Leaving Patti’s and sailing upwind 15 miles and 2 islands north to Hanno Island to anchor next to John and Michele on COANDALE at Greg’s fishing resort. He showed us around where he’s been clearing the land, building sleeping and kitchen facilities, setting up water catchment, and planting a huge plentiful garden for over a year. His place is more basic and does not have the beauty and of Patti’s Bali fales as it is set up for a bunch of NZ guys to just sleep, eat, and drink when not fishing. He gave us a large stalk of bananas and generously allowed us to fill our water tanks with great tasting rain water from his full tanks.
The sailing to Vav’au and back to Hap’ai has been fabulous with easy winds and relatively smooth seas. Sailed to Vav’au one night arriving at daybreak for an easy passage through the Islands to the main city of Nieafu. We got Alica’s Visa extended and did shopping for fresh fruits and veggies, and in the evening went to a Tongan concert/dance at the Paradise Hotel with Patti, Sammy, Alicia, John, and Michele. In the morning we all then sailed to Hunga Island and stayed over night at the very protected lagoon to see and hike some other property of Patti’s. Leaving there at first light we later followed a pod of 7 Humpback Whales for an hour and crossed path’s with 7 dolphins as well seeing 5 rainbows. At sunset we anchored again just off Greg’s property at the northern most of the Hap’ai Islands, Hanno. The next morning was a 15 mile downwind sail to Pangi and the king’s coronation ceremony of feasting and Tongan dancing. He passed a few feet from from us as he walked to his Thrown on the Rugby Field. He is 60 and has decided to make Tonga a democracy in 2010. Alicia spent all afternoon watching the extraordinary variety of the dancing from each of the many different islands in the the Hap’ai until it ended at 5PM. I did not get close to or get to see much of the dancing as I was not dressed appropriately with long pants and collared shirt. We sailed back to and anchored just off Patti’s beach watching a beautiful pink sunset.