Leaving Tonga and on to Minerva Reef - and a Birthday!

Here's more backlogged photos from Tonga and our transit to New Zealand.  Enjoy.

Here we are fueling for departure from Tonga.  S/V Fugue is along side.

Here's Madrona under sail on a beautiful day.

Well - it was a bit bumpy.

A day later we enter the pass into North Minerva Reef.

Laundry day at anchor inside the reef.  It really was that blue!

Here's S/V Two Ticks and Fugue at anchor nearby.

You could really see where the reef line was!

Our neighbors to starboard.

Here's our "Dink" - called T.T. by the kids with our outboard "Buzzer."

It was Tamsyn's 9th Birthday.  We celebrated with seven other boats aboard S/V Yolo who were nice enough to invite a crowd on board.  How many people can claim a 9th birthday party at one of the most remote reefs on earth!

She loved her gifts.  The wrap was made specifically for her in Tonga.

Bob from S/V Fugue says "Mine!"

Getting ready for the piñata on the Trampoline.

Here's Liza from Two Ticks having a whack.

Tamsyn clobbering the poor thing - it didn't last long :-)

Here's the group.  The sailboats represented were Madrona, Yolo (thanks!),  Slip Away, Two Ticks, Fugue, Northern Rose, and Baroness.  We had a great time.

Our little girl is growing up.

Griffyn has lost a front tooth!  Arghhhh!

After almost a week enjoying Minerva it was time to go.  Here  we are threading the needle again.

On to New Zealand!

A trip to the market in Tonga - Photo Post

Here's another photo post.  We a doing good here in the Bay of  Island.  Owen's dad is visiting, so the we're all enjoying family  Been almost a year.  One bummer though, we found out that the local Opua school wants $1200 a month from poor cash strapped international cruisers to send their kids to school here.  So that's not going to happen.  That costs three times as much as a slip!

On to the pictures!

Here's a view of town from the water.

The folks in close with their boats are on mooring balls - not their anchors.

On the way to market; mother and daughter.

Here's the market.

So many fruits.  Those Americans you see back there are our friends from S/V Fugue.

This family were there every day.  Kava on the ground there.

Griffyn will play with anyone he meets, young or old.  He just loves people.

Holding down the fort.  These two boys are selling the families pineapples this morning.

That's all for the moment.