POST

Tuesday October 16, 2007
It is now definite, the weather window is not going to open in time for us to make passage
to New Zealand before we leave on the 28th. In fact the weather router, Commanders, that
route a lot of the large racing yachts sent an email starting their report with, "DO NOT
GO". They are predicting 40 knot winds and 15 foot seas on the nose. This would be a no
win situation, so we are going to hang out in Vava'u for a couple of days and then start
hopping south through the islands ending up in Nukualofa for a flight to Auckland New
Zealand on the 25th.

Today we plan to return to Port of Refuge. We arrive as the town is preparing for the 13
state South Pacific Forum. A 500 yard zone has been cleared in front of the big new hotel
where the Forum attendees are staying. Large wooden arches are being constructed over the
main streets entering and leaving town to hold a banner. The arches are decorated with
ferns, flowers, flags and balloons. Many of the businesses are busy putting a fresh coat
of paint on their buildings. Several power washers are being used to remove the layers of
dirt accumulated on the sidewalks and streets since the last big state meeting that
required cleaning the town.

We walk a few blocks off the shore to use the best and least expensive, $1 per hour,
internet connection in town. We are able to reach our wives in a hotel room in Bridgeport,
Connecticut. A very unreliable video-voice connection is made but just seeing a few still
shots and hearing their voices thousands of miles away means a lot to us. This is probably
the last inexpensive internet for a while; we are leaving to head south tomorrow.

We walk to the other end of town; Tongans are busy everywhere getting ready for the
special state event. We stop at the Aquarium to have a few sun downer beers with the crew
of Vent d'est, an over 100 foot mono hull that just arrived from Tahiti where we last saw
them. One of the female crew is a young South African the same age as Ant and in fact went
to the same school as Ant and lived very near when John lived in South Africa. We also met
a fellow we last saw in the Canary Islands 2 years ago. He and his girlfriend are on their
second circumnavigation. After that much time on a small boat together the relationship
must be more serious.

God Bless Bella Donna.