Farewell to Tonga...we will miss everyone.

This is our last day in Tonga, and we are very sad to leave. We have just loved it here. Peter says it is as if I’ve already moved in since I’m able to greet a lot of people by name and they do the same with me. It is truly a magical place!

A water baby!



I’m doing this blog update a day early, since we will be leaving in the morning (on Canada Day in this neck of the woods). We will spend one night at a remote anchorage after checking out, taking on fuel, doing final provisioning, etc. The good news is we have picked up a crew member for this 4 – 5 day crossing, which is reputed to be the most dangerous in the South Pacific. This is because of the multitude of uncharted reefs. Hopefully we won’t be discovering any brand new ones.

Our new crew member is named Anja – she is a German national (about 40) who hitch-hiked a ride over here from New Zealand. Her trip over was the crossing from hell, so we are hoping to improve on that record. I went diving with her one day and we hit it off well. She is not only a dive master , but also a sailing instructor. I can’t wait to learn a few things from her, since Peter isn’t exactly the best kind of teacher for me. Something about not learning from your spouse!

Kids at the feast learning to dance from the sidelines – magical smiles



Last week we had good intentions to spend our final week out at the gorgeous anchorages and do some diving, however, we had a huge storm, so had to come back to the safe harbor. It was fun though to declare a “snow day” where we tucked in and hunkered down for the day while the driving rain and 40 knot winds kept us below. Luckily we didn’t have any problems, but there was quite a bit of damage including the dinghy dock and boats having their anchor drag and moorings breaking loose in the middle of the night.

The boys are equally as photogenic



We entered QuickStar In the Friday harbour race, but unfortunately we missed the start (miscommunication – so Captain Joe don’t let him forget this okay?) so we managed to come across the line with only one other boat behind us. We had Mike (the owner of the moorings here) and a young fellow cruiser join us as crew. It was humbling for Peter, but we had a good time regardless of the finish.

The race crew (notice the one boat behind us)



The highlight on the two days that we were able to be out in the anchorages was having a very traditional Tongan feast. We ate everything with our hands and sampled the real food of the Island (as opposed to the tourist restaurants who cater to a North American appetite).

Peter & I at the Feast



It was delightful, especially the kids who love having their photos taken and love to have the “palangis” play with them.

Hanging out in the bushes



The best thing that has happened this week, happened earlier today. Taylor, Kylie’s fiance got his two year working Visa to come to Canada. YAHOOOOOOO! They have already booked their flights back to Vancouver to come via Fiji for 10 days to stay on QuickStar on July 25th. Lucky, lucky us!

So tonight we will have our final night here in Tonga and are celebrating Canada Day early with friends.

I will update the blog each day while we are out at sea, starting on Saturday from our Ham radio, so if you want to join us for our blue water crossing, we invite you to come along for the virtual ride. Here’s hoping we have smooth seas and following winds.

Until next time….Have a wonderful Canada Day weekend. Celebrate with friends and family!

The table at the feast before we all descended on it.

Peter is back - I'm captain, no more!

After my day of diving last week, I went out with the owners of Aquarium Café, their employees and about 30 children to the circus. This circus was brought in from Samoa, and was the first time ever that most of the Tongans had ever seen a circus. It was a bit hokey; more of a magical show and acrobatic demonstration, but everyone loved it. The highlight was watching the kids eating cotton candy – something they had never had before.

Ymmmmm - lots of sticky fingers


On Saturday morning I volunteered for my final time at the Library Club, as the kids are now on school holidays. It was very sad to say goodbye to the kids that I’ve read with and come to know so well this past month.

Very keen students, especially for a Saturday morning.


Of course, the high point of this week was having Peter return to QuickStar on Tuesday. After a gruelling 36 hour trip that started in Nanaimo with a car, ferry, another car, the SeaBus, the SkyTrain to Vancouver airport, then 4 flights to get here - ending with us picking him up at the airport. He slept for 12 straight hours but was back to normal the very next day, when we went out for a lovely “Welcome Back” dinner. It was nice to have my first gin and tonic and a glass of wine since Peter left.

Fresh lobster



We had hoped to go diving with Two If By Sea, but they have had a bit of a glitch with their license that hopefully will be resolved by next week, so we can dive for two days before we start heading to Fiji on Friday. We have friends joining us to help crew for the friendly race tonight in the harbor. Peter is still in “race” mode after they finished 5th in their division for the Van Isle 360. He said he loved it – very challenging both physically and mentally and he had a wonderful time with the guys (and all the support crew).

