Category: Photo Log

October 20-26, 2014

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Logbook – October 20, 2014 (Ha’afeva to O’ua)

Passage Log

• 1001 Engines on
• 1005 Depart Ha’afeva
• 1137 Engines off arrive O’ua

Daily Notes

• Move to O’ua. Rolly, bounchy anchorage. Winds swing all the way North. Rainy and Gray.

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Logbook – October 21, 2014 (O’ua)

Daily Notes

• Jello!
• Game night
• (Tim’s writing) Spearfishing expedition to Wichkam Reef. Amazing spot. Made Holes in 4 tuna and 2 huge coral trout but came back empty. Huge bull shark & leopard shark said hi.

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Email to family and friends dated October 21, 2014

Subject: Exodus – O’ua

O’ua is an interesting anchorage. We are not exactly anchored off the island but rather off of the extensive reef that surrounds it. It’s one of the rolliest anchorages we’ve been in, and it gets worse at high tide when the reef provides less protection, but we are getting used to the less than flat anchorage conditions of the Ha’apai group. There’s actually a winding channel through the reef to navigate back to a much more protected anchorage just off the island, but we opted to stay out here with better access to spear fishing spots. There are two small islets near us that look inviting to explore, but the weather conditions (rainy and windy) have kept me on the boat. It’s not exactly fun paddle boarding with 15 kts of wind in your face and 2 ft wind chop on the water. We are passing the time mostly with school, especially Spanish, which I recently added to the boys’ curriculum, and we are having a lot of fun with it. OK, it’s mostly me having fun with it, but the boys usually humor me and play along. We’ve also had some pretty intense game nights with our friends playing a game called Resistance (Thanks Yi!) I heard on the morning radio net that there are 13 boats in an anchorage north of us, so we need to keep moving… We will likely move to the island of Nomuka today, which is where the vessel Wildlife (with two kids) is based.
Take care, and love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – October 22, 2014 (O’ua to Nomuka)

Passage Log

• Engines on
• Depart O’ua
• Engines off, Main + Genoa
• 1339 Engines off, Arrive Nomuka

Daily Notes

• Used a floaty egg
• Iguana caught a Dorado – grilled it up on Exodus. Religious discussion!

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Logbook – October 23, 2014 (Nomuka)

Daily Notes

• T/Jack – Tuna, parrot fish, little grouper
• D/Camille – walk to town. Store closed 😦 Relatively large, sprawling village. People seem shy, not too friendly.

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Logbook – October 24, 2014 (Nomuka to Nomuka Iki)

Passage Log

• 0825 Engines on
• Depart Nomuka
• 0908 Engines off Nomuka Iki

Daily Notes

• Nomuka anchorage got too bouncy – moved to Nomuka Iki
• D – sluggish run on soft sand
• T/Jack/Camille – ashore for coconut water. Cami gets chased into the water by a pig. Tim befriends the pig. Pets it and names it Hamlet.

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Logbook – October 25, 2014 (Nomuka Iki)

Daily Notes

• T/Jack/Camille go over to town on Nomuka. Eggs!
• T/Jack – spearfilsh. No hay noada.
• A/B – collect coconuts on shore
• Dinner on Exodus w/ resistance after

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Email to family and friends dated October 25, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Nomuka

