Cruising in Vava'u - Camping, Mega-Super Yachts, Sailing and School

After sorting out our logistics and admin in town it was time to head out into the super easy and pretty cruising grounds of Vava'u.  Moorings has published a guide to the islands numbering each anchorage so many of the yachties referred to each spot by its number vice its name.  Compared to the Ha'apai and places we normally visit it seemed really busy to us but it was a nice place to visit and the kids enjoyed having more "kid boats" around.

Heading into Nuku anchorage.

Johnathan checking the route for us.

Kid boats !  Camping ashore at Gau.

Benjamin enjoying being ashore

More kid boats and more camping.

and some school too.

and more school.

and chores.

and trips to the Barber Shop.

Benjamin making "creature power discs" modeled after his current favourite show: Wild Kratts

I also had a chance to go racing.  I showed up at the skippers meeting hoping to get a crew position.  A catamaran with a massive and loud crew offered me a position but there was a quiet couple who were not seeking any crew.  I asked if I could go with them and what a good call that was.  Not only did we win - which is always nice - but the boat was really well set up and run extremely well by the husband and wife team.  Later I found out why they were such great sailors - the husband used to be the professional skipper of Steinlager II and the wife is the daughter of the late Sir Peter Blake.  Great folks.  The rest of the crew were some great Tongan guys who were good sailors and had great stories from setting up the whale watching industry in the early days.  The race flowed into a few after race beers to a full blown party ashore.

There were quite a few whales in Vava'u but we did not see as many as we saw in Ha'apai.  When we did see them though they were usually being pursued by at least one, if not two, whaling boats.

We detoured a bit to cruise closer to look at this ketch.  She is the largest performance ketch in the world.

and a few hours later she anchored next to us.  Look at the crew member on the main mast to give you an idea of the scale.

Look at the crew member on the main mast to give you an idea of the scale.

An interesting neighbour.

We were anchored there to see the "Tongan Feast".  The show was okay and the food good but the highlight had to be a glimpse into the megayacht world

The German owner of the yacht prefers German beer and wine so he has it flown in.  Here the Chief Engineer is trying to set up the keg ashore.

There was a minor crisis when it did not work so more engineers were recalled from the yacht to help.  Anyway, the owners were very nice and interesting people to talk to for the evening.  And they shared their tasty beer and wine ...

On the other end of the spectrum ... Trickle out sailing near Gau

Nice beaches.

One of our favourite anchorages was off Kenutu.  Here is the view from the windward side.

and the leeward side.

Fluenta anchored off Kenutu

and on the sandbar near Kenutu.  A great kiting spot which I cover in another blog post.

And some kiting on Gau in a westerly wind.  Most crowded spot we kited.