Nuku’alofa – Cabinet has today approved the progressive opening of the country’s
borders, with conditions and subject to review, from August 1, 2022.
The Prime Minister, Honourable Hu’akavameiliku, and Cabinet met earlier
this afternoon and approved recommendations from the National Emergency
Management Committee (NEMC) on the ‘Open Border Policy Framework for
Tonga’.
“All travelers entering Tonga must comply with all requirements and
conditions that have been approved,” Hon Hu’akavameiliku said.
“While we are progressively opening the borders we must emphasize that
compliance with the conditions is important to ensuring the safety of
all travelers and our people.”
Flights
Flights from and to Fua’amotu International Airport from New Zealand will
increase to two (2) flights per week between August 1 to August 28,
2022. That will increase to three (3) flights per week from August 29 to
October 31 and further increase to six (6) flights per week after that.
Flights from Fiji will be increased to two (2) from August 1 until October 31
while flights from Australia will continue with one per week.
Review of the number of flights and ships, including cruiseliners, will be at the discretion of the NEMC.
Travelers
All travelers aged 12 years old and above must have been vaccinated twice before they will be allowed to travel to Tonga.
All foreign travelers will need to have travel insurance, which can be
bought when purchasing tickets. Confirmation of hotel booking or
accommodation in Tonga must be sent to the email address
travel@health.gov.to 48 hours before flight.
All travelers will also need to have a legitimate vaccine certificate sent
to the email address and have a copy of the same for check in purposes
and on arrival in Tonga.
Passengers who have medical conditions that stops them from having vaccination
will need to provide proof with a written medical report sent by email
to travel@health.gov.to. But the Ministry of Health has the right to
deny boarding of flight to Tonga if they are not satisfied with the
medical report provided.
Tests
All incoming passengers will need to have a negative Supervised Rapid
Antigen Test (RAT) result within 24 hours of departure, including all
those in transit over 24 hours at any airport on the way to Tonga.
Those who do not present the RAT test result will not be allowed to board flights to Tonga.
Citizens who have not completed their vaccination but wish to return to Tonga
must pay for five-days of quarantine at a government approved facility.
This must be communicated via email to travel@health.gov.to prior to
booking. This is subject to review in October.
Arrivals
Arriving passengers will need to wear face masks at all times when they arrive
at the airport and follow National COVID-19 Restrictions Directions in
place.
All passengers must fill in the Health Arrival Declaration Form and will
also be encouraged to download the Tonga ‘Atautolu contact tracing app.
A supervised PCR test will be required between Day 3 to Day 5 of
quarantine for quarantined passengers, and results need to be sent to
the Ministry of Health.
Passengers who return positive results will need to self-isolate at home for five days from the date of being tested positive.
Tonga is currently Orange under the Tonga COVID-19 Traffic Light Framework.
This is the second highest level. You need to quarantine for 5 days when
entering Tonga. A curfew is in place from 12am to 5am. Tonga has
extended its COVID-19 restrictions nationwide until at least 4 June.
Facemasks and social distancing are required in public, including at
hospitality venues and on public transport. All businesses are open
except for night clubs. Mobile phone and internet connectivity has been
restored within Tongatapu, following the eruption of the Hunga
Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on 15 January, and work continues to improve
communications in the outer islands including the Vava’u and Ha’apai
groups. Monitor media for the latest developments and follow the
instructions of local authorities. A state of emergency remains in place
due to COVID-19.
Thanks to Chris on Lead vessel SEAGLUB and
several other local yachts we have 38 saved GPS track to explore the
over 370 islands in Fiji avoiding the many uncharted reefs
If you sail in Fiji please save yoru tracks and send them to us.
You
can also download them in GPX form right into OPENCP this is an
invaluable aid to navigation in addition to the sat carts - overhead
sunny skies and your depth sounder .
