Vavau - Chartered Sailing Trip

Hi All

There are 10 of us heading to the Moorings base to sail for 10 days around Tonga... We arrive 1st June 07 - If anyone has recently sailed the Vavau group, please share you expriences in:
1. Provisioning - DIY or organise through Moorings?

2. Dont miss destinations

3. Good spots for surf, snorkelling etc...

Cheers, Lana

Among the replies to the posting titled "Tonga Sailing" in February in this Branch, wave2angela placed a very good review on Vava'u sailing.

If you need more info, I'm sure wave2angela will help you.

Cheers,

Thanks amaile....... I'm in Opua, provisioning for a trip to Fiji - with my list on the table - so I'll stick to that area. Lana, do re-check old postings on sailing and Vava'u and Neiafu........ I sail on a private boat so always do our own provisioning, however we rarely arrive anywhere with an empty boat so - for you starting from scratch - it'll be a little different. Food tends to become the No. 1 topic of conversation on board, all that fresh air and sun and swimming.......

First, you don't want to waste too much time finding out where to buy stuff in Neiafu, although it isn't big you still have to search for some basics, getting fresh fruit and vegetables and eggs is easy because the market is handy; getting fresh meat and cheese etc takes more time so maybe go with Moorings basic fresh provisioning list (but I'm not sure what they offer) and heavy stuff (like mixer drinks).

Here is my best tip: appoint one of your party as 'Pantry Person', make up a list of useful stuff and get each person to bring a part, what you bring will be fresher and more interesting that most of the stuff from local supermarkets. That person should then stash the stuff in a logical fashion on board (and be shouted a meal by the others)!

10 people is a LOT to cater for (I imagine you're chartering more than one boat?). If everyone just brought a supermarket-sized bag full it would go a long way to feeding hungry mouths. EVERY TIME I join a boat, I take a stack of 'exotic' stuff and treats and basic like Vegemite (which American skippers want to chuck overboard!) Some countries you can take fresh stuff into, check rules for Tonga.

Even bringing your own fancy 'snack' items, dips (even dried mix to make into dip) and spreads and heaps of fresh crackers and nuts, salsas, chips, popcorn etc would be a GREAT help because you tend to eat A LOT of snacks with 'sun downers'. Chocolates and lollies and muesli bars too. Biscuits to go with a cuppa. A cake or muffin mix is fun to make on board, especially if anyone has a birthday during the trip.

Then perhaps breakfast stuff like pancake mix (plastic 'lemon' full of juice or 'maple' syrup), cereals, jam or spread, tea and coffee and milk (powdered of course). Sachets of juice powder are useful, chuck in a few sachets of Gastrolyte too.

For lunches you'll go through a LOT of bread....... if you don't want to go back to Neiafu, making your own is not impossible! take a small packet of yeast and buy flour there....... Or take a variety of off-the-shelf 'flat breads' like rotis and tortillas and pizza bases that don't need refrigeration. Backups like tins of ham or even better - fresh, sealed vacu-packs of sliced chicken, turkey, salami etc and a few packets of fancy cheese if you are allowed are really great. Various pizza toppings, olives, sun dried tomatoes, sachets of instant soup. Get organised on board because the stuff won't stay cool with 10 people opening the fridge every few minutes!

For dinner you're more likely to eat ashore in Neiafu a couple of times and go to at least one island feast night in one of the bays, so you might not need to cater for the whole 10 nights. Some boats suggest each person comes along with the makings of one dinner meal, easy if leaving from your home port but still do-able arriving by air. You'll get salad and meats locally, anyone bringing a fishing line? And don't forget a basic medical kit - attend to ALL scratches as soon as you come out of the water, take along some Aqua Ear, Stingoes, heaps of sunscreen and some insect repellent.

Moorings will give you a list of recommended anchorages, numbered because the local names can be confusing. If you have a lightweight wettie, take it as I found Tongan waters cooler than expected last season. And everyone must take a sun HAT, caps are not enough! Take old, lightweight towels, not super heavy beach things that take ages to dry.

There, I've written the book.......................... enjoy!

Wow - that is so helpful!!! Thank you so much!!!!! I promise to share my experience with others when I get back... I did have a quick look at the first page of threads, but I didnt look closely enough to see how many more there were!!!! So I will do some more reading over the next few weeks!

