Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu Group - Tonga

Our run down to Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga and the main city in the Tongatapu group, was fast, with a storm predicted to hit the next day. We anchored Med-style in the inner harbour and secured Demelza with several lines running aft to the shoreline. The storm never materialized, but we slept great in the tight anchorage. Lo watched open-jawed as the fishing fleet below pulled out of harbour for another run!


We spent the next week getting Demelza ready for the passage to NZ, making daily trips into town to check the internet for weather, get parts for the boat, or just get a taste of NZ ice cream…definitely worth the 20 minute walk!

The Remembrance Day ceremony provided a great opportunity to do some royal watching, with the Crown Prince in attendance (sitting on far left of photo) along with all the island’s foreign dignitaries. As usual for our experience with big towns, we left as soon as we could (although not before catching a traditional Tongan Feast/Dance - see photo), spending our last night in the group in a lumpy anchorage at Atata Island. While there was much speculation and discussion amongst the cruisers as to whether the timing was right, we decided that it was right for us and left bound for NZ with Ummagumma the next day.