The following articles appear on this page :

The latest News from the Kingdom of Tonga
A Sunny Welcome to Fiji
Local Villages, Captain Bligh and a Taste of Somerset Maugham
Musket Cove

News from the Kingdom of Tonga

During a week of strong south easterly winds during which Patricia Landamore's yacht Lucifero sunk having hit a submerged object 100nm south of Nuie (fully reported in WR News Archive 3) the remainder of the Blue Water Rally fleet arrived in Tonga. All yachts, less Augustina, Samen, Tipolo and Genevieve which sailed direct to Vava'u in the North of Tonga, arrived at the Royal Sunset Island Resort on Atata Island, 6 miles NW of the Kingdom's capital Nuku'alofa.

It was the perfect venue to relax after the strenuous yet exhilarating sail from the Cook Islands. David and Terri Hunt, our hosts at the Resort really excelled in making everyone immediately feel at home. One of the earliest arrivals was Mike and Chris Smither's `Akwaaba' complete with the rescued Patricia Landamore and Will Flack aboard - they both literally kissed the ground as they came ashore after their ordeal.

Atata Island provided a tranquil and simple way to experience Tongan traditional village life. The Tongan Sunday is sacrosanct and everybody goes to church. Joined by Blue Water Ralliers the singing by the locals really did raise the rafters. Also memorable was a delightful trip to the village school at which the Rally visitors were invited to tell the children something about their adventures and in return the children sang some beautiful traditional songs.

The highlight, however, was the `Half Way' party at which some of the best male dancing experienced so far was performed - several " Cor,look at that one - Wow!" comments from the enthralled audience were duly noted. This was followed by a sensational rally cabaret at which the following acts were performed:

Brian Barnes was the MC ( "for one night only, all the way from West Kirby"), the Yo Ho Ho song performed by the crew of Yo Ho Ho, Gerry Bryant's (Scipio) hilarious tongue teasing comedy, Jez ( Akwaaba) Wombles story, John and Linda Elmes (Magic Dragon) bed-time story, Judy MacRowan's (Rythm) Alligator story, Bill Carlow (Matata) guitar, John Boyd (Athena) bagpipes, David and Sue Plummer (Star Oasis) bedtime story, Terry Phillips (Tudor Rose) on holding tanks, Tony Manzi (Arietta) American comedy spoof.

A Reception party was held for the rally in Nuku'alofa on the night before departure for Vava'u in the north of Tonga. The Tongan Visitors Bureau generously provided a number of beautifully inscribed trophies to the rally. Awards were made as follows:

Most yachts took 3 or 4 days to gently cruise the Ha'apai group of islands en route for Vava'u. The weather unfortunately turned wet and the appeal of anchorages ringed in white sand beaches somehow diminished and everyone was satisfied with pushing on for Vava'u with its archipelago of islands and calm waters encircled by an outer reef.

The weather fortuitously picked up for the fleet's excursion to a nearby island for a Tongan Feast followed next day by a beach barbeque on another island. Just prior to the Tongan Feast a dinghy race in inflatable dinghies, to be powered by " anything as a sail except a sail" was held. The crew of "Rainbow Spirit" really joined in the spirit of the event by dressing as pirates and loading up with flour bombs and balloons filled with water in order to repel any boarders. In a `technically flawless' race `Rain Again' won the remaining trophy donated by the Tongan Visitors Bureau by skillfully avoiding most of the ensuing hand to hand marauding and finishing the course well ahead of the competition.

Two highlights remained: first, Matata's dramatic win in the keenly contested local race night (insurance company please note this was really only a fun event) in which Bill Carlow's crew augmented by other fit young winch grinders (yes the author was there) was embroiled in an intriguing match with the visiting Moorings Charter Company bosses determined to demonstrate their sailing prowess. Second highlight was a Farewell to Tonga party at the Paradise Hotel at which a wonderful South Seas buffet was served and Miss Tonga 1999 danced for us. After all the fun everyone was glad for the chance to get to sea again in order to relax before the next social whirl that beckoned in Fiji only 3 days sail away.

