[password] TwinkY6433
[position] 20 16.82S 174 38.30W
[weather] NE 12 knots, 1017 baro
[speed] Anchored off Fonoifua Island, Tonga
[heading]
[status] Steve here .... I know Ade normally writes these updates but I?m having a go tonight. We headed away from Nomuka this morning (as did a lot of the boats) and we had decided to go eastward thinking that, with the predicted wind (NE) we?d be able to sail ESE to the eastern barrier reef that protects the southern Ha?apai Group. But, of course, the wind was ENE and just too tight to sail without motor assistance. Never mind we thought, we?ll make some water while we motor into the light breeze. Well the ?breeze? was 20+ knots and the sea was getting a bit lumpy. We suddenly had the automatic bilge pump kicking in and we were alarmed to see water running across one of the floorboards, although the bilge only had a smallish amount of water in it. We had blown a small hole in the high pressure water line between the watermaker pressure pump and the reverse osmosis membranes and the pump was merrily spraying water around the engine bay. Arrggghhhh! After shutting the watermaker down we snuck into the lee of Mango Island to check out what had gone wrong. We identified the problem and decided to carry on to Fonoifua to get some calm water to anchor in and assess things properly. We dug out a spare high pressure hose, replaced the faulty one, checked everything thoroughly, wiped everything down and tentatively ran up the watermaker. It appears to be working as it was before the incident without any damage or leaks (phew!). Good thing we carry lots of spares! We washed the boat down, had a swim and we?re settled for the evening here. Tomorrow we might head NE to another small island. We will see how that turns out tomorrow.

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