"Island Prism"

Trip Start Sep 23, 2004
1
76
77
Trip End Ongoing


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Tonga  ,
Friday, July 18, 2008

My vessel arrived at 9, to carry me away over the sea. Jim from Canada and Cynthia collected me from Talihau beach for a day of adventure on the Island Prism. Once again, Cynthia was in charge and controlled the sails, I had the helm, and Jim found himself demoted to second mate with the role of making canapes and keeping us supplied with coffee and juice (a task he performed well and deliciously). We sailed out past the island of Hunga in the hope of finding whales, but they proved elusive, as were the fish we were hoping to snare for supper. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed feeling the sun and gliding past picturesque islands. After 3 hours of gusty and changeable winds, with 2 metre swells as we left the protection of the islands and entered more open ocean, we gybed and headed for Mariner's Cave, on Nuapapu. The cave entrance is hidden underwater- about a metre or so beneath the surface. The legend goes that a young chief hid his lover there to protect her from death at the hands of a tyrant, until he could bring a canoe to take them both to safety in Fiji 01 With Cynthia on the Island Prism
01 With Cynthia on the Island Prism
 . Cynthia and I threatened to maroon Jim there if he didn't stop playing Celine Dion.

Jim and I dived through the entrance, into the beautiful cave. The entrance, so secret from the outside, glowed within and was the only source of light, so everything was bathed in a blue aura. The swell made the pressure in the cave change, causing a mysterious mist to come and go. It was a magical place. The attempted mutiny failed though, when Jim beat me back to the boat.

We motored through the narrow passage between Nuapapu and Kitu, then stopped at Swallow Cave. It gets its name from the many swifts that defy gravity to roost of the roof of the cave. I snorkelled around with Cynthia, looking at the pretty stalagtites above and the corals beneath us, and lamenting the graffitti. We then left the cave and followed a coral bed to another cave, which had an open roof revealing lush green vegetation. Finally, it was time to depart and we set a course for Port of Refuge, made complicated by ridiculously fluctuating winds.
Slideshow Print this entry Nuku'alofa hotels