A round a week after we arrived in Tonga we had slowed down and learned to accept the Tongan way. Life here is unpolished and nothing happens fast, or even at all. Church, feasts, sleeping and relaxing seem the order of the day.
We arrived late August in 2019 aboard our yacht A Capella, an aluminium Allures 45.9 that we had bought two years earlier with a view to circumnavigating the globe. Tonga was the final country we visited before heading south to New Zealand to avoid the cyclone season. It would mark the end of our amazing trip across the Pacific Ocean.
SIMPLE BEAUTY
Tonga consists of 170 islands, 36 of which are inhabited and they are spread over a vast expanse of sea. The country is divided into four regions: Niua group, Vava’u group, Ha’apai group and Tongatapu, with a total population of just over 100,000. The climate is tropical and the easterly trade winds are warm and reliable.
The Tongan people are lovely, with a confident, smiley nature. The houses are small, open and decorated in simple ways, agriculture is basic and animals roam freely. The ladies run the markets and make a reedy weaving material used for making ta’ovalas – woven mats worn round the waist. These are traditional garments unique to Tonga and are the equivalent of a coat and tie and worn by both men and women. On Sundays the world falls silent apart from church bells and enthusiastic singing and later on, feasting.
We spent a week in Niuatoputapu, in the northerly Niua group where the 700 or so residents live very simple lives. Only 28 sailing boats had arrived before us this year.
BOOZY ISLAND WELCOME
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Yachting Monthly UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Yachting Monthly UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
I WAS THE ONLY SAILOR ON OUR FAMILY CHARTER AND IT HAD TO GO WELL
Crystal waters, cliff tombs and sunken outboards lain Willis wanted to ensure plain sailing for his family’s first charter around Turkey's Lycian Coast
HOW IT WORKS SEAWATER PUMP
The water and oil seals on a water pump shaft will eventually wear with time, leading to pump-shaft corrosion or loss of engine oil.
THOUSANDS OF MILES ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN
Floris and Ivar battled severe weather and cross swell to sail from Australia to South Africa, but there were beautiful islands on the way
The secret of yachts with enduring appeal
Fashions come and go, but J-Boats remain a safe choice for great sailing boats, whether you want to own it for ever or sell it
Tragic sinking of Bayesian; Italian prosecutors investigate
The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht in reportedly only 16 minutes and the tragic loss of seven lives has sent a shudder through the sailing community and beyond.
THE ADVENT OF MARINE AI TECHNOLOGY
Fonathon Savill reports on the revolutionary impact artificial intelligence is about to have on all areas of life at sea
IMPROVING SINGLE-LINE REEFING
Martin Watts explains how to reduce the friction on the reefing lines of newer yachts
The secrets of skippering a successful cruise
Setting off on a cruise is easy, but planning a route that keeps your options open and ensures the enjoyment of all on board is more of an art
CRUISING THE KINGDOM OF THE ISLES
Joanna Martin and her husband Mark sail across the Irish Sea to the legendary sea kingdom and to draw the wonderful wildlife there
MOODY DS48
Can a boat built for long-term, long-distance cruising and offering one-level living still deliver an enjoyable sailing experience? Theo Stocker sets sail across the English Channel to find out