[password] TwinkY6433
[position] 18 42.423S 173 59.238W
[weather] E 9 knots, 1014 baro
[speed] Anchored in Tepana Bay, Vava?u, Tonga.
[heading]
[status] Other boats have turned up into our private bay - how rude! ;) Never mind - we don?t mind sharing sometimes. I (Adrienne here) have been devouring Jack Reacher books at the moment. I think I?ve read about 4 in a week - it?s absolute bliss to have the time to do that. I even got so engrossed that I spent a bit long in the sun and got a bit pink. Steve was a bit annoyed when the next morning the pink bits were brown already - thanks to my Spanish heritage! ;) Muwhahhahahaha.

Frequent dips were required to cool off, and along with amazing sunsets to watch, the weather is finally coming right for us here in Tonga.

Sunday we headed around to Port Maurelle for a pot luck lunch and rum punch on the beach with the other rally boats. We haven?t been into this anchorage this year yet because it?s: a) the locals have been charging to anchor, snorkel, or even go ashore; and, b) it?s 20-35m deep and full of friggin rocks and comparatively little sand. Late last week we heard that there had a been a court case and the judge ruled that it was unlawful to charge for anything but fishing inside the SMA (special management area), and so they were told they couldn?t charge for anchoring etc. Armed with this, we decided to venture in. We anchored up with the normal anchor chain graunching across volcanic rock, and went ashore. Steve had whipped up an awesome mushroom risotto for the pot luck. It was great catching up with others we hadn?t seen for a while. Afterwards we tried anchoring around the corner a bit, but it seems the bottom consisted of the same volcanic rock, one piece of which decided to attach itself to our anchor and come join us. We dumped the anchor and managed to drop the rock, and so, fed up with non-sandy anchorages, headed around to Tepana Bay which we visited last year. One the way, we saw some whales having a whale of a time - no breaching, but just general Sunday afternoon whaleyness with spouts and fins and tails.

We?re now enjoying a wine in the cockpit, watching the sunset, and the owls flying overhead. The locals are zooming around in longboats in the dark singing to OutKast?s ?Hey Ya? which is amusing. Life is good again.

Tomorrow we hope to visit Kenutu at the outer eastern edge of Vava?u, which will require transiting the ?zig zag? channel. High tide should be about 9.30 so hopefully the light will be good enough.

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