In my last email I commented on how O’ua was the rolliest anchorage we’ve been in, but now I have to say it is Nomuka. To be fair, the spot we were anchored wasn’t even listed as an anchorage in the guide, but it was just off the beach where our friends on s/v Wildlife have a house, so we were motivated to give it a go. We were there two nights and it was just tolerable, but the next morning the winds had clocked slightly more to the North, and then it got really lively. I was having to secure things as if we were underway, and I was having trouble doing simple things like make coffee, because the swell hitting us on the beam was intense. I was trying to wait until Tim got up, but in the end I ended up waking him with a plea that we move anchorages now. So, we moved over to a small island right nearby, called Nomuka Iki (Little Nomuka). We’ve had a lot more wind chop over here, but at least not the huge swells that seemed to be at Exodus’s natural frequency. And you know, Wildlife wasn’t even home. Our timing was poor and we got here while they were in Tongatapu dropping some people off, but they arrived back last night and are actually anchored right near us, so we will likely stay here one more day so the kids can play.
Nomuka has a large village with a store, but Nomuka Iki is mostly uninhabited and has a nice beach. I say “mostly” uninhabited, because there is a bit of a camp of some sort as well as pigs, and one pig in particularly is not too shy. Tim, Jack, and Camille went ashore to collect coconut water, and I guess Tim and Jack left Camille alone to process some coconuts while they went to explore. At some point they heard a faint, “help” and they returned to find Camille in the water and a pig swimming after her. Yes, pigs can apparently swim. We had been told by a local guy that the pigs can be aggressive and sometimes even charge, so Camille wasn’t taking any chances. Well, I knew Tim was a cat whisperer, but it turns out he’s also a pig whisperer. He petted the pig like a dog, and it reacted like a dog, snorting and laying down. Then it followed him around, and when they got in the dinghy to come back to the boats it swam after them for a little while. I don’t think the dogs get pet around here very often, let alone the pigs, so I think that pig will remember Tim forever.
We are going much slower to Nuku’alofa than we thought we would, and some of our friends who left Neiafu after us are already there, and possibly planning to leave for New Zealand today. The end of the South Pacific cruising season is just about here, but we are milking every last bit out of it that we can.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – October 26, 2014 (Nomuka Iki to Nomuka back to Nomuka Iki)

Passage Log

• 1249 Engines on
• 1255 Depart Nomuka Iki
• 1332 Engines off. Arrive Nomuka.
• 1707 Engines on
• 1714 Depart Nomuka
• 1745 Engines off. Nomuka Iki.

Daily Notes

• No school! Lazy day
• Moved Exodus back to Nomuka to see s/v Wildlife
• Boys played ashore for a few hours building a chicken coop and playing on a swingset

October 15-19, 2014

We made the hop over to the top of the Ha’apai western island chain and the island of Ha’afeva, but the wind was blowing hard from the south making this anchorage not too comfortable. So, after a drive by at Ha’afeva, we moved down to the nearby Matuku and had some fun with the village kids for a few days. When the wind shifted back to a more easterly direction, we moved to Ha’afeva where we visited the village, did some running, and had a couple of lazy rainy days.

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Logbook – October 15, 2014 (Uonukuhihito to Matuku)

Passage Log

• 1004 Engines on
• 1007 Depart
• 1030 Engines off. Main + genoa
• Engines on
• 1307 Arrive Matuku. Engines off.

Daily Notes

• Move to Ha’aveva, but wind due S, not good for that anchorage so we went to Matuku
• Boys went ashore to play with kids on the beach, they took a soccer ball. Squeals of delight!
• The teacher, Isaac, visited Exodus

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Logbook – October 16, 2014 (Matuku)

Daily Notes

• A/B/D & Camille (s/v Iguana) go to school on the island. Not really school, kids just had exams, so they are on break. More soccer.
• T/Jack – spearfish @ Teaupa. 1 tuna + 2 red snapper. Took to the village.
• 3 boys come to Exodus to play. Roughhousing on the net, singing Jingle Bells, teaching B Tongan, playing legos. Ice chest lids as floats.

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Email to family and friends dated October 17, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Matuku

