From Monday 11 October to Wednesday, October 21, 2010.
By Olivier
Ha'apai, Tonga. Islands, islets and reefs. Reef tens ...
Monday morning October 11, we start clearance of Vava'u, fill the jerry cans of gasoline, let us turn to the market with fruits and vegetables, another in Chinese, and then we take sea without delay, to the south, Ha'apai in the direction of this archipelago located between Vava'u in the north, and Tongatapu in the south. The yacht
Turtle of our friends Nicolas and Marie-Laure, recently met in Niue, has to be wrecked. As usually very
in maritime incidents that end badly, they were victims of an unfortunate sequence of galleys techniques that increase gradually the situation, until it becomes a concern, then bad and finally disastrous.
A fairly standard process in such cases.
We go places and see what we can do, salvage equipment at worst, at best see if the boat can be salvaged, and otherwise secure the wreckage. The crew, he is safe in Nuku'alofa, and we are on him by e-mail and telephone.
Ha'apai, I called the archipelago dangerous: it deserves this name.
Probably more than the Tuamotus, whose first atolls is often clear, steep. Few boats venture there, at least in its remotest corners. This, in itself, is inevitably a good enough reason for me to justify going to see what it looks like ... We never change! But it's not, it's clear a corner conducive to learning navigation. Even seasoned sailors should beware. Bad things do happen to other surprises ...
First, the place is poorly mapped. Then the electronic mapping is shifted, that is false, several hundred meters. The currents are strong, despite a low tidal range. And reefs awash there are hundreds! Give you an idea of the place is relatively simple: only slight exaggeration, it is not a degree angle of the horizon where it omits the breakers that break! The floor of Sein, comparatively, is less tricky.
short, we must have an eye, not navigate that day, as much as possible with the sun in the back, do not hesitate to get in the spreaders, do not let go of the eye pollster, be always ready to handle emergencies, and try to secure anchorage before nightfall.
But the most insidious danger, are the grains, especially at night ...
We choose the road outside, to the west of the archipelago, safest, Kelefesia to get to the island's most south of Ha'apai: here, 115 miles south of Neiafu, the wreck of La Tortue was held. The winds are weak, unstable all night and day we see who rises to proceed with both engines. We spend a short distance from falling out of a long coral reef. The place is conducive to fish, birds are numerous. Suddenly, the two lines dévirent violently at the same time. The pawls metal panic alarms. Marin and I love it, plays Adelie neutrality strategic sisterhood forces.
is true that things are accelerating during this phase, the fuse instructions ("Wrap gennaker! Connects hand steering! Start the engine under the wind! Put down 10 degrees from the wind! Engaged the engine idle! Prepares neoprene gloves, the gaff fish, underwater gun, a club of teak, the kitchen knife! ... etc ...), the pulse rises, the instinct Hunter, males only, gets over for a few minutes.
We lose a dorado of 1, 50 meter yet reduced to a few meters from the boat, it will regain its freedom in a magnificent leap out of the water, carrying everything down the line with it. Well done, respect for the animal, which this time was the strongest.
The second, particularly combative, will be brought on board after a good physical effort, and I even keep a few scars on his legs, because once hoisted in the starboard transom, hard-sell me the animal's skin. This day, we will take another two bonito, fridge and find a high level, "to beam" as they say in the Merchant Navy. Barbara will make me promise not to put the lines in the water before long.
At the time, I have no choice ...
Late afternoon on the 12th, we faufilons between coral and Kelefesia approaching from the west. Zephyrus, the party on the eve of Vava'u, at anchor, and passed after a first dive, a Situation Report on the situation of the wreck. We turn next to the two poles of La Tortue, immersed in a dozen meters of water, and enter with caution in the small anchorage area which can hold only two or three boats, and again, provided you have the eye.
sorry sight this tower sinking into the water on the skyline. Everyone is silent, lost in thought, a story stopped there.
As mourning for a boat, after bringing a family history that goes back several decades, sees die here in this wild and inhospitable corner, the beginning of a new life plan, following a long sequence of restoration work, carried Tahiti.
How not imagine that such a mishap could happen to us too? Come on, touch wood.
(A sea event always occurs at one time or another, the sailors who sail.
Only sailors who remain docked to believe otherwise!)
A local boat lurking, with at local fishermen on board, obviously interested in the event and its aftermath. But their visits to the wreck have ceased with the arrival of Tropic Bird, a powerful pneumatic-powered armed for diving, which went on quickly scene after the wreck. With the arrival of Zephyrus, the relay has been passed, and our friends Andy (former Royal Marine Commando Her Majesty, do not forget it! And so far so nice and quiet) and his charming eco-Rhian took masterfully Started the bazaar.
