A move to the island of Efate and Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. It is a small town, but has a wonderful market and a pretty good 'Au Bon Marche' supermarket. The French/English joint administration caused chaos at the time, but left a legacy of baguette, cheese and pate from the French.
One of the fascinating things about the market is the 'packaging'. Sweet potato, yucca, and other root crops are sold in woven palm leaf bags. Coconuts are left with some stalk and tied with cords (all natural fibre) into packages of ten or so. Ginger, mandarins, and some almond-like nuts are strung up like onions. Lettuce are strung six at a time. Greens are wrapped in banana leaves. This is all done by the stall holders who keep themselves busy preparing the produce for sale. As well as fruit and vegetables, there are coconut crabs, boxes filled with the fishy catch of the day, and live chickens. Today we stocked up the boat for the next bit of the journey. Everything has to be washed before being brought inside - did I mention the huge cockroaches that had hitched a ride on some bananas brought to us in Tanna? - so it took all afternoon to wash, dry and find homes for everything. We have bananas and cooking bananas hung up, potatoes and sweet potatoes in net bags, papaya, pineapple and cabbage wrapped in newspaper, a large net bag of passion fruit (as we (I) bought 2 lots by mistake,) and a bowl of tomatoes in varying shades of green and red. When all was safely stowed away the total packaging discarded was a banana leaf and some natural fibre ties (plus a few insects which met a watery end).
During WWII, the Americans had a base here. There were 3 radar stations known as 1, 2, and 3. The names have stayed, but in Bislama, the local pidgin English. So nambawan, nambatu and nambatri. The latter two are now rather nice residential areas, and nambawan is a park at the waters edge. The Nambawan Cafe is very close to where we are anchored, and not only does excellent coffee and muffins, but has wifi internet for free (or the price of a cup of coffee). A very pleasant spot to watch the action in the harbour and meet other cruisers.
Tomorrow, weather permitting (it poured all day yesterday with strong winds), we will move to the north of Efate.
June 20, 2009
June 19, 2009
Tanna part two
One of the highlights of Tanna is its active volcano which is one of the few in the world that is accessible. Except when very active it is possible to go right up to the crater to watch the fireworks. Taca and his pick-up were booked to take us up late one afternoon - it is all more impressive after dark. The previous day it had rained all day, and the steep dirt track was part watercourse and part slippery mud. Girls in the back this time, and as drizzle set in, it wasn't the most comfortable drive. Goodness knows why we hadn't taken rain coats but it had been hot and sunny all day. We were pretty damp by the time we got to the cooler altitudes of the crater and walked the last bit up to the top.
We had chosen a day when the volcano was having a bit of a rest unfortunately - other people had told us that it was the most frightening place they had been with loud rumblings and chunks of lava being thrown high into the sky. We had lots of steam, and as darkness fell and red glow was visible over the area. Every few minutes there was a whoosh and molten larva was sent high into the sky, slowly losing its glow as it fell. Not scary, but very impressive and in spite of damp mist and a chilly wind we stayed there watching for a couple of hours. After the ride back to the dinghy and a dinghy ride back to the boat we were ready for a bowl of soup!
We had chosen a day when the volcano was having a bit of a rest unfortunately - other people had told us that it was the most frightening place they had been with loud rumblings and chunks of lava being thrown high into the sky. We had lots of steam, and as darkness fell and red glow was visible over the area. Every few minutes there was a whoosh and molten larva was sent high into the sky, slowly losing its glow as it fell. Not scary, but very impressive and in spite of damp mist and a chilly wind we stayed there watching for a couple of hours. After the ride back to the dinghy and a dinghy ride back to the boat we were ready for a bowl of soup!
June 18, 2009
Vanatu - first impressions from Tanna
Eight days of sailing, and 1100 miles of ocean covered, and we are in another world. The island of Tanna in the island group of Vanuatu to be exact. Villagers in dug-out canoes with lashed outriggers paddled over to say hello when we anchored, taking a little time off from their daily task of catching enough fish in the bay to feed their families. We are the only two boats in the anchorage - one of many in this part of the world that Captain Cook also visited.
The cruising guide says we should find the Yacht Club to organize immigration. All we can see from the water are a few thatched huts, so this sounds a very grand name. In fact it consists of a few very simple huts offering accommodation, and a large semi-open thatched building with a small kitchen where meals are provided for the guests. We are told that Stanley is our man, and we should ask for him in the village - "just walk down the main road". The grassy track leads us past huts with thatch roofs and plaited palm mats attached to the wooden structure for walls. Baby pigs, puppies, chickens and children all over the place and all having a great time together - the chickens happily pecking up the bugs exposed by the pigs' rootling. Everyone is so friendly, shaking hands and introducing themselves; Stanley it appears has gone fishing but will be back soon. There is a 'cultural centre' with imposing carved figures outside made of tree fern wood, now sprouting a bit of greenery as hair. Inside some old photos, and articles about the islands culture and history.