Tomorrow we will be sailing out to the outer islands, hopefully seeing a humpback whale, as they are starting to arrive, and going to a Tongan feast. We will be making the most of our final week here in Tonga, which has been our favourite destination to date (yes, I know I say that about all the countries we've been so grateful to have visited!)

If you need to get in touch with us, we will be checking our Ham radio email daily. Just remember no attachments or graphics, please. VA7UOC@winlink.org

Until next week….Put a smile on your servers face…next time you order a drink ask for diet water!

3 more sleeps till Peter comes back

Even here in Tonga, the top story this week for Canadians was the Stanley Cup Playoff. I listened to the games from an internet café, and although the outcome wasn’t what we were all hoping for – the Canucks did make it to the 7th game and gave us a great season. I was more disappointed with the “playing” of the fans after the defeat than the actual defeat itself. Doesn’t paint a very good picture of Vancouver with our demonstrated lack of good sportsmanship.

Faithful one-eyed Panda cheering on the Canucks to the end (thanks Ashley for sending this photo from Kamloops).



Well I’m still dinghy-less for this week, but managing fine with the kayak. I’ve figured out how to get in and out on the decrepit dock, although it isn’t graceful! The primer is definitely gone, so luckily I was able to email Peter and he is bringing a replacement part back from Canada. Apart from that, the only other hitch was with the watermaker. As mentioned last week, I had been given detailed instructions on how to run fresh water through it at least once while Peter was gone to keep the membranes moist, etc. True to form, I didn’t pay enough attention and so since I couldn’t reach Peter who was at this point racing on the outside of Vancouver Island, I did what I thought should be done.

When Peter arrived in Ucelet he responded to me with this email: “As far as the watermaker is concerned you need to do what I am about to tell you as soon as possible. Do NOT touch the actual water maker controls, all you need to do is open the valve beside my toolbox with the red handle 90 degrees for 3 minutes the generator should NOT be running. You will hear the fresh water pump come on, this is normal - you are flushing the salt water out of the system. After about 3 minutes close the valve and you are done. PLEASE do this ASAP as you have put salt water in the system when you started the Water maker. Again no need to touch any of the controls. I will e-mail more later and hopefully we can Skype later.” So, I didn’t win any brownie points for this one!

Another beautiful rainbow in the bay


In one of my earlier posts I mentioned that there were 25 boats here from New Zealand. They are heading to Fiji for their next leg, so they had their big send off dinner at the Mango with a band, dancing and entertainment. I had a lovely dinner out with friends and enjoyed an excellent lobster dinner (for only $20.00).

Lobster dinner


All week, new boats have been arriving from New Zealand and they have been badly beaten up. A normal transit time might be anywhere between 7 – 10 days. The average for the boats arriving has been 17 days of brutal conditions – 30 – 60 knots winds, right on the nose with swells of 18 feet! One boat had to sit out in the middle of the pounding storm for two days with their sea anchor out until it finally shredded and they had to continue. Lots of war stories being compared.

Had another great Saturday morning reading to the kids at the library. It just amazes me how keen they are to learn. They really enjoy asking “palangi’s” questions and interacting. A Palangi is a term for white person. Unlike, the negative term Gringo in Mexico, a Palangi is a respectful title and we are very well received here.

The “classroom” at the library.


One of my favourite days here is Sunday, because everything closes down. It reminds me of when everyone used to get the day off in Canada, although that seems like a million years ago. I just really like the difference where people aren’t just shopping and rushing around just like every other day of the week. Here, everyone puts on their Sunday best and meets their friends and neighbours in church and then they all go to a big family get together for a lunch and an afternoon of visiting. Call me old-fashioned, but I think if we still had some lazy Sundays and Sunday night dinners together, a lot of people would feel more connected and less lonely, even though they may have a zillion friends on Facebook.

I walked to another village about 1.5 away and went to church there. I get there early to chat with the locals and stay afterwards to talk with them. That’s where you really learn about the culture. I also met lots of the dancers from the Mango dinner and many of the women from the market, so it was nice to chat with them in a casual environment. I had my couple of bottles of water so I kept walking in the country for a couple of hours until I reached the Tongan Beach Resort. Met up with an old friend from last year who runs a business (every day except Sunday) and we spent 5 hours just gabbing away. Kathy kept wanting me to have a beer with her, but I’m taking a break from drinking while Peter is gone. She was too funny. She kept saying “who says you can’t drink” and I said “I just decided not to while he was gone”. She said “well decide you can”. I held firm though and we had a delightful afternoon just talking as women love to do.

