Letter from Tonga

We are in Tonga after a longish trip where, for the first time, the wind actually blew. In a way, as ever, that was too much as it was force 7 gusting 8 for a couple of days. (force 8 is a full gale). It was OK for us in Loquax (being quite a big boat.) The Navico Wheel pilot coped very well with winds of up to 35 knots and biggish following seas while we stayed warm and dry in our Henri Lloyds. Even so, in the end we ducked into a tiny island state called Niue where we stopped a couple of days until it all died down. Then we did the last 250 miles to Tonga and now we are here. It is beautiful sailing (a bit reminiscent of the West coast of Scotland (strangely) being made up of many inlets and islands with long "lochs" leading to quiet anchorages. The trade wind still blows and we are generating lots of electricity from the wind driven generator but there is no swell because we are tucked in behind the islands. The place is a kingdom but I guess the king isn't enormously wealthy as the whole place is not rich. Still they are friendly people and there is just enough tourism to provide bars with music and the occasional quiz night. The really good bit is that all our friends who we've met over the 6 months since Panama are here since it is the last stop before NZ. They have to wait until the weather further South is more reliable before kicking off for Auckland where most boats are going to watch the Americas Cup in January. The other boats that are going to Australia are passing through and need to be out of the tropics (like us) by end October - Hence where ever yachts are going, Tonga is a place where they all go at pretty much the same time. As you can imagine means quite a lot of partying.

From here we go to Fiji ( yes it IS tough!) and then Vanuatu where we will be delivering the phone system we've brought all the way from UK. I hope it still works!!

We have some books from Book Aid International for the schools there as well.

We should be out of Vanuatu where the Malaria is pretty bad
within a week of our arrival and get to Brisbane about Mid November after a visit to New Caledonia (that well know French Protectorate just off the coast of Oz (er a bit like the Falklands you may feel!)

Peter Sally Suzy and Sophie

PS For those who knew that August 21 was the day the GPS would die, Ours ignored the roll over problem and we remained safe despite all the hype.