From Samoa to New Zealand.

It is only 1500nm between New Zealand and Samoa, but to sail there I might have to add another 500.  If I done this leg nonstop it'll take 2 weeks,  But since I have stops along the way maybe I can get there before Xmas. only 45 days away.   

The  first 350nm back to Tonga was made in good time.  Took less than 3 days.  Winds from the SE less then 15kts the whole way.  Only problem for this leg was windvane steering broke another small shackle.  Out comes the jewelry box with all those shinny SS pieces for a quick repair, then put Windy back to work.  Glad I have an alternate way of steering besides the electric auto pilot for these long passages, but this thing breaks at least once every 500 miles.  Not a good record.  To make up for the bad luck I catch a small Wahoo, only one meter long.

Again I arrive at my destination before sunrise, so why not take a nap and wait for some daylight to see where I'm going.    I heave-to again for a few hours.  When the morning sun rays hit me I am 10 miles further then where I started.  I think I slept too long.  Now to get back to the harbor I have to add another 2 hours of sailing upwind or turn on the motor.  I did a little of both and drag a fishing line hoping for a big strike this time.  I'm going to have to learn a better way to heave-to.  I'm getting negative forward progress.
     In sailing, heaving to (to heave to and to be hove to) is a way of slowing a sailboat's forward progress, as well as fixing the helm and sail positions so that the boat does not actively have to be steered.

Arriving on a Saturday into a foreign country is not always a good thing.  Most times you have to pay overtime charges.  Or in Tonga just wait until Monday, here officials like there weekends off and nothing happens on a Sunday.  I pick up my favorite mooring ball, and fly the Q flag  and stay on the boat until Monday.  When Monday comes around I have to move over to the rusty wharf for the check-in procedure.  Here everything is now in one building.  Checking in was a breeze, only took half the day and 2 bottles of wine..  

Back to the mooring ball and the sail repair guy.  We found 2 dozen more holes that would soon turn into tears.  Boy this is going to be an expensive repair job for a sail that's going into the dumpster when I get to NZ.  I'm thinking better to have an old one that's only good in light winds then none at all.  Hang around waiting for Bob. 

Sail repairs finish, only took a week, and stacking up with more vintage wine only took 2 days.  Good winds will have to wait.  I say my good bye's to everyone in Nieafu and take off for the next leg, only 170nm south.  If I leave in the evening I'll get there in the morning after two over nighters.  When passing the Ha paii" Group I give Silhouette a call on the VHF.  They plan on anchoring for the night and make the sail to Tongatapu in the morning.  I thought about joining them until I had a look at the anchorage that they were planning on spending the night.  I didn't like it, too open for these big waves.  And since I'm already out here in these 20-25kt winds just fwd the port beam, why stop.  Mainsail still lashed to the boom.

I make it to Tongatapu's outer reefs around midnight, Sailed faster then planned and didn't want to slow down.  Since I've been here several times and have all the reefs mark on my chart plotter and computer and have my previous tracks and routes and the autopilot and the radar and ais and depth meters, and motor, and me are all working good, I proceed into the darkness.  Only a big fishing boat and a freighter moving around this night.  And maybe a little fishing boat or two that I didn't see.  Drop anchor off of Big Mama's Yacht Club  https://www.facebook.com/bigmamayachtclub/  around 2 am.  Plenty of time for a little R&R and a good place to wait for the weather window to NZ.

The other boats showed up the next evening after an uncomfortable night and then getting the shit beat out of them by the wind and waves.  They had over 30kts and bigger seas for there passage.  But we have time to wait. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and Big Mama say turkey.  We buy she cook.  She found a turkey, she cooked in the ground with the rocks and banana leaves. We ate.  Again no pictures, Watermelon was a good substitute for cranberry sauce.  

Now to add a little excitement to the wait  - there is a tropical depression to the north of us.  Glad we're out of Samoa, but we're still in the tropics.  It's forecast to pass to the east of us then continue south until it freezes to death.  But we are still getting 30kts winds for several days while in the anchorage as it passes by.  And worst there are those 5 meter seas outside.  So the plan is when the seas die down make a break for Minerva Reef and if the weather is good enough go straight to NZ.. The first week of Dec. looks promising.  So we fill up with fuel, provisioning and I give a few bottles of wine to the Big Mama's staff and then some to Phil to carry for me.  I don't want to be too much over the limit when I arrive in NZ

