9th July 2017
Breakfast at 07:30 with a less cloudy sky. Set sail north through reefs and small islands. Phil fished and had a huge hit from a big fish that nearly snapped his rod and took all his line before snapping off the lure.
Then we saw whales nearby and throughout the day they blew and arched out of the water nearby. Justin began fishing too and rehabilitated his old reel on Antony's rod. Phil had a big sailfish attack his lure, but then lost the battle!
Our course took us up between many small islands into the Kotu Group, and the sun came out to light our way amongst the reefs. Whales crossed close ahead of us in 80 metres of water close to the reefs. We changed course to sail close hauled at 7 knots up a line of islands to pass Whitmore Reef and the Murray Patches to glide into calm water at Ha'afeva Island where we found two other yachts at anchor.
Mark flew his drone from the deck, but unfortunately a vital lens cover blew off the deck when he landed. Amazingly he retrieved the transparent plastic bit by diving in 6 metres of water!
We dinghies ashore and walked across the island in thick jungle and swampy areas to reach the village. Here the long waterfront lane had solar powered streetlights and neat balconied bungalows with elegant gardens. As it was Sunday people were not working and the shop was closed. Ladies wearing bright elegant outfits of floral cloth sat under a tree and the men strolled by wearing black kilts and formal mats secured round their waists with ropes of human hair. Children came and said Hello and ran laughing and giggling with us.
We returned along the beach and found wonderful shells. I stopped to sketch as the sun set dramatically behind the volcanic islands to the West.
Breakfast at 07:30 with a less cloudy sky. Set sail north through reefs and small islands. Phil fished and had a huge hit from a big fish that nearly snapped his rod and took all his line before snapping off the lure.
Then we saw whales nearby and throughout the day they blew and arched out of the water nearby. Justin began fishing too and rehabilitated his old reel on Antony's rod. Phil had a big sailfish attack his lure, but then lost the battle!
Our course took us up between many small islands into the Kotu Group, and the sun came out to light our way amongst the reefs. Whales crossed close ahead of us in 80 metres of water close to the reefs. We changed course to sail close hauled at 7 knots up a line of islands to pass Whitmore Reef and the Murray Patches to glide into calm water at Ha'afeva Island where we found two other yachts at anchor.
Mark flew his drone from the deck, but unfortunately a vital lens cover blew off the deck when he landed. Amazingly he retrieved the transparent plastic bit by diving in 6 metres of water!
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| The smoking volcano of Tofua (511 m) and quieter point of Kao (1046 m) |
We returned along the beach and found wonderful shells. I stopped to sketch as the sun set dramatically behind the volcanic islands to the West.
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| Sketch of the volcanoes with Pandanus flower |
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