[Paddlewise] The Tongan Dream: Part 2

Part 2:

8 July
Broke camp after breakfast and packed the boats. For this leg, and all
subsequent ones, Joyce had a water container in her cockpit, while I had the
library (in a Pelikan case) and the double burner stove, wedged in place
with four fins. We also had a 20 litre pail tied on top of our back hatch.

By 9:45 we were on the water, heading south-east towards 'Uiha Island. There
was a light southerly wind for the  crossing, with waves from both the west
and south-west making things a little lumpy, but not uncomfortable.

During our briefing, Sharon had warned of the diuretic effect of tea and
coffee, and explained that if you wanted to relieve yourself while paddling,
the answer was to hop overboard, then reboard when you were finished. A rope
loop was provided to aid re-entry. She then proceeded to make "Garfield"
coffee each morning that you could stand your spoon upright in! On this
morning, however, she was the one who couldn't wait, and was forced to give
us a demonstration of the procedure.

About 11 am we arrived at Felemea village on 'Uiha, finalised arrangements
for the feast there that night at the 'Esi-'O-Ma'afu Homestay, and queued to
use the flush toilet (at our camps it was squat over a hole). We then
paddled to the south end of the island to set up camp again. Total paddling
9.2km.

Following a swim and wash, shampoo etc, we dressed for dinner. A tupenu
(lavalava) is acceptable for either sex, or long trousers for men, and a
shirt/blouse should have at least short sleeves. More or less suitably
attired, we all walked back to the village. The feast was being prepared,
with the cooking being done in an umu, an underground oven.

Later we went for a walk around the village, where we saw two horse and
carts in use and only one motor vehicle. Communication to the outside world
was by a solitary solar charged phone/vhf system in the centre of the
village.

The feast was great, provided you do not mind a whole roast pig staring at
you from pride of place in the centre of the table. Most of the other dishes
were fish based, including octopus, plus two desserts, one of which was
delicious. The kava ceremony afterwards was interesting, more so the
traditional dancing that accompanied it, but eventually we left the local
men to finish the kava and headed off to bed.

During the night it rained, and the fly rubbed on the tent inner, letting a
small amount of water in (on Joyce's side of course).

9 July
Breakfasted, packed up and paddled south for an hour and three quarters
(7.5km) under a cloudy sky with occasional light rain to Uonukuhahaki
Island, uninhabited except for one pig. After setting up camp on the western
side for a two night stay we walked through to the eastern side, then around
the northern end and back to camp via the beach.

After lunch Joyce and I walked to the southern end and waded across to the
next island, Uonukuhihi. Our return was via the eastern beach to complete a
circuit right around Uonukuhahaki. At dusk the pig was spotted out on the
beach, but retreated into the bushes on seeing us.

10 July
The weather improved during the night, and we awoke to a fine clear morning.
Mid morning we all went snorkelling in the channel to the north of the
island, came back for lunch and a rest, then snorkelled again in the bay by
camp. Luangahu may have been tropical paradise, but Uonukuhahaki was even
more so. We would have been happy to stay here much longer.

11July
Despite getting up at 7 am to pack up, and breakfasting at 8 am, it was 9:45
before we were on the water and heading back to 'Uiha on our return journey.
The light wind was a helpful southerly. About 20 minutes into the trip a pod
of dolphins was spotted heading in the opposite direction.

At Felemea village we replenished our fresh water (and the flush toilet was
popular again). We had brought with us a parcel of school exercise books,
pencils and rubbers to give to a school somewhere, and were supposed to
visit the only school on the island at 'Uiha village. As it turned out the
tide was too low for us to be able to get in through the reefs there, so we
left the parcel for delivery with Mrs 'Aholelei at the Homestay.

Continuing northwards, we paddled past Tafata Island, then across the
channel to the southern tip of Uoleva Island for a late lunch. The current
in the channel can flow at 3-4 knots, so our crossing was timed for slack
water. Total distance for the day 15.2km.

After lunch camp was established for another two night stay.

