We flew back to Vavau, Tonga, after a short three-day stop in New Zealand. It was then Mid-March, still summer in NZ, and wet season in the tropics of south hemisphere. Had stayed the whole winter on north hemisphere, our bodies fill relaxed in the warm climate, but soon found the torture of tropical heat. The boat yard , being on the lee side of the island and the trades, and surrounded by mountains in three sides, is a safe place to hide out in cyclone season, but it is hard for boaters to live aboard with zero breeze.
Our past travelings in the South Pacific were always in the cooling dry season, free of cyclone threats, and extreme humidity. We’ve left Levana under the scorching sun and heat for three and an half months. Our friends David and Moa took the care of airing the boat for us during our absence.
For about three days I cleaned the moldy inside of the boat, and finally it was liveable on board. We also rode our little folding bikes to town area for groceries. It was hard for our bodies to achieve all those chores under the extreme heat at the day hours, thankfully, by night it cooled down, and it was easy to sleep.
Days and nights were quiet in the yard in the remaining days of March. Fellow cruisers were back to their boats, began preparing for the sailing season.
Our biggest boat project is repaint the hull with anti-fouling paint. The manger of the boat yard scheduled our paint job and launching.
All things went smoothly, except a little conflict with a work man named Pela, who wanted to trade his work for our small 110 watt refrigerator. His was not happy of my directing his sanding work, and went away without coming back, so I have to finish his job. At last, he came back, like a child whom knew his fault. We still gave him the refrigerator before the boat was launched.
The launch was carried out in an rainy morning. Around 10:30, at high tide, we were on the water again. We felt great to be on the water again! This is where we all belong to! We stayed by the boat yard for a couple of hours before heading around the corner for bay in front of town area.
We picked #11 mooring ball, according to its owner, it is a hurricane force proof mooring, with a 3 tons block in the bottom. April is still inside the cyclone season, therefore, Levana would be tied to it till it is safe to cruise around.
