Tonga: The Rest of the Story

The appropriately named local repair shop.
Art did his own work, but owner Ian offered great advice and support;
they formed a mutual admiration society. 

We did find more than the usual share of trouble in the paradise of Tonga. It turned out that removing, repairing and reinstalling the transmission was not Art's most difficult engineering challenge. The new alternator we purchased in Neiafu didn't perform as well as we'd been led to believe, so after barely a week in the outer islands we had to return to town and order one from New Zealand. (The "expedited" delivery ended up on a ferry that only came once a week, then we had to hire a broker to retrieve it from Customs. No one should ever complain about the US postal service!) In the meantime we managed to keep the battery bank alive, but we didn't use the refrigerator, watermaker, SSB radio (= weather & communication), computer--anything that drew power. Fellow cruisers were glad to share their own stories of multiple breakdowns, and while I won't deny it was frustrating to see so little of Tonga, we knew it was all part of living on a boat. As one cruiser put it: this may be paradise, but it's still real life.

Art's view of Tonga

An abnormal weather pattern was unpleasant as well. Three weeks of clouds and rain were great for filling local water cisterns, but sailors became gloomy. One night we got almost 8" of rain; everyone's boats were fine, but many dinghies needed bailing!

*    *    *

I often say "everything in perspective": mechanical problems seemed large until genuine tragedies occurred. During our stay in Tonga, three people dear to us passed away suddenly. The burdens of grief were heavy, intensified by being way too distant to offer solace to our family and close friends who lost their children (adults, but far too young). 
Derek, Chris and Tim, we love you and miss you!

*    *    *

Me at 60

On a brighter note, I turned 60 in Tonga. To some of you that sounds old, to others it sounds young (and I'm honored to have friends who span that spectrum). Lucky me: we celebrated twice, once on Sept. 4 on this side of the international date line, and again when it was Sept. 4 where I was born. Dinner on nearby Tapana Island was the highlight; the setting was rustic but the tapas were fabulous! (Bringing my violin and joining the musicians for a few numbers was also memorable.)

Too bad he didn't cooperate and look at the camera,
but the goat in the eating area--shooed away when food was served--
was part of the atmosphere

One plate in a long parade of delicacies

Reflection was as enjoyable as celebration...

Camden sees these photos and says we look like voyaging is an anti-aging formula; though some nights in the middle of a several-day passage I would swear it's the reverse, I think he's right. It's not because this way of life is easy or stress-free (ha!), but it does feel invigorating. Needing to stay strong and agile helps, of course. More important, we're constantly learning new things and getting outside our comfort zone. The joy of discovery, taking pleasure in small things: we may be aging, but we have ample opportunities to experience child-like delights.

Of all the treasured images I retain from this adventure, my favorites are the older women: the radiant ones, the ones who still dance. Both serene and joyful, they are who I want to be when I grow up.

Me at 80