Pitufa.at

Yesterday we reached Nuku Alofa (Tonga’s capital) after a pleasantly eventless passage. During the last night we had to slow down to reach the reef passage in daylight, first we put the main into the second reef, then we rolled up the genoa, then we took the main sail down completely and were still going too fast just under bare poles running in 25 knots of wind… After a passage we are usually quite exhausted, just clean up the boat a bit, get the deck saltfree for Leeloo’s paws, quaff a bottle of sparkling wind and drop into the bunk. This time everything was different: we arrived on a Friday and had to clear in immediately or be confined to the boat until the next working day on Tuesday. So right after dropping the anchor we took the dinghy one mile to the port, asked our way to customs and started filling in forms, but then we were told that we’d have to take Pitufa to the quarantine pier for an inspection afterwards. When the lady from the quarantine office heard that
we had a cat she asked whether we had a cage to confine ‘it’ in. ‘It’ would have to stay in that cage during our visit to Tonga and a vet would have to come daily to inspect the health status. She ignored our protests that according to our info a cat that would not be imported only had to remain on board all the time. What now? Leave for Fiji without further ado?

We dinghied back to Pitufa against a bumpy windsea, arrived soaking wet, lifted the anchor and motored to the harbour and went with the stern to the quarantine pier, where the officials soon showed up. The guy from the health ministry filled in a form in the cockpit (without even ask about our health), the quarantine lady refrained from an inspection, but munched chocolate cookies in the cockpit (she then asked for a bag to take the rest of the cookies back home) and the young man who had accompanied her only gave me an embarrassed smile when I asked whether he was the local vet (yeah, something like that…) and didn’t even want to see the cat and was not interested in further visits… Of course they all cashed in a fee, but we’re still a bit puzzled, why cruisers can’t just fill in the forms at the office, but have to take the boat to the pier, manoeuvring the boat in close quarters in an overtired state to have inspectors aboard who then don’t inspect anything.

Anyway, now we’re legally here and ready for Tonga!

We arrived today after another fast and rough passage in Niue. Niue is our first ‘Makatea’, a raised atoll–a flat coral plateau surrounded by cliffs. On our trip over the Pacific we sailed by other Makateas several times, but never stopped: Henderson Island close to Pitcairn, Makatea NE of Tahiti (This one gives it’s name to raised atolls), Rurutu in the Austral Islands, Mangaia, Atiu, Mitiaro, und Mauke in the Southern Cook Islands. The bottom drops steeply all around the coast, so anchoring may be difficult, but fortunately the Niue yachtclub has set out buoys, so we’ll stay and explore a while!

Beveridge Reef is a submerged atoll, only a ring of coral in the open ocean. It has a wide pass, which we entered at 16:00 o’clock. We crossed the lagoon and are now anchored on the turquoise shelf with no land in sight–just surrounded by a ring of breaking waves. There are no other atolls around, the nearest land is the raised atoll Niue 149 nm away. As fascinating as this place is, it’s still a solemn reminder that if global warming continues at this pace, the sea will soon claim the palm-fringed atolls of the Pacific with their bird colonies and friendly Polynesian population and turn them into landless reef rings like this one.

We’ve had a swift passage: 800 nautical miles/1480 km in just 6 days. Pitufa is a heavy boat with a relatively short waterline, so she’s best in strong winds, the 20 to 25 knots (37-46 km/h) we’ve had this week were ideal for a downwind passage. Of course strong winds also mean bumpy seas, which makes the life for the human and feline crew a bit uncomfortable. Leeloo got seasick on the first day, but recovered quickly and when we caught a big fish on the third day (a mahi-mahi/dorade big enough to feed all 3 of us for a week) she was already bold enough to climb up to the cockpit despite the rolling boat and shout for her share as soon as she smelled the fish blood on deck.

On downwind passages we have the genoa (foresail) poled out to keep the sail stable and to gain sail area, but when the wind shifts and sometimes comes from the starboard and then again the portside of the stern the foresail must be adjusted accordingly and it used to be a tedious procedure to roll up the sail, rigg the pole on the other side and let the sail out again–especially at night in rough conditions working on deck is splashy, annoying and risky. On this passage we rigged the two poles we carry on both sides of the mast, so sail changes were much quicker and easier.

Last night the wind died down, so we have to motor the last miles to Beveridge reef. Of course it’s annoying to have the Yanmar droning, but on the other hand it’s ideal to reach Beveridge Reef in calm conditions. Many boats on the way to Niue plan to stop there, but most have to abandon the plan, because of rough weather.

When we set out from Maupihaa the water temperature was still 28 degrees, but now winter is coming and additionally we’re sailing south, so the water’s now down to ‘chilly’ 25 degrees. After a perfect sailing day week (144 nm/267 km each day) the wind is now slowing down. 160 nm to Beveridge!

Pitufa with her high stern is usually a very dry boat when sailing downwind even in high seas. At the moment we have following waves of about 2 m and most of them just rush through under the boat, from time to time one spits up a little bit of spray, but yesterday a bold one managed to break over the stern. Fortunately we had the hatch on the aft deck closed (not tightened), but still some water made it into our bedroom. 300 nm to go to Beveridge!

Yesterday we slowed down in order to reach Aitutaki in the morning, but when we then got a new weatherforecast this morning, we decided to sail on without stopping. We’re now headed to Niue, with a possible stop at Beveridge Reef. 450 nm to Beveridge!