The Final Preparations

Our time in Tonga is drawing to a close. We arrived here August 13 and it's time to head out on our last leg of the journey. We have been going through the systems on Tarun with a bit more rigor for this crossing to New Zealand. The South Pacific can have more surprises in this stretch than the others we have done. So the rigging has been checked and adjusted, motor serviced, inside stowed securely and generally everything has been looked at. If all goes according to plan we will leave tomorrow morning after we drop Tony off so he can catch his flight back to NZ. WE completed the clearance paperwork yesterday, immigration, Port Authority and Customs. The port fees are more than 4 times the fees in Vava'u which surprised me but that's the price you pay. We will go back over to town today for some fresh provisions and then that's it. Hopefully we will have a good clean passage in about 7-9 days depending on wind and seas. At this point we think will be able to sail a direct course for NZ for the first 4-5 days then head west for a day a or two as systems change. I am waiting for McDavitts voyage forecast which we will see today, should be interesting.

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