Tue, 7 October 2003
Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu
Two months after returning to New Zealand we had all of our boat projects completed, had fully provisioned and moved north to the Bay of Islands looking for a weather window to leave for the tropics. We were able to fit in some fantastic visits with friends in between boat projects which provided great contrast and relief to getting the boat ready for another cruising season. It was difficult leaving New Zealand after so much time and so many wonderful memories with great friends. New Zealand, especially the Bay of Islands, was a special and unique place for us as we visited New Zealand twice and cleared in and out of there each time. Most countries we visit you check in at one end and out at the other end.
We let two possible weather windows go before we saw one that looked good enough to take a chance. The idea is to get north as quick as possible as the weather patterns here move with amazing speed across the Tasman Sea from Australia. We did well with our choice … 15 knots of wind aft for the first three days, a day of light wind motor sailing, then three days with 15 knots on the nose followed by nice winds from aft again. Fifteen knot head winds are a bit inconvenient but very manageable. At times the boisterous seas can make life on board a bit like riding a bucking bronco while trying to do anything from brushing your teeth to cooking and washing dishes. But it was a good to be at sea again after such a long time, it is almost magical as you watch cloudy mornings transform to sunny, sparkling days with the amazing deep sapphire blue of the Pacific all around you. We were fortunate to have a full moon at the start of our passage which made the nights bright. Mars was prominent in the night sky and on our first night out, it made it’s transit right next to the moon. As the passage progressed and the moon waned, it rose later and later making the first part of the night very dark but it gave you something to look forward to as moon rise is always dramatic and sometimes a bit startling when it emerged large and bright on the horizon!
After ten days (September 10-20) we arrived at Port Resolution on the island of Tanna at the southern end of Vanuatu. Our good friends Wendy & Garth on VELELLA had arrived the day before and Glen & Glenna on CALIFIA were there and it was nice to have them all as our welcoming party. We started our visit on Tana in high gear the next morning as we all took off on a 1.5 hour walk with a local guide to a Kustom (traditional) village in the jungle. Great walk among many huge banyan trees. When we arrived in the village the drum began a rhythmic beat to call the dancers in from their homes or chores in the bush. Twenty men and boys met us and performed some of the native dances. It was spectacular! They wear only a woven reed penis sheath held up with a belt. And the “stage” was a clearing in front of a huge Banyan tree, with the dancers emerging from a “hallway” carved through the trunk of the tree. After dancing they started a fire the old fashion way and showed us how to shoot birds from the trees with blunt tipped arrows that don’t leave holes in your dinner. The Ni Vanuatu people are very friendly with warm smiles to greet you whenever you pass on the road.
On our return walk to the yachts, we passed another village with the inhabitants clustered at the crossroads with something in buckets. Turned out to be a wonderful dark, flavorful honey in honeycomb. We all ate some as a treat along the road and Altair brought back a large piece wrapped in a banana leaf (and inside a zip lock bag) to the boat. We squeezed the honey out of the beeswax and drained it into a jar. This fantastic honey has been a delicious part of our morning breakfast routine.
That evening we loaded into the back of a truck and went up to the Yasur Volcano! This is probably as close as any civilian can get to an active volcano, there are no hand rails and all understand that if nature chose that moment to hurl molten lava your way …. Well then, so be it. We perched on the rim of the cinder cone for a few hours as it became dark watching natures show. Every five to ten minutes, the ground would shake and with a loud boom, lava would shoot hundreds of feet into the air, from way down in the crater to higher than eye level. It was quite a thrill! And this was just the first day here!
The next morning we were ashore by 7:00 a.m. and back in the truck for the ride across the island to the main town of Lenakel to check in with Customs and Immigration, change money and shop at a great open air fruit and veggie market. It was wonderful to cross the island and see the variety of terrain, especially the large ash field on the side of the Yasur Volcano. Eleven of us were all sitting on narrow benches around the back of the pick up truck with bars across the top to hold on to. It was very aerobic for a truck ride. Children would yell hello and shout as we passed by. The yacht club at Port Resolution arranged for all our various trips and adventures willingly extending credit to us as it is difficult to get the local currency outside of the country. We had quite the bill when we finally changed our money but had just enough to pay the yacht club, buy a few veggies and a bit left over in our wallets. We stayed in Tanna for a week with the remaining time spent in the local natural hot tub – water warmed by the volcano pouring into an indentation at the side of the bay – snorkeling, exploring the local village and beaches during the day and socializing with friends in the evenings. All at a much slower pace than the first two days.
After our week at Tanna, we sailed over night to the island of Efate with the capital city Port Villa. The “city” is at the head of a large bay in a smaller bay with beautiful blue water. Vanuatu achieved independence in 1980 ?? after years of condominium rule by the French and British as the New Hebrides. This has left an interesting mix of British and French cultural marks on the island with most signs being in both languages plus the local Bislama (pidgin English). There are so many different languages in the islands of Vanuatu and Bislama was created so people could communicate with each other. The French have definitely left their mark as you can get baguettes, croissants and French pastries, and most businesses start early and close for lunch reopening in the afternoon.
When cars began arriving on the island things on the road quickly became confusing with cars driving on both sides of the road as the British drive on the left and French on the right. It was decided that the next car that arrived, be it left hand or right hand drive would decide which side of the road they drove on. Turned out to be left hand and so they drive on the right. After all of our time in countries that drive on the other side of the road it is hard for us to remember to look left when we go to cross the road.
We met up with an old friend from Bellingham who is out cruising in his beautiful new Elliott 54 built in New Zealand in 2000. Bob Warden used to race his J-36 Jamoca the in the Pacific Northwest and we had the chance to race his new boat, Mariah, in the Sunday Vanuatu yacht race. We were first to finish and corrected out on most of the fleet of “visiting boats”, including the Davidison 65 Anteaus, but where beaten on handicap by a Young 11 from Noumea who flew their spinnaker. Mariah sails like a dream and was a real treat to race on.
We have just about completed our projects in town, topped up provision, done laundry, email and have gotten our Australian visas. Australia is the only country so far in our travels that has required us to have a visa in our passports before arriving. Since we have spent time in South Pacific countries of more than three months, we were also required to have a chest x-ray to prove that we do not have TB. You will all be glad to know we are fit and healthy. We leave the day after tomorrow to head back out to the islands in search of quieter anchorages, places to snorkel, beaches to walk on, hikes to take, etc. Being in town is always a bit expensive as there are so many tempting ways to spend your money so it will be good to get away. Our next stop is planned to be the island of Epi passing through Havannah Harbor on the NE corner of Efate along the way. Havannah Harbor was a naval base for the United States during World War II and with lots of ex-Navy in Suzette’s family it would be interesting to see.
All for now, hugs – Suzette and Paul