Report submitted by Tony Diment on 21st June 1999 at 11.45 BST

SUNNY SMILES AND SUNNY WELCOME TO FIJI

The first Blue Water Rally yachts arrived at the Copra Shed Marina, Savusavu, Fiji on 15 June. Now an official port of entry, Savusavu on Vanua Levu Island is at the eastern end of the Fiji Islands and ideally placed as the fleet arrived from Vavau in Tonga, some 450 miles away. A high pressure system meant a slow and almost windless passage for Rally yachts and crews were pleased to make their Fiji landfall.

Helpful officials immediately on hand and an enthusiastic reception from the Savusavu Yacht Club soon made Blue Water crews feel at home. At Savusavu yachting facilities centre on a restored and historic copra shed and wharf, where some crews were able to moor stern-to with direct access to restaurant, shops - and the Club bar (!) Others moored to buoys in scenic Nakama Creek.

On 17 June Rally crews received a traditional Fiji welcome next to the Copra Shed under a specially constructed canopy of bamboo and palm leaves. Rally sailors sat cross-legged as they received greetings from the local chief and were invited to partake in a yanquona (kava) drinking ceremony. This ancient ceremonial was followed by a 'meke', or dance of welcome, performed by local schoolchildren, whose beautiful dancing and singing will long be remembered by Rally crews. Other highlights of the Rally stopover have included a 'lovo', or earth-oven feast, and opportunities to meet local people in island villages. Acting as tradition dictates, many male crew members bought a 'sulu', or long skirt, to wear when offering their gifts of kava to local chiefs. Other crew members have gone snorkelling and scuba- diving with the local dive school 'Eco Divers' to enjoy exceptional reef-diving along the local coastline.

Having obtained local cruising permits, most yachts set sail on 21 June to cruise towards the capital, Suva, and their final gathering at Musket Cove at the westernmost point of the Fiji Islands.

Crews will spend a few days at Suva before sailing to Musket Cove on Malololailai Island - setting for a farewell party for Rally crews who will be staying in the Pacific for an extra year. This popular option of the Blue Water Rally is to be taken up by 14 yachts who will visit Australia and/or New Zealand before joining the 1999 Blue Water Rally in the Pacific next year to complete their circumnavigation at Gibraltar in 2001.

For those who sail on to the next Blue Water stopover at Cairns in Australia, clearances have been arranged from Fiji on 5 July. Despite the excitement and pleasures of the voyages to come, there will be mixed emotions amongst all concerned ...........

Report submitted by Peter Seymour on 19th June 1999 at 1417 BST

FIJI REPORT – PART II

Goodbye to Savusavu

By the third week in June Rally yachts had started to depart from Savusavu and the many friends they had made during their brief, but happy, stay there. The final date on the agenda was the Savusavu Yacht Club barbecue which, despite a rainy evening, was highly enjoyed by all. Later, almost all participants found the energy to climb the hill to the Hot Springs Hotel, where they danced into the early hours to the sound of the local band and one of Fiji's leading female vocalists. As a further tribute to their stamina yacht crews returned for a Sunday curry lunch at the Hotel, preceded by a complimentary Bloody Mary cocktail.

Local Villages, Captain Bligh and a Taste of Somerset Maugham

One of the excellent services provided for Blue Water Rally crews at the Copra Shed Marina was the provision of cruising permits and the ability to buy local charts. This provided many with the flexibility to visit a number of islands on the route west to Musket Cove. One of the more adventurous yachts – "Nikita" (Alan and Jan Haynes) – decided to sail "off the beaten track" via Bligh Water en route to Vuda Point Marina and a lift-out. Despite being headed by strong north-westerlies in the initial stages, Alan and Jan reported that, unlike Captain Bligh, they had met only natives who were extremely friendly and thoroughly enjoyed their trip! For others taking a more traditional route via the east of Viti Levu, there was a chance to call at the original Victorian capital of Fiji on Ovalau Island – Levuka. Here crews had a fascinating trip back in time as they explored the old town, many taking the opportunity to have a 'sundowner' gin and tonic in the Somerset Maugham atmosphere of the ex-colonial Ovalau Club. Others climbed the steep, tree-lined sides of the extinct local volcano and visited Fijian families as guests in their village homes. Not all crews had left Savusavu by this time, however, Pieter and Pauline Lindeque of "Rain Again" having decided to combine their visit to Fiji with a trip "Downunder" to New Zealand – a journey made easy by regular international flights between Auckland and Nadi Airports. They were to catch up later with the rest of the fleet at Musket Cove.