Day before yesterday we arrived at the island of Matuku. It wasn’t our original destination, but at the time the wind was blowing due south or even a little southwest, and the protection here was superior. As the winds continue to shift more easterly we will have to think about moving, maybe this afternoon, maybe tomorrow. There is a small village here with 14 children, and as we were approaching the island they were all on the beach to wave and greet us. The boys went ashore with a soccer ball, and you should have heard the squeals of delight as they approached the beach, it was too cute. A man from the village borrowed one of the paddle boards and came out to visit us on Exodus. It turns out he’s the teacher, and he said he had seen many yachts and he’s always wanted to come aboard one, so he hung out with us for a little while. He also invited the boys to school the next day, and we accepted, so yesterday morning we had to get up and be ready for school by 8:30 (not an easy task, especially for Brenden who likes to sleep in well past 9). When we got there it turns out they didn’t really have school since they finished exams and are having a little break. So, they just played some more soccer. I took a few small items for the school (pencils, paper, crayons), and Camille (our friend on s/v Iguana) took some lollipops, which were a huge hit. And we also gave them the soccer ball, which was accepted with applause. The kids mostly don’t speak English, so it’s even harder than when we were in Makemo, because at least we knew a few catch phrases in French, but I don’t exactly have a book called Tongan for cruisers. When I asked Alex if it was hard, his response was, “when you have a (soccer) ball, you don’t need to speak the language.” Three of the older boys (12 yrs old) come out to visit Exodus when the boys are here and not on shore. They use the lids of ice chests as kick boards to get to us. They seem to be especially fond of Brenden, which I thought was maybe because he’s exactly their size (Alex is quite a bit bigger), but Alex told me it’s because Brenden sings Jingle Bells with them. Of course! Brenden entertained them for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon, and they even taught him a little Tongan. They kept asking if are going to leave tomorrow and all of them, including Brenden, were begging us not too. I told them it all depends on the wind. Also, yesterday Tim and Jack took a Tuna (Tongan – Atu) and 2 huge Red Snapper (Tongan – Fongamea) to shore to share with the village. Apparently, it was well received. This afternoon, they are going to take Isaac, the teacher, out spear fishing. When Tim was telling him stories, he was amazed at how deep they dive, so he wants to go along with them.
It’s very windy and also gray and overcast, but there’s still always something to enjoy in Tonga.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – October 17, 2014 (Matuku to Ha’afeva)

Passage Log

• 1335 Engines on
• 1340 Depart
• 1413 Engines off. Arrive Ha’afeva

Daily Notes

• Walk to town to the store – even a Chinese store on Ha’afeva
• Game night on Exodus. Scattergories & Resistence.

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Logbook – October 18, 2014 (Ha’afeva)

Daily Notes

• D/A/B – Lazy school day
• T/Jack – Spearfish 4 hrs. J – coral trout.

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Logbook – October 19, 2014 (Ha’afeva)

Daily Notes

• Rainy day – no one left the boat
• Boys made cookie dough
• Family game night

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Email to family and friends dated October 19, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Lazy rainy day

Not much going on here, but I thought I’d write and check in anyway. It was gray and rainy most of the day yesterday, and we didn’t even drop the dinghy or paddle boards. None of us even left the boat! After school the boys and I played games, made yogurt, and made cookie dough. Not cookies, but cookie dough with no eggs, because we only have 2 eggs left and at least a week to go until we get to Nuku’alofa. We were planning to go snorkeling on the wreck of an old Korean fishing boat, but that was overcome by events. Tim and Jack completed a couple projects and also hatched our itinerary for the next few days, so I think we’ll be moving on today. But I’m going to try to get in a quick run and a visit to the store if it’s open. We are at the island of Ha’afeva, and our first day here we walked across the island to the town and found the little store and picked up some flour, rice, etc., but Brenden is concerned about how few packs of ramen noodles we have, so I guess I’ll go see if they have that. Provisions are low, but spirits are high.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

October 13-14, 2014

This was a pretty good spot, but my photos are lacking and we didn’t stay long because of the flies. They were driving me crazy!

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Logbook – October 13, 2014 (Uoleva to Uonukuhihifo)

Passage Log

• 1013 Engines on
• 1030 Depart Uoleva
• 1030 Watermaker 4 hrs
• 1219 Engines off Arrive Uonukuhihifo

Daily Notes

• Through the pass that the guidebook called “dangerous” 1-1.5 kts current
• T/Jack – to Limu – 6 lobsters, 2 tuna, 1 rainbow runner
• Lobster feast on Exodus!

