19 October 2024 –Tonga -Vava’u Group- Anchor Watch

Before I start I should say thanks to my network but I think I may have found crew for the New Zealand to Sydney leg in early January 2025 -so that is great.

We had supper and due to the situation with the anchor and our position I decided to have an anchor watch all night. This was to ensure that if we dragged we could take action to prevent us bashing into other boats. I took the first watch from 9.00am to 10.30am, Erika from 10.30am to 12,00 night, Carolyn from 12.00night to 1.30am, Joyce 1.30am to 3.00am, Keith 3.00am to 4.30am and Sean 4.30am to 6.00am when I took over again. The anchor would grind a bit in gusts but I am not sure we moved much. It was a lovely morning and I watched the sun light up the boats. No-one stirred until 8.30am so the generator then went on to charge the batteries. It looked like a nice day, which was not forecast. I cooked poached eggs on toast for everyone which were enjoyed by all.

The diver came back to continue the cleaning of the hull. I probably could have done it but my diving buddy Mark is not here so I though easier to get someone else to do it.

I offered to take people ashore but we needed to keep someone on board just in case. Carolyn volunteered but also she wanted to cut and stitch a piece on the Bimini so it would not flap. This meant taking off the Bimini and getting out the solid sowing machine I had. Luckily Carolyn knew how to use it and I left her to the task. I ran everyone else ashore and then went to customs to check us out of Vava’u so that we could go to Tongapatu on Sunday.

I came back to Stormbird and Carolyn said the anchor alarm had gone off. It looked like we had moved a couple of feet on my transits (positions on shore you look at to see if you have moved). The issue I knew was that the wind was supposed to get stronger this afternoon and overnight so I needed to come up with a solution. There were no bays locally which would be sheltered. I looked at the wharf and thought there may be space but also you could anchor near the wharf but they do not like this due to cargo ships/ferries coming in. However, there were unlikely to be any today or tomorrow being a Sunday.   

I thought if we are going to move we need to get the crew back so I suggested I pick them up at 1.00pm. I needed to pay the diver so I went a little early and sorted that out and then picked everyone up. We came back to Stormbird and prepared ourselves. We were now getting quite strong gusts. We therefore got the anchor up which was a challenge in itself as the wind blew you very quicky away as soon as the anchor pressure was off. However, we managed it well and got the anchor up and motored slowly up the bay toward the wharf. There was a space and it would have been quite tight and getting on to the wharf with a strong wind would have been quite tricky. I therefore decided to anchor near the wharf in about 10m of water and it was good angle as the wind would blow us back down the bay and so we had masses of space and no boats behind us. If we dragged we could rectify easily.

We therefore anchored and apart from a few grumbles the anchor held. I had a good feeling about this situation and before long we were well anchored. I agreed to run the crew ashore again and then returned to Stormbird to keep watch. It was lovely and quiet and I had a simple lunch and a cold beer.

The crew were soon messaging me from the restaurant they were at which overlooked the bay and from which they could see Stormbird. By this time, I was happy that we were well anchored and decided to go and join them as I could see Stormbird from there. This was a restaurant called Bellavista (good view) and it did have that. See the picture of the day and Stormbird anchored off the wharf. We had a couple of beers and others had food.

After a little time, we returned to Stormbird and it still had not rained. About 53mm had been forecast but we had had a sunny day albeit with quite strong winds. We enjoyed a sundowner on the deck and commented on how it gets dark a little later here- about an hour later than French Polynesia.

It was not long before the rain started and as I write this it is pouring but that was anticipated. I am happy we are well secure so I think no anchor watch tonight. The anchor alarm is on and has not gone off although I have put quite a lot of chain out – which I could not do where I was before.

We will leave for Tongapatu tomorrow, the main island where the capital is. This is a trip of about 150nm and I do not want to go too early as the aftereffects of the so-called storm will be evident but we do need to be there by the morning of the 22nd. I therefore think we will leave about 4-6.00pm which should give us a day and two nights to get there as I want to arrive in the light.

Opportunity Year Two

In year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and then through Bali, Singapore and on to Thailand to end year two about the end of November 2025. I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we move through French Polynesia and beyond. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com