A Visit to the Capital

During their journey westwards many crews called in at Fiji's capital, Suva. Here the Royal Suva Yacht Club opened its doors to participants and provided them with a home-from-home for a few short days. Shopping is excellent and, as in the rest of Fiji, local prices in bars and restaurants proved to be enormously good value. Suva boasts a wide spectrum of cuisine, ranging from Chinese to Indian and European and there can be few places in the world where two people can eat out so cheaply and yet so well. The record is believed to be held by Bob and Barbara Rice of "Tournel", who produced a bill for a meal in Savusavu, which cost them Fj$13.60 (about £4) for two courses with drinks. They recommend the Café Bula-Re for inclusion in any round-the-world sailor's good food guide. Perhaps the only down-side to cruising the coast of Fiji is the customs' requirement, which demands yachts to clear in and out of all official clearance ports, such as Suva, and the frustrations and expense of obtaining clearances at weekends. This affected some of those who visited the capital.

Musket Cove

Despite the occasional frustrations caused by such officialdom crews made the most of their freedom to visit the magnificent cruising grounds and islands of the Fiji archipelago. The friendliness and warmth of the island peoples has been unequalled elsewhere. Stories of the beautiful anchorages and the generosity of local fishermen providing fish and shellfish, fruit and vegetables abounded as crews gathered at Musket Cove.

Despite its reputation as an outstanding island resort for landlubbers, its owner, Dick Smith, himself a yachtsman, has also created an ideal environment for visiting yachtsmen. Indeed, there can be few marinas in the world whose owner will find time to help tow in a yacht with a broken engine or to meet almost all visiting crews on arrival! Blue Water Rally crews were delighted to find the Fj$ 2.50 Bar next to the landing stage and pontoons and the excellent resort bar and restaurant a few steps further away. Several crew members joined the local dive school for their first PADI course and qualified themselves for scuba-diving amongst the coral reefs of Australia – their next stop.

A Farewell from the Rally

However, the highlight of the stopover was undoubtedly the farewell party to Fiji and to those leaving the Rally to spend an extra year in the Pacific before joining the 1999 Rally en route back to Europe. There could have been no better setting than the lawn beside the Musket Cove Resort restaurant, where tables had been prepared underneath the coconut palms by the moonlit beach. A special buffet meal and bar service preceded the arrival of Fijian warriors carrying flaming torches, coming ashore by boat next to the Rally celebrations. Their dancing and singing will long be a memory for all those who attended. Nonetheless, a huge ovation was also given to John Boyd of "Athena", whose renditions on the bagpipes stirred so many emotions.

There were also a few lighter moments when our genial host, Dick Smith, introduced a competition entitled "Why I Hate Sailing" Surprisingly to many of the skippers (?!), a number of the ladies present volunteered to compete for the two beautiful crystal champagne flutes and bottle of champagne, which Dick had generously provided. (The competition was closely contested, but won by Sue Plummer of "Star Oasis". The name of the skipper who volunteered to compete has been withheld at his own request, but "Scipio" is continuing to sail on with the Rally!) For those with a strong constitution the party continued at the Fj$ 2.50 Bar, which the author reports was still going strong at 0315 when he left ……………

Fiji marks the departure of a number of our Blue Water Ralliers and we offer our very best wishes and "Godspeed" to the skippers and crews of:-

"Akwaaba", "Augustina", "Genevieve", "SeaGlass", "Wandering Bowman", "Wayward Wind" and "Yo Ho Ho" and also to those leaving us in Australia:-

"Athena", "Ocean Jaywalker", "Samen II", "Vagabond" and "Windsong".

Strong bonds of friendship have been created between Rally participants and it is with considerable sadness that we say "au revoir" to them. We look forward to seeing them again in the year 2000.

Report submitted by Peter Seymour, 4th July 1999.