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Email to family and friends dated October 13, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Langosta

Langosta, Langoste, I don’t know the word in Tongan, but in any language lobsters are yummy! We are currently anchored off a sand spit between two very small islands called Uonukuhihito and Uonukuhahake (yeah, you try to pronounce them!) It is an amazing spot, and I think the picturesque wow factor as we pulled up was second only to when we first arrived on the eastern side of the lagoon in Raroia (The Tuamotus, French Polynesia). Yesterday Tim and Jack dinghied a few miles south to an island called Limu, and they came back with a huge treat. Six fat lobsters, two large tunas, and a rainbow runner for good measure. Needless to say, we ate quite well last night. After spending so many days ashore on Uoleva, the boys were a bit burned out, and after school all they wanted to do was watch a movie. I couldn’t even entice them to go ashore with me to see the cows that were wandering about. Yeah, two small uninhabited islands connected by a sand spit, and OF COURSE there are cows. I don’t see them now, so hopefully when I go ashore in a bit they will leave me alone.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – October 14, 2014 (Uonukuhihifo)

Daily Notes

• Too many flies!

October 7-13, 2014

We stayed here about a week, and I loved this place. I think it was the endless white sand beach that hooked me.

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Logbook – October 7, 2014 (Pangai to Uoleva)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1128 Engines on
• 1137 Depart
• 1254 Arrive Uoleva

Daily Notes

• Check-out Pangai. Find the “big store”
• Dinner w/ Iguana on Exodus. Yummy spicy tuna rolls

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Logbook – October 8, 2014 (Uoleva)

Daily Notes

• T/Jack – spearfish all day at the pass
• A/B – build a house on the beach
• D – falls off paddle board – ashore for a run

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Email to family and friends dated October 8, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Uoleva

After a quick domestic check in and check out at the capital “city” of Pangai on the island of Lifuka, we stopped at the island just south called Uoleva, and we’ve been here a couple days. The weather has been pretty crappy, and it’s supposed to stay this way for several more days as we have the South Pacific Convergence Zone parked north of us and a weak low developing south of us. It’s putting a damper on snorkeling and running, but certainly not spearfishing. Tim’s been having a lot of fun with Jack from s/v Iguana, and they go out for several hours every day. Since we have tons of fish already, they have set their sights on only the big prizes. The boys aren’t letting the weather slow them down either. Uoleva is a small island with white sand beach around the entire perimeter, and yesterday they went and started building a fort, no, more like a house. They were pretty involved in the project and Tim had to whistle them home for dinner at dusk. They are missing other kid boats, though, so fortunately a boat we met in Pago Pago is in the area and are planning to come to this anchorage today, so I’m sure they’ll be a little more motivated to finish schoolwork quickly.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – October 9, 2014 (Uoleva)

Daily Notes

• Boys to the beach right after school
• S/v Wildlife here. kai came over to say hi

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Logbook – October 10, 2014 (Uoleva)

Daily Notes

• D – long walk on the beach, scary dogs
• Re-anchored Exodus – boys rebuild fort. S/v Wildlife joins them on the beach
• T/Jack – spearfish. Tuna & Grouper. Camille cooks dinner for us. Nice end to the evening on the net (like old times)

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Logbook – October 11, 2014 (Uoleva)

Daily Notes

• Boys – no school. Built another fort on the beach with Kai (S/V Wildlife)
• T/Jack – spearfish 5 miles away at pinnacles. Big grouper.