I lost track of the time though and when she dropped me off at her house, I still had another hour to walk home. She kept insisting on driving me all the way, but I was a little concerned with her having 6 beers and going in to town. I did forget though how quickly it gets dark and found myself in the middle of nowhere in the pitch back with the sound of the bats getting louder and louder and the prospect of feral dogs a little daunting. I increased my pace and kept moving. Luckily a taxi driver appeared out of nowhere (The Secret at work?) so I got back to the marina bar safe and sound.

Shrimp in the bay


Yesterday, the reason I wasn’t able to blog on my regular day was that I went diving – haven’t been since last September and have never gone on a dive without Peter. Went to two other divers onboard Two if by Sea – a large catermaran run by a wonderful European couple. Very comfortable digs! The first dive was to Shark’s Tooth which is a cave that you have to swim in to from about 40 feet below surface. I had trouble with my buoyancy and didn’t have enough weight. I also started bleeding from my nose, so had to end the dive after we explored the cave and the wall dive outside of it. I was determined to go for the second dive as I though it important to get back on the horse. I had more weight added, but it still wasn’t enough. We did a nice dive in the coral garden but I was fighting to stay down the whole time and had more difficulties with my ears and once again started bleeding so I had to end the dive early. I was disappointed with myself to say the least.

Afterwards when we were reviewing it, we figured out that their weights were in pounds and I was used to diving with kilo’s so I had less than half the weight I needed. That made me feel better. Also, the good thing about it was that I didn’t panic and remained calm, even when I had to have one master diver hold my hand and the other instructor swim right on top of me to keep me from just flying up to the surface. I’ll make the necessary adjustments on the next dive – which will be with Peter when he gets back.

Lunch onboard the dive boat


I’ve been following Peter and gang in the Van Isle race. They’ve certainly had their adventures with collisions at the start, false starts, a grounding, a de-masting, a boat hitting a whale and destroying their rudder and wind hard on the nose for most of the 2 week race. The worst leg was from Winter Harbour to Ucelet which had very rough, cold conditions. Peter says he got about ½ hour sleep in 36 hours. One of their crew members got sea sick (more than half the whole fleet was incapacitated by sea-sickness) and another got hyperthermia. Peter was glad to have two nights in a hotel between legs to catch up on sleep, warm up and get laundry done. He has had a good time visiting with friends along the way, and is currently in Victoria with old friends Shorry and Kim. He has begun the last leg this morning to Nanaimo. He arrives on Sunday morning, takes the ferry to Vancouver and then flies back here that night arriving two days later…Only 3 sleeps till my man comes home to QuickStar. I’ve really enjoyed my time alone, but have really missed him too – so will be nice to have him back.

Until next week…..Have yourself a magical Sunday – perhaps a picnic or a walk in the woods with family and friends.

Band at the Mango

3rd Week all on my own!

Hi...just a quick note to let you know that I won't have a chance to write this post today...was out diving all day - now heading to the Samoan Circus for the evening with a group of about 25 kids. Hopefully, I'll be able to post tomorrow morning before I head over to read with the Saturday Library Club...otherwise later tomorrow afternoon.
Cheers....

Week Two of independence in Tonga

Okay, so truth be told – Week Two being on QuickStar on my own wasn’t quite as ducky as my first week of independence. Listening to the Canucks get blown out twice for sure wasn’t a highlight, but I remain optimistic that they will bring home the cup! The week started off with a massive storm that kept me on lock down for over two days. It rained to beat the band – I have NEVER seen rain like this before. I had to bail out the dinghy at least 3 times each day (in a torrential downpour), and each time it was almost overflowing. The good news is I got lots of inside projects done and lots of Spanish lessons completed.

QuickStar dinghy almost overflowing



The wind was gusting up to 42 knots, which kept me on alert most of the two nights, to keep an eye on things – after all I have the privilege of being the Captain for a short time. It was very sweet of some of the boaters and Aquarium Cafe here who would check in with me periodically on the radio. One of the boats in the harbor had their dinghy come loose and it took them two days to locate it on the rocks on the other side of the bay. Our friends on Two If By Sea were out at an anchorage and they said it was the worst night they’ve ever spent in 10 years! They also had their two body boards ripped off from their deck – not to be found.
So I was quite proud of myself for managing during these conditions, and when it ended, I had a fabulous SKYPE video call with Danny, Ashley and Addison (I won’t gush on about how adorable, smart and wonderful Addy is). Anyway, Danny who is a chip off his Dad’s block (we actually call them Chip and Block) said “Mom, be sure to ask if you need help”. Cute, isn’t it when your kids worry about you!

