12 Apr 2014
'Tin Can' Island Exploits
One of the highlights of this trip was always going to be a visit to Niuafo’ou ('Tin Can') Island and it certainly proved a hit with our group. The historically difficult landing was this time relatively easy and with help from enthusiastic locals we were able to portage a small dinghy to Vai Lahi (Big Lake) the larger of the twin lakes in the caldera of this volcanic island. The endemic Tongan Megapode breeds on a tiny island in the lake and only a handful of people (apart from those living on Niuafo’ou) have ever seen this bird.
©LisleGwynn Tongan Megapode
It was therefore very exciting for our entire group to get great views (and a few good photos) of a couple of individuals. You can only imagine the celebrations on board last night at the end of this unique day which ended our visit to Tonga.
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We arrived in Tonga last night and completed customs and immigration formalities before sailing on to the small island of Eua, one of the oldest isla…READ MORE