Island Cruising

Yachting

By Sally Andrew

WHEN the tropical cyclone season ends, winter begins to creep in. New Zealand mornings start to feel colder than ever.

That’s when the push to sail north begins. It’s time to go cruising, island

cruising.

On May 8 a group of 39 Nukualofa bound yachts crossed the starting line off Whangaparaoa Peninsula in New Zea land as part of Island Cruising’s fifth annual New Zealand to Tonga regatta.

A second flotilla departed at the begin ning of June and set sail for the northern group of the Friendly Isles as part of the NZ to Vava’u regatta.

The arrival of these two fleets of yachts is one of the biggest events in Tonga each year. Family and friends fly up to Nuku’alofa and Vava’u to participate in the post-race activities ... parties, races, feasts, dances and Tongan entertain ment.

Cruising regattas are NOT races.

Serious blue water racing is discouraged, and some yachts stop to visit Raoul Island or Minerva Reef along the way.

Regatta rules are designed so everyone arrives within 96 hours of first boat, and motoring is encouraged if the winds are light. Every yacht receives a prize ranging from VHF hand-held radios to Tongan handicrafts and fishing lures.

Trophies are given for most accurate ETA, which is wild-carded by an arbitrary luck-of-draw “adjustment”.

Other awards are for the longest fish caught enroute and the most elegant on

board dining.

Tonga is a magical place to visit.

There are miles of wide white sandy

Sally Andrew

Sailing In Tonga: Fantastic

beaches protected by colourful coral reefs. The crystal clear waters sparkle turquoise and are filled with clown-like fish. It is a paradise for those interested n marine-based activities sailing, iwimmmg, diving, snorkelling, surfing.

Fhe islands are beautiful, the sailing rreat and the people friendly.

The Island Cruising regattas are irganized by Don and Jenny Mundell.

Don and Jenny come from a background )f 30 years experience in the South veille travel industry and currently >perate a marketing consultancy based n Auckland which represents the Tonga /isitors Bureau in New Zealand. „ , T , Don and Jenny are not yachties hemselves, but their planning and rgamsational skills, coupled with help rom their sailing committee and the ;edback of participants themselves, the egattas have become a focus point for rst-time cruisers gearing to get ready. A ate of departure is set, safety and utfitting seminars are organised, and

new friends and experiences are inevitable.

About 50 per cent of fleet are first-time offshore cruisers. Cruising seminars and the sharing of information help make the regatta a safe but fun event. But more importantly, the best thing provided by the organisers is the introduction into perhaps the greatest camaraderie that exists in the world. The whole thing sparks to life because of exchange of social information between the people of different nationalities involved in the regatta.

Sailors come from all walks of life and from all over the globe This year’s ‘ . j K ‘ . Y j 5 regatta included a high court judge

(Justice David Tompkins on

several lawyers court registrars, doctors, carpenters, builders, teachers, etc. Mark and Ruth Dalton flew from the United kingdom to New Zealand and bought Thistledown of Kyle just so they could participate m the regatta.

Out of the blue last year, regatta

headquarters received a phone call from Galway, Ireland. Brian Lynch was looking for a boat to charter for the regatta. With the attitude that “any problem is just something to be over come”, Don and Jenny scratched their heads awhile, then made some phone calls. A boat was located and a deal struck. As they say in NZ, Brian was “absolutely wrapped” and he and his wife Onora, three kids and two Irish crewmembers flew from Galway, Ire land. They are cruising aboard Sholimar for the season.

There was one sad note in this year’s regatta ... the loss of Sea Musick.

Participating in his fourth consecutive NZ to Tonga regatta, Derek Martin’s luck ran out as he stood off Minerva Reef waiting for daylight to enter the pass.

Fortunately, the crew were taken off Sea Musick by other regatta participants and no one was injured. But it only serves to underline the fact that at sea there is always an element of risk.

Sally Andrew

[?]nga’s beaches: wide, white and beautiful