Last Stop (Update 51)
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Bula Viti, Rotuma kei Vuravura

We arrived in Vava’u at 4.00am this morning and anchored between Ovalau and Mounu Island awaiting Customs clearance tomorrow morning at 9.00am.

Te Matau a Maui arrived about two hours later and Hine Moana several hours later, both having to tack most of the way up to Mounu due to their solar outboards having insufficient battery power.

Yes believe or not the island we are moored beside is called ‘Ovalau’ and there is a Katafanga Island, Lotuma Island (Rotuma), Lautala Island (Laucala), Nuku Island and Ngau Island (Gau), all very similar to Fiji names.

Mounu is privately owned and there is a small resort on the island. It is surrounded by a white sandy beach and turquoise lagoon with excellent snorkeling on the Southern side of the island.

The crossing took us just 41 hours of fun fast sailing in 15 – 25knots of wind on the beam most of the time. The Ideal conditions enabled us to average over 8.5knots for the 356 nautical mile journey.

Unaisi joined us again this morning as she did the voyage from Samoa on the Foftein. Even with Unaisi on the Foftein we were short of bunks so Jone and Tukana ended up sleeping on any vacant bunk they could find after their shift on watch.

It was funny to watch Tukana go below on the Port side to sleep then the next time I was on deck, he appeared from one of the Starboard hatches. He was being called all kinds of names by the rest of the crew.

The Vava’u archipelago is made up of 60 islands distributed over a sea area of 18nm east-west and 16nm north-south.

It is a cruising yachts dream as the water between most of the islands is 50m deep except of some of the Eastern Islands where there are scattered reefs and shoals.

There are over 20 overnight anchorages with many more suitable for day use. Neiafu Harbour where we will go Tuesday is protected from wind and sea from all sides. Neiafu was once a Whaling Village and is the commercial and yachting centre of Vava’u with more facilities available for yachts than any other part of Tonga.

Last year during the Samoa Tsunami, Moala and I and four others from Fiji, Bob Gillett, Phillip Low, Wayne Moy and Paula Tora felt very safe on board Te Matau a Maui in Neiafu Harbour.

During that trip we heard that several Humpback whales were in the lagoon the day before the Tsunami but disappeared several hours before the waves hit Samoa and Northern Tonga.

Obviously the whales were able to sense the Tsunami before it struck. When we departed Vava’u for Fiji several days after the Tsunami, we witnessed Humpbacks several miles outside the lagoon near Late Island.

There is a sense of excitement amongst the crew as we draw closer to home. When we hoisted the Tongan courtesy flag this morning, we realised this will be our last stop before home.

Whilst there is some sadness at this epic voyage coming to an end, everyone is keen to see their families and share the stories of our journey with friends and relatives.

The programme for the local festivities looks fairly full as usual, which will mean a delay arriving in Suva. We will meet at 6.00pm tonight to discuss the alternatives.

Before I sign off, the crew of Uto ni Yalo would like to pass on our deepest condolences to the families of the two Fijian soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan,

Corporal Taniela Rogoiruwai (from Nakelo, Tailevu)
Kingsman Ponipate Tagitaginimoce (from Vunivaivai, Tailevu)

We have a crew member from Kaba, Tailevu, Steven Tawake and he remembers Taniela from the village.

The courage and skill of Fijian Soldiers has been recognised the world over. We hope through this voyage ‘Vutala na Ua’, Fijian voyagers will once again be recognised for their skill and courage.

Moce

Colin/Uto ni Yalo

Report by Satellite Phone courtesy of DIGICEL