[password]8Tarnhows
[position]18 41.96s 174 01.78w
[weather]ese 10kt, 6/8Sc base 400m, seas calm, 26 degrees Celsius
[status] Hello family and friends,
Our stay anchored off Sandy Beach Resort has been brilliant! We shared the anchorage with a lovely family from Sydney who have their young son and daughter out of primary school for a year and are sailing their catamaran around the islands.
One morning father and daughter paddled alongside to deliver a loaf of bread the young lady (about 10years old) had made for us. Fantastic.
The snorkeling, swimming, weather, and all round ambience of the resort on Foa Island, Ha?apai Group, has been beautiful.
The resort also has a dive shop and yesterday (Monday)Jim and I had two scuba dives each. The first was a pleasant tropical reef dive with a sea temperature of 30 degrees celsius but the second dive featured a large reef area with caves, canyons and swim through tunnels which created a simply magic diving experience. We were taken to the dive spots in the ?dive boat? and as the only divers we had the undivided attention of the dive master. Good stuff.
Today we set sail about 08:00am for the northerly Vava?u Group of Islands and we have had fabulous sailing all day with the asymmetric spinnaker set for most of the journey. We are now anchored alongside two catamarans and three mono-hull yachts at Port Maurelle. A lovely spot but with no visible habitation.
This journey through the Tongan archipelago has been very satisfying indeed but unfortunately it is coming to a close with us planning to enter Neiafu harbour either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. The crew changeover is Saturday.
For the next two days we anticipate enjoying the many islands of the Vava?u Group.
Fondest regards,
Jim, Bill(scribe), Pete and Bob.

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