4 August - Escape From Hunga

1600 position 18-42S 174-00W. At anchor in 31 feet, Aisea Beach,
Pangaimotu Island, Vava'u, Tonga

The wind howled over our heads as we sat at anchor on the eastern side of
the Hunga Lagoon for four days. It was over thirty knots most of the
time, but we were protected in the lee of a 100 foot cliff. It was far
too windy to move, but we made the most of it, hiking to the south end of
Hunga Island, dinghying across the lagoon to the anchorage on Fofoa Island
and exploring ashore, playing cribbage tournaments, watching movies,
reading, relaxing, and telling stories. When we left the lagoon this
morning, we had used the place up.

The strong trades were finally forecast to drop a bit today into the high
twenties, so after departing the lagoon we set a double reefed main and
scrap of a jib and headed back for the main entrance channel into Vava'u.
Once clear of the island of Hunga we really got hit with nearly thirty
knots of wind, and of course a fish hit at the same time. With four souls
aboard we could divide and conquer, so the Dyers dealt with the fish and
Lori and I dealt with the sails.

The fish turned out to be a five pound aku, which we returned to the sea.
It was caught on the same lure that has caught all of our fish here in
Vava'u. The poor lure getting a bit beat up.

We beat into the channel and after three tacks came up to Nuapapu Island
where we doused sails, turned on the engine, and powered into the cliff
next to Mariner's Cave. Fortunately Mariner's Cave is on the western
side of the island and there was a lee behind the cliff which provided
shelter. Matt and Vicki went into the water for a try at the cave. It
was pretty surgy and the tide was high which made entry into the cave a
bit challenging, but Matt made it in and out safely.

With sails up again we beat past Port Maurelle with its fleet of eleven
boats at anchor and Tapana with twelve boats and sailed into a protected
anchorage off of Aisea Beach on Pangaimotu Island. Along the way we
passed a pod of humpbacks on the surface off of Katafunga Island.

We are very happy to be here. The high cliffs protect us from the wind,
the bottom is sand and free of coral that might foul the anchor, the water
is calm and clear, and we have it all to ourselves. I'm not sure why the
fleet bunches up in Maurelle and Tapana when there are even better
protected anchorages like Hunga and Aisea Beach that are empty.