Photo post - Tonga - Neafu sights.

Here are some of the sights in Tonga where we spent months and made many friends.

Crossroads.  Where are you headed?

  

A lush street about a block off the main drag.

Here's the main street.  The Fire Department had other vehicles I'm quite sure.

These two got to know their way around town pretty well.  When we came all the way into town they were very keen on getting all the candy they could.

The streets here were timeless in their way.  

One of the main stores.  We could get many canned goods, and some meat.

Here's our friend Greg; who along with Lisa run the Tropicana Cafe.  Greg and Griffyn got along very well and in this picture Greg is calling Griffyn's bluff - and soon after Griffyn was lifted up on top of the fridge until he begged to get down.  The folks at the Tropicana were so helpful and friendly to all the cruisers.  Our hats off to them.

Here's me outside the Tropicana.

ONe sees groups of people under umbrellas all over town;  even on sunny days - especially on sunny days :-)

New Zealand wind & Photo Updates!

Hi everybody,

We are doing well.  We've had frequent gales in The Bay of Islands, with winds over 40 knots every few days.  We are still at anchor beside Pine Island in front of the town of Opua.  Our friends on Pegasus of Jersey (a great kid boat) left this morning for Aukland.  We will miss them.

Carrie had a good birthday (thanks for all the good wishes), and she was taken out to lunch, and also picked out some choice watercolor paints that will be coming along with Owen's dad to New Zealand in a week or so.

Owen's been working, and doing updates to his website.  So far there is a new entry page and a new brochure.  Much more to come in the next few weeks.  Check it out: www.interpretiveservices.com.

So now for some pictures.  We're going to post them in groups - starting out way back in Tonga in November.

This is one of many beaches, but we love this one.  It's on an anchorage called number 40 by a lot of the cruisers  as the number is that assigned by the "Moorings" cruising guide.

Here's Fugue at anchor beside us at magic hour.  It was just a little atoll inside a big lagoon.

Life on deck.  A boat to some.  Home to us.

Here's Madrona at anchor.  Little islands extend to the horizon.  Some are volcanoes!

Here's the reef at "40."

We love these blue seastars.

I love the different kinds of coral.

Tamsyn & Griffyn decorated for my birthday.

Here's the birthday boy.  This picture is for Lois.

Here's the amazing cake (with cherries!) and presents.  It was a grand day.

More to come soon.