Doing It Tough in Vanuatu

Heathers arrival signalled our departure from Port Vila heading north. We found temporary shelter in Havannah Harbor on the NW coast of Efate. This magnificent natural harbor was the site where the US navy assemblaged before the battle of the Coral Sea in WW II. We headed north via Emae Island and Revoliu Bay and Lamen Bay on the Island of Epi. At most anchorages there were villages along the shore were children played among the beached dugout canoes. Lamen Bay was a bit of a hide out among the charter game fishers because of the “Paradise Sunset Resort”, a couple of weatherboard shacks where warm beer can be enjoyed in the setting sun.  The villagers were friendly speaking a mix of English and French.

We continued north to Epi Island anchoring in Banam Bay and heading to Narsup for a few provisions. Narsup was a poor anchorage with little shelter for the easterlies and hardly any provisions in the local shop - except for beer! We retreated to Vao Island, which is supposed to be the site for wood carving. After settling on a marginal anchorage we went ashore to meet the villagers, but was asked to cough up with 2500 Vatu (about $27) if we wish to take any photographs! However, there was not much to photograph and after a short visit to the school we rowed back to Aeolus in pouring rain and hard wind.

We had a fantastic crossing to Espiritu Santo in 15 to 20 knots SE wind keeping Aeolus on 7 knots with a reduced genoa and a trysail on the mast. We did not catch any fish since we left Port Vila, but have lost 3 lures with steel wire leads! The fish took the lure so hard that it was nearly impossible to drag it in and in no time the wire was chewed off. There are some monsters out there!

In rough seas we entered the harbor of Luganville with little shelter from the easterlies. With great effort we rowed the dinghy ashore (the outboard died for a while ago!) and went shopping for lures and food. Not many veggies in the market, but plenty of excellent meat and a good bakery. Returning the dinghy was an effort that had to be done in two steps.

After one night in rolly waves and strong winds the forecast of 20 to 30 knots wind made us retreat to the Aore Island Resort across the narrow sound and hooked up to one of their $15 a night moorings. The scene was set for a relaxing couple of days when nature took revenge!

After a nice evening meal in the resort restaurant we returned to Aeolus in darkness but with light from the resort. Aeolus was moored just one hundred meters from the dock. I was rowing (as usual!) with the ladies on each of the dinghy tubes. Suddenly we were hit on the starboard side with a huge force and a soaking splash of water nearly tilting the dinghy. Heather jumped for cover and with the two girls hanging on to the port tube we saw the starboard one deflate in seconds. During the flash of a second when we were hit and drenched in water I saw a black tail of something resembling a large shark. Under great stress I managed to row the dinghy back to the dock with the two girls hanging on to one tube holding up the deflated site to prevent the water from coming in. We got back to safety and just to face a 15 cm large hole in the dinghy tube! There were no volunteers for a swim back to Aeolus so the resort people generously ferried us and the dinghy back.