VISIT TO TONGA ISLAND

Considering I had a couple of beers last night I felt surprisingly good this morning.  I invited Steve over for morning coffee, it was about smoko time when we sat down in the cockpit for coffee and ginger nuts.  Beautiful calm sunny weather.

After coffee Steve departed to go down to the Adele Island anchorage.  I hung around and cleaned the soot from the engine exhaust off the transom.  Once Truce had a clean stern again I picked up the anchor and headed north to Tonga Island.  No wind again, seems the mornings here are always calm, so it was a slow motor up the coast.  Tonga Island is a marine reserve – so no fishing allowed.  It’s a pretty place with sea lions and plenty of wildlife – although I didn’t see any.

I dropped the anchor and had a leisurely lunch.  Two other boats that were in the anchorage left as a wind was starting to blow in with a bit of wave action building up.  Tonga Island didn’t look like a good place to spend the night in a N’ly wind, I decided to head back down to Adele anchorage.

The N’ly wind had built nicely and Truce was happy sailing with the yankee, doing 5 to 6 knots, down to Adele island.  My plan was to sail into the anchorage, luff up into the wind, quickly furl the yankee and drop the anchor.  The first part went OK but I messed up furling the yankee and had to start the engine to get back to the anchor spot – so much for showing off.  Of course, if no one had been watching it would have gone perfectly.

By late afternoon we were snugged down at the anchorage.  Then it was ashore to the beach for sundowners with Steve.  In the bush behind the beach the birdlife was prolific the birds seemingly unafraid of humans and coming very close.

What a perfect way to end the day, sitting on the beach, basking in the last of the suns warm rays, chatting and drinking beer.

Later tonight I will download some weather files and have a look at my options for getting south.  Abel Tasman National park is very nice, but I feel it’s time to move on.