Off in 2 Days

Neiafu Harbour
18 39.823′ S
173 58.903 W

It’s 5:30 am. Tonga’s ubiquitous roosters are announcing the dawn with enthusiasm (not that they ever shut up), the local canine chorus is in full cry, there’s a solitary cow mooing on shore close to us. The last big bat of the night flapped by a little while ago, lending an exotic note, and the church choir has just begun singing the morning service. Sky and smooth water are pale milky yellow and nacreous blue and the dawn is staining the horizon pink.

We’re in Neiafu, getting ready to leave on Monday morning – assuming the wind report for the Tonga-New Zealand stretch is reasonably favourable. We’ve been in this harbour more than anticipated thanks to the weather, which hasn’t been especially cooperative. Stiff winds and cloudy weather aren’t ideal conditions for navigating through coral in areas where there can be strong currents and the difference between a clear passage through the reef and a nasty crunching sound under the keel can be a matter of a few yards. When the sun is high, it’s easy to see the varying depths of the water ahead if one’s wearing a good pair of polarised sunglasses. Deep water is dark blue. As it becomes shallower, the colour becomes a beautiful clear turquoise and over sand it becomes even paler. Coral shows up as brownish khaki patches. If you see white or brown in right in front of the keel, it’s already time to think about how you’re going to get yourself off the sand or reef, as the case may be.

If it’s too windy anchoring also becomes a problem. Because of the way fringing reefs and atolls grow, there is often little relatively shallow area in which to anchor before the bottom drops off to 100 feet or more. This means one is usually anchored quite close to the reef. The holding is often somewhat dubious – sand is good to anchor in, but coral bottom can be like a broken-up pavement and the anchor simply skitters off it without biting. If the anchor isn’t properly set it can come loose, especially if the wind shifts, and if that happens at night one can be on the reef within minutes. We can set an anchor watch on our GPS, so that if we move beyond a certain radius an alarm sounds, but in such a situation one somehow doesn’t sleep very well.

Then there are coral heads, which can be dense as concrete but are also ecologically rather fragile. If the wind shifts, which it frequently does here, the bow of the boat moves to face into it and can drag the anchor chain ’round and ’round these formations. When that happens someone has to dive down to see which way the chain is wrapped and then the skipper has to drive the boat ’round the other way to free the mess. Some people try to break the anchor out, but that destroys the coral formations and often their windlass as well.

‘Utukalongalu Market, Neiafu

But being in Neiafu has provided the opportunity to spend more time talking with the people – both palangi (foreigners) and Tongans – and it’s been interesting to hear their stories and opinions about life here.

Whites who have started businesses here have done so because they’re attracted to the Tongan culture and the relaxed ambiance and lifestyle. They also, seemingly without exception, are involved in putting something back into this society which they have adopted and in which they are running businesses. Restaurant owners shrug and smile when they admit to lending their employees money to pay the church tithes, though they are less amused when describing the local pastors’ luxurious homes. The hand of the church (many churches, rather) lies heavy on the Tongans though perhaps the social foundation religion provides is what makes the Tongans accept their poverty with such smiling equanimity.

Typical Neiafu side road

The most critical of their own culture are the Tongans who have come back after living and working overseas, usually in the U.S. or New Zealand. They also make the attempt to improve the lives of their relatives and neighbours, mostly by encouraging them to begin their own businesses or work a bit harder instead of relying on hand-outs from the EC or funds sent by relatives working overseas. But these returning Tongans are also rather more caustic than foreigners about their compatriots’ cheerfully larcenous nature and unwillingness to do much more than work the odd day or two to earn enough for the day or week ahead.

The more one learns the more difficult it becomes to pass judgement in these matters. One can only hope the foreigners don’t run out of steam and that the Tongans find a way to become better-off without losing the qualities that make them such an attractive and likeable people.

A snorkelling trip to a nearby island was a delight. I had got to know the owner of the ‘Coconet Cafe’ – an internet cafe/restaurant/laundry/dive-shop/boat cleaning service – while hanging about waiting for our laundry to dry one afternoon. After 10 minutes spent chatting with his manageress while watching his attempts to paint a new sign for the shop, I offered to do the job for him. I’d made a living for several years as a fabric and wallpaper designer and enjoyed painting, which he rather obviously didn’t. He almost jumped at the offer, plied me with beer, fed me fish and chips, and when the job was done was so pleased that when he heard The Captain and I hadn’t seen much of Tonga, he insisted we visit their favourite island with them later that week. The Captain passed, but I accepted his invitation with delight.

They picked me up from The Boat – the manageress’ Tongan boyfriend came along for the fishing – and we sped off in the high-powered open dinghy to a small, crescent-shaped beach about 20 minutes’ fast motoring away. The beach was covered with pure white lumps of coral of many varieties and shapes and the adjacent reef was completely undamaged. I even saw a few giant clams – small ones of the species, but even so they had the iridescent green lining with the rows of neon blue ‘eyes’ that are so astonishing. This reef was mostly hard corals, including spectacular, round, pale green coral heads more than 12 feet across and 9 feet high. The best part of the trip, though, was on the way back when we stopped at another island where there is a formation called ‘Mariner’s Cave’.

The cave can’t be seen from the water because to get to it one has to find a certain area in a cliff face, then look for a dark area under the face, then dive down, then go under the underwater lip of the cave, and then up into the semi-darkness. I’d never have attempted it alone though it’s in the guidebooks as a ‘must do’, because even the thought of the access was rather nervous-making for someone who doesn’t really enjoy closed spaces.

But the side trip was so spontaneous and it all went so quickly, and the people I was with were so eager I see it, that there was no time to protest or be frightened. I was led through, so had flippers to follow, and I had the bright idea of turning belly-up so as to avoid cracking my skull on the rock. But I was at the limit of the time I can hold my breath when we broke through the surface on the other side. Inside the cave it was eerily beautiful. As the surge comes in it compresses the warm air in the space and one’s ears feel the change in pressure. The entire cave fills with a kind of blue haze which then clears with a pop – suddenly – as the surge sucks out again. We were there for about 5 minutes, and then dove out. That was easier, since I had a light blue patch of water to aim for.

The passage to New Zealand should take from 10 days to 2 weeks. We’ll probably encounter at least one low pressure system on the way, but they tend to pass rather quickly and our boat is so sturdy that even I’m not worried. We may stop at Minerva Reef on the way. This is a large atoll about 2 days sail south of Tonga, which is submerged during high tide but exposed during low tide. Pre-GPS sailors gave the place a wide berth but now it’s a regular stop-off point en route to New Zealand, both because the central lagoon can offer a reasonably secure anchorage during high winds and because it’s a strange and unique place. There probably won’t be a chance to send any entries during the passage, but shall try!

Next stop, Opua!

Eva

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