Cheers, Lana

I spent quite a bit of time working in vava'u and can give you my favourite spots - although I don't know about anchorages - all time favourite is Maninita Island. Just be careful about getting on the island as rats have been eradicated (i.e., even though it may seem silly - make sure you don't have any stoaways). It is a seabird breeding island and just fantastic. I also liked Foelifuka and Kenutu, but they are great places to get down and explore properly (go to the eastward side of Kenutu and watch the waves pound in). There are some nice snorkelling holes in the partly submerged limestone around Kenutu, but it is only accessible at low tide and do be careful of rogue waves.

Chapter 2: Agree with Api that Kenutu (interesting reef pass to negotiate) is a great place to visit, climbing on the VERY SHARP rocks is dangerous so you're better off with reef shoes or dive booties......sandals are not enough! There is a 'back way' in to Neiafu from that side, take care anchoring then you can actually walk to the shops rather than take the boat all the way back around. (It will all make sense with the Moorings chart). Port Resolution is an easy first stop, can be a few mozzies ashore. Everyone loves Nuku, a postcard-perfect tiny island quite close to 'town'. If bad weather threatens, people head for Tapana with its 'Spanish' restaurant - expensive but kind of fun; and Hunga Lagoon is almost land-locked so very safe - scarey narrow entrance but good holding over towards Ika Lahi Fishing Lodge (they do good meals but best to book ahead)..... you can walk up to the cliff top and look down on a bay where whales come to rest. Everywhere you go, make sure you put enough chain down, we were constantly seeing charterers floating away! If its calm, you can snorkel into Mariner's cave....... On a sunny day Blue Lagoon is gorgeous, not that good for overnight stays though.

With your time frame Alatini Fisheries is the best/easiest place to buy booze.

For the best in local fishing info be sure to stop in and chat to the staff @
Ikapuna Store
More Ikapuna

Thanks everyone - got another question... we are provisioning for 2L/water/day for 10 people - thats 200L - does anyone know if Moorings fills the tanks. One of our crew is pregnant and wondering if we'll need to boil water etc... If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Cheers, Lana

Hi Lana,

As happens in the cruisin' game, my schedule and vessel and destination have changed may be heading for Vav'au, but not til late June.

Water is ALWAYS a problem on board, don't think Mooring's vessels have water makers. People really shouldn't be limited in the amount of water they drink, good idea to make sure everyone has their own clearly marked drink bottle on board. And on that subject: people have to keep the boat tidy, nothing worse than everyone's bits and pieces lying around : 10 pairs of sunnies, beach towels, caps, cameras, assorted books, snacks, drink bottles - you'll soon have nowhere to sit!!!!! A professional skipper would blast any untidy crew member!!!

You do start off with full tanks, not sure what your vessel will carry, you could ask Moorings to stash away some canisters of water, just in case you run out completely. No, I don't think you need to boil it, tank water may be treated with a slight dash of bleach and may taste a little 'different', in case this is so - I usually take 'drink powder' to make sure I drink enough.

For other personal needs, everyone has to be DRILLED and YELLED at and SUPERVISED with water useage, especially children. Get over the idea of showering after each swim, learn to enjoy that 'prickly' feeling of the salt water drying on your skin. For those who can't cope: fill a pump/spray bottle (take one with you) with water/weak vinegar mix and have a quick spritz with that. Take wet-wipes to freshen up. Showering on board means: quick spray to wet yourself. TAP OFF. Soap up. TAP ON..... It is a competition to see how little water you can use!!!!

Most cruising boats have one of those hang-up solar heating, black plastic shower that hold about 2 litres : hang it on deck and make it last for 3 or 4 peoples' showers. Seriously! There is NO running of water as you clean your teeth..... whoever washes up should pre-wash with sea water (if there's a pump to the sink in the galley) and you can't be too pedantic about washing clothes either! And you will NOT need half the clothes you are planning to take................ I promise!

Of course, you can always go back to Neiafu to fill the tanks.......and if so - you can have a nice hot shower at the Copra Shed Marina!!! And there is a laundry service there too. PM me if you need more tips.

Whoops.... Copra Shed Marina is - of course - in Savusavu, Fiji!!!!! And don't put the wet wipes in the loo or you'll be calling the Maintenance Department!!