[password] pilot25041
[position] 18 39.4s 173 59.0w
[status] Monday 17th September late afternoon in Neiafu, Tonga and today is a Tongan Public holiday to celebrate the Birthday of HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala, the heir apparent.

Anyway, on Friday we did all the jobs we needed to, the 'formalities' were relatively straightforward and conducted in a relaxed fashion, we got the shopping we required and once Dirk had paid his 'one way exit fee' he was then duly removed from the boat's manifest, so hopefully no issues there when we need to depart! We had a relaxed evening on the boat, although a bit of excitement as we were having a beer ........ we saw someone in a dinghy in the middle of the bay, frantically trying to start the engine ........ without success, as there was no attempt being made to row ashore and as it was drifting on the wind, we 'launched' our dinghy to rescue the unfortunate soul ....... it turns he was the bar owner who had 'borrowed' the dinghy from 'Moorings' yacht charter and it had just cut out on him ....... there was no sign of any secondary propulsion, he had been out to collect the Friday afternoon racing marks that his bar sponsors, so we took him in-tow and safely deliver
ed him back to his bar's pontoon ........ much to the derision of the "locals"! Dirk & Barry were invited in for a beer or pizza, but as Allan was still on the boat and we were having tuna curry for dinner we politely declined! So, everyting was ready for the 'crew' changes on Saturday .......

Saturday, we went ashore first thing to get fresh bread as everything is closed on a Sunday, Dirk went to enquire about his flight, Lyn had phoned to say there was an issue with the aeroplane still being in Vavau after it went unserviceable on Friday evening ....... all in all, about the only thing we achieved on Saturday was two loads of washing completed and dried, the flights were on then off, eventually being cancelled for the day around 4.30pm due to a waterlogged runway in Tongatapu and there are no flights on a Sunday. So Allan & Barry went to the bar and sent Dirk a text message as he had been at the airport since midday, Dirk duly arrived at the bar around 6pm and was then trying to rearrange his homeward passage. We had dinner a couple of 'cold ones' and retired!

Sunday after breakfast we decided to attend 'church' so went ashore ready for the 10am service at the Free Wesleyan Church, all the locals were there in their best finery, we'd even dressed for the occasion in long trousers and proper shirts. The church was packed must have been over 200 people there, including a brass ensemble to help with the singing. We truly enjoyed the experience although towards the end of the 100minute service our backsides were slightly numb from the hard wooden pews! After lunch Barry & Dirk then set off to climb Mt Talua, the highest point on Vavau at 131m, after a meander through the local roads we were at the foot of the hill ........ some 177 difficult steps later we were at the top, giving us magnificent views around the whole bay and further afield. The cameras were well exercised and we then returned back down the steps, they are very steep and the 'treads' can be up to 20 degrees off horizontal from front to back, with the green growth and
dampness making them very slippery, the saving grace being a decent handrail, anyway safely negotiated we returned to the boat and had a roast chicken dinner to end the day!

To today ...... the clean bedding was again washed ready for Lyn to arrive, Dirk went ashore mid morning to try and get his flight brought forward as he was booked on the 10pm one, Allan & Barry were trying to get the SSB weather fax working, when suddenly Allan looked up and saw another yacht that was adrift about 10ft from our bows, we rushed to the bows just arriving as this steel yacht hit the port bow ........ it had broken the mooring buoy rope, bearing in mind that it had only been on the buoy circa 1hr and been shown there by a local, the singlehanded sailor having gone ashore to sort out his customs paperwork ......... we managed to get fenders in-between us and with some help from the crew of Excel (another NZ yacht) who had seen the drifting yacht complete with broken mooring rope and sped in their dinghy to help us, we safely tethered 'Ty Baloo' alongside us. An hour or two later a very embarrassed French sailor came back from shore, he had sailed overnight from
Niue and was fairly tired, after finding a suitable mooring he eventually cast off and left. The damage to Surreal's port bow is not too severe, considering it was hit by a solid steel/aluminium boat, this pm Barry has cleaned the damage out, prepped it for repair and then filled it with Epiglue (an epoxy glue), once this hardens we can then compete the repair with gelcoat tomorrow .....weather permitting, we count ourselves as being very lucky to get away so lightly! We've now had an e-mail from Dirk to say he has completed the first leg of his journey home and is in Tongatapu, where Michael (our additional crew member) is meeting him and hosting him overnight, before Dirk then flies to Auckland tomorrow!

Latest news, Allan & Barry were going ashore to pick up Lyn & Pam ........ Barry overbalanced as he went to step into the back of the dinghy ......... big splosh! So after a quick shower, we are now safely ashore, dry and completing writing this blog! Lyn & Pam have now arrived and we are all heading back to the boat!

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