Day 58

Saturday 27th June 2009

Position 26deg 05min South, 178deg 15min East

Winds 10 to 15kts North Easterly, heading 230 true at a boat speed of 5 to 6 kts. We�ve had a reasonable day with a few showers � somehow this time the trip feels a lot slower and we are keen to be home. It�s a long way. We are looking forward to a more northerly wind shift tomorrow and an increase in boat speed. This dead down wind sailing under head sail although easy has an unpleasant motion, and the kids have spent most of the day sleeping with the lethargy that comes with a bit of sea sickness. SkipperIts true time goes quite slowly, it seems there are only 3 things to do on board, sleep, stare aimlessly at the empty horizon or cough up your guts overboard. Not quite, but the days just seem to plod by. Dads been great, picking up our slack when we sleep, and is reading Ella Enchanted to keep us entertained. However it is frustrating to know we will only be home in a week. I�d better find something todo or I might loose my mind :PMissing home a lot, although it is good to be with my family.Josh (with Emma over my shoulder)

Day 57

Friday 26th June 2009

Position 24deg 23min South, 179deg 45min West

We�re nearly back in the Eastern Hemisphere. Made South Minerva at about 9.30 am winds were blowing a good 20 to 30kts with a lumpy sea. We dropped anchor and went for a swim and made the vessel shipshape. We changed the head sail from no 3 back to the number 2 and left by midday. It was great to show Josh this awesome spot albeit for only a short period. The weather however was not great and it was overcast but Josh enjoyed it. The wind has shifted to the North East and has slowed somewhat so the seas are not bad but we are presently under motor to try and keep our daily averages up. Mum took the opportunity to make dinner while in Minerva and we had a good breakfast of omelet sandwiches. We have been doing shift of 3 on 6 off but no one seems to be sleeping 6 hours so we will try 2 on 4 off tonight and see how it goes. The temperature has certainly dropped and the crew are wearing thermals under their wet weather gear. Boy are they in for a surprise in a few days time. Could just make out Black Adder on the radio � they are very nearly home. We also hear from Robin and Rick on Endangered species they are happily in Musket cove � wish we were too. It was also good to keep an all important sked with Sunstone this morning to discuss weather with Tom.- we essentially will have a low approach as we arrive north of New Zealand and the winds will turn westerly then south westerly � hopefully we will reach the top of the North Island in time. It might also require us to make for Opua instead of Auckland but we will know closer to the time.

Skipper

Day 56

Thursday 25th June 2009

Position: 23deg 49min South, 179deg 00min West

A lumpy day at sea for all of us. Tom and Emma were sick and all of us felt queasy. Making good time towards South Minerva. Made about 160nm in the last 24 hours.

Matt

Day 55

Wednesday 24th June 2009

21deg 20min South, 175 deg 41min West

Final day � walk into town to immigration to have the passports stamped and fill in forms. Vatuni picked me as I was leaving and off to the Harbour Authority to pay money and get a receipt and then off to customs (yet another building) to show stamped passports receipt for harbour fees, and get our clearance certificate to show to customs in NZ. We filled the advance arrival form for NZ and asked Vatuni to fax for us. Sad goodbyes to Vatuni as he and his family have been very good to us. We cast off our stern lines and picked up our anchor and off we went to Pangimotu to anchor and swim and clean the hull. Josh and the kids went ashore to have one last tropical island experience (first for Josh) and we weighed anchor for the last time in Tonga 1:15pm (TST). The winds are South Easterly and the sea still rough with swells 4 to 6 meters with a few cross swells. The winds are 25 kts gusting over 30 and we have settled into the night with a triple reefed main and a storm jib making a good 6kts. We all feel a bit sea sick and so no dinner just something to drink and some snacks. We are aware of not so good weather up ahead � our plan is to go to Minerva to show Josh if we pass in daylight. Then make our way to a position 30South 172East above NZ and hopefully thereby be in a position to handle the Westerlies we are expecting (which no doubt will become Southerlies in due course)

Skipper

oh and thankyou grandad and granny jo for the caterpillar juice. its going down a treat. just what we needed.

Day 54

Tuesday 23rd June 2009

Nuku�alofa Harbour

Tuesday was spent doing some final shopping (everything is a mission), we even managed to squeeze in another 10liters of diesel. (Tongan diesel is a high sulpher diesel and realy smells). The weather is still overcast with the odd bit of rain � reflecting our mood about leaving. But we are all excited about picking Josh up from the airport. Vatuni arrived later in the afternoon and helped with some final stuff and off to the airport. A cold wind blew from the South and we were surprisingly cold. So much excitement to see Josh (who had left his booking till late and ended up getting a business class seat at my expense much to his delight and my ��) The children stayed up late into the night talking.

