HMAS Childers visit to Tonga

HMAS Childers came to Tonga for a quick visit and held a cocktail party on their first night in port. Unfortunately I was already booked in for Hannah's birthday party so didn't make it. From all reports everyone had a great time with the crew. As some of the crew were heading over to Pangi on the Sunday they offered a jet boat ride for the kids (big and small) so some of our neighbours gathered up their friends and we all went over to Pangi for the day. After 2 boat trips over in "Satisfaction" everyone was lining up for their go on the jet boat.

Dylan on doggie watch as Karen and Mal (our neighbours) bought along their dogs Jock and Milly for the day - the dogs first outing on a boat and they loved it.

All aboard for ride number 1.

And number 2.. couldn't get the kids off. Dylan managed ride number 3 when the boys went ski biscuiting and let him stay onboard for the ride.

When the big kids were on there were plenty of squeals (of terror or delight I do not know), as the driver really let them have it out in the open water.

Emily and Dylan always managed to get themselves up in the front.

Another beautiful sunset as we left Pangi at 6pm, the boys didn't leave till 10pm that night after they had drunk the bar dry. "Big Mumma" was happy though as she definatley made some money that day.

This week we also had the Defence Attache visiting from Wellington so our compound took him out for dinner with the senior sailors from Childers on the Tuesday night. A quiet little Chinese dinner turned out to be a cracker and all the boys had a great time. One week later and Lyndon (sailing home on the Tongan ship SAVEA) met the Childers crew in Port Villa as they were refuelling the boats and apparently they did not stop telling Lyndon about what a great time they all had in Tonga - that was definatley great to hear.