Superficially not much has changed since Cook's time, but real isolation is a thing of the past. New Zealand provided funds to sink 4 wells and install pumps; and a solar panel to provide power for a mobile phone aerial. There is one truck in the village, which means that they have access to the only town on the island, 25km over the mountain to the other side. Most children (but not all) have a primary education, but secondary school is much more expensive and very few families can afford the fees. 'Our' village offered two years of secondary education to children from all the surrounding area, they boarded at the school from Mon to Fri. But they were a very small group from comparatively wealthy families.
Arrangements were made for Stanley to accompany us, in the pick-up, to the town to clear immigration. And we were asked to be ready to go at 6.30am for the 2-hour trip. By about 8am the young driver had woken up and started the engine and we were wishing we had spent a bit more time having a good breakfast before setting out! Us two 'girls' were able to squeeze into the cab, but the men were in the back sitting on a narrow wooden bench - along with a variety of locals who hitched rides along the way. Several stops en route for fuel - a gallon and a half at a time by jug from a barrel by the side of the road. We had to draw money before we were able to do anything else. No ATM here, we could only change NZ and US banknotes. It took the rest of the morning to visit customs, immigration and quarantine; all in different buildings. Lunch was in the dockside restaurant, a thatched hut with two long tables and a curtain at one end behind which was the kitchen. Huge plates of fish, rice and yam were put in front of us, with a bottle of lurid red drink - definitely food for the body not the soul.
On the way back we were able to buy a bit of fruit from roadside stalls - strings (like onions) of freshly picked mandarins, huge pamplamousse like we used to get in French Polynesia, and some green leaves wrapped in a banana leaf. And so back to the boat where we could take down the yellow quarantine flag, and hoist the home-made Vanuatu courtesy flag complete with hand embroidered motif in the centre - plenty of time on an ocean crossing!
The cruising guide says we should find the Yacht Club to organize immigration. All we can see from the water are a few thatched huts, so this sounds a very grand name. In fact it consists of a few very simple huts offering accommodation, and a large semi-open thatched building with a small kitchen where meals are provided for the guests. We are told that Stanley is our man, and we should ask for him in the village - "just walk down the main road". The grassy track leads us past huts with thatch roofs and plaited palm mats attached to the wooden structure for walls. Baby pigs, puppies, chickens and children all over the place and all having a great time together - the chickens happily pecking up the bugs exposed by the pigs' rootling. Everyone is so friendly, shaking hands and introducing themselves; Stanley it appears has gone fishing but will be back soon. There is a 'cultural centre' with imposing carved figures outside made of tree fern wood, now sprouting a bit of greenery as hair. Inside some old photos, and articles about the islands culture and history.
Superficially not much has changed since Cook's time, but real isolation is a thing of the past. New Zealand provided funds to sink 4 wells and install pumps; and a solar panel to provide power for a mobile phone aerial. There is one truck in the village, which means that they have access to the only town on the island, 25km over the mountain to the other side. Most children (but not all) have a primary education, but secondary school is much more expensive and very few families can afford the fees. 'Our' village offered two years of secondary education to children from all the surrounding area, they boarded at the school from Mon to Fri. But they were a very small group from comparatively wealthy families.
Arrangements were made for Stanley to accompany us, in the pick-up, to the town to clear immigration. And we were asked to be ready to go at 6.30am for the 2-hour trip. By about 8am the young driver had woken up and started the engine and we were wishing we had spent a bit more time having a good breakfast before setting out! Us two 'girls' were able to squeeze into the cab, but the men were in the back sitting on a narrow wooden bench - along with a variety of locals who hitched rides along the way. Several stops en route for fuel - a gallon and a half at a time by jug from a barrel by the side of the road. We had to draw money before we were able to do anything else. No ATM here, we could only change NZ and US banknotes. It took the rest of the morning to visit customs, immigration and quarantine; all in different buildings. Lunch was in the dockside restaurant, a thatched hut with two long tables and a curtain at one end behind which was the kitchen. Huge plates of fish, rice and yam were put in front of us, with a bottle of lurid red drink - definitely food for the body not the soul.
On the way back we were able to buy a bit of fruit from roadside stalls - strings (like onions) of freshly picked mandarins, huge pamplamousse like we used to get in French Polynesia, and some green leaves wrapped in a banana leaf. And so back to the boat where we could take down the yellow quarantine flag, and hoist the home-made Vanuatu courtesy flag complete with hand embroidered motif in the centre - plenty of time on an ocean crossing!