12 July
We were up late, with breakfast even later. About 11 am we decided to go for
a short walk along the beach to look at the eastern reef, and arrived back
at camp 3 hours later, having walked the 9km right around the island.
Luckily we had taken a Camelback with us, as the day was bright and sunny,
quite warm for walking.

After our late lunch we set up the Thermarest chairs and browsed some of the
flora and fish books from the library. There were also numerous skinks and
geckos wandering in the shrubbery to distract us. Later we went for a
swim/wash/shampoo in preparation for our return to (relative) civilisation
the next day.

13 July
The up at 7am, breakfast at 8 am, leave at 9:45 am routine was repeated. We
were obviously not getting any more efficient at it, but nobody really
wanted to leave anyway on such a lovely day.

As the tide was low, we went out past the inner reef before turning
north-east towards Lifuka. A turtle was seen early in the trip, and the
southerly breeze made paddling pleasant. Opposite Pangai we negotiated our
way through  the reef and in to the harbour.

Fresh bread for lunch! Joyce went to the airline office and checked our
departure time for the next day, not going to be caught out again. Paddled
out of the harbour after lunch, and on to Mele Tonga's, 11.7km for the day.
the kayaks were unloaded, and everything carried up onto the lawn and sorted
out.

Joyce, Daniella and I went back in the van with the luggage on the first
trip to Billy's, so I had no competition to be first to the men's shower.
Then it was unpacking, hanging things out to dry, and sorting out so that we
would only need our cabin bags once in transit again.

That evening we biked down to Mariners Cafe for the trip dinner: garlic
bread, tuna and chips, apple pie, and more beer than on previous visits. We
started riding home afterwards, but found that Joyce's front tyre was flat,
so had to walk.

14 July
Breakfast, final packing and took our bags to the main room. Biked off to
town, with Joyce  on a new steed, and checked the flight time again (no
change). Cycled to the eastern  beach where they mine sand, then back to
Mariners for lunch. We made our farewells to Doug and Sharon after lunch,
and pedalled quietly to the southern end of the island, looked wistfully at
the islands where we had been paddling, and returned to Billy's.

The taxi arrived, and off we went ot the airport. The plane was a twin
engined Otter, and to avoid overloading (Tongans can be an imposing size)
all the passengers were weighed as well as the luggage - I was impressed
with this. The plane actually had plenty of grunt, it took off in about a
quarter of the runway, and was fifty metres or more up by the time we passed
the terminal.

There were good island views as we headed south to Tongatapu, where "our"
taxi driver was waiting for us - we had told him when we would be back. This
time we stayed at the Harbour View Hotel, but we were on the ground floor at
the back, so no view. For a change of cuisine we had dinner at Lilly's
chinese restaurant, good food and a glass of wine.

Getting to sleep was not easy as Friday night is live it up night, not
Saturday night - when you have to be home in bed before Sunday arrives.

15 July
Plenty of hot water for a shower (only cold at Billy's), but warm was
enough. After a self service breakfast we crossed the road to the Saturday
market. Joyce bought a better lavalava than what we had been able to get on
Lifuka. Bargaining is not practiced, so the conversation was something like:
"How much for this one?"
"Thirteen"
"What about this one?"
"Fifteen"
"O K, I'll have it."
Someone was trying to sell a stereo, and demonstrating how loud it was
(very). The neighbouring stalls were probably hoping that its batteries
would go flat quickly.

Our taxi arrived as arranged, and we went off on a tour of the eastern end
of the island, including Captain Cook's 1777 landing site, Paepae 'o Tele'a,
a tomb constructed with huge blocks of stone, and Ha'amonga 'a Maui
Trilithon, the Tongan Stonehenge equivalent.

This time we arrived at the airport with a couple of hours to spare, giving
us plenty of time to watch Tongans plastic wrapping cartons of food to take
with them to Auckland. The plane left a little late, and the flight was
uneventful. At Auckland the plane descended through a threatening cloud
layer, and landed into a blustery north-easterly wind - nothing had changed.

At customs we handed over our tent for fumigation, and watched while most of
the food in the cartons was confiscated. By 6 pm we were having a meal and a
bottle of wine at our motel.

The dream was over.



Allan Singleton
www.voyager.co.nz/~alsjfs/







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