A hundred thoughts and things to tell - Blog by Peter
There are a hundred thoughts and experiences I would like to share with you about this journey, but that wouldn't be possible. This morning I started to celebrate my King’s Day. I put on my orange shirt, raised the Dutch flag and sang our national hymn. Funny to do this so far from home.
We just left Nuku Alofa, the capital of Tonga. We had a tremendous time on this island. For me and most of us it was a welcome break after a long 500 nm stretch from Samoa to Tonga.
It was all so complicated in the beginning and we had to learn so many things. Safety drills, which line is which, what to do and not to do. Even though my English isn't that bad (I think), for me the only Dutchman the English terms are sometimes quit hard to understand.
On Tonga we had some free time. Some made a trip to a beautiful island for swimming and snorkeling. Others hired a taxi van to make a tour of the island. Even the taxi and our chauffeur are worth mentioning. A taxi van so dirty that we wouldn't even think of getting in it if we had been in Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Not to mention the technical quality of the taxi. But we had great fun. We must have been looking odd. A taxi with a wheel chair on top of it. Handicap or not, no matter what disability you have, we do it all together.
Our driver, Tiny, big and heavy as a gorilla, was a really nice man. Tiny made things happen. He drove us around the island and told us many things about the tombs of all the kings and queens. Apparently there were a lot of them. He showed us the place where captain Cook came ashore for the first time, back in the old times. And there was a real 'Stonehenge' like the Stonehenge in England. Stopping all over the island he told us about palm trees, fruit and other interesting things. Somewhere he pulled over just to cut big bunch of bananas. Bananas like we have never had before. Soft and very tasty. And at the end of the tour we stopped at the Sunset bar and restaurant at the far end of the island – a beautiful place to swim and to snorkel. And finally we had a very nice meal together. He made our tour on Tonga memorable.
Now we are facing a trip for another 1100 nm to Auckland. We did our shopping for fresh vegetables and fruit. The freezer and refrigerators are full. We changed the genoa for the yankie. A rather hard and sweaty job. We are ready for it.
I wonder if had made the same decision if I had known how hard this journey sometimes is. Not to forget the terrible long flights of more than 35 hours to come to Samoa. Some of us including myself had a rather rough time on the Oceans of Hope. Seasickness, not eating, losing strength, no sleeping because of the terrible heat in the cabin, doing the night watch and all the other things. But despite the hard things we have faced already, I can tell you now it was worth it.
I will never forget the absolutely beautiful nights with the brightest stars I have ever seen. The unknown stars for me as a European, like the Southern Cross, Scorpion, Venus and the Milkyway. The silence of the water. We have an expression 'endless oceans', it has always been nothing more than a term. I know now what it really means. And perhaps so easy to forget, is what people with MS can accomplish when they work together. We are far more than a cane and a wheelchair. We prove it here and now.
Not knowing what to expect we are heading south west to Auckland. We will see.
Report from Bosun Bertram:
Another day without wind, but fortunately with less drama. The wind is flat as a pancake except the lazy swells rocking us back and forth. We are rather relaxed with not much else to do than a bit of boat maintenance,rewarded with a quick dip in the sea. We stopped the boat for half an hour to cool ourselves in the deep blue before the engine was put back to work. Last night boredom got the best of us, and the cockpit was turned into Movie Night at Sea with a mini projector and a sun cover hung under the boom.
Hopefully the wind will turn up soon as forecast!
Local time onboard is 17:00 and our current position is 25,16.5S , 176,35.36W