Tonga

Malua joined the Island Cruising South Pacific 2004 Royal Sunset Rally to Tonga.  This is an annual event starting on or about the 1st May each year. Yachts gather at the Opua Cruising Club the week prior to stock up on provisions and to attend the briefings that form part of the Rally.  There were 24 yachts this year from a number of countries.  Some have sailed to Tonga previously while other the trip was the first ocean passage.

The Tonga destination is on the  Atata Island in the Kingdom of Tonga at the Royal Sunset Resort.  The island is situated just inside Tongatapu's outer north western reef, only seven miles from Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga.

On arrival the yachts gathered on shore for a good story telling sessions about the passage and compared notes on what had happened.  The ICA organised a number of activities plus updating the local charts.  The rally yachts then sailed to the Nuku'alofa to provision and then go their own way.  Malua spent two months then sail on to Fiji.

Go to Nicola's Current Cruise Journal

From Tonga we sailed on to Fiji.