23 October 2024 –Tonga -Tongapatu to New Zealand -Day 1

We woke to a fairly grey day and there was some wind. I had pondered raising the anchor and going across to anchor near the wharf and where we would meet customs. However, the dock as busy and if we anchored there I would not know how well it was holding before we left to go and check out with customs. I therefore decided to stay where we were and to dinghy ashore which is about a mile from Pangamuto Island.

We had heard the day before that about 8 yachts were planning to leave for NZ like us which was reassuring. I had an email from Bob McDavitt who gave us a course to take and the night before I inputted all the waypoints and the picture of the day is our proposed course with the red x’s being waypoints. This route is about 1,165 nm and will take about 8 days.

We went ashore about 8.20am and there were a few wavelets but it was not too bad. As we left we saw at least 6 yachts leave en masse. We got ashore and met Keith Watson who had stayed with his wife overnight. We then all headed off to the customs desk to checkout, which was a half open warehouse with a desk. There was no one there when we arrived about 8.50am and I had been told that it would be open at 8.30am. I therefore went off to the other customs offices and was told that someone will be there shortly. A customs lady did arrive and I had to fill out another set of forms (the same as when I checked in) and within half an hour we were done and had clearance to leave and no fees which was good.

We returned to the dinghy and said goodbye to Fiona, Keith’s wife and off we headed in the dinghy to Stormbird and it was a bit of a wet journey.

We then took the engine off the dinghy using the crane and then pulled up the dinghy on the davits. We prepared ourselves and then we were off leaving about 11.30am. We motored through the channel around the reefs passing between a number of cargo ships at anchor. We passed a yacht coming into Tongapatu and before long we were outside the reef and then put up some sails (full main and genoa). We had lunch on the hoof and we had to head Southwest and the wind was Southeast and we were soon bombing along with no swell as we were in the lee of the island.

We sailed well along the island and then as we came out of its shelter the swell began to increase and the wind began to rise. We therefore reefed the main and genoa and in time we changed to the Staysail and we were able to sail more comfortably. The wind hovered about 18-22 kts and we needed to make an average of 7 kts. This was so far achievable although the swell would knock us back a bit from time to time.

The afternoon passed and the swell developed into a large ocean roll every 8-10 seconds but the wind kept changing but as time went on settled down -more easterly than southeasterly.  As the light began to fade we saw a yacht ahead of us on AIS and we must be catching up one of the earlier departing boats.  

The night came and we were into night mode again and Erika had cooked a vegetable bake from the One Tray book. This was very nice and a good first supper. We were catching the yacht up called Lorraine Marie and they called us up to check we had seen them and we had a quick chat.

As I write this we are passing them and they seem to be on a similar route to us. We still have a slight rolling swell but we are making good progress, the boat does not seem to be under stress and the crew seem in good spirits. We are on our way and let’s hope we do not encounter bad weather with a front coming up from the Southern Ocean.  NZ here we come.

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