Shortly before I arrived, I discreetly (early, because after, with the animal at the end of the line, it was more difficult!) Violated the prohibition of fishing from the cambusière chief, telling me that before future operations, amount of protein would be welcome there. We captured a large tazard nearly 2 meters long. We coupons in two: half for the fishermen, the other for Zephyrus. It puts oil in the wheels. Marin and I will dive on the wreckage before nightfall, to give us an idea of the possibilities of bailouts, and send by e-mail to Nicolas and Marie-Laure, Nuku'alofa. The water is totally transparent, the boat is built on large blocks of coral, saffron is broken, a gaping hole of 40 cm in diameter appears on the back. Andy removed the head of aggressive rock that caused it. But the vision of the bridge, completely intact, is impressive. The colorful fish have already taken possession of the wreck ...
Tyee The Canadian crew joined us the night before, and we all had dinner ... fish! Jangada aboard.
All available information was sent to Nicolas and Marie-Laure.
A trend is already on the one hand the equipment needed for bailout (parachutes airbags in particular) is not available in Nuku'alofa, it must bring a high price for New Zealand and secondly the expected costs of the overall operation (logistics support dives clogging of waterways, drainage, towing, water outlet of the wreckage in Nuku'alofa, repairs) are excessive in relation to the value of this old ship (uninsured). Clearly, moreover, our friends are, after the ordeal they have just experienced, and months of work they had spent on the rehabilitation of the family boat (not to mention the budget invested), the energy needed to move mountains. It's understandable. They give up, it's probably the wisest, at least financially. The turtle will finish his career there, Kelefesia on the reef.
End of a beautiful story about a boat. The crew and the boat had sailed from Papeete there is less than 2 months ...
This decision, he must secure the wreckage, that is to say, to remove the masts, and empty the boat. Nicolas gives us the green light by phone. Tomorrow we attack at dawn, because it must act quickly in this precarious anchorage. And Nicolas and Marie-Laure, knowing three sailboats on the spot, decided to return a few hours on the wreck site. Get a few things, remove the wreckage of what it contains, talk with Noa the son of the owner of the island, and also to mourn the final of La Tortue, and temporary project of life that the sailboat was the support. The small ferry to the islands tomorrow morning Nomuka deposit, and from there, Noa will take them up with his motor boat Kelefesia, where they meet for us in the afternoon and night.
I like the idea of returning to bid farewell to his boat, and I appreciate their courage and their decision to return to the wreck site.
Immediately after wetting our maneuver, I dove to make sure the path of the chain and burying the anchor Jangada, besides the two usual maneuvers to pull our side with the engines behind. In the night falls on a grain Kelefesia, and we find Andy on Zephyrus, on Tyee John and myself on Jangada, soaked and shivering in the wind, rain and darkness, headlamp-to-peer engines running and deck lights on, VHF on, trying to fight against the fury of the time, tricky to perfection in this kind of disreputable place. Zephyrus raft and find themselves side by side in choppy seas, one of us moved. We leave the defenses, I extension of 20 meters chain wetting, it goes, but the alarm of the night is still present in our memories ... Later in the day, I discovered that our anchor chain sheared potato coral hundreds of pounds she bypassed initially. The chain then pulled the shortest way under the rock, is what brought us closer to Zephyrus during the night. I am surprised again.
the day up, we will establish a defense on the mizzen mast, and then gradually coupons all the guys. This allows realizing that the wire-shears blunted guys soon: we must finish the job in hacksaw lubricated elbow grease. We learn every day from the sea
mast eventually switch gently into the water, then we will tow the small beach on the island with our schedule. Then comes the turn of the mainmast, held by 12 cables ...
Harder, longer, more physical, but arrives too. Spreaders hang before the coral beach, the mast is heavy, you lose time, but the fishermen are helping us: it is a kind of simplified principle of "No cure, no pay" applied yet (unfortunately) in rescue at sea, maritime law before International are changed following the sinking of the Amoco Cadiz, on the rocks Portsall in 1978 ...
We had the morning to tow the boat and dismasted poles on the beach. Fishermen have seen the work, the mine a little vexed, thinking no doubt that the windfall from the wreck was going to pass under the nose. In fact, talking with them, we learn that the King of Tonga, ago few decades has given the island of Kelefesia Noa's father, his friend. The island is deserted, uninhabited, inhospitable, but beautiful.
