[Paddlewise] The Tongan Dream: Part 1

This is very long, and in two parts... If you don't have the time, but would
like to see the photographs, go to
www.voyager.co.nz/~alsjfs/tonga.htm

>From the time that Joyce first spotted an advertisement from the Friendly
Islands Kayak Company she has been dreaming of a kayaking trip to Tonga.
Before she shared it with me though, I insisted that we buy a newer car,
then last year when our finances had recovered from that our daughter was
just as insistent that we pay her a visit in England (mainly so that we
could bring some of her junk home for her).

This year it is all booked and paid for, and we are heading for Ha'apai
rather than Vava'u.

3 July
The Royal Tongan Airlines 737 took off from Auckland airport into a blustery
north-easter, with rain threatening from an overcast sky. We are soon above
it all, and three hours later, having crossed the date line, arrive at Niue
on 2 July. Most of the passengers seem to be Niueans and happy to be home.
After refuelling we reboarded and flew back across the date line to arrive
in Tonga an hour later.

The airport on Tongatapu is 20km or more from the capital, Nuku'alofa, and
the leisurely taxi trip to our hotel (open road speed limit 65 km/hr, 40
km/hr in town) allowed time to start the process of adjusting to a different
country and culture. Initial visual impressions were the coconut trees and
rusting hulks of old cars. Lots of brown faces, of course, but that is not
unusual where we live.

After unpacking at our hotel fale and changing into lighter clothing we
walked along the waterfront to the centre of town and back again. There were
lots of locals walking home to exchange friendly greetings with (the NZ
rugby football team had recently thrashed the Tongan side, so in case of
repercussions I was wearing a "Los Angeles USA" tee shirt as a disguise).

A series of atolls not far offshore looked very appealing in the evening
light, and if a kayak had been available we would have immediately been off
to visit them.

4 July
A national holiday here too, the King's birthday (82nd). Because our flight
to Ha'apai was not due to leave until 3 pm we decided to go on a taxi tour
of the western part of Tongatapu. The King was also due to tour the island,
and his subjects were out in force to welcome him. Decorated archways had
been built across the road in some places, and most houses had generous
numbers of pot plants and greenery displayed on their road frontages.

By late morning it had begun to drizzle, so having already seen flying
foxes, the landing place of the first missionaries, the best surfing beach
(Ha'atafu), the blow holes and the Tongan Wildlife Centre (bird park), we
decided to call it quits and head for the airport. On arriving there at a
quarter to one, we found that our flight was now leaving at one o'clock!
This sudden change of flight times is not uncommon in Tonga, it seems.

So, sooner than expected we were in the air again, with the flight to go to
Vava'u then calling at Lifuka (Ha'apai group) on the way back. We soon
cleared the murky weather, and before long were able to photograph atolls
through the plane's windows. Turnaround at Vava'u was quite quick, and by
mid afternoon we were on the ground at Lifuka.

Because of the early arrival there was nobody there to take us to our
accommodation at Billy's Place, and no taxis either, but the occupants of a
minibus from the Mele Tonga Guest House insisted that they would deliver us,
so off we all went. As Lifuka is only 8km long, driving from anywhere to
anywhere else does not take much time, and five minutes later we were at
Billy's, on the east coast.

After being shown our fale we met Doug and Sharon Spence of the Friendly
Islands Kayak Company, plus four of the five other "clients" going on the
trip with us. They were all Canadian; a young couple, Samantha and Jamie,
and a middle aged couple, Daniella and Ilja (sp?). The yet-to-arrive, Bill,
was an American medical specialist serviceman somewhere in transit between
Okinawa and Tonga.

That evening we all walked to town (Pangai) for dinner washed down with
Tongan beer.

5 July
After breakfast Doug and Sharon gave us an orientation talk, and we then
biked to Mele Tonga's where the kayaks and gear were stored.

Except for two volcanoes out on the western horizon, the high points on the
Ha'apai Islands are around 30 metres above sea level, and these "high
points" are the tops of the coconut palms, so cycling is an easy and
appropriate way to get around. Use of a bike was part of the accommodation
deal at Billy's. They were all fat tyred, one speed with back pedal brake
and rusting - just like mine when I was a kid 50 odd years ago.

