We are still in Nuku'alofa, anchored off Big Mama's Yacht
Club. We are waiting for a good weather window to leave Tonga and sail to NZ.
There are about 30 other boats also waiting for this window. Right now there is
a low passing over Minerva reef and deep low passing over the northern end of
NZ with another one right on its heels. We are hoping that there will be a
break after those 2 lows pass, but the forecasts don't go out that far yet, so
we will wait a few more days for everything to clear up.
At least while we are waiting we have lots of company, and
many of the boats have kids the same age. It took Gigi a while to warm up to
the other 12 year old girls, but now they are all playing really well together.
Axel of course just charges right into the crowd and makes himself known. We
have been spending most of the morning and early afternoon doing schoolwork, as
we need to get a lot done before the passage as it is hard to write or read at
sea. I have also taken this opportunity to get to a few massages. My shoulder
has been acting up, so I was really excited when I found a Chinese medicine
massage guy. He has really worked the kinks out.
Big Mama had a huge party Friday night for her husband and
son's birthdays. There was a traditional Tongan feast, and it was super yummy.
Gary really liked the seaweed salad, raw fish salad and the beef wrapped in
banana leaves (and you could eat the leaves). I really liked the beef also. The
Nuku'alofa police band played. They were incredible. They started with
traditional Tongan music, then moved into more lively traditional Tongan dance
music, followed by modern dance music interspersed with modern Tongan dance
songs. They really got the crowd up and dancing. And they played forever without
a break. There was a good mix of Tongans and yachties, and the party went well
into the wee hours, and a few even continued through the next day. Harrison
fully enjoyed the party, he even played guitar with a few of members of the
band. He didn't arrived back at the boat until around 3:30 am, and didn't get
out of bed the entire next day except for dinner. Today he is talking, but
still mostly sleeping. That must have been some party! Hopefully he recovers
before the passage to NZ.
Today is a rainy day as a low passes over us, so we are
trying to get some schoolwork and chores done.
Julie
No comments:
Post a Comment