Haapi Place

Cos's need hollidays too

Finally wen't up to Ha'apai group. Its raining. Still raining. We stopped at Uonukuhihifo. The sun came about for about 1/2 an hour. We went to the island in search of errr anything. Saw some cows which was wierd. Some coconuts, and since the island was overrun by pigs and (nearly) uninhabited it reminded us of Lord of the Flies. The main difference being we we'rnt marrooned there, and of course we were uncivilised before we got there.

We crept in and then after a couple of hours crept out again, doging badly charted coral without the main method of navigation in these waters, which is looking into the water with the sun well over the yard arm to see the shallow bits, grey skys and rain give the water a uniform silver reflected sky appearance. Anchorages in Ha'apai are not terribly safe in a north westery. We stopped for a couple of nights in the village of Uihai, met the ex Mayor, who unlike Boris Johnson seemed a nice guy. He gave us some fruit, incuding some very nice bannanas well I assume they were nice Alan ate them all.

Giv us a snog

John the ex mayor got us 2 lobsters took us out snorkeling for clams, which are more a sort of large cockel. There an expencive local deleckasy. We universally agree they were horibble. We dropped the live ones back in as soon as he was out of sight.

We slipped and went on to Pangai, the Capital of the Ha'apai group. We took our "interesting" customs clearance from Nuku'lofa in and it was accepted without a question. Stopped in the Mariners cafe, now run by a South African couple. We had quick beer, checked the weather, and felt our way out of the rocks nerviously. We anchoered once. Christian went for a  snorkel check. And stood up right next to the baot head and shoulders above the water....... Not good!

Tonga is missing buoys. The chart shows loads, that aren't there. The pilot guide markes the missing marks. Or some of them, the one we were really looking for was run down by the ferry quite recently.