 Of Course being the slow boat I take off first.  Just after lunch on 4th of Dec. a Friday.  Glad I'm not superstitious.  Phil leaves in time to make it through the reefs before sunset.  Sequoia leave the next day.  My first day out winds from the SE just under 20kts, seas 3 meters.  Too much for the mainsail.   Next day same conditions except doing the middle of the night winds went light.  On came the engine.  Seas 2.5 meters.  Next day light winds, using motor all night and most of the day.  1930 I'm dropping anchor in N. Minerva reef.  There was just enough sunlight to see the pass through the reef.  Besides I've been here before and have all the waypoints and tracks and routes and I didn't feel like staying off shore heaved-to.  Phil already there.  Sequoia arrives the next day.  Time for crayfish.  I'm sure you have heard me say how easy it is to catch S. Pacific lobster, aka crayfish.  Well here's a video to show you how it's done.

After only one night of rest and one night of crayfishing (I only caught 2), I'm in a hurry to go.  My reading of the Gribs say there will be some strong winds off NZ in about 8 days and  coming from the South.  If I'm going to make thoose 800nm in 8 days I'm leaving now Dec. 8th..  The faster boats stay for another hunt.  I don't have to worry about tearing the mainsail in high winds,  there isn't any.  Instead I motor the first day,  Then some wind, engine off,  then no wind engine back on.  Done this routine for the whole trip.  When boat speed less then 5kts, engine comes on.  About half way accross with all this open ocean Silhouette is dead behind be and one of us will have to make a course correction to avoid a collision.  Being the nice brother I jibe so he don't have to adjust his sails.  

On the morning of the 15th those south winds arrive.  But less then 15.  So drop the head sails and motor that last 100nm to make it to the dock at nightfall.  Again I have been here and done that so a night time approach wasn't too nerve wrecking.  Just didn't want to spend another night out with the winds forecast to be in the 30's.  Silhouette been here since morning, all checked in.  I'll have to wait for the next day, but I can sleep like a baby now.  Sequoia sail into Opua the next day.  They are planning on sailing around NZ.  Texas boys plan on working on boats.  Searcher been here for a month.

We move to the town Basin Marina a week before Christmas.  Hope Santa know my new address.  I got one heck of a wish list.  And since everything will be close might as well take it easy and start repairs next year.

Samoa and American Samoa

Searcher is headed South for New Zealand soon.  Oct. 2nd - Irie II, Silhouette, and Sequoia checked out of Tonga, headed north for a 3 day sail to Samoa on a Saturday morning.  Something about bad luck to leave on a Friday and Tonga so nice they give you 24 hrs after checking out of the country to leave the country.  This way you can buy more stuff at the duty free store.  It's always good to stock up on cheap booze.  But there are limits to what you can bring into the next country.  After Samoa I'm off To American Samoa where I can stock up with cheap booze and no limits.  So why am I stocking up on wine when I don't drink the stuff?  A chance to stock up on a once in a lifetime special vintage wine - Commemorating the Coronation of their Majesties King Toupou VI & Queen Nanasipau'u.  I purchased my limit with all the red and white colors.  Well since I don't drink it I can always give it away.

First day the winds are from the SE at 12kts. all day.  I got a reef in the mainsail and Jib and Staysail all the way out, moving along at 6kts.  Not bad.  Then once the sun goes down the wind goes down with it.  Out comes the reef in the mainsail.  I'm trying to keep up with the faster boats.  But best I could do was pass up a Westsail 32.  Right after midnight the winds pick up to 15kts with gust to 20, not bad it's easy just roll up the staysail for less horse pwr.  It also switch to the east.  Bad.  Now to get to the East tip of Upolo it's going to be a close haul, beating into those waves.  Wet and Wild.

By morning the winds are down to less then 15 but still from the east.  Just like the GRIB files said.  What's a grib file?  A computer put this out on the web and when you are out at sea you just download this image via HF radio.  Or a satallite phone/device.  No more free wi-fi.  For better and worst - no more wifi and cell phones.   And you haven't seen slow until you try to download something real big.

This was one of those days the gribs were right.  But it's only a 300nm run and the forecast is more of the same.  More wind that is.  So before sunset on Sunday, reef back in the main, Jib to 2nd reef. no staysail.  Speed still above 6kts.  Shit at this speed I'll be there Monday night.  Might have to slow down.  Imagine that a sailboat slowing down, on purpose.

Monday morning after doing the HF radio check ins, I found out Silhouette and Sequoia pulled a fast on on me.  They decided to head for the west end of Upolu.  Why beat into those waves for another day when you can just change course and have a better ride.  So first I heave -to for a shower and to cook then set the autopilot on a course of 345°T.  It was a better ride.  But as expected I didn't get there before dark on Monday like the fast boats.  So I spent the night just hanging out offshore waiting for the sun.