SY SEAGLUB 🇺🇸 Chris - Hylas 46′
3) THE NEW "COURAGE AWARD
we are adding a new award this season based on the feedback of SY INDIGO MOON
touching live sharks in the Tuamotus
at any age this is an unforgettable moment which takes COURAGE
A very calm anchorage
Floating the anchor chain to avoid coral damage
SY INDIGO MOON 🇩🇪 Kay, Beata & Crew of courage - Lagoon 42′
4) ENTRY INTO HIGHEST WIND RECORDED AWARD
Ibex's Entry
Squall on Radar
Florian in his Foul Weather Gear
Arrival in American Samoa 🇦🇸 Pago Pago harbor !
SY IBEX 🇦🇹 Florian & Vicky - Sunbeam 42′
5) SY SEAGLUB VISITING THE LAU GROUP 🇫🇯 FIJI
Exceptional anchorages and visually stunning anchorages in the Lau Group
In the route back from the Lau Group you can visit Kadavu.
Kadavu
still has 75% of its original rainforest cover and a rich bird
diversity, including four species endemic to the island, the velvet
dove, the crimson shining-parrot, the Kadavu honeyeater and the Kadavu
fantaill. Offshore, stringing around the south, east and then away to
the north, is the Great Astrolabe Reef, a large barrier reef that is one
of Fiji's premier scuba diving resorts.
A
7,800 hectares (19,000 acres) area covering the interior of the eastern
part of the island is the East Kadavu Important Bird Area. It contains
populations of the vulnerable Shy Ground-dove, Crimson Shining-parrot
and Collared Petrel.[
LAU GROUP FIJI IS IN GOOD NAUTICAL in GOOD NAUTICAL
This
is also a hot spot for bigger species of marine life, with plenty of
schooling fish, sharks and manta rays during the season.
John Martin principal
of Ocean Tactics has been assisting skippers with weather and passage
planning in the Pacific for many years is now an official sponsor
of the South Pacific Posse.
10) SHIP WRECKS OF WWII 🇻🇺 VANUATU
The SS President Coolidge Wreck one of the top 10 dive sites in the world Vanuatu
is up there with one of the biggest accessible shipwrecks in the world
sitting at 198m long and 22,000 tons in weight. Situated a short
distance offshore, all the dives are shore based, with the front of the
boat in just 18 meters of water.
A
large military base and harbor had been established on Espiritu Santo
and the harbor was heavily protected by mines. Information about safe
entry into the harbor had been accidentally omitted from President
Coolidge's sailing orders, and on her approach to Santo on 26 October
1942, President Coolidge, fearing Japanese submarines and unaware of the
mine fields, tried to enter the harbor through the largest and most
obvious channel. A mine struck the ship in the engine room, and moments
later a second mine hit her near her stern.
Captain
Henry Nelson, knowing that he was going to lose the ship, ran her
aground and ordered troops to abandon ship. Not believing the ship would
sink, troops were told to leave all of their belongings behind, under
the impression that they would conduct salvage operations over the next
few days.
Navajo (AT-64) during rescue operations
Over
the next 90 minutes, 5,340 men from the ship got safely ashore. There
was no panic as they disembarked; many even walked ashore. However, the
captain's attempts to beach the ship were thwarted by a coral reef.
President Coolidge listed heavily on her side, sank stern first, and
slid down the slope into the channel.
USS Tucker was one of 18 Mahan-class destroyers built for the United States Navy.
First
assigned to the United States Battle Fleet in San Diego, California,
Tucker operated along the West Coast and in the Hawaiian Islands.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Tucker
was undergoing an overhaul and was not attacked.
Soon
afterward, she began escorting convoys between the West Coast and
Hawaii. Tucker was then tasked with escort duty to islands in the South
Pacific.
Tucker
steamed out of port on 1 August 1942, escorting a cargo ship to
Espiritu Santo. They entered its harbor three days later, where the
destroyer unknowingly entered a defensive minefield laid by the US Navy.
Tucker struck at least one mine that tore her almost in two, sinking
her and killing three sailors; the rest of the crew survived.
Captain Dietmar @ Wreckdive of USS Tucker near Luganville / Espirito Santo / Vanuatu
Schools
of snapper and jacks circle the exterior, and under the wreckage you’ll
find huge gatherings of tiny glassfish in the smaller cavities.
