Tag: adventure

  • Weather & Wanderings in Tonga

    Anchored off Ofolanga Island in the Ha’apai Group in Tonga, we spent a few nights enjoying this remote calm-weather-only anchorage.  A sandy walk around the island, watching a turtle streak through the water on a drift snorkel, and enjoying a beach fire with friends and family.  The Hyer family got to experience the “thrills” of…

  • One Year Cruising Anniversary in Tonga

    Back to Port Maurelle, where we dinghied to a cliff of trees covered with flying foxes (fruit bats); close up photos revealed adorable teddy-bear like faces peeking out from their upside down black wing cloaks.  Chris and I went for a walk to the nearby village – huge solar arrays and a new electrical cord…

  • Arrival Kingdom of Tonga

    Passage from Niue to Tonga On our way from Niue to Tonga; sunny blue skies, the large colorful asymmetrical sail up for downwind sailing.  Cora’s fishing rod whirred and she worked and worked to bring the fish to the boat; it was a large billfish, a marlin.  Decided to let it go and, as we…

  • Magnificent Niue

    Niue – a place I didn’t know existed.  Once I learned it existed, a place I desperately wanted to go.  Once I learned the weather conditions that needed to be in place to go, a place I thought we’d likely never go.  It is a fair weather stop and many cruisers bypass it due to…

  • Makemo: Adventures in Anchoring & Camping Out

    As much as my pictures may show lovely scenes; cruising is not all sandy beaches, palm trees, and unicorns (though it is at times).  Before we left, we noted fresh water on Cora’s shelf where fresh water ought not to be – we have a leak somewhere to sleuth.  Bringing up the anchor in Raroia,…

  • Passage from Marquesas to Tuamotus: First Half

    Day 1  We spent the morning getting ready for the passage, planning to leave in the afternoon.  We dinghied over to the local valley farm, picking fruit with the owner and loading a wheelbarrow and two bags FULL of green bananas, green mangos, limes, starfruit, green papaya, coconuts, pamplemouse, and basil.  This is our fruit…

  • Final days in the Marquesas; Passage tomorrow

    Upon arrival to Controleur Bay, we went up the now familiar river entrance at almost high tide on full step with SY Flora (yee-haw!) and strolled around town, picking up some produce and beer at the local Magasin.  Enjoyed the full moon rising over the island mountains.  Dinner was exquisite – fresh tuna sashimi, a…

  • Ua Pou: A Cathedral of Cascades, Chocolate, & Croissants

    Ua Pou is sheer craggy basalt rock coalesced into various patterns and formations that we could not take our eyes off, as we rounded the southern tip up the western side of the island to our destination of Hakahetuau.  Into the anchorage, huge basalt pillars jut up out of the valley reaching into the clouds. …

  • Sharks, Fruit, Friends, & Nightwatch

    We continue to explore the Marquesas islands, planning to spend about 4 weeks here before our next passage to the Tuamotus, about 500 miles away.  Our trip across the Pacific Ocean is only about 1/3 complete and the next 6 months will be passage-making between island groups, each passage with its own challenges.  Thankfully, we…

  • Vaitahu Bay and Project Days

    April 27, 2024 (Saturday):  Vaitahu Bay, Tahuata We moved only a few miles south to Vaitahu, the largest village on the island of Tahuata, which sits in a stunningly steep and lush valley.  The dinghy landing situation here is notoriously challenging, as there is a cement wall, metal ladder, and lots of swell; necessitating some…