At Mele Tonga's we got everything ready for paddling the next day - filling
water containers, sorting out PFDs and sprayskirts, assembling split paddles
and getting our hire gear (thermarests, fins, masks and snorkels). We
carried the kayaks to the top of the beach and adjusted footpegs as
required. Doug and Sharon had a Dusky Bay  double, the rest of us Necky
Tofino doubles - the less said about the American sliding rudder footpegs
and rudders that only go down to 45 degrees below horizontal the better. The
paddles were Aquabound Navigator AMTs.

It was back on the bikes and off to Pangai for lunch, then a wander round
town, changing money, getting maps and pamphlets at the visitor centre and
looking through the local museum. After biking back to Billy's we changed
into our togs and had a soak in a pool behind the reef. Bill had arrived,
having flown from Okinawa to Los Angeles to Auckland to Samoa (having
overflown Tongatapu because of poor visibility) and back to Tongatapu.

Dinner was "down town" again, but this time we biked. Afterwards we started
out walking home and pushing the bikes in the dark, but soon got sick of
that and biked the rest of the way. Our one head torch gave plenty of light
to cycle by.

6 July
We got up early and sorted out gear to take in the kayak from that to be
left behind. Breakfast was at 8 am, and a taxi arrived at 9 am to take us to
Mele Tonga's, two trips required. Here we finally met 'Epeli Lavaki, one of
the Tongan partners in the company. This meant that we had three guides for
seven clients.

Our own gear went in the rear compartment as the front was full of
vegetables plus a few cans. Joyce had two washup bowls filled with assorted
items in the front of her cockpit, and I had a five litre water container.
Once everything was packed a fairly comprehensive briefing was held, we did
some warmup and stretching exercises, then launched the kayaks. On the water
at last!

As the tide was fairly near high we were able to paddle  close to shore,
heading south past "town", including the Ministry of Works, the wharf, the
King's Palace, the hospital and the microwave towers. There was a light
northerly breeze at our backs and very little in the way of wave action.
Leaving Lifuka Island behind, we paddled across the channel to Uoleva,
stopping at a point half way along for lunch.

The sea here was too tempting to resist, especially with no toilets
available, so it was in for a swim before lunch was organised. The water
temperature was about 22 deg C, and the air temperature usually in the range
of 25-28 C, so the water was warm enough to swim in for as long as you
liked, but refreshing compared with the air temperature.

There are no villages on Uoleva, just two low key resorts, Diana's and the
Captain Cook (where the warning to women in the Lonely Planet Tonga guide is
still valid).

After lunch it was back in the kayaks and off to the south-west, eventually
arriving at Luangahu Island, a small circular uninhabited tropical paradise
atoll. The total distance for the day's paddle was a bit over 17km, fairly
easy with wind assistance. My only problem was that my rear and the seat
were not corresponding shapes, but a folded wetsuit to sit on after lunch
improved matters.

The kayaks were unpacked and carried up the beach, then camp was set up.
Most of the others pitched their tents on the sand at the top of the beach,
but we had our own tent and don't like its floor rubbing on sand, so pitched
it on vegetation a few metres back, but still with a mighty view.

Pasta for dinner.

7 July
At some stage during the night I woke up to the sound of light rain, enough
to have me zip up the tent fly. The morning turned out a bit drizzly, and
quite windy. Two of the tents had to be relocated to more sheltered sites,
but we were quite snug (and smug) where we were. By lunchtime the rain had
stopped, but not the wind, so we did not protest at not paddling that day.
During the day the wind shifted around from north-west to south-west.

After lunch 'Epeli took us all for a walk around the island, identifying
various trees, shrubs and creepers for us. Tonga has no snakes, bears, or
other wildlife to beware of, and the mosquitoes are not malarial, making
wandering through the undergrowth fairly relaxed - unless you have an
aversion to spiders, as they are huge, with very strong sticky webs (walk
behind someone taller than you).

Later we went snorkelling, not one of our regular pastimes, but it was great
here. There were lots of little fish around the inshore coral heads, large
blue starfish, different coloured corals and sponges. All you had to do was
lie on the surface and look down, letting the current take you slowly along.
Where we were the depth was only about two metres, but horizontal visibility
was over 20 metres.

Part 2 to come.


Allan Singleton

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