Anyway, ironically the next morning my dinghy engine wouldn’t start. I very reluctantly flagged down Stu from Two if By Sea and he had quite a bit of trouble with it. We figured it was waterlogged from the storm, so he told me to wait 10 minutes. We ended up chatting for that long and when he tried it again it worked, so I was back in business. That was short-lived though and when I tried to start it yesterday morning, it again refused to come to life. Stu was out diving and the other fellow from the Aquarium who keeps checking on me was busy in the village getting the pig roasted for the Feast last night…so I was somewhat stranded. I did take the kayak out for a paddle and checked out the docks to see if I could maneuver them, but they are in such bad repair and high up from the waterline that I would have fallen out while trying to get out. I had to pass on the feast – but it turned out okay because the sky opened up and we had a huge thunderstorm and copious amounts of rain.

While I was out kayaking, I took photos of “Vertigo” – a mega-yacht that is anchored in the bay. It is reputedly the largest sailing yacht ever built in the Southern Hemisphere. It is on its maiden voyage, so it is in pristine shape. I took lots of photos for both Peter and Halldo (who I’m sure will Google it just as you did all the mega-yachts in the Galapagos).

Vertigo in all her glory



One of the responsibilities Peter left me with was turning on the water maker once during his absence (we have all the tanks full, so I don’t need to make water, however, the system has to run every 14 days or else you need to pickle it). Anyway, he showed me how to do it and it was so simple I didn’t pay enough attention. I so wanted to do this 3 ½ weeks without having to ask him anything, but I did send an email just to make sure I was doing it okay. I didn’t get an answer as he is in the VanIsle 360 race (which has been VERY exciting to follow each day – in the race there has been a grounding, a collision at the start, a demasting, a protest, two false starts one day, etc. You can follow it on www.vanisle360.com). So, I decided I better give it a try on my own, so I turned on something and it seems to have worked. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that I didn’t wreck anything. I did manage to defrost the freezer without any apparent damage – although I’m not quite sure why the pipe is frozen under the sink in the head – maybe I just never noticed it before…let’s hope.

I did get some great news this week…my nephew Allan and his wife Kathy are expecting a sibling for Grayson in December. My brother-in-law Joe got out of the hospital and is back at home and on the mend. And lastly, I got signed with a book distributor for my book. This means that the book will be available not just online (and through me directly) but also in libraries and bookstores. The major book chains will be a tough nut to crack, but one step at a time.

On Saturday, I wandered through the local flea market. It was interesting to see live lobsters hung from the stalls…some of them had to have a pen put in their claws, since they were aggressive with some of the passer-bys (no wonder!)

Live lobster for sale at the flea market



I had a great experience at the local library. On Saturday mornings they have an active reading group for kids to practice their English skills. I was able to volunteer as a reader and I couldn’t believe how enthusiastic the kids were and eager to learn. This was a Saturday after all! Anyway, I’ll be able to do this for the next few weeks and I went on the radio this morning during the morning net to encourage others to come out, so hopefully there will be lots of helpers tomorrow.

Some of the enthusiastic students hamming it up!




The weather is now back to being sunny and clear so hopefully I’ll be able to sleep in the hammock more this week.

QuickStar under a brilliant rainbow with the hammock calling



P.S. I read a great book – perfect for summer reading – Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (winner of the Pulitzer Prize)

Until next week….carpe diem xoxoxo

A week all to myself!

Peter left almost a week ago and I’m pleased to report that I’m still alive and the boat remains in one piece. I must admit mastering the dinghy has been a bit challenging, but I’m slowly getting more comfortable with it. I’ve even come home in the dark and managed to find the boat and make an oh, so graceful, landing. I do, of course, miss Peter, but I must admit that I am loving my independence.

Dinner out the night before Peter left for Vancouver


I’ve had a very productive week – getting lots of projects finished up and spending a lot of time on the marketing of my book and communicating with my publicist. The highlight of the week has been sleeping in the hammock on deck each night. It is dark between 6:30 and 6:30, so I’ve gotten in the habit of retiring in the hammock after dinner and reading until well after the stars have come out in all their glory. Peter found the neatest reading glasses for me before we left home that have lights on either side of them and they work like jim dandy!

