the rebuilding efforts were clearly visible.

Logbook – October 2, 2014 (Vava’u to Ha’ano Ha’apai)

Passage Log Highlights

1847 Engines on, depart Anchorage #36
1924 Engines off. Main (2 reefs) + genoa

Email to family and friends dated October 2, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Arrived in Ha’apai

We had a pretty easy overnight passage down to the Ha’apai group in Tonga, and we are currently anchored off the island of Ha’ano, and even though we were pretty heavily reefed all night, we still had to slow down in order not to arrive before sunrise. The sun is still pretty low in the sky and was right in our eyes as we were coming in to anchor, so when it gets higher we’ll take a better look around and make sure we are in a good anchor spot, because right now it just seems like there’s reef all around us. The island very much reminds me of any heavily palmed motu in the Tuamotus, and we’ve got good protection from wind and swell, which is a nice break after two nights at rolly southern anchorages in Vava’u and then the overnight sail. Our final days in Vava’u were a lot of fun, and Tim and Brenden had some good luck spearfishing. There are far fewer cruisers here in Ha’apai than there were in Vava’u, so we are looking forward to some nice quiet family time.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

Logbook – October 3, 2014 (Vava’u to Ha’ano Ha’apai)

Passage Log Highlights

0023 Main (2 reefs) + genoa (3 reefs)
0750 Arrive Ha’ano Island
1300 Engines on – reanchor
1319 Reanchor complete

Daily Notes

No boats on AIS. Weird after Vava’u
Iguana here – Jack finds Tim’s shot snapper

Depart Anchorage #36, Vava’u October 2 at 1847 – Arrive Ha’ano, Ha’apai October 3 at 0750

Tim paddle boarding in the clear beautiful waters after dropping anchor at Ha’ano

Iguana and Exodus (It’s 2023 here, 7 years later) and this photo is my work computer desktop background and I love to “accidentally” share it on Teams meetings)

Tim speared a Red Snapper and it got away. Our friend (Jack from Iguana) showed up and actually found it on the sea floor under a coral ledge. Amazing.

Email to family and friends dated October 3, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Recovered Snapper

We are having a nice time in this anchorage. Yesterday, Tim and I went paddle boarding and explored some of the beaches, and while we were paddling along, Tims says, “there’s a big fish chasing you.” I’m thinking a shark right, but no, it was a huge TUNA, near shore, chasing me, in shallow water. So, of course, as soon as we were back at the boat, Tim was suited up and in the water with his spear gun. When he came back, he had a tale of a huge fish he shot in the face but got away. Then, our friends on Iguana pulled in, and after Jack was finished diving his anchor, he dingied over with a fish book, and pointed to a photo of a red snapper and asked Tim if that was the fish he shot, and sure enough, it was. Then he reaches down into his dinghy and pulls out a huge fish and asks Tim if he recognizes this one’s face. No way! It was the fish Tim had shot. Jack found it lying on the sea floor partially under a coral head. I guess the sharks didn’t notice him first. Anyway, it was a nice big fish, enough for two meals, and of course we had Jack and Camille over for dinner as a finders fee. Today, we are planning to go to a small island that has a volcanic vent that warms the water. Hopefully it lives up to our expectations.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

Logbook – October 4, 2014 (Ha’ano to Ofolanga to Ha’ano)

Passage Log Highlights

0903 Engines on, depart
0922 Engines off, spinnaker
1056 Engines on
1125 Arrive Ofolanga
1457 Engines on
1503 Depart Ofolanga
1730 Arrive Ha’ano

Daily Notes

Day trip to Ofolanga w/ Jack and Camille (S/V Iguana)
Good snorkeling. Tim – trevally, Jack – dogtooth tuna
Spinnaker run there, bash back

Jack speared a dogtooth tuna (spoiler alert: there will be many of these in our future)

Email to family and friends dated October 4, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Ofolanga

We took Exodus for a day trip about 10 miles to the NW yesterday to a small island called Ofolanga. The island is entirely enclosed in a reef, so we didn’t actually go to the island, we anchored on the outside of the reef for some amazing snorkeling and spearfishing. The draw was that there is a volcanic vent there that heats the water, and although the water did seem a bit warmer in places, I’m really not sure we ever did find the vent. The coral formations were amazing and there were holes and crevices for all kinds of critters to hide. There was also a huge underwater cave with an open roof, but I wasn’t brave enough to go inside. My highlight was following a sea turtle around, and all the breaching whales we saw in transit both ways. Our friends on Iguana came with us, and while Tim shot a nice Trevally, Jack speared a huge dog tooth tuna! Overall, it was a great day, and we even made it back to the anchorage before dark. Today will just be a quiet Sunday, well, except for Tim and Jack who will go spearfish at a “tuna spot” at the north tip of this island. It’s almost like old times with our freezer full of fish, but I don’t have the heart to put a fishing ban on when they are having so much fun.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

Logbook – October 5, 2014 (Ha’ano)

Daily Notes

Spearfishing again w/ Jack (Iguana). Tim & Brenden shot a 39” 25 lb dogtooth tuna! B made faces then shot a 1.5 ft coral trout but bolt didn’t stick… next time