Vagabond Voyages · video

What this video covers

Tom and Anissia spend a week in the Vava'u group of Tonga, anchored on a mooring buoy in a cyclone hole off a village while bad weather passes through.Watch The main mechanical problem is a blocked marine toilet: calcium deposits from insufficiently flushed urine, combined with a pipe elbow, clog the outlet hose over roughly three years of use.1:51 Tom dismantles the pump, clears the seacock, and removes the calcified hose section, restoring function.2:54 He recommends flushing the head at least fifteen times per use and clearing the system every two years.2:09 The anémomètre also fails during this stay and needs repair.8:10 Sailing between anchorages in the Vava'u archipelago, winds are gusty and variable, limiting speed to 2–2.5 knots at times against a 2-knot current.9:49 The anchorage described as having the best snorkeling in all of Tonga requires crossing a breaking wave barrier at high tide; coral quality rivals the south pass of Fakarava, though fish numbers are modest.22:56 Anissia notes her aging wetsuit leaks badly while Tom's new 5mm Decathlon suit performs well.22:09 The anchorage draws 11–13 boats at peak season, and close-anchoring by arriving boats is a recurring frustration.11:13 A Tongan family hosts a traditional feast for roughly 30–40 euros per person.16:12

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