Monthly Archives: September 2010

City of Tahina: Boating Life

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Frank Taylor

Boats are very complex with many different kinds of systems. Some sailor/owners compare being a skipper to more like being a mayor. You essentially are managing the equivalent of a small city. Our boat has: a sewage system, water system … Continue reading →

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Regatta Vava’u Wrap-up

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Frank Taylor

It was a full week of Regatta activities here in the Kingdom of Tonga. Everyone seemed to have a great time! There were silly games, lots of restaurant gatherings, bar gatherings, sailing, a kids parade, art, music, parties, and more. … Continue reading →

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Tahina Takes 2nd Place in Regatta Vava’u Race

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Frank Taylor

The Regatta Vava’u Race was a much longer race than the “Friendly Island Yacht Race” on Friday evening. The bigger race was about 12 miles long from Nieafu to Tapana Island. They had three classes of boats with three different … Continue reading →

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Regatta Vava’u 2010

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Frank Taylor

Part of the reason we arrived in Vava’u in the Kingdom of Tonga in mid-September was to participate in a sailing event called Regatta Vava’u 2010. The regatta has become a regular annual event here that includes sailing races, social … Continue reading →

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Tahina First Place in Class in Friendly Island Yacht Race

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Frank Taylor

Yesterday afternoon Tahina raced in the “Classic Friday Night Race” right here in Neiafu harbor in the Kingdom of Tonga (NOTE: we’re now across the International Dateline so it’s Saturday morning here). It was a special race this time with … Continue reading →

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Video Clip of Family of Humpbacks

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Frank Taylor

Our whale watching expedition two days ago was awesome! Today I’m sharing the best of a few video clips taken with our underwater camera as we swam with a family of humpback whales (mother, father, and baby). They were just … Continue reading →

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Awesome Whale Watching in Tonga

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Frank Taylor

We had heard wonderful things from other sailing crews who had gone whale watching in Tonga. Superlatives have been used like: awesome, incredible, brought tears to my eyes, most amazing experience of my life, and indescribable. As a result, we … Continue reading →

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Customs Processes and Entering Tonga

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Frank Taylor

Entering a new country by sailboat often results in some interesting experiences due to different laws and procedures for customs, immigration, agricultural, and health concerns. The procedures for each country vary, and sometimes the procedures are radically different. The process … Continue reading →

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Nice Sail to Tonga

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Frank Taylor

We left American Samoa on Thursday mid-afternoon. The winds were from the east and we were headed to the southwest. So, it was a beam sail. There were some 8 foot swells, but they were far apart (about every 11 … Continue reading →

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Sights of American Samoa and a Map

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Frank Taylor

We spent two weeks in American Samoa. We have very few pictures considering the beauty of the island and the length of our stay. This is largely due to the many days of rain we experienced. We wish the weather … Continue reading →

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