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Logbook October 12, 2014 (Uoleva)

Daily Notes

• T – defrost the fridge
• D – cleaned shower/made tortillas
• D/T – snorkle on reef off sw tip of Uoleva – colorful hard & soft coral
• Drinks on the beach w/ Iguana & Wildlife
• Boys – dinghy surf with Kai and Dior

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Email to family and friends dated October 12, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Two days off from school

I don’t know what came over me, but I gave the boys the entire weekend off from school. We haven’t been with other kids for a couple weeks, so I let them spend their days with the kids from s/v Wildlife, building a hut, gathering coconuts, and going dinghy surfing. They’ve had a lot of fun, except that Brenden, and only Brenden, is covered in bug bites, kind of like no-se-um bites that we used to encounter in Mexico. He is seriously suffering, because they are all over his back, chest, and naval. I’m guessing that since they were on shore at dusk, and because he’s Brenden, he doesn’t just sit and play in the sand, he lays in it and rolls around in it, which is why the bites are where they are and not on his ankles and calves.
We will likely move today, just a bit south, and just one more thing…
Happy Birthday Dad/Papa! Today is actually the 13th here, but I knew I had a one day grace period due to the date line. 🙂
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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Logbook – October 6, 2014 (Ha’ano to Pangai)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1052 Engines on
• 1104 Depart
• 1300 Arrive Pangai

Daily Notes

• T/Jack – early AM spearfishing. Jack – 2 huge grouper
• Check-in in Pangai. Jack uses grouper to bribe customs
• D/A/B – “internet” @ Mariners Cafe
• D – run on Ha’ano – 5 miles, killer cows

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Logbook – October 7, 2014 (Pangai to Uoleva)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1128 Engines on
• 1137 Depart
• 1254 Arrive Uoleva

Daily Notes

• Check-out Pangai. Find the “big store”
• Dinner w/ Iguana on Exodus. Yummy spicy tuna rolls

September 29 – October 2, 2014

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Logbook – September 29, 2014 (Neiafu to Nuku)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1805 Engines on, depart Neiafu
• 1927 Arrive Nuku

Daily Notes

• Cleared out of Vava’u – 220 liters of duty-free fuel
• Dinner @ The Aquarium
• Motor at dusk to Nuku

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Email to friends and family dated September 29, 2014

Subject: Exodus – All cleared out

We cleared out of Vava’u yesterday so we are all set to head down to Ha’apai. We were able to get duty free fuel even though we aren’t actually leaving Tonga yet, and I didn’t even have to bribe anyone to make that happen. There’s suppose to be very little wind for the next couple days, so we are going to hang out at one of the southern, less protected islands here in Vava’u so the boys can do some spear fishing before we leave.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – September 30, 2014 (Nuku to Anchorage #34)

Passage Log Highlights

• 0945 Engines on, depart Nuku
• 1009 Engines off, main + genoa
• 1110 Engines on
• 1147 Engines off, arrive #34 Lua’ui

Daily Log

• D – solo snorkel – amazing coral – tons of aquarium fish – 1 reef shark
• T/B – spearfish – small unidentified sashimi fish

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Logbook – October 1, 2014 (Anchorage #34 to Anchorage #36)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1352 Engines on
• 1400 Depart #34 Lua’ui
• 1437 Arrive #36 Fonua’one’on

Daily Notes

• T/B – spearfish
• Potluck on Novae

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

Passage Log Highlights

• 1847 Engines on, depart Anchorage #36

Daily Notes

• T/B – spearfish – B stung by Jellyfish, T-2 fish

September 20-23, 2014

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Logbook – September 20, 2014 (Nuku to Lua’ofa to Lape Island)

Passage Log Highlights

• 0940 Engines on, depart Nuku
• 1004 Arrive Lua’ofa
• 1053 Engines on
• 1057 Depart Lua’ofa
• 1130 Arrive Lape Island – Mooring

Daily Notes

• No anchor waypoint at Lua’ofa
• Mooring ball at Lape Island
• Tongan feast & cultural tour

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Email to family and friends dated September 20, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Lape Island Togan Feast

