LAT 17.44.3. S LON 168.26.8. E (from1.7.13 until 15.7.13)
After a week or two in one place with Zefiro we
usually look forward to the next adventure. I had seen and experienced what I
wanted to see in New Caledonia and had a fair picture about the culture and the
people. Now my explorer heart was eager to move on, set sails again and see new
shores. The weather forecast for the 330 miles to Port Vila, the Capital of
Vanuatu was very favourable and therefore on Saturday at 18.00 we hoisted our sails
at Noumea and plotted our course NNE.
33 hours later at 03.00 Monday morning during a
"cats and dogs" tropical rain shower we lowered our anchor in the
wide and protected bay of Port Vila and caught up with sleep until about 09.00
am when it was time to clear in with customs and immigration offices. The fresh
trade wind had been ideal and we were able to sail very fast at wind angles
between 60 and 80 degrees apparent. It was one of our best and most comfortable
sailing trips since we left New Zealand.
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| Port Vila anchorage |
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| Market at Port Vila |
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| Charts are all incorrect, therefore a challenging navigation |
Originally we wanted to make an intermediate stop at
Tanna, one of the more southerly islands of Vanuatu to view the active Vulcano
at Mount Yasur. Instead we abandoned the plan due to the lack of safe
anchorages at Tanna with its big swells, many reefs and too shallow waters for
our 4 m draft. Instead I flew to Tanna with a regular aircraft at noon time the
next day with a group of other interested Tourists and drove with a tour guide
two hours to Mt. Yasur to see the spectacle in the evening. The Vulcano erupts
every few minutes with such a force that the earth around trembles and big
rocks shoot up in the air with masses of Lava 3.000 degrees hot. The whooshing
and roaring noise gives you an eerie feeling. One feels it comes from deep down
inside mother earth. Our group left deeply thoughtful and impressed. We
returned the next day to Port Vila.
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| Vulcano at Mount Yasur on Island of Tanna |
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| Moon landscape with ash und Sulphur smell near Vulcano photo |
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| Treehouse on Tanna |
Back at the Capital Port Vila I explored the city
during the next couple of days visiting museums and galeries. In fact I bought
three paintings from the well-known local artist Lovo Mozez Jobo.
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| Painter Lovo Mozez Lobo |
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| Sandroing famous in Vanuatu |
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| Sandroing |
The next stop was Lamen Bay at the Island of Epi, 80
miles north from Port Vila. Here we spent Saturday and Sunday and had a good
insight how the people lived. On Saturday we watched a football match between
Lamen Bay and Lamen Island and we witnessed the same passion for the sport like
in our world. On Sunday our two Christian crewmembers Moses and Zaw together
with me attended church, which took place open air. The people in their best
dresses were sitting all spread around on the lawns in beautiful weather
listening to the priest and the elders preaching and singing church songs. It
was just as described in the Bibel. Afterwards there was Sunday school where
all children attended. Church would take about two hours and the whole event
including Sunday school lasted for about 5 hours. After church the elders
wanted to know where we were from and why we were here. The village population
was very friendly and communicative. They spoke English well.
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| Soccer game |
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| Ladies resting |
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| Attending church |
Soon we were off to the next Island Ambrym only 45
miles away with another Vulcano. The village Ranon is famous for the unique ROM
dance but we had to climb up half way to the Vulcano to a very basic place
where only men are allowed. Against a fee a group of men performed their dance
with archaic movements and songs. Three of the participants wore costumes made
mostly of Banana leaves which are reportedly very expensive. They cost at least
3 or 4 pigs. Pigs are a sign of wealth and whoever can afford to donate them is
considered rich and of high esteem. Here I also bought a traditional mask made
of Rosewood, which I had to send via courier to Cyprus because on the arrival
in our next country Australia the authorities would confiscate anything made of
wood from Vanuatu for fear of imported diseases.
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| Pig still alive, not sure transported for sale or to be slaughtered |
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| Rosewood Mask of Vanuatu |
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| Rom dancers |
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| Rom dancers; left and right expensive dance costumes |
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| With dance chief |
In the morning of 8th July we continued our voyage to
the Island of Pentecost with its impenetrable jungle and the famous air diving
spectacles. Young people in a manhood entering ritual jump from wood made
towers up to 30 m high with only liana vines attached to their ankles. The
yearly event takes place in May and June during the harvest season when cruise
ships arrive here to witness the attraction. In 1974 when Queen Elizabeth II
visited the show a jumper broke his neck and died later and the only other time
was in 2006 when an accident happened leaving a jumper paralyzed. We arrived of
course in July when the jumps don't take place. Nevertheless against a fee Luke
Fargo the village elder organized a young boy to climb up the tower and
explained us the story.
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| Land diver |
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| Pentecote Tower |
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| Pentecote Tower |
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| Land diver |
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| Kava brewing for the evening Kava Bar |
The next day another island was waiting for us, the 45
miles distant Ambae. Again volcanic and known for the boiling crater lakes.
They are so dangerous that even two Canadian scientists building a volcanic
research and visitors centre in the small town of Lonokai during their 6 months
stay were not allowed to climb up to the Vulcano.
Finally the last Island to be visited was Luganville
on Espiritu Santo. Here we anchored near a beautiful beach in front of a nice
resort, opposite the town. Luganville is the second largest city of Vanuatu
with 13.000 inhabitants whereas Port Vila has 44.000. The total population of
Vanuatu is 256.000.
Our typical 14 days visit was over and we were excited
to embark on our journey to Australia. Strong Trade winds from SE promising to
last another week motivated us to raise our anchor on the 15th at noon time and
the 1.300 mile journey was on.
The lasting memory about Vanuatu is that the people -
especially in the rural areas - are leading a very simple life. In contrast one
can see how modernisation starts in the capital Port Vila and to a certain
extent in Luganville on Espiritu Santo. On the various Islands I was sometimes
surprised how well people spoke english and so I communicated with them
whenever it was feasible. I asked them would they not want to go abroad or at
least work in Port Vila since here in the village life stood almost still. Some
replied they worked sometimes for a while at Port Vila but didn't like the hectic life and returned to the village
where they had coconuts, pigs and chicken and all the vegetables and fruit they
needed. They seemed to be satisfied with what they had. For the visitor not so
visible though they live in strong hierarchical structures with many Tabus
which - if broken - are severely punished. We were told not to enter certain
areas which were Tabu. Two years ago two ambitious australian Reporters did not
adhere to stay away from certain places. One got away the other one was killed.
Only 40 years ago cannibalism was witnessed in Vanuatu but also on other
Islands around the "Ring of Fire". Originally the Solomon Islands
were on our itinerary as well however we heard many frightening stories as to
severe begging and stealing in Auckland and other places so we skipped that
country.
