July Tonga to NZ - Opinions ?

[brian and clare]

Hi, We are getting ready for the big trip from Tahiti to NZ. Want to get back to work by end of July. Trip from Tonga to NZ can be bad, and I am wondering if July is a wee bit too wintery for us? Would we be better off leaving the boat in Vavau until Christmas, then sailing it back in the summer?

Any opinions or wild speculation is welcomed,

Thanks

B

[Ex-Calif]

I'm sure you don't "want" to get back to work in July - LOL.

If it were me I'd stay with the boat in the tropical lattitudes until winter is over - Ha, ha...

Obviously, I don't have any good advice for you but I thought I'd give this post a bump...

[Alan Wheeler]

Yeah sorry, I either never saw this or thought there is nothign I can help with anyway.
Our weather in the Pacific is totally screwed up at the mo. I don't ever recall having the tropical depressions come down this way so late in the year. And then when we get the Southerlies through, they are good ones. However, as I understand it, this past month was supposed to be wet and the next two months dry again. What that actually means as far as fronts go, I have no idea and I can't really add any more useful info. I hope some of our NZ sailors that have done the trip can add more info.

[Steve Pope]

Keep an eye on the weathergram put out by Bob McDavitt, If you google it I imagine it will come up. It is free, the email address is <no_reply@pangolin.co.nz> It comes through about once a week.

[GMac]

It's only a week -10 day trip so quite do-able if you pick the weather. In every trip to and from Tonga the weathers been fine until 300-250 miles from the NZ coast and then I've had some nasty bits. Time of the year didn't seem to matter.

I'd say it will be a bloody awful trip down though. What with being Island cruising for so long to head south to the chillier climate and back to work.... yuck yuck yuck.

Pull a sickie for another few months and stay in the warm

[Kiwikat]

I've done a return from Fiji in June. At one stage half way across the lads all jumped into the ocean for a cool off as we were becalmed, no fridge and not a lot of diesel.

Also returned from New Caledonia in late July (yeah had to get back to work). It was a hell trip from about the 3rd day across. We'll never sail by timetable again!!!

If you do it early, make sure you pack your winter woolies and hot water bottles for nearing NZ. Or better still, pull a sickie as GMac suggests. I wouldn't wait till Christmas though. Too much into cyclone season for my liking.

Cheers
Lisa