Here is a summary of our almost two day passage from Apia in Samoa to Niuatoputapu in Tonga. It was a tiring passage due to the beam wind with 2-3m swell. Quite rolly with occasional side-swipes. We sailed almost all the way under trisail sized main and partially furled storm staysail to avoid arriving before dawn.
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| Sailing South |
Here are the usual plots...
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| Track |
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| Arrival |
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| Graphs |
Here are the vital stats for the passage…
• Distances/Speeds
• Route Distance = 187 nm
• Logged Distance = 200 nm
• GPS Distance = 200 nm
• Duration = 1 days 17 hours
• Average speed = 4.9 kt
• Minimum boat speed = 2.5 kt
• Maximum boat speed = 8+ kt (surfing outside Niuatoputapu pass)
• Weather
• Minimum wind speed = 6 kt
• Average wind speed = 17 knots
• Maximum wind speed = 21 with gusts to 28
• Apparent wind angle range = 70 to 150
• Seas 1-2m
• Swell 2-3m
• Clear with 1/8 cloud mostly except overcast when rain squalls around
• 1/8 waxing moon
• Engine
• Total = 2 hours
• Driving = 2 hours (leaving and entering harbour only)
• Charging = 0 hours
• Failures
• None
• Stars
• The boat - as always
• Storm Staysail
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| Apia astern (with rainbow) |
We departed Apia at 1635 on Monday. From there we broad reached W along the N coast of the island. It was dark by the time we reached the strait between Upolu and Savai'i Islands. The light on Apolima Island is conspic and quite high. Winds were light in the lee of Upolu Island in the E wind and we ghosted past Apolima Island.
Once out of the lee the wind returned and we set the storm staysail instead of furled yankee. The E seas and various swell wave trains made it quite rolly and uncomfortable. We were deeply reefed to try slow the boat down but she was doing 5-6 knots much of the time. We had a lovely clear and mostly moonless sky with a spectacular starscape. But we were taking spray into the cockpit when sideswiped by the seas so didn't see it very often!
Tuesday provided similar wind and sea conditions. At least with the wind on the beam we were sheltered by the dodger when keeping watch in the companionway. A couple of light showers passed overhead but without much more wind. We furled the storm staysail in an attempt to slow the boat.
Tuesday night was also similar. At 0500 on Wednesday we hove to, fore-reaching slowly S. Shortly after dawn at 0645 we gybed and started our approach. We gybed again for our final approach, finding none of the 20-40m shelf charted on CM93, Navionics and NZ Raster charts. For a while we thought our depth sounder had died. We only got into soundings less than 0.5nm from the pass, and the 3m swells really let us know about it! We surfed down a couple of waves doing 8-10 knots briefly. Happily the swells dissipated rapidly.
The shore leads for the pass were conspic and gave us a very good indication of when to turn in. The swells breaking over the reef to the E of the pass were dramatic. But as soon as we were in the lee of the reef all was calm. The pass is well marked by old piles and new buoys. The Navionics SonarCharts are very good in the pass and anchorage. There's a lot of zigzagging involved so care is needed, including in the anchorage.
We anchored in 12m over sand, having to do so twice since we didn't like our proximity to OCC/EBBYC sv Traveller IV. Kiwi sv Olmari is here too.
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| Tafahi Island immediately N of Nuiatoputapu |
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| Nuiatoputapu ahead |
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| Reef E of pass |
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| Approaching the pass |
In Apia we had emailed our Advance Notice form to both Ana the local clearance coordinator and the general Tongan Customs address, both of whom acknowledged receipt. Immediately we had the anchor down we we deluged by emails, texts and dinghied messages to contact Ana. We advised her it would take an hour or more to launch and get our dink going, and that it would hold only one of the four officials needing to visit at a time. Ana gave us permission to 'phone a friend' and the sv Traveller IVs kindly brought the officials to us at 1030.
The clearing-in process was simple but the search thorough. We had to show the contents of all compartments and any large containers in them. Apparently that's a consequence of a yacht being found with a large quantity of drugs aboard in the Marquesas recently. The Quarantine charge was 20 Paanga.
The Health official hadn't been available in the morning. He appeared mid-afternoon courtesy of Australian sv Kingara. The Health charge was 200 Paanga.
By 1530 we were fully cleared-in. Looking forward to a good night's sleep and to exploring Niuatoputapu. We're in Tonga!
Trust all's well where you are.
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