Tue morning I'm calling Apia Harbor Control for permission to enter the harbor.  He ask if I wanted a slip at the marina, sure I didn't feel like ferrying Customs/Imigration/Health etc by dingy out to the anchorage like the others did.  They all came to the dock.  Easy.  Only extra cost was a bottle of vintage wine.

Nice little marina with a big ass surge.  Dock lines only last a week without any added protection.  But it's home for the next few weeks.   Phil came in and tied up to the next slip. Sequoia too big for the available slip.  Instead of the surge they have the ocean swell to deal with.  Well we agree that we have been in worst places,  but for sure not here in a storm.

While folding the main sail I notice a small tear.  More inspection reveal a large tear.  WTF.  It's only 3 years old and tearing apart.  The winds wasn't that high, I think.  Oh well only thing to do is track somebody down with a sewing machine big enough to handle the job.  Sign outside the marina say sail repairs call this number.  I did and had the taxi driver go all over the place looking for it.  Drop off the rotten sail with some sail repair material and hope I can find this place again.

So while waiting it's time to do the things we came here to see.  First must see is the weekly performance at the Samoan Culture Center.

Teaching everyone how to weave palm fronds.  Project - a lunch plate.

 Then build a fire and throw in a few rocks
 
Then you wrap the fish up like this.

  Then you mix the kassava with the coconut and wrap it all up.
Then you put everything on the hot rocks cover with banana leaves and while you wait, enjoy the show.

  

  

 

Lunch was delicious, too bad I was too busy with my new plate to take a picture.

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Next on the list was to hire our favorite taxi driver for a  4 hour tour of the island.  Stopped at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum for the quicky tour.  Wish we had more time.  Taken pictures wasn't allowed.   The history museum was close.  So off to see some waterfalls and old churches.  

 

 

Collapse lava tube now swimming pool with a passage to the ocean.

 

Final resting place with a view.  Old and new.

 And Everywhere are all these "Open Houses"  They are the center of life here.
For more info click this http://www.polynesia.com/polynesian_culture/samoa/samoan-houses.html#.V8VGB_l9600  It might be a good idea if every family had one of these.

  

  

 

 
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And yet another Show.

 

And fire dancers

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Remember the wedding that displaced me from getting a ride on the Samoan Vaka?  Well quess who is getting married again - for real?  Same couple from the s/v Free Spirit also in the same marina.  I didn't get any pics of the wedding because I was running the video camera for them.  The Cruisers finally had a chance to get all dress up and it wasn't a Sunday.

 

Oh the Vaka is here I just can't find a picture.  Must be on my cell phone or in a cloud.
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One reason to be this far North from NZ this late in the season is to take advantage of the US Postal Service General Delivery - very reasonably priced and acceptable speed to deliver much needed boat parts and hard mail from the mainland.  American Samoa is only 80 miles straight into the wind and it's been blowing hard lately but the Gribs say maybe next few days.  Sil and Seq wanted to sea more of Samoa.  They headed west, downwind to Savai'i for a few days.  I stay put because the first weather window to go east I'm going.  Well as luck would have it.  They had a good time and all I did was wait on the weather.  And when it did finally ease up Sequoia was back and ready to go.  Phil said he don't need to go to A.S. for anything, but I can pick up his mail for him.  With such a short distance we decided to make an overnight out of it.  Sailed and tacked all day.  Those 80 miles double.  Sometime doing the night I decided to heave-to and take a nap while waiting on the sun.  Sun came up and I still got to beat into the wind to get to Pago Pago.  This time then officials had me tie  up to the broken down wall, dock?  To wait for them.  Only took all day to check in.  Had to walk to 3 different places to get stamps on passport and boat papers and then all the way to the bank to get money.  Not the sweetest, check-in.  Think being a Saturday had anything to do with it?   Will have to complete the process on Mon.

After settling in to a new anchorage, time to go shopping,  Take the bus to Cost You Less, the local version of Costco/Sams.  Stacked up on all kinda goodies.  But best of all they have things that run on 120 volts.  Just what I need a new micro wave oven.  It will fit the same spot as my old one I just gotta have it.  But the old one still work, but being in this salty environment, I'm sure it'll fail soon just like all the other 120 volt gadgets.

