November 7-14, 2014
Our second week at Big Mama’s consisted of mostly finishing our preparations and watching for a weather window for the passage south, but we managed to have a bunch of fun while we waited.
Logbook – November 7, 2014 (Pangaimotu to fuel dock and back)
Passage Notes
- Engines on
- 0850 Depart
- 0919 Engines off fuel dock
- Engines on
- 1308 Depart fuel dock
- 1337 Engines off Pangaimotu
Daily Notes
- Long wait (3 hrs) at the fuel dock waiting for the fuel truck
- Party @ Big Mama’s
- T/D so tired we don’t even make it to dinner
- Boys home @ 9pm
Email to family and friends dated November 7, 2014
Subject: Exodus – Ready, Set, Wait
We’ve been in Nuku’alofa for a little over a week now, and we are all set and ready for our passage south. Engine inspections? Check. Rigging Inspection (Tim up the mast)? Check. Steering cable inspection? Check. Hull clean? Check. Sails repaired? Check. Propane and gasoline? Check. Provisions? Check. Cleared out of Tonga? Check. Duty free diesel? Check. Beer/rum? Check. Weather window for departure… crickets
Unfortunately weather is not cooperating, and it’s possible we’ll be waiting for a week or so more. But there’s a big crowd of boats here, including a total of 6 kid boats, so the boys are having a lot of fun playing on shore everyday.
We will relax this weekend, and then maybe do some touristy things on the island next week. Or maybe we go try to find a place to spearfish. We’ll see.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – November 8, 2014 (Pangaimotu)
Daily Notes
- D- ferry to town, run on the malecon
- Boys – volleyball, dodgeball, on shore with other kids
- Kid boats: Fluenta, Breeze, Lumbuz, Nautilus, Nirvana, Koa
Logbook – November 9, 2014 (Pangaimotu)
Daily Notes
- Nobody leaves the boat day
- Alex – sore throat/puffy eye
Logbook – November 10, 2014 (Pangaimotu)
Daily Notes
- D – short run along waterfront, market, bakery
- T/Jack – spearfishing. 0
- Dinner on shore
Logbook – November 11, 2014 (Pangaimotu)
Passage Log
- 0925 Engines on briefly – re-anchor (1)
Daily Notes
- (1) let out about 20 ft more chain to 175′ total. Original estimate of 168 ft must have been incorrect
- Strong westerly. 20 kts sustained most of the day
- As of 1649 max of 28.4 kts (later 28.7)
- Max & kids brought over a bottle of Anejo to say thanks to Tim for helping with the sail
Logbook – November 12, 2014 (Pangaimotu)
Daily Notes
- D – run (3 miles) & light shopping. Fell while running in the street
- Boys finish school early, play on shore
- T/Jack – spearfish
- D – fell in water trying to retrieve flip-flop
- Potluck on shore, fun group of boats, CA people gravitate to each other
Email to family and friends dated November 12, 2014
Subject: Exodus – Weather Extremes at Anchor
It is eerie quiet as I sit here and type this. The skies are clear, there is hardly a breath of wind, and the water is like glass. That low pressure system that has kept us here in Tonga has now moved well past us, and we are sitting on a high pressure ridge. What a difference a couple days makes. Two days ago we had westerly winds blowing at 20-25 kts with higher gusts, and all the boats were hobby horsing like crazy. Usually it seems when we’re having any sort of bad weather, the worst of it comes at night, but this time we were fortunate and by the time I went to bet it had already started moderating.
It’s looking like Saturday may be firming up as a departure day for Minerva, although I haven’t gotten the weather yet this morning, so that could possibly change. We had a potluck on shore last night, so of course everyone is swapping ideas about when the best time to leave might be, and the general consensus is that Saturday morning will be a mass Exodus and the race to Minerva will be on.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – November 13, 2014 (Pangaimotu to Tau and back)
Passage Log (Tim’s Handwriting)
- 0915 Engines on
- 0945 P engine off
- 1235 Arrive Tau Isle
- 1655 Depart Tau (SB engine off)
- 2000 Arrive Pangaimotu engines off
Daily Notes (Deanne’s Handwriting)
- T – Exodus spearfishing excursion to Tau w/ Jack & Phil (Iguana), David (Tusitala), & Gary (Nirvana)
- D/Boys – on shore all day
- Pig roast
Email to family and friends dated November 13, 2014
Subject: Exodus – Pig Roast
Last night we had a big pig roast at Big Mama’s. One of the other cruisers organized it, and we all paid in advance for the pigs, and while Alex and Brenden and I were on shore doing school yesterday a boat pulled up and we could hear the squealing of the three little pigs. The guys promptly took them out back and slaughtered them, put them on spits, and put them over the fire for slow roasting. We didn’t watch the slaughtering, although if the boys had shown any interest I might have let them, they are old enough after all. The party started at 6 and went at least until midnight, which is when Alex got home, and he said some of the kids were still there. They were all having such a good time. Big Mama even got up and danced to Abba.
Last weekend I was bummed that the weather was causing us to wait another week, but now I think it was a really good thing. We’ve gotten to know quite a few new people, and the kids have had one of those rare cruising times when there are a lot of kids together for more than a day or two.
So, why were we doing school on shore yesterday? It’s because Tim took Exodus and 4 other guys on a field trip to a small island and reef about 12 miles away to do some spear fishing. They came back with about 5 fish, but unfortunately no tuna. More importantly they had a great time, and they even made it back to get served one of the pig heads, which apparently according to the Tongans is the best part.
There’s no wind right now, but hopefully there will be at this time tomorrow and we will be pulling up anchor.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – November 14, 2014 (Pangaimotu)
Daily Notes
- D/Boys – last trip to town for donuts & veggies
- Prep to leave, last internet
- Lots of boats leaving too including Iguana & Fluenta
Email to family and friends dated November 14, 2014
Subject: Exodus – ready for departure to Minerva
We are planning to leave Tonga later this morning. It’s early now and raining, but the forecast still looks good to get to Minerva, even if light winds. I’m up before everyone else to bake biscuits so we all have something to munch on as we navigate out the channel. I’d say about half the fleet here is leaving this morning, some left last night, and some are waiting until Monday or Tuesday. Leaving today might mean motoring the last bit to Minerva, but our strategy is to try to get there while we will still have a couple days of light winds for the diving and spear fishing. It’s about 260 miles away so it will likely take us 2 full days to get there. We haven’t been on passage for quite some time, and I can’t say I’m looking forward to it.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Gresham Family Exodus 