Batfish, angelfish and coral trout populate the larger overhangs.
Purple
soft corals cling to parts of the engine, winches and superstructure,
while sea fans brighten up the darker parts of the deck and hull.
Million Dollar Point Located off the southern end of Santo, just 6 kilometres from Luganville, is Million Dollar Point
The New Hebrides
archipelago had been a British-French condominium since 1906. In the
spring of 1942, Japanese troops reached the nearby Solomon Islands . As a
result, American troops landed on the New Hebrides in May 1942 to
prevent a conquest by the advancing Japanese.
Since
nothing had been prepared by the British and French to defend the
islands, the Americans set up two military bases on the islands. The
larger of the two, Buttons on Espiritu Santo, was built by 100,000
soldiers in a short time, which doubled the island's population. Then
large amounts of material were brought to the island in order to supply
the South Pacific forces from there.
In
fact, the quantities required for the war in this region were
calculated too generously, since the New Hebrides were already far from
the front six months later. The airfield, the southernmost of the
American troops in the Pacific, served mainly as a target for flights
with the wounded and as a trans shipment point for combat material.
At
the end of the war there were about nine million tons of material
valued at nearly four billion dollars on the island. [ Because shipping
back to America would have been expensive, there were only a few
soldiers on the island and the material had been damaged after years in
the tropical climate, it should not be transported back. An offer by the
Americans to the condominium administration to buy the vehicles,
construction machinery and other work materials for a fraction of their
real value (ten US cents per kilogram) was rejected because it was
speculated that once the Americans had left, they would be sold Possess
items left behind without paying. Instead, the Americans destroyed
the devices and sank them into the sea between August 1945 and December
1947. The local population could only watch as the Seabees , the
construction troops of the US Navy , poured material over a ramp into
the sea, an estimated 90% of which consisted of non-military objects and
could have been used by the residents.
11) YACHTING WORLD MARINA 🇻🇺 VANUATU SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
Half price for all moorings for a period of up to 15 days during Yacht season
Marina is closed Jan - Feb - March * cyclone season
Monohull - vt 2,800 /day
Catamaran - vt 3,000 /day
117.74 VT = 1 USD ( Jul 22)
CONTACT
Elsie
Yachting World
PO Box 1507
Port Vila
Vanuatu
Phone/Fax: International + 678 23273
(if a phone call, ask for Lemara, the office manager)
VHF Ch. 16
email: welcome@yachtingworld-vanuatu.com
12) MARINA SPONSORS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
🇺🇸 Safe Harbor South Bay – Chula Vista - USA
🇲🇽 Marina Chiapas – Mexico
🇨🇷 Marina Papagayo – Costa Rica
🇵🇦 Shelter Bay Marina – Panama
🇪🇨 Marina Puerto Amistad – Ecuador
🇫🇯 Vuda Point Marina - Fiji
🇻🇺 Yachting World Marina - Port Vila - Vanuatu
🇳🇿 Marsden Cove Marina - New Zealand
🇦🇺 Rivergate Marina - Brisbane - Australia
🇫🇯 Denarau Marina - Fiji
🇫🇯 Royal Suva Yacht Club - Fiji
🇫🇯 Savu Savu Marina - Fiji
Royal Suva Yacht Club in Suva Fiji
13) TRACKING THE 22' PACIFIC POSSE FLEET BROUGHT TO YOU BY PREDICT WIND
Sevenstar
Yacht Transport is proud to continue as a sponsor of the Panama Posse.
True sailing communities with real world cruising experience, such as
the Panama Posse, always inspire us and drives us to provide regular
sailings on established routes as well as expanding into new markets and
ports. Providing professional logistics solutions for sailors and
cruisers all over the world is our core business and the Posse sailing
communities are a true example of what can be possible this day in age
when it comes to flexibility and connectivity. We thank you for the
privilege to be your logistics supplier.
