Cruising Guide to the Kingdom of Tonga in the Vavau Island Group

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

  1. FOEATA ISLAND is a beautiful, clear weather, daytime anc.horage
    surrounded by magnificent white sand beaches with plenty of
    snorkeling. Drop anchor in the protected S.E. corner in about 15
    feet of water. Entrance should be made through the northern pass
    sailing from east to west. Pass over the three fathom mark shown
    on the chart lying between the southern fringe reef of Hunga and
    the coral patch to the south with two coral heads shown. When
    taking this route in it is a clear pass into the area, but proceed
    slowly with a lookout on the bow. Remember, this is a daytime
    anchorage only; do not overnight here.
    One of the most shameful things white men have ever done in
    the Pacific is engage in "blackbirding" which is the practice of
    kidnapping islanders and selling them into slavery. In the last
    century many Tongans were taken forcibly from their homes and
    thrown onto ships which sailed to South America forcing the
    Tongans to work in the mines there.
    When 'George Tupou the First' real:ized what depredations were
    being made against his people he ordered wholesale evacuations of
    many of the smaller out lying islands. The people of Late were
    reestablished in the village of Runga. whose enclosed lagoon
    offered safety from raiders. Another Vava' u group affected at
    that time was the settlement on the northern island of Toku whose
    people were brought to the site of the present village of 'Utulei
    on the shores of the inner harbour.

  2. NUAPAPU is E. of Hunga and S. of Mo'ungalafa and it has several
    anchorages in its bight. On the W. shore is the famed Mariner's

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