June 9, 2009
Pegasus in Vanatu
The anchor is down in the wide bay of Port Resolution (named by Capt. Cook after his ship). Apart from Cat Coquette who has just arrived there are no other boats here. Just a few local men fishing in the bay from their home-made dugout canoes, with outriggers. A few simple looking thatched huts near the narrow beach, and a more substantial building called the Yacht Club where we will be going this afternoon to arrange transport over the mountains to the other side of the island to check in tomorrow morning. There is a small town there, Lenakel, with immigration facilities but no suitable anchorage.
A half hour of excitement on the way up the coast of the island when we hooked a huge marlin. G struggled to pull it in, and was nearly there when with a huge thrashing the fish unhooked itself. G was very disappointed but don't know how he would have got the at least 60kg fish onto the deck. It was a beautiful creature.
The live volcano is belching out steam not far away, with some fumeroles in the hillsides around the bay. Hope we can visit it while we are here.
A half hour of excitement on the way up the coast of the island when we hooked a huge marlin. G struggled to pull it in, and was nearly there when with a huge thrashing the fish unhooked itself. G was very disappointed but don't know how he would have got the at least 60kg fish onto the deck. It was a beautiful creature.
The live volcano is belching out steam not far away, with some fumeroles in the hillsides around the bay. Hope we can visit it while we are here.
Pegasus - day 7
Still making good progress. 12 knots of wind from the SE, and it is WARM. Shorts and T-shirt today. We are trying hard to catch a fish - or two - as we would be in a position to smoke one on arrival. Have all the lines out, but so far just one huge bite that took off with the lure. Cat Coquette caught a 10kg tuna this morning, so in any event we should get a fish dinner with them tomorrow night.
We have 105 miles to go, so depending on wind, should arrive tomorrow morning or early afternoon in Port Resolution on Tanna in Vanuatu.
We have 105 miles to go, so depending on wind, should arrive tomorrow morning or early afternoon in Port Resolution on Tanna in Vanuatu.
June 8, 2009
Pegasus - Day 6
It was a hard days sailing yesterday with wind hard on the nose, gusts 35 plus and quite a bit of rain. Motoring didn't help in those conditions. Then at 10pm there was a big squall with change of wind direction, and suddenly the front had passed us and we had a great sail all night with 15 - 20 knots from the west. It was interesting seeing the front on the radar; a long line of solid cloud stretching diagonally across the 24 mile screen; from the boat it looked like a wall.
As expected, this morning the wind has dropped right down so we are motoring now, and these conditions could last until we arrive as we are in a large high pressure zone. We were 45 miles off course last night, but are now converging and have 233 miles to go.
All is well on board, the wahoo was delicious cooked in butter with lemon juice from a fellow cruiser's mum's lemon tree. No real problems with the boat except that the water pump suddenly stopped working. Luckily we have another tap and pump which used to be a salt water pump, but G. had attached it to the fresh supply. Unfortunately the water from the hot water tank isn't accessible, and until the sea gets really calm it's difficult to get the the pump.
Position at 22.00 GMT 23 23.398 S and 169 45.741 E
As expected, this morning the wind has dropped right down so we are motoring now, and these conditions could last until we arrive as we are in a large high pressure zone. We were 45 miles off course last night, but are now converging and have 233 miles to go.
All is well on board, the wahoo was delicious cooked in butter with lemon juice from a fellow cruiser's mum's lemon tree. No real problems with the boat except that the water pump suddenly stopped working. Luckily we have another tap and pump which used to be a salt water pump, but G. had attached it to the fresh supply. Unfortunately the water from the hot water tank isn't accessible, and until the sea gets really calm it's difficult to get the the pump.
Position at 22.00 GMT 23 23.398 S and 169 45.741 E
June 7, 2009
Pegasus - day 5
Well, the good news is that a warm front is passing over and it is much warmer. Also we left a line out last night, and found a nearly dead wahoo on the end of it this morning. On the negative side though, the warm front is being squeezed by a cold front behind giving us winds up to 35 knots last night and this morning, on the nose. We are now some 15 miles off course, and G didn't get much sleep last night - he left me sleeping quite unaware of the situation. If it continues like this we may have to go to New Caledonia first. At least we are dry in our cockpit with its smart new cover - Cat Coquette were miserably wet when we spoke to them this morning.
June 5, 2009
Pegasus - day 4
Day 4 sees a slight change of destination. Still Vanuatu but we have decided to check in to the southernmost island of Villa, Port Resolution to be exact. We would be unlikely to go back south to it from Port Vila, and it has a live volcano to visit. Also a very traditional society which will be interesting.