The  orginal plan was stay a week, when the mail arrive on Friday we leave soon after.  Only the packages I'm expecting did not arrive on Friday like the tracking number said, neither did Seq's.  Maybe on Tuesday's flight.  Nothing.  Maybe on Friday's flight.  Well while waiting me, Carl, and Jan from Sequoia rent a car and take an island tour one day and go load up on provisioning and other gadgets we gotta have while we can get 'em.  Like paint and glue and other stuff for the boat.

 

The home of Charlie the Tuna from the Starkist packing plant in the harbor.

2 weeks later.  All the packages and mail has arrived - a new wind generator, a new engine water pump, a bunch of boat parts, my new CC and my new drivers license.  Like I need that.  We make the last run on the liquor store to booze up for the rest of the year..  Everything stored and when I go to pull up the anchor on the morning of 11th November, I'm hook to some big ass chain from a ship.  Finally with Carl's help I'm off to Vanau'u to get my mainsail repaired.  Sequoia is leaving for the Hapaii group in a couple of days.  Phil is leaving Apia in the morning for Niuatoputapu and on to the Hapaii' group.  Eventually we will all meet up in Tongatapu and wait for a good weather window to New Zealand.  Paul on Searcher is headed for New Zealand by now.  

Return to Vava'u, Tonga Aug, Sept. 2015

      Welcome to the Sea Trails of Irie II.  This sea story continues from the old Sea Trails found in Sailblogs.   http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sv_irieii/381368


     After checking in with immigration/customs, what?  Yep, here you have to check in between island groups.  Just one of the many pieces of paper governments uses to keep track of us sailors.  In other places, I had to check in if there was a Port Capitan and in Cuba I had to check-in everywhere.  In modern time, all my friends have to do is just open the blog and click on a few buttons and then they can see where I'm located (almost).  Technology at it's best.  Why all the paper work?  Anyway after doing the check in dance and doing a little provisioning along comes Phil now waiting for him to do the same.  Then a night out, sure don't feel like cooking or cleaning.

     Then on the horizon the Samoan's Vaka come sailing in.  Last time I seen them they were tied up to the dock in Auckland.  This must be the 4th time I've  been in the same harbor with them.  They have been sailing  along side the sailing canoes Hokulea from Hawaii since my days in French Polynesia then all the way to New Zealand.  Now they are sailing back home to Samoa.  Hoping I see them there in a few months.

 I even signed up for a ride on this traditional way of crossing oceans with the 1st female Yacht-master, Captain Fealofani  from Samoa on tomorrow's sail.  But an impromptu wedding came up, so I just watch her sail off  without me.  Maybe next time.    

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      I finally leave the Mooring field and city life early one Monday morning just to go and join Silhouette and Sequoia for a trip to Sparrow’s cave, Mariner’s Cave and getting back into the cruising life style.  They left Neiafu last week and have been enjoying Vava'u's remote anchorages every since.  I passed them anchored on the NW coast of Kapa Island on a little spec of sand and coral  only 10 meters deep so they could be close to the caves.  I didn’t like the looks of it so I went a couple miles further to Pt. Maurelle, a big spec of sand with coral and only 30 meters deep with a little beach.  It’s mention in the cruising guide as a nice anchorage.  



        Plus there were several other boats there that I can socialize with and tonight when the wind switch directions, hope everybody stay in one place.  And of course another Pot Luck dinner and beach fire and drinks.  And by morning the boat is pointing in the opposite direction of where it was when I went to sleep.  After everyone readjusted anchors - mind was wrapped around several coral heads - I take that long wet dinghy ride to meet up with the others for a snorkel into Sparrow's Cave.  Even by dinghy the wind always come from where I want to go.

     

If it wasn't for all the graffiti on the walls - Why do people must destroy the beauty of places like this?

 

 
 

Tons of sardines or bait.

 


     We didn't make it to Mariner's Cave.  Too far to haul scuba gear.  We will have to book a trip there with the local dive shop one day.
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Since we cancel the Cave dive we sail back to Nieafu Harbor and I pick up my favorite Mooring ball close to the Mango Cafe so I can get free Wi-Fi, after I buy something to get the password.  Happy hour here I come.  And a night out on the town.  The video of the weekly Wed. night  activities at The Bounty Bar didn't come out very well.  So when you see me ask, and I'll tell you all about it.

We had a Safari Cart book for the next day's fun.  But it looked more like a go-cart to me.  We had heard about the Bontanical Gardens on the far North East side but why take a bus when you can have a little fun on the way.

  

 

Washing and drying the bark to make tapas.  And a dried water well, haven't rain lately.

 And this tree here is ahhh?

 

I sure hope my Avacado Tree back home is better.

