Day 8 on Niue on board FGT Saturday 28 August 2010 Position Lat 19-03S Long 169-55W moored at Niue or out at sea – Zero Cape Petrel miles to Niue. (1274m from Whangarei NZ) Wind 10 to 20 knots East – South-East. Boat speed av 0 knots. Barometer 1016 steady as she goes Sails – none!! Still none. cloud cover – puffy trade wind numbers Air temp 28C water temp 28C
Fakaalofa Atu from Oma Tafua – Greetings from To Treasure Whales
After Friday’s 3 whales Team All-of-us have high hopes the Niue Whale season has just begun – may be they were on island time and if so they will be very friendly and relaxed – AND we were right as you shall read. The Sm spend a restful night on board sans company – messed up the galley cooking up smoked organic chook with cabbage, onions and peas washed down by apricots and reduced cream. Had to cancel the Friday night pizza after that! Sat morning the Sm had ordered rain showers all day to wash off the boat, and that spurred him on to wash his clothes and even himself. The boat nazi came onboard for a several hours and what a difference that made – the threat of being shot out of hand always works! The Sm escaped over to Bruce on the red tri Migration to bash his ears – Bruce is the unofficial yachties leader and what a great job he does – seems yachties bond instantly – very nice. The freighter is due today ( Sunday) and Bruce organized the water taxi service as the wharf will be busy – no dinks allowed – and the Sm volunteered for the 2 – 4pm shift – be another learning experience driving a rib with a powerful motor – giddyup. Pity the passengers. At 5pm Team Yachties we drove over to the Matavai Resort for the fund raising concert for Oma Tafua – oh man what a deal. -the hoi poloi where hanging about the main deck overlooking the SoPac to the West when a preggers Mom whale – Ms Big Momma – blew as close as you could get to the deck! Sensational is the only word for it as she did the old fluking 3 times, then seeing she had an audience to please – she did the Breach dance 3 times – Heads up out of the water – looking at us – ending with monster belly flops – the crowd went wild – shouting, gasping, exclaiming, pointing – absolutely exhiliarated by this speccie display. Fai Fia said – ok very good – just what I ordered when I prayed to the god of Whales to put on an act for our Oma Tufua concert – remember that means to Treasure Whales.I think she has a direct line to the G of Ws. The gang was in a fine old mood after that start with lots of chatter. The show went on with little kids doing whale dances, older kids and adults all doing their version of whale tales and legends dressed in traditional cosies all with woven palm front hats with flowers – all the gals have flowers in their hair – (even if the Sm wanted to he could not do that!) A cabinet minister attended along with Robert Rex who is responsible for more Miss Niues than you can shake a stick at. Olive sang a rousing blues tune, and we were even treated to a local version of a Guns n Roses song. Kind of like a raucous end of school concert. The highlight was a 10yo boy with a 6 foot palm frond whale on his head doing the whale dance. Talk about Mr Whale head – The Sm thinks he took lessons from Mr. Canoehead in Canada. The Sm even got on stage to present gifts to the kid dancers (frisbies from Oakville) but was banned from speechifying – maybe they knew his reputation with a mike. That was a great night – Fia Fia drove us home – Team Yachties comprised Jackie and Gary from Inspiration Lady – Goderich!, Bruce and Alene from Migration – Calif, Jack from Anthem -Florida and the NZ/Canadians from Wellington NZ
Sunday – the freighter is not here just yet and the Sm is scrubbing up to attend Fia Fias church which she notes has the best singing.
And WHALES – right here by the boat!!! – She’s on bro – they’re back. Yippee. And time for a swim before church.
Mutolu Kia from an excited smallish Team FalconGt
Don’t forget – check www.svfalcongt.com and www.thekermadecs.org
Fakaalofa Atu from Oma Tafua – Greetings from To Treasure Whales
After Friday’s 3 whales Team All-of-us have high hopes the Niue Whale season has just begun – may be they were on island time and if so they will be very friendly and relaxed – AND we were right as you shall read. The Sm spend a restful night on board sans company – messed up the galley cooking up smoked organic chook with cabbage, onions and peas washed down by apricots and reduced cream. Had to cancel the Friday night pizza after that! Sat morning the Sm had ordered rain showers all day to wash off the boat, and that spurred him on to wash his clothes and even himself. The boat nazi came onboard for a several hours and what a difference that made – the threat of being shot out of hand always works! The Sm escaped over to Bruce on the red tri Migration to bash his ears – Bruce is the unofficial yachties leader and what a great job he does – seems yachties bond instantly – very nice. The freighter is due today ( Sunday) and Bruce organized the water taxi service as the wharf will be busy – no dinks allowed – and the Sm volunteered for the 2 – 4pm shift – be another learning experience driving a rib with a powerful motor – giddyup. Pity the passengers. At 5pm Team Yachties we drove over to the Matavai Resort for the fund raising concert for Oma Tafua – oh man what a deal. -the hoi poloi where hanging about the main deck overlooking the SoPac to the West when a preggers Mom whale – Ms Big Momma – blew as close as you could get to the deck! Sensational is the only word for it as she did the old fluking 3 times, then seeing she had an audience to please – she did the Breach dance 3 times – Heads up out of the water – looking at us – ending with monster belly flops – the crowd went wild – shouting, gasping, exclaiming, pointing – absolutely exhiliarated by this speccie display. Fai Fia said – ok very good – just what I ordered when I prayed to the god of Whales to put on an act for our Oma Tufua concert – remember that means to Treasure Whales.I think she has a direct line to the G of Ws. The gang was in a fine old mood after that start with lots of chatter. The show went on with little kids doing whale dances, older kids and adults all doing their version of whale tales and legends dressed in traditional cosies all with woven palm front hats with flowers – all the gals have flowers in their hair – (even if the Sm wanted to he could not do that!) A cabinet minister attended along with Robert Rex who is responsible for more Miss Niues than you can shake a stick at. Olive sang a rousing blues tune, and we were even treated to a local version of a Guns n Roses song. Kind of like a raucous end of school concert. The highlight was a 10yo boy with a 6 foot palm frond whale on his head doing the whale dance. Talk about Mr Whale head – The Sm thinks he took lessons from Mr. Canoehead in Canada. The Sm even got on stage to present gifts to the kid dancers (frisbies from Oakville) but was banned from speechifying – maybe they knew his reputation with a mike. That was a great night – Fia Fia drove us home – Team Yachties comprised Jackie and Gary from Inspiration Lady – Goderich!, Bruce and Alene from Migration – Calif, Jack from Anthem -Florida and the NZ/Canadians from Wellington NZ
Sunday – the freighter is not here just yet and the Sm is scrubbing up to attend Fia Fias church which she notes has the best singing.
And WHALES – right here by the boat!!! – She’s on bro – they’re back. Yippee. And time for a swim before church.
Mutolu Kia from an excited smallish Team FalconGt
Don’t forget – check www.svfalcongt.com and www.thekermadecs.org