Only a rough encampment is home to fishermen Nomuka staying there from time to time. In the afternoon, I saw the boat coming from Nomuka Noa. I jump in the schedule and go to the meeting of Nicolas and Marie-Laure.
For them, it's the shock. And the tears of emotion.
Only the small inflatable raft, diving raft, I made fast to the wreck, said the sinking location ... At the time of abandonment, at nightfall, a few days earlier, while the boat tossa on the reef and the water already drowning floors, the boat was still floating when they had gained the shore Annex, taking with them the most.
They had launched a distress call with their Iridium satellite phone, by calling the CROSS (Regional Operational Centre for Safety and Rescue) Gris-Nez, France, which had passed to New Zealand and Tonga. A warship had sailed early the next morning in Nuku'alofa, had stopped off at dawn in a sea still rough, and had sent a tire to the beach to retrieve the four occupants of the Turtle, who had spent the night in the camp occasional fishermen, around a fire welcome.
Some black pigs roam free on the island, and their grunts were a little worried about the castaways in the heart of the night.
At their disposal by the Tongan warship, the crew of La Tortue was noticed that the boat had sunk in the course overnight, but it still floated.
There, at the moment the castaways re-discover the site appeased, only the small raft as we moored to the wreck's position was reported.
With a dash of diesel that the iridescent surface of the shell slowly escapes ...
Marie-Laure has difficulty controlling her tears, Nicolas is silent.
We are not much.
Lunch is welcome. Andy has managed to get a few bottles of wine from the wreckage, it feels good. We are almost to extort a smile.
Nicolas and Marie-Laure ask us to leave only 20 minutes to dive on the wreck, I drive attached to the vertical one, then we leave them alone to face adversity and reality what happened to their boat.
Then work on the wreck again, everything in it will be released in the afternoon. The material is salable on Zephyrus and Tyee who must then win Nuku'alofa. While Jangada must go north on the island of Nomuka, to drop the wife of Noah, who only speak a few words of English, came for the day with her husband and her daughter Cristina, try negotiate the transfer of ownership of the wreck (it will eventually ceded to the Government of Tonga). Anything that is not salable going on the boat of Noah. In the evening, when we came on board, and Nicolas and Marie-Laure moved into the cabin to starboard Jangada, Noa beckons me to come to the beach.
It makes me understand by gestures that everyone is invited to a barbecue tonight, and two pigs were killed for the occasion. I spread the good news and we are all a little later on the small beach where fellow Noa kindle a great fire, and cook two small piglets plump skewered on wooden picks.
Nice way to turn the page for the crew of La Tortue, which tomorrow will regain Nulu'alofa, and a few days later France, to start another life ...
I'm happy for our friends they have chosen to come back to see the wreckage: a nice way to say goodbye to this story, with nothing to regret, before turning the page.
Nicolas, nicely, give children's kites, removed from the wreckage. It is already too loaded. He filed a bag on the deck of shackles and hooks, a jerry can of diesel, a jacket. Elegance of gesture, but we were not there for that.
The next morning, Nicolas and Marie-Laure boarded Tyee that brings them back to Nuku'alofa, Zephyrus is to finish cleaning up the wreckage with the Islanders, and we head on Nomuka, a dozen miles to the northwest, to lay Maria.
Most boats, few in number, increasing to the future at anchor Kelefesia probably ignore that there, under water, in rocks, 200 meters from the small beach, lies the wreck of La Tortue.
Nothing else reports it to the surface of the waves.
Just remembered.
After our short stopover in Nomuka, we spend the afternoon at anchor near the wreck of a Korean fishing vessel. The sea breeze loudly on a shoal a few tens of meters.
The next day, we reach the island of Fonuafua. Still precarious anchorage. During the session CNED, I'm going to visit an island Schedule desert located 2 miles. I came across an enormous sow, busy eating coconuts, and as surprised as me about our meeting. We visited in late afternoon the little village on the island, exchanged a few words with the teacher, responding to questions from a few children. The news of the sinking of La Tortue has reached so far.
Night at anchorage is calm. This means that I get up only 2 or 3 times to make a quick round, taking advantage of what is without doubt in my end of a sleep cycle.
The geography of Ha'apai is complex, it needs to be immersed for a long time to get out a cruise itinerary consistent. We decide to earn a solitary island, sheltered by a long barrier reef, Limu Island, located about twenty miles to the northeast.
Fate is going to play a funny turn, but we do not know yet.