We attended another Tongan feast yesterday evening, and this one couldn’t have been more different than the previous one. It was on the small island of Lape in a village of only 27 people (5 families, a teacher, and a minister). They put on these feasts in order to raise money for village projects, like a new wharf, which is complete, and sanitation, or a public restroom, which is also complete, they just need it to rain in order to have water to use it. They greeted us at the wharf with leis, gave us a tour of their village, gave us a demonstration of tapas making and coconut husking, and Brenden was the first to volunteer to try it, of course. There was a little girl who spotted the grandparents immediately and had my dad and Karen holding each of her hands while she jumped and they lifted her off the ground. She was adorable. The dinner, while superior to the previous feast, still wasn’t exactly our cup of tea, but we didn’t leave hungry. The only thing it was missing was the Tongan music, but that didn’t stop all the cruisers from hanging out and having a good time anyway. Today is supposed to be light winds, so maybe we will snorkel the coral gardens again.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – September 21, 2014 (Lape Island to Anchorage #40)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1208 Engines on, depart Lape Island
• 1255 Arrive Anchorage #40

Daily Notes

• T/B spearfish
• D/Dad/Karen – snorkel then walk the island. D saw first lion fish & moray eel
• Drinks w/ Novae on Exodus

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Logbook – September 22, 2014 (Anchorage #40 to Ovaka to Hunga)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1406 Engines on
• 1413 Depart #40
• Snorkel @ Ovaka (didn’t anchor)
• 1623 Arrive Hunga

Daily Notes

• Whales! Bouncy dinhgy ride
• Frappes and biscotti on Novae (Novae’s guests = John & Rosemary from Toronto)
• Snorkeling at Ovaka – amazing coral

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Email to family and friends dated September 22, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Whales, finally

We spent night before last out at Avalau island (anchorage #40), and we all agreed it was the most beautiful spot so far. The water was shallow with turquoise water for about 2km to the south where it met a reef with crashing waves. Best of all we heard whales in the night, and in the morning Karen asked me if it was real or she was dreaming. You see, they’ve been here almost two weeks and the only sign of whales we’ve had are the whale watching boats zipping around everywhere. Then yesterday, as we were getting ready for lunch we spotted spouts and dorsals well off our stern, so Tim took dad and Karen on a rather bouncy dinghy ride out to see them. They didn’t get too close a look, since they got shoed off by a tour boat, but at least they saw whales, finally. After lunch we went to a cove on the island of Ovaka for snorkeling, and it was amazing, definitely giving the coral gardens a run for its money. And we didn’t even have to swim over a shallow reef to get there! However, it wasn’t practical to anchor Exodus there, so since Tim had snorkeled there the day before he volunteered to drop us off and babysit a drifting Exodus. We ended yesterday anchored in the Hunga lagoon, but we’ll need to head to town later today, since, sadly, Dad and Karen leave tomorrow morning.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – September 23, 2014 (Hunga to Neiafu)

Passage Log Highlights

• Depart Hunga
• 1240 Arrive Neiafu mooring #2

Daily Notes

• Whale sighting – breaching & flukes
• Lunch @ Mango
• Dinner @ Bella Vista (awesome pizza)
• Pool & drinks @ Marine Wine Bar

September 15-19, 2014

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Logbook – September 15, 2014 (Kenutu #30 to Fonuafo’ou to Port Maurelle)

Passage Log Highlights

• 0935 Engines on
• 0943 Depart Kenutu
• 1104 Arrive Fonuafo’ou
• 1558 Engines on
• 1603 Depart Fonuafo’ou
• 1748 Arrive Port Maurelle

Daily Notes

• Day stop @ Fonuafo’ou – T/B spearfish – got a coral trout
• Dad/Karen/Alex – kayak/paddle to the beach. Nana brought back 4 hermies
• D- snorkel

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Logbook – September 16, 2014 (Port Maurelle to Neiafu)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1624 Engines on
• 1632 Depart Port Maurelle
• 1753 Arrive Neiafu #7 (I think this refers to the mooring ball #)

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Email to family and friends dated September 16, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Fonuafo’ou