16) PANAMA 🇵🇦 CANAL AGENT CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
The Heart of Voh is a natural clearing formed by mangroves. “Vook” in the local Kanak language is found on the west coast of Grande Terre, 300km from Nouméa, in New Caledonia. In
1999, the photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand made it the cover photo for
his book, Earth from Above, a UNESCO-sponsored inventory of the world’s
most beautiful landscapes.
1) SY GARGOLYE 4,000 nm, 30 DAYS DIRECT FROM COSTA RICA TO 🇵🇫 FRENCH POLYNESIA
Arrived in Huku Niva. 30 days! Thanks for all of the support and information, as always!
SY GARGOYLE🇺🇸 Kevin Carla & Ron - Beneteau 50′ arrived Sat Apr 02 2022 0800 Local Time
4,000
miles and 30 days later, we’re here. We dropped the hook at 0800 local
time and we are just adopting to the feeling of stillness. A lovely
island though a busy anchorage with a portion of the Oyster World Rally
at anchor as well as a large number of other cruising boats. And of
course a sign that civilization has returned post covid, a cruise ship
is in as well.
So
for now we’ll enjoy the calm of the anchorage and get some rest before
we head out to explore. With a chilled glass of champagne in our hands,
this is Gargoyle signing off for this passage.
Cheers,
Kevin, Carla and Ron
A FEW EXERTS FROM GARGOYLE'S SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE CROSSING LOG ENTRIES Under a Forever Sky
Sun Mar 20 2022
Tonight
we are once again motoring at our most fuel efficient rpm as we
continue to hunt for wind. Our forecast and weather router all told us
today we have wind that would allow us to sail in the general direction
of Nuka Hiva. Sadly all were wrong as our winds were 100° west northwest
of predicted. Not that big a deal really, if our destination was say,
Tokyo.
So
we spent the day sailing slowly in the wrong direction, all the while
hoping for a wind shift that never materialized. After dinner we tossed
that plan overboard with the leftovers and decided to again use our
precious remaining diesel to forge further southwest in hopes of finding
the elusive trade winds.
Now
we motor slowly under a spectacular sky awash in stars. The sky here is
different from anything I’ve seen elsewhere. Everything from the sheer
horizon to horizon span to the towering clouds to the brilliant
constellations seem to dwarf what we’re used to seeing. Add in the still
brilliant light of the waning moon on a calm sea and its pure magic.
I wait in this fairytale
setting for a wind to fill in from the east while the engine sips
gently and Gargoyle rumbles through the night, searching. The crew is
asleep. I am alone, waiting.
A Symphony at Sea
Wed Mar 16 2022
As we close our 2nd week at passage I wanted to invite you to join me at the helm
A
spectacular sunset has finally faded just off our starboard bow as we
make a course of 260°. The wind is ten to fifteen knots with gusts to
twenty and we are sailing downwind under a poled out Genoa at 145° apparent. Speed is consistently over five knots with surges to seven when the gusts kick things up.
Sitting
to starboard, having enjoyed the sun’s last display of color, the first
thing you notice is the rolling motion. As is their tendency, sailboats
will roll when generating power from a large sail poled out to one
side. To counteract the roll I have a small amount of mainsail rolled
out. Not enough to block or cover the front sail but enough to add a
touch of stability. Does it stop the roll, no. But as a friend just
pointed put, imagine beating into these same twenty knot gusts and the
roll becomes much more tolerable.
The
cockpit is lit in red from our instruments on the port and starboard
helms. In addition, both helms have compasses that glow red at night as
well. It’s time to log our hourly readings and I don my trusty headlamp
to light the log book and record our position, heading, speed, wind
single/speed and barometric pressure. I then walk the cockpit and spend a
few minutes scanning the horizon on all sides and to stern for shops
lights. Then a scan of our instruments for AIS targets or the sharp
silver line of a ship on radar. All clear as expected so far from land.