We zigzag throughout the morning between the reefs, clearly visible, and arrive in mid-afternoon near Limu. Device approach to coral reef area: I ride in the spreaders to give the pilot instructions, Barbara took control, Marin monitors changes to bows and ensures the beginning of the maneuver wetting Adelie ad every 10 seconds, the depth sounder and provides voice relay between us three.
The method has proven itself.
electronic mapping is shifted by at least 2 to 300 meters, an instant classic that goes into detail approaches to remote anchorages and little traffic.
We find a proper anchorage area in 4.50 meters of water, white sand bottom, with the turning radius provided over 360 °, two cables (1 cable's length = 1 / 10 nautical mile, or 185 meters) downwind of Limu. We dévirons the chain windlass with a little way back to lengthen properly, perform a first pull back to 40 feet with the engines, then a second, higher, at 65 meters, motors at 1200 rpm .. Despite the effort, the boat is stopped, the anchor was well hooked. As usual when we are anchored in a coral reef area where we plan to spend the night (no possibility to sail at night because of the ubiquity of reefs close to the least bad path exit), I dive to control the anchor position and trajectory of the chain. The anchor is deeply buried in the sand, string fully extended, the tidal range is less than 1 meter, we have 65 meters of warp rollers for a little over 4 feet of water, the wind blows easterly 10 knots, according to weather forecasts for the night. We are downwind of the barrier reef, and leeward of the island. We stop the engine, put the annex to the water, and land on the pristine beach of Limu. A small fishing camp, desert, traces of fire, hundreds of birds, shells on the sand. We tour the small island, children play in water, then seek the most beautiful seashells of the strike. I enter the foliage of the interior of the island to observe the nests of black noddies most of which accommodate a chick. I read somewhere that this island was also inhabited by sea snakes, but we saw none. We returned on board with the sunset. The weather was cloudy, but calm.
Sunday, October 17. Towards
2:00 am, the pounding of the rain falling heavily on the deck wakes me: I make a round. The weather deteriorated, the sky is overcast, loaded, the wind shifted about thirty degrees, 12 knots. Nothing alarming. Any way it is out of question to sail at night in this anchorage, electronic record (recorded on the computer screen navigation) or not: the approach is fraught with peril, he must deal with some meters, as is the case in many anchorages Ha'apai.
Only the light of day, liberating the concerns of the night, allows the apparatus.
I go back to bed. Around 4:20 am, I am suddenly awakened by a violent grain that falls above the anchor. Within seconds, a rainstorm falling on the bridge, gusting to 30/35 knots roar in the rigging. On deck, the darkness is total, complete darkness, the thick curtain of rain. Visibility does not exceed a few meters. I start the engines, said that the wind shifted suddenly with the grain of 150 °, it is now blowing from the southwest. But I can not see any of the usual signs of slippage of the anchor, whose bridle textiles has not voluntarily been put into position yesterday. Thus the sound vibrations of the chain who works in the background are transmitted directly to the metal structure of the bow: bow roller, front cross beam, windlass, and thence to the composite structure of the boat. This is more than enough to wake me up. That said, places in the mud of the rivers of Senegal aside, we never skidded. Within seconds I'm soaked and shivering with cold, I'll soon wake up everybody, grab a coat on watch, and goes on deck.
A few seconds later, I feel like touching the pins, small shocks without violence, but noticeable. We are on the coral!
I can not understand, but clearly, we slipped, we dérapons under the gusts of grain! The string is normally tense, no specific shocks, no vibration in the chain: we slip on the soft sand, the anchor has to go out of his soiled as a result of traction almost reversed. I put Marino windlass control, and told him to gradually turn the channel while I rush to the engine controls. The lack of visibility does not allow me to know in which direction he should try to go. I try to free the boat with the engine in the direction of the anchor chain, but I quickly understand that we will not go so easily of this mess. The chain continues to come effortlessly. Needless to stress. We annex to the water, on board Fortress anchor light in the glow of our headlamps, and let the anchor in 100 feet of rode the wind. The traction winch will not work, the keel port is already taken. We simply rotate the boat in the output shaft presumed. Do more is useless. It enrages me to have kept you, but we must accept the situation. There is no danger, it must simply be patient. The Ha'apai
just give us a warning.
The sea goes down, and we are quickly installed, trapped in a small plate coral.
fixed keels were very slightly toss, nothing nasty, and the highest grain rose in the space of ten minutes. The weather calmed down quickly. The first light of day shed light on Limu Island wan. Chop fallen as quickly as it had risen. I put on my overalls
and I dive under the boat. No luck, the pins are fixed past few centimeters above a coral plateau fairly flat, while the sea went down. Ten meters between us and open water. In our misfortune, it suits me.