As the sun rises, I do about an hour of Yoga on the deck and then have been faithfully doing my Spanish lessons. For daily exercise I either go for a long walk or paddle the kayak around the bay. After lunch I head over to shore to the internet café to get some more work done and to visit with the other cruisers. Yesterday, it was just pouring rain, but I was determined to go ashore to listen to the Canucks game on Radio Team 1040 via the internet. I was drenched by the time I got there, but it sure was worth it and what a finish! Go Canucks Go!!!

Afterwards, when I got back in the dinghy there was so much rain that I had to roll up my Capri pants to get in and bale for well over 15 minutes. It truly was a deluge. We are expecting more unsettled weather for the next 4 or 5 days, so it will just give me a chance to get more done, but will likely force me to sleep below decks. We did have another small earthquake this morning, but didn’t even feel it.

Local family walking home from church



Last Sunday, I walked about 45 minutes to the Church of Tonga and was once again the only non-Tongan. It was totally different than the other churches here – more staid and conservative – but the singing was still wonderful. What was very interesting is that all the girls sit on one side and all the boys sit on the other – right at the front. About two rows back, the local matriarch keeps an eagle eye on them and almost every 5 minutes she got up, went over and smacked someone and shook her finger at others for either falling asleep, goofing around or not paying attention. By the end of the service, I’m convinced that she managed to smack each girl and boy at least once. It is interesting that raising children here is very much a village activity and there is always one “head matriarch”.

Following the service, I walked home with Mari & her baby Beni and we had a great conversation. (Made missing my precious grandmunchkin Addison even harder). The Tongans are very literate and most of them welcome any opportunity to practice their English.

Mari & baby Beni – my companions for the walk home from church



Today I spent a wonderful day meandering through the Village and visiting with the locals. I even got a lesson on how to cut up a pineapple properly as I mentioned that I seem to waste too much the way I do it. I learned lots more of the history and tradition here, as the Tongans love to share their heritage and are very open to talking with visitors. Peter would have gone stir crazy, but for me it was a magical day! Just to give you an idea of prices here:

A morning at the outdoor market (prices given in equivalent Canadian dollars)

Large Pineapple $4.00
Large bundle of long beans $1.50
Coconut $.50 cents
Watermelons $.50 cents
3 cucumbers $1.50
5 small tomatoes $1.50
Homemade brown bread $4.00
Small bunch of carrots $1.50
Small bunch of bananas $1,50
Papaya $2.00
Bag of roasted peanuts $1.50
Cabbage $3.00

Everything bought at the outdoor market is fresh from the farm and comes straight from the source. The cabbage is delicious, but full of bugs, so when I cut it up (for coleslaw) it took about an hour just to make sure all the bugs, slugs and earwigs were all removed. My city-mouse girlfriend Lesly will be cringing as she reads this while my country-mouse girlfriend Krys will be saying “how great to be living in a developing country and enjoying all the local flavour”.

Arriving this week were 25 boats from New Zealand in a rally organized by the Island Cruising Association. They all sailed over together for safety in numbers on that notoriously dangerous stretch of water and then from here they stay in smaller groups or go their own way. They will travel onward to Fiji and then return as a group back to New Zealand before the hurricane season arrives. It’s been nice getting to know some of them as they drop by to say hello via dinghy or in the case of Kira and John via their stand-up surfboards. These are very impressive – but more so because they are actually “blow-up” models and can be stored in a knapsack. Kira has offered for me to give it a go, so I may just take her up on it. Everyone has been wonderful about inviting me to join them, because they think I must be lonely, but in fact I am so treasuring my solitude that I’ve politely declined to be more sociable.

Kira and John on their stand-up surfboards



I’ve got to give Peter heck though about his oversight during his many instructions and warnings that he left me with. Although he outlined almost every possible situation that could go wrong, he failed to mention what to do with a problem that two of the cruisers had yesterday. In this harbor there is a huge jelly fish population and it turns out that these two cruisers had their generators shut down instantly – the cause being jellyfish! Actually in fairness to Peter he did say if the generator shut down unexpectedly for any reason – just turn it off and thereafter use the engine for charging the batteries. So, we’ll see if over these three weeks I encounter a jelly fish clog-up.

The weekly Friday evening sailboat race is just about to commence, so I’ll say farewell so that I can go ashore and cheer on the racers and I’ll upload this to the blog while I’m there.

Until next week – just three more wins and the Canucks capture the Stanley Cup!
P.S. Peter begins the Van Isle 360 race on Saturday morning at 10:00. If you want to follow how they are doing check out www.vanisle360.com. Good luck to Joe and crew!