For those who, like us, knew absolutely nothing about this group of islands before we started reading up -- it is now independent, but before the 1980's was administered jointly by the French and British. This 'Condominium' was known as the Pandemonium as there were two education systems, two police forces and two currencies. Presumably they drove on two sides of the road, but don't suppose there was too much traffic in those days. American forces were stationed there briefly during WW2; they arrived with huge amounts of equipment, and left much of it behind when they left. The inhabitants saw the 'big white birds', and also parachutes dropping supplies, and when they left as suddenly as they had come, many thought they had been sent by the gods. For many years there were 'Cargo Cults' who believed there would be a second coming; tins of Spam were reserved for special feasts.
We have made good progress over the last day, particularly through the night when we were flying 4 sails. We are now 40 miles ahead of Cat Coquette, so can only communicate through SSB. It is slowly getting warmer, and we have seen a few flying fish.
Position at 00.00GMT 26 55.215 S and 171 22.439 E 455 miles to go to our new destination.
For those who, like us, knew absolutely nothing about this group of islands before we started reading up -- it is now independent, but before the 1980's was administered jointly by the French and British. This 'Condominium' was known as the Pandemonium as there were two education systems, two police forces and two currencies. Presumably they drove on two sides of the road, but don't suppose there was too much traffic in those days. American forces were stationed there briefly during WW2; they arrived with huge amounts of equipment, and left much of it behind when they left. The inhabitants saw the 'big white birds', and also parachutes dropping supplies, and when they left as suddenly as they had come, many thought they had been sent by the gods. For many years there were 'Cargo Cults' who believed there would be a second coming; tins of Spam were reserved for special feasts.
We have made good progress over the last day, particularly through the night when we were flying 4 sails. We are now 40 miles ahead of Cat Coquette, so can only communicate through SSB. It is slowly getting warmer, and we have seen a few flying fish.
Position at 00.00GMT 26 55.215 S and 171 22.439 E 455 miles to go to our new destination.
Pegasus - day 3
A sunnier day today, and reasonable winds so we are rocking and rolling our way along. Have just had a lovely hot wash with more water on the floor than on the body, but where else can you watch albatrosses gliding low over the water from your bathroom? Our accompanying boat, the Danes on Cat Coquette, are a few miles behind us and still in VHF range which is nice. We sail faster than them, but are 'content' to potter along at 3 knots when the wind dies whereas they put their motor on and so catch up a bit.
Only one small tuna (back in the ocean) in the last couple of days. Brought a cooked joint of roast beef and a cooked chicken with us so we have eaten well anyway, but we are looking forward to a fish dinner soon.
You will remember that we towed a catamaran 200 miles or so into the Marquesas last year. Heard on the radio net last night that the same boat has the same problems again - ie rudder system completely disabled so no steering. As last year, they have no emergency rudder system to deploy. We said at the time that the boat really wasn't seaworthy for a long trip, and this time there are no boats nearbye, though they have made radio contact. They are 300 miles from NZ, and 800 or so from Fiji where they were headed.
Our position at 0200GMT is 29 01 S and 171 49 E Daily averages below the 150 miles we had hoped for, but we are a third of the way now.
Only one small tuna (back in the ocean) in the last couple of days. Brought a cooked joint of roast beef and a cooked chicken with us so we have eaten well anyway, but we are looking forward to a fish dinner soon.
You will remember that we towed a catamaran 200 miles or so into the Marquesas last year. Heard on the radio net last night that the same boat has the same problems again - ie rudder system completely disabled so no steering. As last year, they have no emergency rudder system to deploy. We said at the time that the boat really wasn't seaworthy for a long trip, and this time there are no boats nearbye, though they have made radio contact. They are 300 miles from NZ, and 800 or so from Fiji where they were headed.
Our position at 0200GMT is 29 01 S and 171 49 E Daily averages below the 150 miles we had hoped for, but we are a third of the way now.
June 4, 2009
Pegasus - day 2
Day two a little rougher as we go through a front, and the wind cannot make up its mind as to strength and direction so we are kept on our toes. Too rough to fish but we are being accompanied my albatrosses, pintado petrels (beautiful) and many other birds. Position as of 1400hs NZST, Thursday we are at 31.01.868S and 172.36.566E with 829 nm to go (1/4 of the way. Another Danish boat that left at the same time is within VHF range.
June 2, 2009
Pegasus on the way
After being landlubbers for so long, Pegasus is literally rolling along on her way to Port Vila, Vanauatu (previously New Hebrides). We left Opua at 11.45 Tuesday in calm wind but are now romping at 6-7 knots, poled out with the wind behind. Caught five fish but all skipjacks which we returned alive (very red meat - not v nice). So fish, fish everywhere but not a fish to eat. Position as of 0300H NZ standard time Wednesday (1500 GMT Tuesday) is latitude 34.02.098 and longitude 173.46.015. 1010Nm to go.
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