With
the hourly work completed its time to settle back and enjoy the
symphony of a sailing vessel running across the ocean at night. The air
is cool and the breeze over my left shoulder brings the low hum of our
hydrogenator at work punctuated every 12 to 18 seconds by the two meter
southerly swell slapping our ass with a gentle push before rolling under
our keel. The sea state remains a bit confused so I’m surrounded by the
sound of water but it’s a welcome sound reminding me of where am I am
in the moment.
The
genoa up front pulls us forward with only an occasional ripple as the
wind and roll get out of sync for a moment, then with a snap of dacron
the rhythm is back and we resume our graceful glide. There’s also the
accompanying creaks of taut sheets, topping lift and vang all adding
their own notes to this wonderful harmony.
I’m
often asked what music I listen to for different sea states and tonight
its Diana Krall and the lush sounds of Live in Paris. The moon is
nearly full and hangs ripe over our stern, lighting the sea and a
distant line of clouds that surround on all horizons. There’s always a
chance of a squall but that just changes the key of this magic ocean
symphony. Night watch on the Pacific. A study in sensory perfection.
Vanuatu will begin reopening its border starting next month.
The
Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Russell Tamata, said this
is possible because high vaccination rates have been achieved on Efate
and the outer islands.
Tamata also says hospitalization rates and deaths have remained low.
Vanuatu's vaccination program, access to rapid testing, social distancing, and mask-wearing are paving a way forward.
From
May 1 to the end of June there will be a soft opening for over
5,000 Vanuatu nationals and residents who are stranded overseas to
return home.
Tamata
says reducing restrictions on travel to Vanuatu will provide a stimulus
for economic recovery and free up health resources to focus on
vaccination and future planning.07 April 2022 20,400 Moderna
COVID-19 vaccine arrive through COVAX for booster doses
Vanuatu welcomes the arrival of 20,400 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine supplied through the COVAX Facility .
This
is the first lot of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines received by the country.
Moderna would be the fourth vaccine to be used in Vanuatu, apart from
AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and the single-shot Johnson and Johnson (J&J)
vaccines.
Efate Island, Vanuatu
VANUATU IS IN GOOD NAUTICAL - 83 Islands and hundreds of anchorages
Gathering
intel and living aboard here in Vuda. Great owners and staff, you can
get just about anything you need done to your boat here, there's a yacht
shop, cafe, mini market, and excellent restaurant.
Vuda Marina tucked in Cyclone Hole
Zazoo and Seaglub next to each other
Cyclone storage in the tire lined pits at Vuda Marina
So
after several days of being here in the Vuda Marina, getting to live a
little here, meet with the owner / operator and walk around to get a
good view of the place, I have a VERY HIGH opinion of this place for
storing your boat. I've included several pictures. There are 60 pits but
they go fast so call or email NOW to make a reservation. I only
see one open right now. Monohulls can also sit on jack stands and
catamarans sit comfortably almost directly on the ground then tied down
to buried cement blocks. The entrance is straight forward. I came in at
extreme low tide (5' tide swing) during a new moon and had just 1 foot
beneath the keel but I probably could've timed it better. I draw just
over 6' or 190cm. There's a new basin being added with docks but you'll
likely med moor to them with help from the staff. In the circle you will
definitely get help from the fantastic staff as they get you tied off.
The downside in the circle is getting on and off the boat requires a bit
of gymnastics. There's a marine store, a cafe, market, and restaurant
as well bathrooms, showers, washing machines. 220 power is available, I
use a step down and works great. I believe power is available at some of
the pits as well.
SV SEAGLUB 🇺🇸 Chris - Hylas 46′
4) MARQUESAS, FRENCH POLYNESIA 🇵🇫 REPORT FROM SKY POND
The
unofficial flag of the Marquesas Islands was first raised on December
14, 1980, upon the opening of the airport on Nuku Hiva, and has been
regularly used since 1994. A simplified version, without the tiki
design, is sometimes flown.
All is well here.
Kevin,
the agent here on Nuku Hiva is excellent and we would recommend him to
everyone . He’s not only an agent, but a “fixer” ..meaning either
he will get what you need done or knows someone who can.
We three got our shell back tattoos in the style of French Polynesian tattoo designs.