I go back, requires a hot coffee to Barbara, and encourages my little crew take a solid breakfast. We will need energy! The boat took a few degrees to starboard, we're not used! I explain the situation to mine, not bad if the weather remains calm, explains what we do to get the boat out of this uncomfortable situation, and distributes the roles. I promise everyone that we float in open water again in a few hours. I feel the tension, concentration, but not worry excessively. I get to joke.
I guess however that recent events experienced in Kelefesia are not far from the minds ... But my optimism justified maintaining the morale of the crew. Marino also dons his wetsuit, we prepare everything on the deck hardware.
Barbara and Adelie remain on board, Marin and I embark on the schedule. We start with the most difficult: meeting all the main anchor at hand to embark on the schedule. I cut the bitter end, girls dévirent the windlass, the annex was sinking, but we bear the main anchor at 180 meters in the output shaft of the boat. Gradually we lengthen the chain, Marin plunges to bury the anchor plow and optimize the operation, then we bring the end of textile rode on the windlass drum. Tensioning simple, ready to turn. We note the slight Fortress anchor (whose outfit is surprisingly effective, I had already experienced) previously wet, and bring to 150 meters from the boat to starboard 20 ° to the longitudinal axis. The back end on the winch to starboard solent. Tensioning, the anchor was hooked, this is the second anchor line ready to tow the boat. Each is equipped with a float rope. But that's not all wear anchors away to bail out, it must also be able to stop the boat when he returns to open water, before it gets back on a potato whose corner is full! We anchored our third anchor 120 meters on the rear port side, close to the reef.
Overall, this work has taken us almost three hours. Barbara has prepared a huge dish of pasta with basil and olive oil. Resuming forces. The sea goes up since 9:00, the boat is recovering gradually. We are ready. I dive from time to time to monitor the situation under water, and Adelie is responsible for my bodyguard. It monitors the yellow and black snake that we saw repeatedly in the morning around the boat does not care too close to his Dad. It is the largest that we have insight far, about 1.50 meters, and it is better to avoid the encounter.
The starboard keel off at 12:45. I take a little tension on both lines before wetting. At 1:25 p.m., the boat begins to move toward open water. Unnecessary force, the weather is stable, calm seas, he must wait. Ten minutes later, I repeat again the voltage on the main mooring line. The boat is released shortly after the coral, we feel two or three small shock keels that hang slightly back towards the open water, the boat floats gently back over the white sand. I take back the mooring line, stopping the boat. We're out of business!
I uttered a cry of victory, and I see a nice smile on the face of Barbara. I know she has you concern, but she trusted me completely at sea Adelie also is relieved. She took on her for several hours, by paying attention to small tasks entrusted to him. Marino was great working all morning he helped me to implement the device anchors, my son grows up, and I'm proud of him.
We inspect the pins: A little rework low bowling, but no structural damage. The shocks were mild. The hulls and propellers have never touched. I reconnected the rudders, we note the secondary anchors one by one, then the main mooring line, which finds its place in the locker. Engines purr. We resolve to win Panga, the main village of Ha'apai, about twenty miles further north. The day falls gently on the sheltered bay.
The Ha'apai sent us two warning messages in a few days. Needless to stress. Sailors are superstitious.
We are looking now to the road which must lead us soon in New Zealand.
But first I want to make a detour to the island-volcano of Tofu, which I see the massive figure in the west for several days.
Tonight at anchor Panga, double ration of rum for the crew.
Jangada paid tribute to the dangerous virginity Ha'apai.
Olivier
dorado A particularly combative.
Only masts Turtle still emerging above the reef ...
... of Kelefesia, a small island of Ha'apai.
sad end of the story of a sailboat ...
Kelefesia The small beach, over which we have brought the towers of La Tortue. On the left, the boat of Noah.
Nicolas and Marie-Laure, castaways returned to the scene of the tragedy.
Local fishermen have invited us to dinner on the beach.
roasted pig on the menu!
Adelie, the village of Fonuafua, to Ha'apai.
Children on the Beach Limu Island.
On Beach Limu Island, it's not just shells ...
Jangada failed for several hours at Limu Island, on the morning of October 17.
Limu Island, Mon particular family memories for the crew of Jangada.
A powerful grain to Ha'apai, like the one we played a bad round. This is just a memory.
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