Alita's passage to Tonga - The End

We are in! In the night we anchored in front of Nuku Alofa and moved to the harbor the morning. We are trying to get the paper work done and then find a nice anchorage for the blow tomorrow!

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Alita's passage to Tonga - Finish

We had very favorable winds to make the final leg of our passage to Tonga a breeze.
Expecting to get to the entrance of Nuku Alofa around midnight.
Position at 21.05. 16:50 NZST
LATITUDE: 21-49.55S
LONGITUDE: 176-12.72W
COURSE: 052T
SPEED: 7.3kt

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Alita's passage to Tonga - Part 6

Picked up anchor this morning, caught two yellow fin tuna on the way out and are now on the move to Tonga.
Wind is very light at the moment and we are motor sailing. We expect it to pick up later tonight.
Position at 20.05. 17:00 NZST
LATITUDE: 23-13.34S
LONGITUDE: 178-22.89W
COURSE: 057T
SPEED: 7.1kt

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Alita's passage to Tonga - End of interlude

Our prolonged stay in Minerva comes to an end. The last week we had the whole reef all to ourselves. There was nice snorkeling, two big lobster feasts, plenty of peace and quiet, we managed to get some gorgeous photos and films and did almost all the boat jobs on the list.
There seems to be some strange development with the weather and it looks like there might be a low building here in 3 days time. Time to get out. We will lift anchor tomorrow morning and head for Tongatapu around noon.

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Entwarnung

Es sieht so aus als wurde der tropische Sturm über Tonga sich wieder auflösen, bevor er richtig begonnen hat.

Also hiermit Entwarnung an alle daheim, die sich Sorgen gemacht haben: Wir sind sicher in Minerva!

Wir werden erst einmal gründlich entspannen, ein paar Flugaufnahmen vom Riff machen und die obligatorischen Minerva-Langusten genießen, bevor es dann bei der nächsten günstigen Wetterlage weitergeht nach Tongatapu.

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Alita's passage - Interlude

At 4pm NZST we droped our anchor in Minerva Nord!

Position at 10.05.2017 04:00 UTC

23°39'S 178°54'W

After a beer and a rest, we will start looking into that predicted cyclone and what we'll do, should it really manifest.

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Alita's passage - Part 5

Planing to enter North Minerva this afternoon.
All good aboard, but will be nice to be out of the chop that has developed.
Just heared there is a possibility for another cyclone forming around Fiji in a few days. Let`s hope not!

Position at 10.05.2017 04:30am NZST

24°43'S 178°40'W
COG 350
SOG 6,1kn

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Alita's passage - Part 4

Wind and waves have been most cooperative and the sailing is going good.
We have made it far enough east to turn north towards Minerva, where we plan to arrive the day after tomorrow.
Picked up a stowaway 80 miles west off it's home at Raoul island - a small swallow like bird, who has moved in with us and is now sleeping on a shelf in the salon.
All well aboard, even birdy for now. But if he doesn't start to drink and eat soon, I do not forsee a happy ending.

Position at 09.05.2017 05:15am NZST

27°17'S 178°42'W
COG 010
SOG 7,0kn

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Alita's passage - Part 3

The weather is sticking to the forecast so far and all is going according to plan.
We were fighting with some clouds the first part of the night, giving us alternating gusts and clams and 60° windshifts. Nothing major, just keeping us on our toes. All good aboard, all healthy, happy and well fed!

Position at 08.05.2017 05:30am NZST

29°52'W 180°00'
COG 040
SOG 7,5kn

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Alita's passage - Part 2

The wind has turned to the southeast and picked up a bit, as predicted.
We are sailing at good speed, heading to a point Northwest of Raoul island in the Kermadec group, where we'll slowly turn more northerly. We are "banking" some East, in preparation for the forcasted wind changes.
All good aboard.

Position at 05:30am NZST

32°02'S 178°04'E
COG 045
SOG 7,6kn

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Alita on passage

First morning at sea. Sea is calm, light breeze from the south, all is good.
We are motor-sailing since 9pm last night, but it looks like we can switch the engine off soon.

Position at 07:30am NZST

33°49'S 176°06'E
COG 045
SOG 6,9kn

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