My Big Adventures
Currently: kiteboarding Western Australia
Guest Speaker at Meet Plan Go!
Posts Tagged ‘Tonga’
How to land a crewing job at sea
My article was originally published on Meet Plan Go! As I knock, knock, knocked on the window of a sleek catamaran with a shiny teak deck, I wondered, is this appropriate behavior? Had I been visiting a house, I would have knocked on the front door, but climbing aboard seemed intrusive. No one emerged from below deck. […]
Best of 2011 – By the seat of my skirt
Some of my best memories to date were made in 2011 … BEST SUNSET: Broome, Western Australia South Pacific – Minerva Reef BEST DIVE: Navy Pier, Exmouth Exmouth, America Down Under BEST PLACE TO TAKE PHOTOS: New Zealand, everywhere! Coromandel Penninsula, North Island BEST NEW SKILLS: Kitesurfing and Sailing BEST PLACE […]
Sailing Ocean Passage: Tonga to Fiji
After our crewing experience aboard Wonderland, we were unsure if this new found crewing/yachtie life was for us. We decided to take a crewing offer if it fell in our laps as a means to save money; otherwise, we would be fine with flying to Fiji. Our first day on land in Tonga, we were […]
The Niuas Islands of Tonga
The Niuas (meaning rich coconuts) is a group of three remote volcanic islands in Tonga’s far north between Vava’u and Somoa.
Setting Sail to Fiji
We are setting sail today for Fiji, crewing aboard Fortaleza … a 48 ft sloop yacht owned by a Kiwi couple. They seem very nice and their boat is heaps bigger and nicer than Wonderland so we are hopeful for a better crewing experience on this passage! The passage to Fiji should be around 5 […]
Happy in Ha’apai
We spent the first evening on Uoleva swaying in our hammock, happy to have finally found the deserted tropical island we had daydreamed about for months. After a rainy week in Neiafu, we headed south via the local ferry to the Ha’apai – a group of 51 low coral and 2 volcanic islands. We were […]
Deserted beaches of the Ha’apai Island Group
The Ha’apai Islands in Tonga is a group of 51 low coral and 2 volcanic islands. Pictured here is one of many deserted beaches found on Uoleva Island located 1.5km south of the main island Lifuka. To enjoy these beautiful islands you must be able to forgo all modern conveniences (electricity, hot water, etc.) and […]
Where the heck is Tonga…?
several people asked me after I announced I had arrived here a few weeks back. The Kingdom of Tonga is a group of 171 islands located in the South Pacific southeast of Fiji. It is the oldest and last remaining Polynesian monarchy and the only South Pacific nation never to be brought under foreign rule. […]
Toilet Tales in Wonderland
I had anxiety about the toilet situation aboard Wonderland after the captain showed me a large mason jar she uses to pee inside and dump overboard. She also had an assortment of “she wees” a portable urinary device advertised to allow women to “stand up and take control.” There was a toilet onboard but she […]
How to kitesurf offshore – Minerva Reef
Learned Something New Today: How to kitesurf offshore by launching from a yacht! Before arriving at Minerva Reefs we were unsure if we would have the opportunity to explore the two submerged atolls that belong to Tonga. Discovered in 1829 when the whaler vessel Minerva struck the reef and was shipwrecked for weeks. Our captain […]
Sailing Adventures in Wonderland: 16 day Ocean Passage New Zealand to Tonga
“Which sheet do you pull to take in the jib?” Captain Evi asked me. As I looked at the multitude of ropes, a mix of solid colors and patterns across the rainbow I felt a sense of confusion and dread. “This one?” I guessed, grabbing hold of a white rope with red dashes. She frowned […]
Found my feet in Tonga
Back on land! After 16 days at sea, we have arrived in Neiafu, Tonga (part of the Vava’u Island Group). Many stories from the passage to come soon …