Vava’u Group, Tonga

June 2018

An absolute feast !!

We have spent almost a week enjoying the various beautiful islands here that make up the Vava’u Group here in northern Tonga. Anchoring in a new bay each night where the water was so clear and clean each coral head was totally visible from the surface. The weather has been perfect, although rather hot and humid – requiring multiple swims to keep cool. The water is so warm it is a delight to dive in and check the set of the anchor.

We went into Neaifu Harbour on Tuesday 5^th June and after picking up a mooring visited the local markets for fresh fruit and veges. Meat is not easily obtained here and rather dubious looking when you do find some, but the fish markets have crayfish/lobster at just $10/kg – so guess what we have been eating!!!

My very good friend Barbara flew up for a 9 day stay and after meeting her we headed out again – I had made a list of the “must see” places I wanted to show her so we were on a mission.

Barbara and I enjoying Caesar's (vodka & clamato juice) after a hard day's

sailing, swimming, snorkelling and sunning

The first night we anchored by Nuku Island and were happily enjoying a cool drink when a local chap in his longboat came up and asked for $15 Tongan for the privilege of us putting down our anchor, he then tried to charge us to visit Nuku Island and snorkel saying he would take us there in his boat for another $7/person – needless to say we declined.

Next day it was off to Hunga Lagoon. The rather daunting entrance is through a narrow pass with coral bommies ahead and to the side – Barbara and I were on the bows on lookout duty – we made it with room to spare. The coral just behind our mooring was spectacular, we can certainly understand why there are moorings available to pick up in these places as to drop your anchor could damage the coral or worse foul the anchor and chain making it difficult to pull up again.

Just another incredible pacific island, clear clear water and white sand

SOL from the Lava Bar & Grill balcony

Next day, Friday 8^th June, we went around to Foeata Island, anchoring in the beautiful blue lagoon there for a lunch stop in the calm water which sadly was full of jellyfish so we did not swim. Leaving Foeata we sailed around to Vaka’eitu (where we had enjoyed the Tongan feast last week) and swam and snorkelled there.

Saturday saw us anchored out the front of the Lava Bar and Grill, inside of Mala Island, exploring the wonders of the Japanese Coral Gardens by snorkel by day and enjoying dinner at the restaurant that night – the cerviche fritters were delicious!!

Lava Bar & Grill

Sunday morning, of course, was off to church. The church service on Kapa Island was incredible, you have heard that Tongan singing at church is enough to lift the roof – well the congregation consisted of 9 women and 6 men, the women did most if not all of the singing and WOW it was amazing – if you closed your eyes you would think there were 100 women not just 9. I have no idea which denomination they were and as the service was all in Tongan we couldn’t understand a word of it however it was a totally uplifting experience.

In the afternoon we zigzagged through the Fanua Tapu pass and anchored off Kenutu, another long white sand beach which when we walked down its length we found a little lagoon swimming hole and some more New Zealanders – Grahame and Lynne (Toronui) and Craig, Lauren and little Maya (Revilo). We also walked over the top of the island and stood watching the waves crashing in from the ocean. We stayed in Kenutu for two nights.

Anchored off Kenutu

Back to Neaifu and again on Beluga Dive mooring #40, we organised to go out on their dive boat to Mariners Cave and Swallows Cave the next day – we could not anchor out as it is too deep and it would be no fun to take turns staying on SOL while the others went in. It was a good idea too – we went to Mariners cave first, geared up, took a practice swim under the dive boat then snorkelled to the entrance. A big breath, quick duck dive down a metre or so, swim hard and fast as you can forward for about 3-4 metres then look for the lighter colour water above, so you know you are ok to surface. On surfacing all appears misty and kind of gloomy, but when you look down it is magical – there is an entire beachscape visible below through about 50 metres of clear, clear water. Rumour has it that a young nobleman fell in love with the daughter of a chief but was not allowed to marry her so they ran away and he hid her here in this cave, bringing her food and water daily, while he built a canoe to take her far enough away to Fiji, Thomas Mariner told the story hence the name.

Next stop Swallow’s Cave, this was not a dive down enter through a hole in the wall but a simple swim straight in, but just as magical, maybe even more so with bird’s nests stuck to the roof, stalactites and rock ledges. We climbed the up on the ledge and looked down to a pool over the top of the rocks. Sadly, some previous visitors have scratched and painted their names and those of their boats on the rock walls which kind of detracts from the natural beauty of the cave.

Entrance to Swallow's Cave

After the caves we went snorkelling at A’a Island, the edge of the island is sheer cliffs fringed with coral and huge numbers of brightly coloured fish and we swam along just marvelling at the beauty for what seemed like half a mile before Mata picked us up in the dive boat and took us to yet another incredible snorkel spot. Lunch of papaya and coffee then back to Neaifu, all agreeing it was a splendid outing and that we’d have not been able to see as much had we gone out alone.

Barbara left us on Thursday 14^th June and we escaped the heat and humidity of Neaifu going back out to anchor for the next couple of days – luckily where we chose to anchor was not far from Neaifu as the anchor winch switch decided to jam up so after taking it apart we had to go back and find somewhere to repair or replace it so it was back to our favourite mooring and a quick visit to the Boat Yard (a couple of km walk but Jamie was loaned an old slightly dodgy looking pushbike by a local man and he doubled me about half a km) where one of the guys there fixed it (for nothing!!)

We spent time here in the harbour catching up on laundry, buying more stores, and checking out the weather reports to figure when we would leave these islands on the next stage of the trip – Fiji – and it looks like next week could be a go….