Sailing Avantivideo
Our arrival in Tonga EP76
August 3, 2023 · 12 min · 790 views · Niafu, Vavaʻu
What this video covers
Avanti, a cruising yacht, arrived in Neiafu, Tonga, to complete customs clearance at the main wharf.0:46 The crew rafted to another monohull while awaiting processing.0:23 During the stay, the owners diagnosed a battery bank failure by charging the system via the alternator and isolating individual units; two batteries showed rapid self-discharge, dropping to 11 volts within 30 minutes.1:12 They disconnected the faulty units to preserve the remaining two for the passage to Australia.1:44 Additionally, the crew experienced equipment failures, including a non-functional camera and a GoPro that ceased charging.1:53
After recovering from illness and completing administrative tasks, the crew explored Neiafu, noting the town's limited grocery supplies and free-roaming livestock.4:36 They hiked to a local viewpoint and visited a freshwater cave.5:08 The crew later sailed one hour to an anchorage near Swallow's Cave, where they used their dinghy to explore the site.6:34 The cave features a two-meter entrance depth and a 60-meter drop-off, with clear water and large schools of bait fish.9:35
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