Arrival

Tonight I am tied up at the main commercial wharf area in Neiafu, the main town on Vava'u. I arrived well before dark but too late for Customs and all that so I was advised to tie up here and wait till morning. The trip from Niue was really hard work! Big wind and seas to 3 metres so lots of hanging on and waiting for miles to tick over. The sea was really quite amazing but it was more amazing to see Sapphire plough on through it all. The wind and waves started in the south and gradually swung round to SE and later East, so as it went round little adjustments were made to the Hydrovane to keep us on track. Last night I was a bit slow in making the adjustments and we came to Vava'u a bit south of where I wanted to be so we had to sort of sail a bit more northerly for a while to get back on track, then over the top of the island and down the western side to a long passage between mamy islands to get to Neiafu. Once again I was greeted on arrival by a whale!

One astonishing thing happened on the journey : the Hydrovane Bolts came loose again! I was amazed! - I head a strange creaking noise, one I hadn't heard before and I think its a good rule to always investigate new sounds - and there it was - the lower bracket sliding sideways and back again about 1cm as the boat moved this way and that...well I knew excatly what to do so in 20 minutes had them all tightened again, along with a couple of good soakings as I lay awkwardly on the cockpit floor with my hand reaching back through the inspection port to the bolts in the transom....I am not sure what to think but will just have to keep checking them and tightening them.

So now all is quiet as my dinner heats up and my "Q" Flag flutters in a light breeze. I'm tired so shall sleep well tonight.

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