We
have a great photo album documenting our trip, including the Pollywog
ceremony, but haven’t had the bandwidth to publish it publicly via
iCloud.
Setting
sail from Nuku Hiva tonight for one of the most southern Marquesses
islands then crossing to the Tuamotus a few days later.
Rainy season starts here in a month according to the locals.
I
also recommend provisioning dried eggs. It can be a week or more
between egg availability here. Eggs were a rare find the first
time we sailed south pac six years ago so this time I brought a big bag
of dried eggs. Glad I did. The main veggie market in Nuku
Hiva is pretty well stocked daily and what they don’t carry the 4
magazines do..but it requires diligence to find fruits and vegetables.
The
Oyster rally arrived this week. I spoke to the advance team and
they said that they all used the provisioning delivery service out of
Tahiti to get re provisioned. I don’t know how they delivered
those provisions to the island to coincide with the 34 boats’ arrivals.
Thanks for the email response. Hope all is going well for you.
Roxy
toasting the arrival in Nuku Hiva
SKY POND'S ENTRY INTO BOAT YOGA POSE
SKY POND'S 3 ENTRIES GALLEY GOD(DESS) AWARD
SY SKY POND 🇨🇰 Carl & Roxy - Seawind 1160 38′
5) GOOD NAUTICAL NEEDS YOU 🇹🇴
Over the last 12 years we have added over 7,000
anchorages into Good Nautical - and are looking to enhance this
information with first hand accounts from you - please add pictures,
details and updates as you see them.
Tonga 🇹🇴 is in there and most important we will collect and display tracks. Including the infamous Niuatoputapu reef
passage. To safeguard them for those who will attempt them after you
please email your tracks ( any format ) to
registration@pacificposse.com
Anchorage @ Niuatoputapu 15° 56.436 S 173° 46.077 W
The snaking path to go through the reef in Niuatoputapu, Tonga 🇹🇴
Levuka is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau. Up until 1877, it was the capital of Fiji.
Currently
this strangly haunted town has a population of about 5,000. It is the
economic hub and the largest of 24 settlements on the island.
Levuka was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2013,
in recognition of the port town's exceptional testimony to the late
colonial port towns in the Pacific
The
modern town of Levuka was founded around 1820 by European settlers and
traders as the first modern town in the Fiji Islands, and became an
important port and trading post. A disparate band of settlers made up
Levuka's population – traders, missionaries, shipwrights, speculators,
and vagabonds, as well as respectable businessmen
Much of Levuka's unique heritage is in its wooden architecture (highly vulnerable to fire).
The South Pacific's first Masonic Lodge is Levuka's only Romanesque building.
It was built in 1913 and housed the Freemasons that were established in Levuka by Alexander Barrack in 1875.
There
is much controversy about the Masonic fraternity in Fiji, the dominant
traditional Christian faiths consider Masons to be
devil-worshipers.
The Lodge contained priceless historical artifacts and records of Levuka's history dating back to 1875.
The arsonists have yet to be identified and prosecuted.
A stunning anchorage behind the reef
Admiralty Chart No 905 Suva Harbour to Levuka, Published 1960 Nautical
chart of Suva Harbour to Levuka, Fiji Islands. From surveys by Captain
H.M. Denham 1855-6; Lieutenants L.S. Dawson and W.U. Moore 1875-7;
Lieutenant G.E. Richards 1881-2; and by Comdr. J.S.N. Pryor, 1959. Not current - not to be used for navigation!
12) TRACKING THE 22' PACIFIC POSSE FLEET BROUGHT TO YOU BY PREDICT WIND
Sevenstar
is the world’s leading provider of yacht shipping services on a
lift-on, lift-off basis. Sevenstar has access to the Spliethoff fleet of
over 120 company owned vessels. With an impressive 1,500+ transports
per year, they are calling over 100 ports in more than 40 countries
worldwide.
For a quote with the Panama Posse discount please contact Kris Caren
email: kris@sevenstar-usa.com
web: sevenstar-usa.com
14) PANAMA CANAL AGENT CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
