The passage from Niue to Tonga was a shock to the system. It was a fairly short journey of only 255nm, taking us just under 2 days. However, it was not a comfortable passage. The wind was variable – anywhere between 4 and 20 knots from different directions, meaning many changes in sail plans. The sea state was bouncy with swell of up to 3m and the weather was mainly grey and wet! We were very pleased to get there.
Tonga is actually over 170 islands of which only 45 are inhabited. The islands are arranged into three groups: Vava’u, Ha’apai Tongatapu. Compared to other islands we have visited in the Pacific, Tonga seemed a much poorer place. It has never been colonised, so it does not receive the same subsidies like other pacific islands. It is heavily reliant on tourism for income and has been hit hard in recent years, not only by covid, but also by the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai eruption and tsunamis in January 2022. This year marked the slow return of tourism and the people were truly pleased to see us.
Having limited time in Tonga, our visit was focused on the northern Vava’u group especially around the main town of Neiafu.
As part of our time here, the World Cruising Club organised a visit to the Ene’io Botanical gardens. These were unlike any we had seen before. This 22 acre site was originally developed in 1972 by Haniteli Fa’anunu. Over the years, he has planted over 550 different plant varieties, not in immaculately designed beds, but in a random, almost wild area. A fascinating place.
Whilst at the gardens, we were treated to a demonstration of local crafts showing the versatility of local plants.
These included tapa making. The inner bark of certain trees is softened and pounded into sheets of cloth and which are then bound together using natural starches such as root crops.
Another was the drying and weaving of pandanus leaves into intricate mats.These are mainly used for flooring and bedding, but also for Ta’ovala, the Tongan traditional waist mat.
To round off the visit, there was a Tongan feast of suckling pig and entertainment by a group of young people. They were so happy to be performing and this showed in their dancing. We found the music selection surprising.
Neiafu marked the getting together of the whole fleet again, the first time since the Marquesas Islands eight weeks earlier. The prize giving was as usual great fun, made even more special by us achieving third in our group – must be the new sails!!
Our time in Tonga will be remembered for many reasons, one being the wet and chilly weather. We had to break out our jeans and sweatshirts! The poor weather meant that we stayed in Vava’u longer than originally planned, but this gave us the chance to experience being part of the community.
Our stay coincided with the return of the Vava’u Agricultural, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade show – the first one for three years. It was reminiscent of the county shows in the UK, with farmers and local businesses showing off their animals and produce. There were a couple of sheep, pigs and cows, but the stars of the show were the vegetables and fish. On display there were every kind of fish and seafood you can image and gigantic vegetables all proudly displayed. It was an important event for the island group and King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u were there to open it and present the prizes. Recognition was for hard work and resilience in overcoming what has been a tough few years.
No visit to Tonga would be complete without a visit to Church. The Tongans hold Sunday in high regard. It is a family day with no work. Many of the ARC participants joined the congregation at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Neiafu. This was a special service with Bishop Don Giovanni d’Ercole visiting from Italy. The Cathedral was full of Tongans proudly displaying their Sunday best and celebrating their faith with stunning singing.
Several ARC participants met the Bishop and invited him aboard, lending him wet weather gear to for the dinghy ride to the mooring.
Venturing away from Neiafu, we anchored in the bay of Coral Garden. Here we met David and his family who live a simple life beside the beach. Like most Tongans, things have been hard for them in the last few years and they were keen to put on a meal for the boats in the bay. 25 people experienced a magnificent feast of suckling pig, sweet and sour chicken, chicken curry, various salads, local vegetables and rice.
David played guitar while his wife sang and two of their daughters danced. We truly felt like we had been invited to be a part of their family.
Another stop for us was the beautifully peaceful bay of Port Maurelle. With only enough room for a handful of boats, its crystal clear water made a perfect place to relax, snorkel and dive and explore the underwater caves and cliff faces.
A huge attraction for Tonga is the annual migration of the humped back whales who visit the area to give birth. These magnificent creatures are protected and strict rules govern the interaction with them. Visitors must swim with a licenced guided tour and there are limits to the contact allowed. Our guide told us that the young calves need to be taught how to surface to breathe. If the mother leaves them, they will drown. The Tongans take things very seriously and there are heavy fines and even imprisonment for anyone found breaking the rules.
Our whale day was yet another cold, grey day, but we were tremendously lucky to be able to swim alongside these majestic creatures, the mothers proudly showing off their calves.
Thank you, Tonga for sharing your home with us.
How fantastic to swim with the humpbacks! I vividly remember our trip to Va’vau way back in 1974. Cruise ships had only just started visiting there and we had to travel in by tender. Va’vau is hillier but Nuku’alofa the capital, is very flat. I remember even then that graves weren’t dug because the water table was just under the surface. People were placed on the ground and dirt heaped over them. Climate change is creating havoc with lots of the islands of Tonga and Samoa and many people have migrated to Australia and New Zealand.
Hi,
We saw so little of Tonga and it would have fascinating to have been able to explore further. Maybe next time…. We really enjoyed the parts that we experienced and the people ware so welcoming. one of our favourite places.
looking forward to catching up very soon. Should arrive Sydney sometime mid December.
What an experience and honour to swim with these incredible creatures. It would have been one of the highlights of the trip.
Hi,
Great to hear from you. Hope you are both well.
We really took a long time to decide whether or not to do it. The weather was terrible and it was pretty expensive with, obviously, no guarantee of seeing anything. We were so glad that we did! They are huge creatures, even the young but so serene and graceful. It was a privilege to swim alongside them even briefly.