We’ve had very settled weather the past couple days, so we ventured south along the reef to a tiny island called Fonuafo’ou, which isn’t even a numbered anchorage. Other than being a bit rolly, it was spectacular. Alex, Dad, and Karen kayaked and paddled to the island, and they walked around it. Twice. That’s how small it was. Karen brought back a few shells to the boat, some of them with unexpected inhabitants, so the boys had to go set those free before we left. I went for a snorkle, and once I learned to just relax and let the swell push me around rather than fight it, I quite enjoyed myself. Brenden has designated himself as “Dad’s new spearfishing buddy” (since Steve left) so they went through a pass to the outside of the reef and came back with a grouper (coral trout according to our Tonga Wildlife Guide), and we had just about the best batch of beer battered fish ever. Today, we are back in Neiafu to go on a land based tour of the island.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – September 17, 2014 (Neiafu)

Daily Notes

• Cart Safaries!
• Internet afternoon @ Beach House

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Logbook – September 18, 2014 (Neiafu to Nuku)

Passage Log Highlights

• 1637 Engines on
• 1641 Depart Neiafu
• 1810 Arrive Nuku

Daily Notes

• Morning shopping & internet
• Botanical gardens tour
• Bonfire 2/ kidboats @ Nuku

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Email to family and friends dated September 18, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Cart Safaris and Botaniclal Gardens

We spent a couple days in town getting our tourist fix. First up were the cart safaris, which was a tour of the main island of Vava’u driving go-carts. Alex and I were in a cart together and we joked we should have brought bananas (for all you non-nintendo nerds this is a reference to Mario Kart). It was a great day as we got to see views of the island we would not have otherwise seen, except that Tim wants to take Exodus up to the north side of the island in settled weather, since there must be fish up there. Next up was a tour of the botanical gardens, and the founder/owner gave us a fantastic personal tour (i.e., we were the only ones there) even if a bit long winded. He is very passionate about the garden and gave us some interesting insight into Tongan culture. It wasn’t my dad’s cup of tea, though, and I’m sure he would have been happier staying on Exodus with Tim and Alex servicing winches. We finished up with the tour and rushed out of Neiafu to catch up with the other kid boats for a bonfire on Nuku. Time to slow down again…
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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Logbook – September 19, 2014 (Nuku)

Daily Notes

• Morning beach day w/ sand castles

September 11-14, 2014

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Logbook – September 11, 2014 (Neiafu to Nuku)

Passage Log Higlights

• 1122 Arrive Nuku

Daily Notes

• Papa on the paddleboard. Beach afternoon @ Nuku. Walk the reef & bocce ball.
• Resistance & Mexican train after dinner

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Logbook – September 12, 2014 (Nuku to Port Maurelle to #30 Kenutu)

Passage Log Highlights

• 0857 Engines on
• 0903 Depart Nuku
• 0926 Arrive Port Maurelle
• 1548 Engines on
• 1602 Depart Port Maurelle
• 1755 Arrive #30

Daily Notes

• Swallows cave – really cool! (Brenden’s handwriting)
• T/A bonfire on beach @ Kenutu
• A/B – movie night on Dafne

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Logbook – September 13, 2014 (Kenutu #30)

Daily Notes

• Kids go to shore all day to husk coconuts w/ Dafne & Elena
• Hike around Kenutu
• Late night political convo

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Logbook – September 14, 2014 (Kenutu #30)

Daily Notes

• T/B spearfish – 0
• Dad/Karen kayak, D/A paddle to Omumu – hike to cave & view

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Email to family and friends dated September 14, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Coconut Macaroons

We are out at Kenutu again, because it’s one of our favorite spots. We joined 2 other kid boats when we arrived, and all the kids spent all afternoon on the beach husking and grating coconuts in order to make coconut macaroons over on Dafne. They all worked hard on it, but Alex and Brenden didn’t even mind that they didn’t really like the macaroons at all. We’ve taken my dad and Karen all around both islands (Kenutu and ‘Umumu) for some jungle trekking and spectacular views. Evenings are filled with dominoes, cards, and sometimes some heated political conversation. Of course, Tim and I have been out of it for so long we are at an information deficit. But I guess that could be a good thing.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

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