Nuiatoputapu

Nuiatoputapu is the island with the best anchorage in northern Tonga. The anchorage is protected by a reef. The reef entrance is the narrowest that we have seen in the south Pacific, but it is well marked with a range, three greens, and two reds. None of these are lit, so a nighttime entrance is foolhardy. Two more greens and five reds lead about a half mile to the anchorage, where about thirty boats can anchor in 30 feet, sand bottom. The anchorage is normally flat, but some swell enters at larger high tides. The wind shelter is minimal.

There are several villages on the island, with a total population of about 1,000 people. Many things are quite primitive. The supply ship is supposed to arrive once a month, but it hadn't visited in two months. The only functioning business was a small store. There is also a bakery that operates Sundays until the island runs out of flour.

While we were there we attended a pig roast and a potluck.

Steven spent a long day roofing a ten by twenty foot hut that was being built by the Red Cross in response to the September 2009 tsunami.