 He sure knows his stuff.  You ever get close to Tonga his place is a must see.  And he does tell a good story or two.

 

  

The North Shore

Well what trip would not be complete if it wasn't for the kids?  On the way back we where greeted by the friendly kids and the bad dogs.  We survived both. 

 

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Next day's fun - swimming with the whales.  Up early to catch the boat.  Just a little tied from all the fun we had yesterday, but nothing like a good swim in some cold water to wake you up.  After motoring around all morning someone finally spotted whales off the port bow.  The chase was on or was it the race was on.  First tour boat there gets the whale.  It helped that we had a head start.  But before we can jump in, we do a little whale watching because they need to calm down a little.  Don't want to get whale slapped.  

 

 

Get Ready
  Get Set

Go

   

Some where they be whales

 

Vis sucks and the whales never stop swimming away.

So back to the boat we go.






Irie II at famous mooring ball

The poor quality of the video wasn't worth my time to edit so here's last years videos to get you in the mood.  

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Since the only things open on Sunday are the roads, the restaurants and the churches.  We take the first two.  After breakfast and directions me and Phil take a long uphill hike to highest peak in this part of Tonga.  

   

  

 

 

Bigass boat,  Even got it's own runway.  Anybody can have a heliport on deck.

 

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You can really appreciate a sport once you given it a try.  Cricket use to be as foreign to me as baseball is to most of the world.  As punishment  my first game of Cricket had to be played in the mud with a bunch of other American cruisers that didn't know what they were doing.  But we do know how to have fun.


  Mangoes And  Mud Fields.  Our team mascot was the Mud Crab.

  

Everyone is wet and spirits are dry.  Someone forgot to bring the beer and BBQ.  They didn't think anyone would show up in this weather for Cricket lessons.  


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One of the Texas Boys tradition is on our birthdays the other have to buy an expensive dinner.  Now it's my time for that dinner and there is no where in this part of Tonga that sell an expensive dinner.  Well there is this one place, but it ain't close.  So I demanded two Tongan expensive dinners and he still came out ahead.  On my day we went to the Tropicana for their Friday night BBQ.  For less then $10us ea. we pigged out.  Drinks were extra.  And we had this  soon to be world famous guitar player sign happy b-day.




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The next day we all set sail for the always on Saturday Tongan feast on the island of Vaka' eitu.  Roast pork on the open fire, with all the other Tongan dishes that I can't remember the name of.  We pigged out again.  It sure was good.  Again for <$15us ea.  Next year I hope to be somewhere expensive.  Because I'm sure he's going to get me in NZ.

 

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On Sunday we moved over to Matamaka Village, since the wind direction had change and this new anchorage was better for the upcoming flood.  Hope nobody mind, because you're not suppose to work on Sunday.  As predicted that night in rain enough to fill up my dinghy.  The next day another muddy walk through town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Next Mooring field - anchorage #11, north of Tapana Island.  Well this is the place for that expensive dinner.  But Phil not buying - he said "its too late".   It was a race to get here because the lady at the Ark Gallery said over the VHF, I only have one mooring ball left."  I win due to an early start.  When Phil arrives she put him on the other "only one left" mooring ball.  Maybe she meant the one on the left?

Well I had to buy my own expensive dinner at the La Paella Restaurant   One of the best in my memory.  Way back in 1992  Water Babies Sailing Club facebook page paid a visit.  The restaurant had just open a few years earlier and was just getting things right.  And it's still right.  But the chickens now live outside with the ducks and the goats and dogs live inside and the pigs are running wild.

  

Well I did get to eat birthday cake after all, only it wasn't my birthday.

The band is still playing after all these years.  Even got real drums.  And of course they sound just as good if not better then they did 25 years ago.

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Next day, a sail over to another well remembered anchorage from 25 years ago.  Kenutu Island.  We found the spot that we had our beach BBQ and camp fire.  The coals may have been washed out to sea, but not the memories.  Wouldn't mind seeing those videos or pics from way back then.  We hiked over to the other side for a view of the blow holes.  Not much of a swell today so not much of a blow.  There was this one structure overlooking the ocean.  Best we could tell - it was left over from the filming of Survivor.  I know they never had an episode in Tonga.  Heard the hotel owner up the rent and TV station moved somewhere else.

  

  


Well all good things sometimes come to an end.  And if I want to see something else besides Tonga this year I better get a move on.  Reprovision and wait on weather, reprovision and wait some more.  Finally the first week of Oct a weather window opens.  Sequoia, Silhouette, and Irie II check-out of Tonga heading North for Samoa.