Skipper

Day 53

Monday 22nd June 2009

Nuku�alofa Harbour

The winds came up and the floods come down � we filled all our spare water containers from the rain. We kept threatening to drag our anchor as all the vessels are stern moored (Mediterranean style) in the small craft harbour and the wind was coming from our port side. I kept getting up and checking � in the small hours of the morning the first vessel dragged anchor into the vessel next to her � I got Matt up and off we went to their assistance, borrowed a danforth anchor from the next door vessel and joined a number of ropes and dinghied the anchor up wind into the harbour and then used this as a kedge to winch the offending vessel off the other. Then took out their main anchor as well. We then noticed another vessel in danger and found an old man on board who was battling to manage his vessel � he looked like he was having a heart attack but assured me that he only had a broken rib from a previous fall. Matt and I set his kedge and winched him off and set his other anchor as well. Then off to wake the crew of Soulmate to warn them that their vessel was running aground. We helped them reset their anchors. The rest of the day as spent trying to catch up on sleep, do some minor repairs and down load weather information from an internet caf� to start preparing for the trip home.

A pleasant evening was spent having drinks and a chat on Soulmate.

We�re exhausted and a bit apprehensive about the decision to sail back soon. � I need a crystal ball that�s what I need.

Skipper

Day 52

Sunday 21st June 2009

Nuku�alofa Harbour

I was woken around 23H55 last night to the sound of sirens and vehicles close by and jumped up to check what was happening. All I could see was flashing lights and a raging fire just a few boats along the harbour wall from where we were tied up. Everyone else was snoring soundly, so I woke the skipper and we watched for a while trying to work out what was happening. We had thought that if the wind direction changed, bringing the smoke any closer we might have to quickly cut our ties, up anchor and head out of the harbour. However, the smoke did not come too close. It looked as though they were allowing the fire to burn itself out, as long as it was contained to the one location, we later saw firemen boarding another vessel and hosing it down, we think that must�ve been to keep that vessel safe. This morning we took a look at it, the fire was a bit further along the wall than we had thought, but had completely destroyed the wooden superstructure of a vessel that was owned by one of the churches and had just undergone an upgrade, and they had obviously hosed down a neighbouring vessel to protect it.

Vatuni kindly came to collect us at 8am this morning to go to Liahona High School 1st Ward along with his family. We discovered there are two wards that meet at the high school and that the boarders are divided between the two wards. Emma and Matt thought this was great as there were so many youth attending church. We enjoyed the best sacrament meeting ever! The whole of Vatuni�s family of seven, the Fifita�s, spoke and sang, along with about four other youth. They all spoke on the principle of tithing and it was wonderful. As it is an English speaking school, the service was all in English and it was great to be able to understand everything! The children all enjoyed their lessons, as did Charles and I. As we have experienced every time we�ve attended church, no matter where we were, the children were warmly welcomed in their classes and made new friends.

Vatuni�s wife, Fehi, had kindly made us a delicious lunch of roast chicken, carrots, yummy purple Hawaiian sweet potato with gravy, salad and watermelon, which we enjoyed with their family. It was soo good and they were excellent hosts. It was so good to chat to them and discover more of the challenges and blessings that families face here in Tonga. The children enjoyed the company of their children: Abraham, Palu, Junior, Tutoe and Melemoala.

They came back to the boat with us and we were looking forward to showing them around on board, only we discovered that the windward stern mooring line (that had been tied on by a nameless member of the crew), had come adrift! We found our vessel about to nudge the vessel on the leeward side and our dinghy up on the rocks against the wall. We left our guests on the shore, while the Skipper, aided by Tom, Emma and Matt, along with two other boaties in their dinghies powered with little 2hp engines, who attempted to act as tug boats to assist us to re-anchor and turn the boat against the wind to pick up our stern lines again. Skipper�s ego took a big hit, having previously done this twice before faultlessly and unaided! Oh, where were the onlookers then?!! Skipper will be providing remedial knot classes for the crew in the near future!! We brought our guests aboard and showed them round while Matt made hot chocolate for everyone. We enjoyed chatting some more and thanked them for making our Sabbath very special. After they�d left, Charles went walking along the embankment to thank again those that had helped us re-anchor, we�d had the tropical rain cover on since yesterday hoping for rain to fill our empty water tanks, however, despite being cool and overcast today, we didn�t see any rain. As always, keeping his eyes open for every opportunity, he spotted someone filling their water tanks and was advised that they had collected it from the custom�s office water tank. They kindly offered to lend us their water jerry cans and Matt and Charles did a couple of runs until we too have full water tanks on board. See, the Lord did provide! He�s continuing to provide too, as, since we�ve filled up, it�s started to rain � now we�re excited, we might even get a freshwater shower tonight! We are now trying to use as little as possible so we can have enough food and water etc to last us for two weeks til we get home. Abby and Rebekah had a little play with the children from Wellington that were on the boat that lent us the jerry cans, a 54ft chico called Soulmate built by Keith Eade for himself, the same boatbuilder as built our boat.

Joy